Intro to Nitro
Cedar Park: Brandon Chen – I got an email earlier this week from Brandon’s mom repeating to me a conversation she had with him about attending sanctioned meets, and how to handle a DQ, should one occur. He said that he wasn’t worried about being disqualified because if that happened it was something he could learn from and do better next time. I was highly impressed with this response. To be able to see possible setbacks as opportunities to grow, is a valuable skill! And in case you’re wondering, Brandon did attend the sanctioned meet his weekend & did an incredible job on all his races! Bravo, Brandon, for such a great athletic mindset and attitude!! –Coach Jessie
Bee Cave: Morgan Adams – Morgan has been working really hard lately and I am really impressed! She comes into practice full of enthusiasm every time, which is a large contribution to her progress and success. Even when things are a bit challenging, she doesn’t get discouraged and keeps going after her goals. This weekend she went to her first sanctioned swim meet and I am so proud of her for taking that next step! Great job this week Morgan! Keep it up! – Coach Meghan
Bronze
Cedar Park: Joshua Lee – Joshua had a great this week at his practice and capped it off with a great meet on Saturday. He has been working really hard on his turns and it showed at this swim meet this weekend! Way to go Joshua! – Coach Jeremy
Bee Cave: Tahlia Burns – Tahlia had a great swim meet at the President’s Plunge and I was very excited for her. We spent lots of time this past week working on backstroke and especially our flip turns for it. It can be difficult to learn the timing needed and Tahlia worked really hard to get it down. It paid off this weekend with a great 50 backstroke swim. Way to go Tahlia! I’m super proud of you! – Coach Jared
Technique & Fitness
Cedar Park: Hannah Anthony, Keegan & Tristan Butler – Keegan & Tristan really pushed the button when it came to the underwater streamline contest. Brother against brother…Mano to mano. Great way to show the group how it’s done and how to compete with a positive attitude. Without the attitude. Hannah Anthony has really started to shine. She’s becoming a leader in the pool. The other swimmers are really looking up to her and following her as she leads her lane and ALWAYS wants to demonstrate for the group. Great job you three thanks for being a part of the NITRO family and we’ll see you at the pool. – Coach Steve
Bee Cave: Luke Monshaugen – Luke work so hard this week on breast stroke, he pay attention to every instructions I gave him, he execute every drill with perfection. This pass Saturday at the swim meet, he listens to every advice I gave him, he then get back in the water and work on it. During his 50 Breast Stroke race, he performs above my expectation. Perfect head position, breast stroke pull out all the way to the fruit loop, two hands touch at the wall, and an excellent open turn. As a Coach, swim meet is like a test that we test our swimmer and this pass Saturday I would have to give Luke a 100 on his exam, especially this one being his first swim meet. Well done Luke, I am extremely proud of you. – Coach Tanner
Silver
Cedar Park: Shireen Gore – Shireen just joined us in Silver and I have seen her do a wonderful job of jumping right in. She has been one of the leaders of our group in the short amount of time she’s been with us. She is continuing to make the effort to do what is asked of her and I love her spirit at practice. Great job Shireen! – Coach Allison
Bee Cave: Bridget Wu & Laney Kalsu – I have two girls who put on quite a show swimming the 100 IM this weekend, the Silver groups spend two workouts a week training for the IM, both girls have similar strokes, nice long butterfly with a big kick, high head position with quick hands on the backstroke, great pullouts on breaststroke, and a freestyle with a huge kick and a no breath finish, and the question would be how would their training hold up in the race? Just what you would expect from these two young ladies, they swam.in the same heat, a few lanes apart, a coach could not script a better race, stroke for stroke, turn for turn, the girls were never more than an arm stroke apart, Bridget dropped just over 11 seconds, and Laney dropped an unbelievably 23 seconds, both making National B times, the intensity and drive both girls showed in that race showed a love of this sport, and had some cheering proud coaches on the deck! Great job ladies. – Coach Chuck
Advanced Silver
Cedar Park: Rance Blancaflor & Addison Porch – Rance is new to the group, but he’s already making a big impact. Rance is a relay swimmer for TAGS and he really wanted to achieve an individual cut as well, so we spent all week preparing for his 50 breaststroke. Rance stepped up on Saturday and not only got his 50 BR TAGS cut, but he tacked on the 100 BR as well! We coaches couldn’t be happier. Very impressive, Rance! Addison also swam in the meet and, like Rance, did very well. She deserves special recognition because there was one point in which a Bronze swimmer was about to swim the 100 IM alone in her heat, and started to become very anxious and scared. Addison saw her tearing up and immediately offered to swim alongside her so the swimmer wouldn’t be alone—and this was right in between two other events for Addie! We try hard to cultivate that kind of leadership in this group, and Addie is definitely on board. Keep it up, AP! – Coach Alex
Bee Cave: Destiny Guerra – Destiny ended an incredible week with a beautiful swimon Saturday’s meet. You’re gaining confidence everyday, we can see this thanks to the great improvement in your strokes and to the outstanding capacity to be the leader and not a follower anymore. Something that caught my attention, is the fact that in Saturday’s practice she got to the pool 15 minutes before the practice was over (and she’s never late) and still she asked to use that time to practice starts and flip turns before the meet. That’s what we’re looking for Destiny, swimmers ready to make the difference and give the extra mile in every practice. And you’re in the perfect place to do this, Nitro Swim! Keep it up Destiny. FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS..SÍ SÍ SÍ!!! –Coach Felix
Gold
Cedar Park: Jeffrey You – He has been exceptional in leading by example. I can always count on him to push his teammates to overcome their mental barriers in practice. Congratulations and keep up the great work. – Coach Travis
Bee Cave: Sean Kelly – When a swimmer works as hard as Sean in practice you look forward to a meet the kind Sean had this weekend, 3 second drop in the 50 free, 6 second drop in the 100 breast, just under 2 second drop in the 100 free, a 4 second drop in the 100 back, and at the end of the session in his last swim, the 200 IM, Sean dropped over 22 seconds! The work and focus Sean has shown in practice were reflected in his races, sharp fast turns, great balance of kick and stroke, never once backed off, he raced hard to the end of every race! Not every meet can be like this, Sean would be the first to tell you, he has struggled in meets, but not this weekend, hard work will always push through! Great job Sean! – Coach Chuck