Consistency
Consistency
One of the most important components of successful athletes is the ability to be consistent over long periods of time. To be successful at Championship time in February BSC swimmers need to be consistent in three areas: Attendance, Attitude, and Practice Performance.
Attendance: Everything starts and ends with attendance. Before Michael Phelps or Kate Ledecky every made an Olympic team they spent 3-6 years coming on time to every practice every day. No days off for parties, no days off after swim meets, no days off for competitive basket weaving finals. This is one of the key places where personal greatness is formed. Here at BSC we need to be aware of two things that make consistent Attendance important. First is technical scheduling, this is how coaches make sure we are working all aspects of competitive technique every week: Monday—Fly, Tuesday—Back, Wednesday—Breast, Thursday—Free, Friday—Racing Skills, Saturday—Mental Toughness, A teammate that misses a day misses out on an opportunity to get focused work on that technical item. Secondly, we need to be aware that there will be several days off due to pool conflicts (in October it will be 6 Days total). Think about it---without other commitments, illness, or social time BSC athletes will miss the equivalent of one week of practice in October. WOW---How important is it to be at every practice? Super Important!
Attitude: Attitude is everything! A swimmer with average ability great attendance and a can do attitude will achieve great personal success in swimming. The Teammate who is happy with a .01 Best Time, but not satisfied because they know they can go faster is a powerful force. Always Be Happy, Never Be Satisfied. Like Walt Disney said, “Keep Moving Forward” Remember your best time is ALWAYS BEST ENOUGH. Come to practice knowing that you have the unique opportunity to make something amazing happen every practice! What a great sport, every day you get to spend 5 hours with folks just like you, who love the sport of swimming and want to get better! That is AWESOME!!
Great Attitude--Bring It—Every Day!!
Practice Performance: It's not enough to just show up and have a can do attitude—You have to EARN it in training! This applies to two areas: Technique and Velocity. Swimmers need to be working on perfect technique at proper velocity All the Time. BSC Swimmers are held to a standard of progression to perfection every lap of every day. Want to have great underwater work? Pay attention to the key items Coaches are asking you to pay attention to: tight streamline, 2-4 underwater dolphin kicks, 1-2 no breath strokes with an explosive breakout. Do this every lap every day and you will get better. This is just one example of technical progression to perfection. Secondly, is do it right at the proper velocity. When you are working great technique and swimming at the speed your coaches are asking for every lap of every day you WILL get the result you want most of the time. Enjoy the Opportunity to Race Perfectly in Practice!
Putting it all together is simple come all the time---love what you do---try as hard as you can all the time. When BSC as a TEAM makes the commitment to be consistent in these three areas we will achieve things that some may think amazing, but we will all know it was: Consistent Attendance, Consistent Attitude, and Consistent Practice Performance.
Goals are Only Dreams with Deadlines—BSC Rio—2016
