Olympic Trials 2012

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Rob Copeland — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 10:57:26 GMT

And a couple more thoughts… There will be around 350 men who qualify for the 2008 US Olympic trials. Most, if not all, are training with good to great coaches 20-30 hours per week. And, there are thousands more who are training just as hard without making the cuts. You need to be willing to commit to 8 to 10 or more workouts per week to have any real chance to qualify. And to look at it another way, there are more men playing Major League Baseball then there will be qualifiers for the 2008 US swimming trials. So think about all the high school, college and minor league players that you would need to surpass, if your goal had been to play in the bigs in 6 years. Possible, yes, but it will require a tremendous effort and determination and hard work on your part. You have a very similar path with your swimming goal. Today there are over 2,000 swimmers with faster 100 times who will need to surpassed. And the 2012 time standards and competition will most assuredly be tougher then 2008.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:25:43 GMT

Now that is dedication, moving to train for a USMS meet. :bow: What? and waking up at 6am on a sunday and driving 35 minutes to the meet isn't? I had to forgo all usual Saturday evening activities!! Movie, Beer, SNL, etc...you shouldn't disparage... LOL I don't think he ever said he didn't want a coach. Just that he didn't want a "group" coach.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:18:44 GMT

i'll second gull's suggestion. i basically did the same thing last year ('06) for Masters Worlds- i felt i needed more consistent LCM training and a coach who actually knew something about backstroke. (and, it helps my old lease was up and i hated the job i was in, but i'll be telling any future employers that i moved for an upgrade in training if they ask about the 2 month gap in my resume. :laugh2: ) but seriously, if this is something you're committed to, then you will have to make some sacrifices, like moving to train with a specific team/coach. trust me when i say that it may seem like a royal pain now, but if you achieve your goal, in the long run it will be worth it. i know it was for me- i finished top 5 for both my 100 and 200 back at worlds... Now that is dedication, moving to train for a USMS meet. :bow:

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:09:58 GMT

Okay, here's the scoop: set your goals higher. I agree with all the common sense that you've rec'd so far, but I say, dream even bigger. You are 20? The world is your oyster, make of your swimming career a pearl. Trial cuts? Ultimate goal is that gold medal; all the intermediate stages no less valid, satisfying to achieve- but to fuel the long hours and deprivations that surely must be endured, why not go for the gusto? Give it everything you've got and you won't be asking, years later, "Could I have?".

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:09:39 GMT

Hmm? I know of a certain USMS member moving to Austin this summer...could he have bigger plans that he is not sharing? Funny. Actually I have a great coach and a great training partner. Which is why my times have improved.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:05:33 GMT

If this is your goal, find a good program, move there, and train with them. That's the only way. Period. Hmm? I know of a certain USMS member moving to Austin this summer...could he have bigger plans that he is not sharing?

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:03:51 GMT

There are hundreds of people out there who have already made the goal of going to the 2012 Olympic Trials. Some of them might swim the same times as you, are the same age as you and believe in their quest as much as you do. If I were your coach I would tell you to forget the quest for 2012. The coach would have to be a miracle worker in the truest sense to get you to drop even three seconds in your 100 free. But, many coaches might want to take it on, but you don't know unless you ask. If I were your coach, I would tell you to train for a meet this summer, then readjust goals. You can't think four years ahead because goals like this require intermediate ones. If you make it, I will personally come to the meet and be your loudest and most excited cheerleader. Because that would be a fantastic story, better than Dara Torres or Pablo Morales. Awesome post Jeff.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:02:40 GMT

If this is your goal, find a good program, move there, and train with them. That's the only way. Period.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:28:18 GMT

I met a coach this weekend at a meet in Charlotte who said he would be interested in coaching me because he thought I had some talent that needed to be put to use. The only problem is that he lives 2 hrs. away. I am going to take this on in a more structured manner than I had orignally planned. I will set small goals along the way. Even if I never make it to trials I'm sure I will get faster and maybe even win some big masters meets. When I have an oppurtunity I want to pursue it as far as possible. Like many of you said I don't wanna ever have to wonder if I could have made it. I have also been thinking about the great deal of time and discipline this will take, and how it will be hard to have a noraml life and normal job. This weekend I am going to discuss with that coach about it and see what we come up with. The bottom line is, I want to get as fast as I can ever possibly go and I want to know when it's over that there is nothing I could have done to get even one hundreth of a second faster (under the circumstances of having to have a normal job and life lol). I'm not doing this to prove anything to anyone except for myself.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:51:53 GMT

IIf this is something that you really want to accomplish, I am all for it. But I don't think you will be successful unless you are certain that, when you accomplish the goal, you will be comfortable knowing that the only one you proved anything to was yourself (and maybe a few anonymous people on a meaningless forum). I am friends with 3 swimmers who had trial cuts, and I wouldn't define any of them by that accomplishment. Hopefully you understand what I am getting at.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:42:27 GMT

heres what I think you should do, train moderatly not hard for about two years and try to learn every thing about swimming that you can. If your times steadily improve and you see a posible opportunity to make an olympic trail time start training your ass off. Its definatly a posibility right now but in two years you will know for sure if you have a ligitament shot at making an olympic trail cut.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:57:26 GMT

OK, I was being nice last time, but this comment tells me you need a little slap in the face of reality. You will not be successful alone. Period. Even if you pack up today, move to Berkeley and pay Mike Bottom to coach you, the odds are pretty slim you will make US Olympic trials in swimming, arguably the most competitive event there is in this country. The times you posted are decent, but you have a long long loooong way to go and I can guarantee you that you do not know what you need if you think you will be successful without a coach. Why would you take the time and and "be nice" like you said you were doing when you really didn't think I had a chance at it. I don't want to hear, "yeah you can do it", when you really don't think I can. I would rather hear how little of a chance I have and how hard it's going to be. That will make it much more rewardable if I do make it, rather than being told I can do it and then end up not being able to. You don't have to try to "be nice" I'm a big boy now and I won't get my feelings hurt on an internet forum.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

knelson — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 12:53:00 GMT

Finding a good coach and team ASAP is good advice. I think your first order of business if to become as technically proficient in the water as possible. Without this you have no chance of reaching your goal. Really focus on this over the next year and see where you are. Then, maybe the really serious training can begin. I doubt there are many OT qualifiers who are in the water less than 15 hours per week.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

swimmieAvsFan — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 12:24:13 GMT

Now that is dedication, moving to train for a USMS meet. :bow: hehehe. actually, i was planning on moving no matter what, since my lease was up and i wanted out of PA. but the timing of the move was due to worlds. which, IMHO, isn't just "a USMS meet", but a chance to represent the USA... :woot: and i wanted to do that to the best of my ability, so i moved before worlds, rather then extending my lease till after...

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

swimmieAvsFan — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 12:16:52 GMT

If this is your goal, find a good program, move there, and train with them. That's the only way. Period. i'll second gull's suggestion. i basically did the same thing last year ('06) for Masters Worlds- i felt i needed more consistent LCM training and a coach who actually knew something about backstroke. (and, it helps my old lease was up and i hated the job i was in, but i'll be telling any future employers that i moved for an upgrade in training if they ask about the 2 month gap in my resume. :laugh2: ) but seriously, if this is something you're committed to, then you will have to make some sacrifices, like moving to train with a specific team/coach. trust me when i say that it may seem like a royal pain now, but if you achieve your goal, in the long run it will be worth it. i know it was for me- i finished top 5 for both my 100 and 200 back at worlds...

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Jeff Commings — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:40:42 GMT

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

swimr4life — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:30:47 GMT

Why would you take the time and and "be nice" like you said you were doing when you really didn't think I had a chance at it. I don't want to hear, "yeah you can do it", when you really don't think I can. I would rather hear how little of a chance I have and how hard it's going to be. That will make it much more rewardable if I do make it, rather than being told I can do it and then end up not being able to. You don't have to try to "be nice" I'm a big boy now and I won't get my feelings hurt on an internet forum. jsmwbnc, Speedo racer was trying to help you and is right. You will not make it without a coach. Its the truth! You need the feedback on technique, planned workouts/seasons, encouragement and guidance that only a coach can provide. If you are not willing to be coached....frankly I agree...you will not make it.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:29:44 GMT

Good point. This reminds me of something on the DVD "Unfiltered" about Michael Phelps and Ian Crocker. I believe it was Michael's coach Bob Bowman who mentioned that when it was clear Michael could be a world class swimmer he started working out seven days a week. He literally never took a day off: Christmas, vacations, whatever. And you can bet he was doing doubles on most of those days. Their theory was just about every other swimmer "only" swims six days a week so that was just 52 more days a year where Michael was doing something to get ahead. Now, that's commitment! Not that most of the notable swim coaches are not very serious about what they do, but Bowman seems to have a passion about this like none other. Watching Kaitlin, Erik, and Michael (let alone Vanderkaay's, Keller, Tarwater, etc.) it is plain to see that his methods are worthy of note.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:25:02 GMT

also most of the LCM meets are in the summer

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:51:28 GMT

So the "would" is more or less superfluous. You're not from around these parts, are you?

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:32:42 GMT

"I reckon I might could eat some of them fried taters, hmmm."

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:23:13 GMT

"Might would?" Is this some kind of North Carolina speak the rest of us don't understand? Geek, please confirm! :) haha i guess it is, i will change it for the sake of the english language

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:17:36 GMT

may be able

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 08:39:22 GMT

There are so many fantastic ideas here. Again, I really appreciate all of the feedback. If I moved to Charlotte I may be able to train under a great coach, Dave Marsh. The only thing that is really keeping me in Wilmington is Surfing and Ocean Rescue in the summer. I'm go to school at a community college so switching schools wouldn't be a problem. So far this winter the surf hasn't been great and the beach lifeguarding is only in the summer and early fall so I may consider it. However, I would still come back to Wilmington for lifeguarding in the summers. During the summer I would be able to train with UNCW since it would be their offseason. If I were to decide to train in Charlotte I would probably just move back with my parents, they live in Salisbury, N.C. It is about a 45 minute drive to the pool I would train at so it would be pointless to try and live in Charlotte when it's that close. If I did end up moving it wouldn't be until fall 2007 because I have to finish out this semester at school and then summer is right after that. I'm not going to jump to any decisions because I haven't thought long and hard enough about it yet.

RE: Olympic Trials 2012

Former Member — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 07:56:10 GMT

while I understand that you think that you train just fine on your own...and sometimes, when my team and coach is really getting on my nerves I feel the same way, its not ideal But...the bottomline is...when I was in 11th grade I was hating my USS coach and teammates, and as a result I was the #1 slacker you have ever met. I made some sacrafices, and shelled out $680 for the season and transferred teams. I had to drive 45minutes each way 6 days a week...but I got to swim with some fantastic swimmers, and I was no longer the fastest on the team...I think training with these swimmers who have outshown my in the pool time and time again, is what has led to my successes and my time drops over the past few years. That in practice competition with your teammates is great for your training. I understand working with a coach might not be at the top of your list, but what if you found a coach you could meet with on maybe a bi-weekly basis-Maybe like Friday and Tuesday, and they can really be more of a stroke analyzer...they can also give you workouts for the entire week...so that you are getting there input, but also not having to work with one on a day to day basis for now. I agree with the comment that was made, that you should take the next year or so to really learn about swimming and proper technique and see what you are doing right, wrong, or somewhere inbetween. It's only going to help you in the long run and prevent injury with any luck. If you chose to do this, it would work great if you saw a coach 1 or 2x a week!