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Here we are again, summer has started and what are your plans to get better over the summer? PFL Aquatics supports the local summer league teams, and we want our athletes to have fun and demonstrate all the skills and techniques they have learned over the past year. Can you do both is the question I have for you?
Last year we had a significant drop off with our attendance during May, June and July with all the kids stopping for summer league. We are asking you to continue to train with PFL over the summer to continue to develop our athletes. Summer league is fun and that is important, but skill and technique will most likely diminish over the course of the season without PFL.
Summer League has some great coaches, but most are very young with very little experience. We are going to hold our athlete’s accountable day-in-day out with a plan in place for their long-term development. There is always a big difference between the kids that continued with PFL and the kids that didn’t when we return after the summer.
Thunder 1 and 2 Athletes
Your bodies are used to doubles with high school practice and then club in the PM. Some of you did as many as 10 practices a week during the short course season if you made all of them. PFL tends to see several of our 15 and over athletes drop off significantly with the number of practices a week but still “feel” like you should be dropping time or dropping more. Doing less and expecting more is not realistic. Is it possible? Sure, but highly unlikely. Increase your chances or dropping and show up at least 7 practices a week.
How many practices a week should my athlete try to make?
Th1: should be 8+ per week.
Th2-3: 9 offered-try and make 6-7 shooting for 8-especially if you will be going into high school
Lighting 1: 4 offered-please try and make all of them-3 days is still building habits
Lighting 2: 4 offered-3 to build habits, 2 to keep in the flow-hard to build habits but possible
Rain: 3 offered-please try and make 2 shooting for 3
Reasons to stay with PFL over the summer:
- Continue the path of development - Mental and physical
- We can start off the season ahead of the game.
- We assess the group's overall stroke technique and skills, which guides where we start and how long we remain in each training phase.
- Increased participation in our summer training program will enhance group performance at the start of the season, allowing us to progress more efficiently.
- You have already paid for it..so you might as well come
- Continue to build relationships with their peers-so they want to come and this makes life easier for everyone.
- Help continue to build PFL Aquatics into a competitive team-it takes year-round athletes to make this happen.
- Continued education of our sport-the more they know, the better choices they will make over the long run
- It’s fun…
VACATIONS: When to take them if you’re serious about trying to reach a high level in swimming.
Once again, this is not a sport that is kind to taking time off, especially in the middle or towards the end of a season. Every athlete that I have ever had that reached a high level, worked their vacations around swimming. Vacations are usually taken right when school gets out or before it starts in late July or early August. When is the last meet of the season for your athlete and try and plan around the last meet if it’s possible.
Thanks for being a part of PFL Aquatics
Take care,
PFL Staff
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