CHAMPIONSHIP THINKING

By Maggie Shook

It is an unusually warm February day. The Dallas skies are crystal blue and a light breeze gently floats through the pool doors across the outer lanes. As I sit with my age group team, I have told them that I have the unique opportunity to write an article about age group swimming in the premier issue of Swim Texas Magazine. As an age group team with various individual goals and a unified team goal, I asked them what they might want to read prior to their championships. Can we come up with a common thread to tie us together towards our championship goals this month? Ideas came slowly then quickly snowballed to a discussion about motivation, relaxation, focusing, meet preparation and inspirational people. All these ideas lead us to championship thinking. Championship thinking is for champions who have prepared to perform and prepared to succeed at their championship.

All across Texas, age group swimmers are preparing to compete in specific championships. The hard work is behind them and now it's the fun part -- the reward. Allow yourself to succeed.

As you prepare to compete you must focus on several areas. During the weeks prior to competition work on positive imagery. Go over your race plans and talk yourself through to a victory. Visualize yourself winning, dropping time, meeting your goals. How do you feel? How does the crowd sound? Know your time to the hundredth of a second.

At a Junior National competition, one of our swimmers was tense, yet focused. We went through a visualization session and I asked her what she saw on the clock. She stated a time. It was a 3.6 second drop for the 100 IM breast. That afternoon as she swam her race, her teammates and I watched the clock with anticipation, She looked great and when she touched we glanced at the clock and yes!... exactly 3.6 drop. All of us cheered. Her positive visualization lead her to success. Begin your visualization prior to competing and during your meet focus your positive self-talk towards relaxing and achieving each individual goal.

Everyone wants to have an edge over their competition. You can have that edge with team support and a positive attitude. Your positive energy along with your teammates' support can bring unbelievable results.

During a TAGS competition several years ago, a 14 year old swimmer was seeded 31st. He was determined to reach his goal and drop time and make finals. During prelims he continued positive self-talk, raced with desire and self-confidence. He entered finals seeded eighth! During finals with his team cheering he dropped time and finished fourth. What an exciting day!

Remember to think about the details. Your tempo, turns and touch. At the end of the race give a little more; someone must win - let it be you. During a USS camp, Theresa Andrews, Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meter backstroke, spoke to a group of athletes about the desire to be your best. Condensing her story... She was not ranked as a "contender for the gold". She swam prelims and shocked the crowd with a second-place finish to USA record holder, Betsy Mitchell. Prior to finals she wanted to know why Betsy beat her. She spoke with her coach and it came down to her touch. Betsy drove her hand into the pad and Theresa hit it too low and too slowly. So the tension grew during finals. Theresa and Betsy, stroke for stroke. They touched and the crowd screamed -- USA 1-2; Theresa first, Betsy second! After race analysis, again it came down to the touch. Theresa this time touched with power.