MDC Update Letter 5.22.12

Dear MDC Divers and Boosters,

Looks like Tuesday is the new Thursday – the coaches decided that Sunday is a good day to collect weekly props, and with processing time, Tuesdays will be the new day for update letters.

School is winding down, but for many of you, that means being extra busy.  Strangely, we are seeing huge swings in attendance from day to day.  Last week at MAC/KSAC, we had 11 people at the 3:30-6:30 NTP workout, then on Thursday it was nine, then on Friday, it was four.  This Monday, it was back up to 11!  Please remember that regular attendance is most conducive to consistent progress and comfort with your dives J

Guest Diver

We have an honored guest diver this coming Thursday-next Wednesday – Meili Carpenter, who dives with Karla Helder in Buffalo, NY, is coming down for a training trip.  Meili, as many of you know, qualified for the Olympic Trials at the 2011 Winter Nationals while diving as an honorary member of MDC when Karla could not attend Nationals, and she is doing a mini-Camp with us to help her fine tune and get ready for the Trials.  She will be joining our afternoon KSAC workouts, and those who show the best training ethic will be the ones who get to dive alongside her – she hates waiting in lines and wasting time, so think about how you train the next few days so you can have the privilege of diving with her

Summer Training Hours/Location/Scheduling Info

We have had several special requests regarding training this summer, and have decided on the following policy regarding registration and payment:  You can sign up for the morning training at the full schedule and price, and come as often as you are going to come, or sign up for the three-time per week evening workouts 5-7 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

 We strongly encourage 5 days per week, because we have training plans that depend on full participation in order to benefit fully…if you miss out on the first morning workout focusing on connection skills and come to the second workout that builds upon that morning workout, you will be at a disadvantage).  This registration  includes coming to evening workouts to make up for mornings you miss.

And, once again, summer training hours are 7 am-noon for NTP, 9 am-1 pm for NDP, with all training at MAC/KSAC.  Summer Schedule starts June 11, just after Regionals. 

Pool Closures and Carolina Big Dive

MAC/KSAC will also be closed the weekend of June 1-3, so workouts will be at Germantown on Friday, June 1.  Speaking of the Carolina Big Dive, we had only three positive responses to the email request for RSVPs.  This is a smaller number than our minimum number required to attend.  The coaching staff is deciding whether to send a coach with a small group or not, but this small turnout doesn’t portend well.  Sadly, this is the third competitive opportunity in three months to have generated such disinterest from the team :(

Weekend Workouts

The usual – Jeff at MLK Saturday 6:30-8:30, and NTP Staff on Sunday at GISC.

College Recruiting Workshop

I have decided that it makes the most sense to do this at KSAC during the first week of training, before I take off to judge the Olympic Trials.  Once we have a final detailed schedule set up for summer (including when we may be evicted from the diving well in favor of the water aerobics classes), I’ll give you the full on details.

Media Training

As noted last week, the Olympic Team is coming to visit, and many MDC-ers will be interviewed by local TV and press about this.  I have drafted a basic Media guide and have discussed with the KSAC divers, and will distribute to all the coaches so we can work to prepare our future stars to be media darlings as well

Equipment Report

The board resurfacing should be done over the summer, as we have been told that the County has it on the agenda for the next fiscal year.  And the Booster Club has approved the purchase of various equipment for the dryland training room.  Haven’t heard back yet from the bubbler guy, but we hope that will be fixed soon!

 Life Lesson of the Week

“The Gift of the Magi.”  I know those of you 40 and older probably know this story, but those of you younger may not – real quick summary:  Poor married couple is facing Christmas with little money to buy each other gifts.  Wifey decides to cut her hair off and sell it to raise money to buy Hubby a platinum chain for his heirloom watch.  Hubby sells his gold watch to buy wife a set of combs for her beautiful hair.  Upshot is – both sacrificed something very valuable in order to get something they thought would benefit the other…but in doing so without communicating clearly with each other before making their decisions, they ended up losing their most treasured possessions -- although her hair would eventually grow back, so she would be able to use the combs in a few years ;).  My partner and I pulled a “Gift of the Magi” once, doing things for each others’ benefit on the assumption that we knew what was best for the other.  We later found out we should have communicated better before taking our actions.  The up side is that, although what each of us did ended up costing us dearly, our actions also proved how deeply we care for and regard each other, so in one way, the “gifts” we gave each other were quite valuable indeed :)

Stated another way, more succinctly – “assume” makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me.”  So, communicate clearly and get all the needed information before making your decisions!

OK, that’s it for now – until next week,

Jeff

Weekly Props -- 5.21.12

Lydia -  Nice 105b on 5-meter, springboard diving is progressing nicely -- full list on 3m

MacKenzie - very nice 5223/5225 on 1 meter.

Shane - Is really showing improvement - gorgeous lines, big advances in back and reverse spinning actions, stable hurdles, amazing! Lead ups for 205c and 305c are looking very good on 1 meter. 205 is ready, 305 will be ready very soon.

Jake -  reported absent

Robert - Still MIA, :-(, we have looked everywhere, we just can not find Robert. Is it Summer yet?

Luke - making very good progress in springboard takeoffs, 105b 1m. Fixing up 204c and 304c

Melissa - Some of her best work yet. Pre dive routine is under control and confidence is soaring!  5132d on 1m with 2-3 bounces!!! Great 105b and 403b on 3 meter.

Jordan - 5132d on 1m with 3 bounces. Wants to learn 109B. ( :-) )

Emily - great lead ups for backs and reverses on 3m, short workout, she coached lessons for Charlotte.

Noah - getting ready for 5235, lead ups going well.

Joey - is diving out of his MIND right now!  New dives – 5233D 3m, doing 405C daily now.

Greg - 403b on 3m, drastic improvements in twisting

Chloe - 105 B on 3m, 203B 3M, 403B 3M, and great work on 5122D 1M

Regan – wonderful motivated attitude, best-ever 104C 1M and 403B 3M, ready to take up 5111A 3M and start working toward 5231D 3M and 404C 3M

Ben – has 203C and 303C out of belts, and has learned scads of dives on platform.  Next challenge – Bs and Gs on 3M :)

Alex– great work on 5122D 1M, and reverse dives are improving quite a bit; 104C 1M is solid, and 403C 1M is coming along!

Eva – is starting to get more solid entry lines more often, and is LOVING platform.  402C 1M has improved greatly as well

Jamie – is doing well regaining her 301C 1M – next step, adding approach.  Is diving more assertively in general :)

Kali – in support of Kali’s dad:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltNrgOUCMKE It’s a good thing Kali got braces, or else she MIGHT end up like this.  Kali is up and doing all her optionals both boards, and making some good improvements in lines and front/inward spinning actions

Derrick -- continues to show new-found discipline with his arm-swings!  Beautiful 307C using that discipline!

Parker – MIA

Jack – got 5132D 3M again (or a version thereof), and has done lots of good work on standing up inwards

Connor – has gotten optionals off in most groups, and has gotten a full list off on 1M, as he continues his road to recovery

Courtney – still rehabbing

Jackie -- MIA

Tanner – did some good belt work on 5142B (full out) and fantastic 303Cs 5M. Is ready to take some more dives back up top when he’s able to train a whole weekend

Amy – is getting the hang of 5122D 1M and did some great 203Cs 1M this week.  Is getting her 3M list back as well.

Patrick – studly attitude this week at workout and learned 303C 5M – is showing improved attention to small details that should serve him well this summer and beyond

Erin – 105C 3M!

Cierra – battled a bad bug this weekend, but came back to do the best series of 203Bs she ever has, and threw 405C 5M for the first time in a while!

Kamryn – did great work on 203C in belts and on 1M

Cyndi – MIA

Natalie C. – has taken up baking as a way to pass the time while she’s out with her broken leg

Haley – did GORGEOUS 5111A on 1M, fantastic 403C 3M, and is getting better and better with her 104C and 203C 1M

Ryan – MIA

Emily S -- is closing in on 303C 3M! Doing good twisting actions and might be ready for some head-first twisters soon?!?!

Colby – learned 305C 5M – this is HUGE for a huge platform wimp :) also doing very well with his new 107B and 5152B (full in) 3M

Mashal – fantastic platform work this week, particularly on 105B and 405C 7M…did 203B 5M.  Is improving 5132D control all three boards and is getting smoother entries on spinners ore often

TJ – excellent 3M lists this week – strong and confident actions every direction!

Dorothy – huge improvements in inward spinning takeoffs and actions – is getting the hang of 5111A 1M, which should go 3M soon, and 104C in belts, which should be out of belts soon

Caroline – doing great work with 203B both boards – became a lobster during Lifeguard Training and needed a little time off to recover this weekend!

Ellie – out with an injury for the last few weeks

Bryce – Continues to improve 105B 1M, 204B 1M; best yet 405B 3M and 205B 3M, though they are still works in progress

Maddy -- is trying to remember where to look as she leaves the board : ^ ) Huge improvements in 5122D 1M and front takeoffs in general

Katie S-M – Did amazing work to improve her entries and is doing better and better 403C 1M

Natalie S – Best 205C 3M of her LIFE! Leading the way on platform by practicing her full optionals list every time out – ready to take up 5233D 7M soon :)

Katie Y – looking much smoother in her boardwork; holding arms properly now on 201A 3M, learned scads of platform dives and is doing great 403Bs 1M and did her third (and best yet) 405C 3M

MDC Update Letter 5.15.12

Dear MDC Divers and Boosters,

Had a busy week – sorry I didn’t get this out until today.  Reflecting that reality, I’m not writing much of an introductory section in this letter, let’s get right down to business.

Summer Training Hours/Location

As noted last week, summer training hours are 7 am-noon for NTP, 9 am-1 pm for NDP, with all training at MAC/KSAC.  Summer Schedule starts June 11, just after Regionals.  The coaching staff is meeting this week to sort through the many and varied inquires about scheduling and will send out individual and/or a mass response answering newbie’s requests for needed information and dealing with the “Burger King” special orders we are getting for training times and days this summer.

Pool Closures and Carolina Big Dive

MAC/KSAC will also be closed the weekend of the Carolina Big Dive Meet, June 1-3, so there’s some more incentive to attend :)  Speaking of the Carolina Big Dive, I will send out a specific email asking for positive RSVPs about attending.  I have gotten a large number of in-person negative RSVPs for it, and we need to, as always, make sure we have a sufficient number of divers going to warrant attendance, and to decide on the number of staff members going.

Weekend Workouts

The usual – Jeff at MLK Saturday 6:30-8:30, and NTP Staff on Sunday at GISC.

College Recruiting Workshop

Unfortunately, the room is reserved for a KSAC Staff in-service all weekend.  Perhaps we can change this to an evening, or maybe do it as a break activity during one of the early days of summer training.

Media Training

The Olympic Team is coming to visit, and many MDC-ers will be interviewed by local TV and press about this.  We want to help you all become the best interviewees you can, and will start preparing you for dealing with the media over the next few weeks.  Tip sheets, mock interviews and analyses, etc., will be on the agenda.  Any parents/boosters with background in media/PR are welcome to help out J

Equipment Report

We have been approved for another board resurfacing from the county J  YAY!  And we will be getting some new equipment for the dryland training room that has been approved.  Yes, the handball courts (apparently, they were not racquetball courts as we had believed) are going to be ours to convert!  Doug has put a lot of extensive effort into gaining this approval, and we should have two dryboards (one with spotting rig) in there, as well as some foam pits for practicing tower takeoffs and somersaulting, as well as our current trampoline and spotting rig and tumbling/stretching mats.  We also had a sparging system technician come and look at the bubbler, and we’ll hopefully have good news about getting it up and running again very soon.

OK, that’s it for now – until next week,

Jeff

MDC Props 5.15.12

Regan – is ready for a big step up in her skills - great attitude and dedication.  Learned 5111A 1M and 403B 3M, did 105C 1M and 3M with water belts

Ben – learned 201C and 301C 5M, is doing 201B and 301B regularly both boards, and is ready to do 303C out of water belts this week!

Alex – has learned to twist the same direction forward and backwards, allowing him to do 5122D successfully!  Learned 301C 3M platform, and is improving his 300 actions generally.  Showing more body awareness in the air and on the ground, and is as fearless as ever

Eva – is working through fear of 302C, and doing a nice job improving her lines and form, as well as diving “strong.”  Loves platform!

Jamie --  Diligent work on her 301 C, and has gotten back to straight legs on her entries.  Is showing better form and tighter entries, but is still needing to jump strongly and show confidence on her dives.

Kali – definite improvement on head position for inward actions, and has gotten her entire list back after a couple of “stop and go” weeks while dealing with the re-emergence of her back issue :/

Derrick – hasn’t been back since two Fridays ago :/

Parker – …

Jack - some of the best work we’ve seen yet from Jack - excellent improvements on front spinning action and is working on standing up his back takeoff actions as well

Mackenzie – is finally cleared for head-first activity on one-meter again!

Connor – did some nice 403cs on one-meter springboard - dives are coming back together, and he has now done his entire 1M list again.  3M is not far behind.  Welcome back!!!

Courtney – still rehabbing her knee

Jackie -- is a riddle, wrapped in an enigma...

Tanner – his sister graduated last weekend, and he has a multitude of commitments with the impending close of his high school career…we hope to see him again soon!

Amy – some good work on inward spinning actions and twisting this week.

Patrick – doing great with his 5331Ds, is doing well with 105B 3M and is doing B’s and G’s regularly, and without drama, up there, too; has gotten his platform list back and now it’s time to start working on some newer, bigger dives J

Erin – Big strides on her backs and reverses, and good work on twisters.  Is starting to kick out of 104C and 403C 1M with confidence, and has done a few 203Cs out of the belts J

Cierra – is doing solid work on her list for the summer – 5253B 10M is really coming along, and 6243D is outstanding.  Has started to get her 404C 3M coming aloing and will be doing 405C 5M again soon.

Kamryn – Nailed 203c this week put it in for 5.5, 6.  That dive is really coming along. 

Jordan – is really starting to enjoy reverse dives on three-meter springboard after having to do 10 in one practice : ^ )

Cyndi – is doing well when she comes

Natalie C. – Little Miss Accident Prone is dealing with her broken leg…let’s continue sending positive vibes to her and get her healed up quickly!

Greg – is doing 105B and 403B on 3M, 612b and 103b on 7M, and is making fantastic progress on his 301C 1M.  He sporadically gets the concept of waiting for the board, and when he does, his dives are miles high and smooth.

Haley – Big changes to the height of her dives.  She is getting much higher and spinning much faster.  Doing 203C out of the belts regularly, and her 104Cs are fantastic…she is improving her twisting actions as well, but needs to focus on inwards

Ryan – has been MIA for quite some time now

Emily S --  Good 203c work and twister work.  Has gotten back her 105C 3M again and is ready to start working 404C again, and 303C 1M

Colby–  Full in 3M! This is an awesome addition to his list, with a high degree of difficulty and a high degree of comfort J Working on maybe considering the possibility that is could be a good idea to try spotting backs and gainers.

Luke – excellent work on back and reverse connections, spotting fronts as well

Mashal -- working hard to correct head position on inwards.  Is making good corrections on full range of motion on pressing actions and reaching, but still hasn’t “owned” those corrections – she doesn’t know how she makes them yet.  Learned a new 105B on 7M and has improved her 205C in water belts

Emily L – very promising lead-ups for 205C and 305C

Shane  -- continues to improve all around - back and reverse actions REALLY coming along

TJ – continues to work on mental toughness

Jake – does a great job leaving hands down on reverse kick-outs

Dorothy – working hard on head position in take-offs, proper arm pattern on kick-outs

Robert – still not at the pool : ^ (

Melissa – picked up 403B on three-meter springboard getting ready to dive it in on three-meter springboard

Caroline – learned 203B without water belts on 3M, and then promptly took it down to 1M.  Learned 5231D 5M to increase the number of dives she does up there…we are hoping for a tower list before Zones J

Ellie – has been battling a heel injury

Bryce – Finally getting his head in the right position on back pike somersaulting. Not coincidentally, did some really nice 205B’s on 3M.  Excellent work on 1M 303Bs as well, and is starting to get better head/chest position on B’s and G’s in general.

Maddy -- working on looking in the right place as she leaves the board.  Doing wonderfully tracking her knees properly over her feet during jumping actions and is now diving pain-free most of the time J

Katie S-M – is showing tremendous toughness as she figures out 203C 1M - very promising 202Bs one-meter springboard.  Is doing 403C 1M, and just needs to kick out properly!  Nice improvement on 5122D actions and 5221D as well

Lydia – really showing improvement on springboard actions - great front and inward action improvements.

Noah – working hard to leave his hands down on back and reverse kick-outs

Natalie S – shows exceptional dedication and consistently trains with intent.  Re-learned 205C and has had some great workouts despite the stress of her many AP tests this week

Katie Y – HUGE improvements in front twisting actions.  Learned 203B 1M

Chloe – 105B and 403b on three-meter springboard

Crazy Joey– 405C three-meter springboard!  Also 204C one-meter springboard. His 403B and 105B 3M are also looking good.  Great work on all twisters as well, with 5223D 1M starting to look like a dive, and he is doing 303C 1M.

MDC Update Letter 5.6.12

Dear MDC Divers and Boosters,

The weather is warmer (the nice Maryland weather that will last for about a month, right?  Maybe a month and a half? ;) and I am wishing we had an outdoor training center! I must say it feels weird being indoors when coaching and diving, as I was an outdoors diver/coach from 1980-2010…wow, I just realized that span is 30 years.  I AM a fossil!  And given my recent eating habits, an increasingly rotund one…and I am still 6’6”, so my “Fat, Giant Fossil” designation is more apt now than it was back in January of 2010 when I named myself that.

Anyways, let’s be looking at the diving tasks before us.  We have about a month and a half’s worth of training before Regionals, and we have just started doing our “lotsa repetitions/learning new optionals” phase of training.  So, kiddie-kins, be bringing it to every workout, please!  We want to see you getting comfortable with your lists by the end of June so we can solidify plans for the summer meets!

There is one competitive opportunity between now and Regionals, the Carolina Big Dive.  Info has been posted on the MDC Website in the Downloads->Files->Meet Information section.  We encourage everyone to go to this meet, as we have no other competitions on the horizon before Regionals, but we understand that the timing of the meet pretty much sucks for most MCPS students (and perhaps for many others as well).  MAC/KSAC is closed the weekend of the Carolina Big Dive, so it is a good weekend from that logistic standpoint for a meet, and one thing that y’all might want to consider is that those of you who plan to dive in college should start preparing now for the idea of traveling and studying.  College divers actually often need to even take midterms and/or final exams  while on the road, so anything you can do now to get yourselves ready for that reality will pay off later :)

Speaking of Regionals, we are all going to Purchase, NY (Region 2), as explained in an email to everyone last week.  Woulda been nice to be able to split, but, as Goerge HW Bush (or Dana Carvey, when spoofing him) used to say, it “wouldn’t be prudent.” 

Regarding Senior Zones, which will be July 20-22, Zone A still has no site yet.  We hope to attend Zone A, but will go to Moultrie (Zone B) if we need to make a decision before a site for A is found. 

Summer Training Hours/Location

We plan to run the summer training with the same hours as last year – 7 am-noon for NTP, 9 am-1 pm for NDP, with all training at MAC/KSAC.  We have worked with the County to have fewer interruptions to our time in the water as well J  Summer Schedule starts June 11, just after Regionals.  We know that many of you finish school earlier than that, and will look into how we can provide additional training time for you prior to June 11.  Some of you have also inquired about alternative workout times for summer due to jobs and such – we have the possibility to do Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 5-7 pm workouts.  I’ll send out an email to see what the demand is for both pre-June 11 extra workout times and the evening workout times during the summer.

Pool Closures

MAC/KSAC will also be closed the weekend of the Carolina Big Dive Meet, June 1-3, so there’s some more incentive to attend :)

Weekend Workouts

The usual – Jeff at MLK Saturday 6:30-8:30, and NTP Staff on Sunday at GISC

College Recruiting Workshop

As I did last year, I will run a college recruiting workshop for our divers.  I want to make it clear, however, that I am not running a workshop on the “how-tos” of the NCAA Clearinghouse.  What I will focus on is how to work your contacts with college coaches, college divers, and your recruiting trips so that you (hopefully) make the best match for yourself in terms of the college program you join.  I am tentatively setting this workshop up for Saturday, May 19 at 11 AM at MAC/KSAC (pending successful reservation of the classroom).  I’ll send out more info as soon as I get confirmation of the availability of the room.

 Life Lesson of the Week

Sometimes you need to get away from it all to get a better perspective on things.  My partner, who has had a heck of a time – and not in a good way -- since moving here, dealing with issues too many and varied to enumerate here, has been away on a business trip, and he has found it very healing to be in an environment where he feels respected, valued, and capable.  He is excited to bring that home and apply it to whatever is coming next in his (and our) life.  Sometimes what we are dealing with day-to-day is overwhelming without our even realizing it, and a break helps provide clarity and a sense of rejuvenation.

OK, that’s it for now – until next week,

Jeff