RAYS February Birthdays!

Bailey Blanchette Feb. 12
Tara Burke Feb. 18
Erin Gagnon Feb. 10
Kristiaan Hereijgers Feb. 1
Joe Lavalliere Feb. 14
Kristin MacDougall Feb. 22
Nina Misra Feb. 20
Jenn Watson Feb. 26
Kelli Zaino Feb. 1

 

Swimming aids purchased by RAYS

 

Parents, you may have seen your child trying out some of the new equipment that the RAYS have recently purchased.  These swimming aides include a StretchCordz Long Belt, as well as, surgical tubing,

 

 

The “StretchCordz Long Belt” has been used by our senior swimmers for resisted swim out which will help with their sprinting speed and strength.  The belt is attached around the waist of the swimmer and then the other end is anchored to the starting block.

 

The “Surgical Tubing” is used to restrict the swimmer’s legs during breaststroke to encourage a narrower kick, which will ultimately improve their overall breaststroke.  This is not a favorite with the swimmers, but they see the value in the end result!

 

Some of the swimmers have also purchased their own “Hand Paddles” and coaches have their own on deck for the swimmers to utilize during freestyle swim.  These paddles encourage a long, smooth stroke and help to reinforce proper stoke technique.  Many of the swimmers need help with their technique and the paddles are a way to assist them. 

 

Coach Bridget has personally purchased a “StretchCordz Kick Trainer”.  Parents may have seen swimmers with this contraption and wondered what it was. This trainer targets the quadriceps and abdominal muscles.  It adds resistance to the legs during kick sets, assists ankle recovery from the breaststroke kick, as well as, adding resistance to abdominal muscles during the dolphin kick. 

 

The swimmers seem to enjoy these training aids and it has definitely helped several swimmers with crossover problems with their freestyle.  If you think your swimmer could benefit from any of these training aids talk to their coach.  

 

 

 

 

HEALTH INFORMATION

 

According to January 2006 “SPLASH” magazine, most swimmers don’t get enough water. “Swimmers forget they sweat in the water…Even mild dehydration will slow a person’s metabolism as much as 3%”.

 

 

According to “The Swimmer’s Diet” 1996, swimmers need to eat a nutritionally balanced diet to help perform at peak.  This should consist of 15% calories from protein, 25% calories from fat, and 60% calories from carbohydrates.  Swimmers should eat a carbohydrate-rich diet. 

 

The types of food swimmers eat before competition influences how they will compete in the pool.    Typically, 0.5-2 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight one to four hours prior to competition.

 

Within 30 minutes of competition, swimmers should consume a minimum of 70 grams of carbohydrates, followed by up to 100 grams every 2-4 hours to restore muscle energy levels.  Swimmers who have diets with less than 40% carbohydrates cannot recover before their next workout.

 

Sometimes swimming becomes an all day event.  Some things to consider:

  • With less than one hour between events eat high-carbohydrate foods (fruit juices, bananas, crackers, etc.)
  •  With 2-4 hours between events add more carbohydrates foods (bagels, English muffins, hot oatmeal, fruit juice).
  • With 4 hours between events swimmers should add small amounts of protein with their carbohydrates (yogurt, peanut butter on a bagel, turkey sandwich, fruit drink).
  • Swimmer should stock up on fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables, crackers, sports drinks, fruit juices, bagels, raisins, as well as, muffins and have them readily available to take with them on the road.
  • Swimmers need to stay hydrated. Dehydration of as little as 2% of body weight can hurt performance. Unfortunately, thirst is not a good indicator of how much fluid a swimmer needs.

                    -Ernest W. Maglischo, PhD,

                     Head Swim Coach, Arizona State University.   

Tapering

 

 

I have never found anything in sports that works as well as tapering. Of course we are talking about tapering your swim workouts in preparation for a big meet. I have discussed the subject with many experienced swimmers and found they had conflicting opinions. Over the years I have tried some or all of their advice and have come up with some conflicting opinions of my own.

 

Tapering has two very important components. One is to rest the swimming muscles and two, is to refine your racing technique. Resting the muscles is the easy part. Refining your technique takes a little work. See, I told you they were conflicting opinions.

 

If you are a sprinter, start 2 weeks from your big swim meet and reduce your total workout yardage by 25% per day. If you are a distance swimmer, start 10 days out from the big meet and reduce your daily yardage by 33% per day. Take a day off from swimming at some time during this process but try not to take more than one day off.

Two days before the start of the meet do not swim at all, don’t mow the lawn, or shovel snow. Get someone else to do it. You are tapering! The day before the meet swim 1200 yards nice and easy.

 

The yardage tapering is straight forward. The intensity tapering takes some thinking.

Early in the taper, swim longer intervals but swim slightly faster. If you usually do 5 x 100 on 1:30, and finish the 100 in 1:20, do 5 x 100 on 2:00 and try to finish in 1:15.

Also, change speeds when you swim. While doing a 100 swim, do the first 25 easy and build your speed so that you are at about 85% speed in the last 25.

 

Parents

 

Watch the Rays web site for banquet info and a printable sign up form, coming soon!

We are always looking for pictures of swimmers to add to our collection.  If you have any pictures that you want to share with us, please see Cindy Bushell at the pool or e-mail photos of swimmers to Cynthia.Bushell@abbott.com.

Cindy Bushell is our news correspondent for the local newspapers in Derry, Londonderry, Windham, and Kingston.  Feel free to browse the binder with all the newspaper articles. It is located by the communication boxes at the pool.

A special thank you to Denise Courtemanche and Mike Saunders for providing coaches coverage during vacations and sicknesses.

 

Featured Swimmer

 

 

Rachel Flinn 2005-2006

 

 

Rachel Flinn has recorded numerous RAY’S records for the 2005-2006 swimming season.  Not only does she hold most of the team records for her age group, but she holds many of the records for ages 10-12 that probably won’t be broken for years to come.  She started swimming at 6 years of age for the Nashua Y swim.  One year later, she moved to the Nashua Boy’s & Girl’s Club.  Then, as a 10 year old, she joined the RAYS.  She swims with the senior swimmers 4 nights per week, as well as, 3 mornings per week at the Nashua Y.  She loves to swim and enjoys seeing her friends at swim meets. 

 

Rachel was very proud to represent the “New England Zone Team” when she was just 12 years old. Also, her 7th Place overall at the “New England Age Groups” as a 12 year old with a 2nd place finish in both the 100 and 200-yard backstroke was extremely exciting for her.  She has even been the recipient of “Athlete of The Year” two years ago.  This award is given to a RAY’S swimmer who has done an outstanding job during the swim season.  

 

A big highlight for her this year includes a personal best time of 1:59 in the 200-yard freestyle.  Her favorite stroke is the backstroke, and she has even learned to enjoy the breaststroke.  Her personal goal for the short-course season is to achieve a sectional cut in the backstroke. 

 

Rachel is in the 8th grade in Nashua and is very excited about swimming in High School next year.  She will certainly turn some heads with her accomplishments.  One interesting fact:  If she had competed at the High School State meet this year, she would have placed 1st in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:01.73!