A couple of notes!

Hey fellow swimmers!
First, I'd like to say that we are doing great as a team for the first week of official practicing, however, I've noticed some things in my lane that I think we could all use as a good reminder.

I'd like to talk about swim etiquette. This is an important topic because this well help us all be a little more friendly with one another.

If you don't know what swim Etiquette, it's basically a set of guidelines that you should follow. The definition of Etiquette is as follows-

"et·i·quette/ˈetikit/

Noun: The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group"

Let me put the importance of swim etiquette in other terms. If you're driving and you get stuck behind an old person going 35 MPH in a 50 MPH zone, you're pretty pissed off right, and usually get a little Road Rage. Well same situation applies to swimming. I guess in a way you get "Swim Rage." So here's what you should do to prevent that:

• First, if your feet get tapped, move to the far right side of the lane and let the person (or people) pass you, and jump right back into the line of swimmers as soon as you can! Don't stay on the side for too long, otherwise you'll get an angry coach or two. If possible, try to pass the person in front of you if they're going to slow, but if you have a line of people behind you, then go ahead and tap their feet.
• Secondly, if you're done with your set, don't stand in the middle of the lane if there's others who are still trying to finish their set. It's really annoying, and "Swim Rage" will come into place. If you are looking for a place to stand, stand on the sides of your lane, and form a middle section where people can swim in and out of. Most of the time, if you're standing on the cross, you'll end up getting flip turned on, and it hurts really bad, but you learn where to not stand.

See? Swim Etiquette isn't that hard to learn, but I cannot stress the importance of it. I feel that this is something that not enough people know about, and since we're practicing with Clearfield, it's as important as ever. And if you're feet do get tapped, that's okay! You won't get made fun of or anything, I promise! Plus, you won't know the order of your lane if these two tips aren't practiced. Please spread the word around the pool about those, and things will run much more smoothly.

Also, DO NOT GET OUT OF THE POOL! If you feel a little sore in the shoulders, sprain the ankle, suck it up Buttercup! If you're truly a dedicated swimmer, you'll swim through those kinds of things. You should swim practices like you're at a meet, just at a slower pace. If you feel sore, you're not just going to give up, are you? Now, if you're bawling your eyes out, that's a little different. Things are going to get tough, but you just have to keep going, it will get easier. Each lap is only going to make you better. If you get a Charlie's Horse, see if you can massage it out, and if you can't ask your Lane Coach if they'll let you stretch it out a little bit. 

Congratulations to Amanda E., Scott C., Chelsea F., and Colby E. on being named the team Captains! I hope that you have a great year with our team, and I wish you all the best of luck!

All of our Syracuse swimmers need to give Mikey a dollar for a "surprise." I'm guessing he's going to make us something really cool, but it takes money to make stuff, so all of you please pitch in a dollar please!

Please remember that this Tuesday and Thursday we will have early morning swim practice! Practice will begin at 5:00AM! I realize that Tuesday is late start days, but there isn't much I can do about that. Tough it out, things will be all right.

That's all I have to say, if there's more then I shall post again!