More FAA Upgrades - Masters Focus

Hi All,

There are a lot of good things happening in the FAA Universe. I could list them all, but the post would be too long for most people to finish. I will break it all up into manageable bites. The focus of this post will be the Masters program. 

Swim parents, please continue to read. We have some of you who are already involved in our adult swimming program and I am sure there are others who might be interested. Swimming is a unique sport where the entire family can be involved on so many levels; including training and competing.. More on that in another post...but keep it in mind.  For now, here are some important Masters updates.

New Masters Schedule/Focus Begins Monday, November 4th

As mentioned in an earlier post, we will be adding two (2) additional morning sessions to the current Masters workout schedule per week. The added options will be Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30am and Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:45am. There is no fee increase for these added options. Most high functioning Masters programs offer five (5) mornings a week. Since I go to the pool at that time each day, this upgrade was a no brainer. There may be a day or two during the year where I may be away at a meet and practice might be canceled, but those days will be few and far between.

Why The Additions?

As mentioned earlier, most highly successful Masters programs offer daily mornings for those who would like to train and compete at a higher level. They also offer those options for those who want to make getting in the pool part of their daily routine; even if they never want to compete. As some of you know, swimming has been a major part of my family’s life forever. Masters has been a big part of it as well. I know that my family “needed” to swim each day to feel right :) I am sure there are those reading this that know exactly what I mean. We have worked hard to add an incredible amount of training options for the age groupers this past year, now it is time to do the same for our Masters swimmers.

The added workout options also mean that we can become a place for those looking to compete locally through internationally. While not for everyone, there are some who like to challenge themselves in the pool and in Open Water events. Being a part of a swim team can be just as much fun as an adult as it was when you were a kid (and sometimes even more fun). By offering a place where people can challenge themselves against the clock and other adults, we can build a strong sense of camaraderie and team. That goes a long way in helping motivate people to get up, train and compete at their best.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Yay, bad pun...but it was there. Yes. We will now offer training and competition options for people looking to test themselves in the sport of competitive swimming. That said, we will always have a place for those just looking to get in a good workout or to swim and relieve some daily stress. Elite level training and meet attendance will not be required. We will continue to offer guided workouts as we do now as well as self directed options. These changes are only being added to open more doors, not to close any. You can do as much or as little as you desire. As with the kids, the choice is yours.

Expectations Moving Forward

So you are pumped to get in more and maybe even do some meets, awesome. Let’s be clear on what to expect as we move into this next phase of our growth. 

• 
  We will make a meet schedule for each season. Normally it will culminate with a National Championship or major meet (here or abroad). 
• We will select some meets to attend during the season to prepare us for that targeted meet as well. 
• Hopefully, we can start entering relays at meets and look to score points and challenge other teams, locally and nationally, in some friendly competition. 
• We will offer workouts designed for each season for those looking to be on this path. For those who just want to go to the meets and have fun, but are not interested in doing the higher level workouts, we want you there as well! You can continue what you are doing now, but will have this fun option available to you.

PLEASE NOTE: 

Training sessions will not be technique sessions. This is important. The coaches on deck love to help and offer suggestions from time to time. We can not, however, do full stroke instruction and refinement on a daily basis. We will offer swim clinics and private sessions for those interested,, but we simply do not have the time and resources for daily stroke correction and detailed personalized attention. I just wanted to be clear on this as we morph into the new focus.

Hosting Meets

I have looked at the meets offered in the state for Masters swimmers (schedule to be posted soon). It seems that most of the options are for those fifty (50) and older. It also seems that there are not that many local offerings as well. Instead of lamenting over this fact, perhaps we can rally the troops and begin to host some meets of our own. I would welcome your feedback on this; especially from anyone with practical experience hosting meets in the past. We have everything we need to make this come to pass...we just need a strong group of people to get them up and running.

Team SWAG & Events

Being a part of a team is great. We look to offer team gear, outfits and events as we grow and develop. Weekend brunches, post meet get togethers and the like all make being a part of a Masters team such fun. I look forward to being a part of these happenings with you in the future.

Putting It All Together

Our Masters program is a major part of our entire FAA program. Now, we are treating it that way. The goal is to be one large “Swamily”; from lessons, to age groupers, to college, to adults. Each segment compliments the other. Working together, we can create a large community of people with shared goals, dreams and visions. This synergistic relationship is like a tide lifting all boats. 

This sense of “swamily” as I call it, is a powerful force. It is my sincere desire for us to experience that power here at FAA. I have been fortunate to have experienced it a few times in my life. When it all comes together, it is like magic. I hope we all get to feel that magic for many years to come.

See You At The Pool - Rich