Swimarin

Kara Werner returns for her fifth year with the team as coach. Kara grew up in nearby Benicia where she started her swimming career as a 5 year old in a summer league, the Benicia Stingrays. In high school, Kara joined a year-round league and swam for Benicia High School, competing mainly in the Free, Back, and IM. While attending college at Dominican University, Kara coached her old summer league for two years, and found the sport of triathlon and Masters swimming. She obtained her B.A. in Psychology, and then later her teaching credential. Kara now teaches the first grade at Neil Cummins Elementary in Corte Madera, and she still shares her love of swimming with us.

Kelsey Louderback will be joining Swimarin as an Assistant Coach for the 2008 season. Kelsey can be reached at louderbk@sonoma.edu.

Kelsey recently graduated from Sonoma State this past year with a degree in economics. Many of you may have met her this past Fall as she coached the San Rafael HS water polo teams. She has a long history with the Marin Swim League, spending 8 years with the Lucas Valley Swim Team. She was an accomplished age group/high school/college swimmer and water polo player. She set several Marin Swim League records, was a five-time highpoint award winner at Champs from ages 8-13. She was ranked in the top 16 nationally as a 10 and 12 year old swimmer. She went on to excel in water polo and became a Jr. Olympic All American in 1996-1998, was a high school All American swimmer and Water Polo player at Marin Cathloic. She has participated in waterpolo and swimming in college through club teams and continues to swim and play waterpolo in the Marin Women's League. Welcome Kelsey!

We are excited to welcome, Laureen Welting, to the Swimarin coaching staff for 2008. Laureen will be on deck on Wednesdays and Fridays! Laureen has been a full-time swim coach at the Olympic Club in San Francisco for the last five years coaching masters and age group swimming. She brings a wealth of coaching and swimming experience to the program. She was a two-time Olympic trial qualifier and six-time NCAA All American and was on two American record setting relays at the University of Florida. Laureen received her degree in Exercise Sports Sciences. Welcome Laureen!

In addition, we are excited to announce the first year of an official Junior Coaching Program. Kyle Rios-Merwin, Annie Gray and Brendan Sangster, three of our top high school swimmers will be assisting Kara and Kelsey with the 8-under and 9 &10 practice groups. In addition, in May joining us after her freshman year in college, is Shana McKeever, who will assist Kara & Kelsey two days a week with all three practices.

Question: Are swimmers expected to show up for practice even if it is raining or windy?

Answer: Of course! Swimming is an all-weather sport, and it's a lot more comfortable in the pool during a rainstorm than on a soccer field. We will cancel practice, however, if there are lightning strikes in the area.

Answer: As many as possible. At a minimum, we expect swimmers to attend three practices a week. This is especially important during the early part of the season as we emphasize conditioning and basic technique. If your child can't make this commitment, please discuss this with us.

Answer: Most new swimmers are nervous before their first few races. That's why we spend a lot of time in practice working on technique and explaining the heat procedure, especially when we get close to the meet season. At Time Trials in April (our "intramural" meet), everyone swims as many events as possible. Their times are then used to place them in the correct heat so they are competing against like swimmers during meets.

Question: My child does not know how to dive, so how can he/she swim in a meet?

Answer: Your child will gradually become more confident about diving in, especially once we go thru more diving drills during practice. Some swimmers dive in from the deck (not the top of the starting block) during their first few meets. Later they develop the confidence to dive from the block.

Question: My child still can't (comfortably) swim 25 yards. How will he/she be able to compete?

Answer: Most of the swimmers now practicing in the wings of the pool will be swimming the full length by time trials. And, remember, the 8-U swimmers only race one lap (length) of the pool!

Answer: The Shark Pups Program is designed to teach younger swimmers (6-U primarily) basic swimming technique so that they can develop into competitive swimmers. Some improve quickly enough to join the team during the season; others come back the following season ready to start training with their friends and older siblings. The Shark Pups Program starts in May after the high school season ends. Check our Practice & Clinics page for details.

Answer: No, but caps do three things: 1) they produce faster times; 2) they identify a swimmer by team; and 3) they protect hair from the effects of chlorine. We recommend swimmers wear a team cap at meets.

Question: My boy swimmer doesn't want to wear a Speedo-style suit. Is that required?

Answer: No, but a Lycra suit (brief or shortie style) is strongly recommended. (Surf or recreational shorts produce so much drag that they make swimmers non-competitive in meets.) Anyway, most boys like the shorties because they look like surfer wear but are still fast in the water.