Wellington Meet Recap (May 3-5, 2024)

Hi All,

I want to thank Coach Kim and Coach Mere for being there to support the swimmers this weekend. Providing instruction, support and feedback is essential to their development in the sport. I also want to thank the Parents. The kids were on time, supported appropriately and came prepared to swim fast. Thanks to you all.

Our goals for the weekend were spelled out before we went to the meet; focus on technical gains, even splits and great back halves of the swims. The swimmers did an outstanding job in all three areas. All of the coaches were thrilled with how smart the swimmers were from our youngest, Mariia, to our oldest age grouper, Christian. Our elder stateswoman, Alexa, is always a joy to be around and is so supportive of the kids.

While we never mentioned or focused on best times or personal best at this meet, we did see a lot of time drops. These time drops were due to better technique and conditioning. As the season progresses, we will focus more on speed in our training. (full results can be found on the
Meet Mobile app).

We entered just over twenty (20) swimmers. We did have a few that got hit with sickness or injuries, but those who were there swam great. I was very impressed with our younger/newer swimmers. Iaroslav shined in the breaststroke, Mariia, our youngest, did all of her strokes legally, Eric was very impressive, Tanner looked like a veteran, Sloane showed vast improvements...and I am not sure I can Call Vlad and Anastasia newbies anymore. They both swam extremely well and carried themselves like they have been doing this for years.

As for the older ones, I also saw much progress. Viv’s strokes have truly improved, Caleb killed it the mile and more, Joaquin handled himself like a 21 year old D1 swimmer, Thiago just races every time he hits the water, Alexa is building on her great short course season, Kayla crushed her times and swam so consistently, Christian’s recent hard work is paying dividends, Jack’s dedication is transforming him positively almost daily, Bryce has mastered so many new techniques in a very short period of time, Joseph “found” his stroke and looked amazing and Stephano? Well, he continues to amaze us all with his effort, focus and determination.

I feel this meet was a turning point for us as an organization. While we are almost a year old, we are starting to add new people to the team and the sport. We are growing in scope and size. That said, know that we will NEVER be a “mega-team”. We will always maintain a great swimmer:coach ratio and be focused on each individual as we work together to reach our goals.

I have been around this sport since 1969. Suffice to say, I have seen a lot in those years. This weekend felt different than other meets FAA participated in the past year. I can see and feel the change... and it is a positive change. Let’s stay focused, be positive and continue to grow as athletes, people and a team.

Thanks for your continued support. Know we all only want the best for your children.

Next Up? FIU Invite.

See you at the pool - Rich