This week we bring you an interview with author Elli Overton, a three-time Australian Olympian, mother of two beautiful boys, Summer league swim team coach, swim instructor and SwimTopia Account Manager based in Austin, Texas. We talk to Elli about her new book, Jay's Swimming Journey, her experience as an Olympian and growing up as a competitive swimmer in Australia. SwimTopia: Elli, you are … [Read more...]
“Winning” with Summer League Swimming
More than most organized activities undertaken by kids, summer league swimming offers numerous ways of growing, developing and "winning." Some speculate it’s because swimming offers a somewhat unique combination of both personal and team-related achievement. Whatever the cause, below are just a few of the ways your child can “win” by participating in summer league swimming: Goal Setting - … [Read more...]
Helping Your Swimmer Set Goals for the Summer
There are several life lessons that can be learned from participating on a summer swim team. Helping your swimmer set goals and then pursue them throughout the course of a season is a skill that carries over to success in school, and later on in a career. Swimming is both an individual sport and a team sport wrapped together. The coach usually has goals for the team like winning various meets … [Read more...]
Keeping Goggles in Place During a Racing Start
Keeping goggles in place during a racing start isn't easy. If this hasn’t happened to your child yet, it almost certainly will: your child's goggles are on nice and tight before he dives in from the blocks, only to come to the surface with his goggles around his neck. At this point he either proceeds forward as best he can or gets so thrown off by the surprise that he does something that gets him … [Read more...]
Is Your Child Ready for Year-Round Swimming?
Your son or daughter really loves competitive swimming and has reached a point where they are one of the better swimmers in their age group. How do you know if they are ready for year-round swimming? How can you tell if your child is ready for year-round swimming? Stepping up to year-round swimming is a noticeable difference in a variety of ways: Considerably more serious, not necessarily … [Read more...]
SwimTopia Tips & Tricks: Embedding Videos
Embedding videos onto any page on your team's SwimTopia website is quick and easy. Stroke tutorials, video introductions from your coaches or board, or quick training videos for your volunteers are great ways to add content that keeps your team engaged all year. Step One: Select a video from YouTube or Vimeo to share with your team, or upload your own to one of these sharing sites. Step Two: … [Read more...]
Swim Team Spotlight: Barton Creek Sharks
It's a family affair in the sizzling Texas summers, from crazy hair and tattoos to creating a life-long love of swimming for their kids. Gillian Burns and Jenni Evans, co-Presidents of the Barton Creek Sharks in Austin, Texas contributed this peek into what it means to be a Shark. The Barton Creek Sharks swim team is one of 10 summer clubs in the Austin Hills Swim League, situated in the rolling … [Read more...]
Pacific Swim Coaches Clinic 2013
The Pacific Swim Coaches Clinic starts today, at the Solano Marriott in Napa, California. NorCal Swim Shop hosts former Phelps, University of Michigan, and North Baltimore Aquatic Club coach Bob Bowman, Pine Crest Swim Camp & USA Club Team Director Jay Fitzgerald, and UC Davis Associate Head Coach Pete Motekaitis at the 2013 Pacific Swim Coaches Clinic. Give them a call at (800) 752-7946 for … [Read more...]
