Intro to Nitro
Cedar Park: Alice Roquemore
Not only is Alice one of my only intro swimmers to attempt the 100 IM at a swim meet, it seems like she swims it just about every time. Last time she lost her breath a bit and had to stop. To my pleasant surprise, she was right back at it on Saturday at Nitro at the Races! She got a little bit of water again but still finished the race. Alice is a hard worker, loves being with her friends and loves the water. I’m proud of her for not letting adversity stop her from getting back on the 100 IM horse! Nice job, Alice! —Coach Lindsay
Bee Cave: Brenham Gauntt
Having coached three of Brenham’s siblings in various groups, I couldn’t be more excited to have Brenham join Intro. He immediately fit into the group! This past week I noticed Brenham encouraging and leading the Intro swimmers with our kick set using the pace clock; he took the lead by counting for his lane mates helping them better understand how to read the pace clock and when to leave. His teammates followed suit and began to count with him. I love how much passion Brenham already has for swimmer and all the positive energy he brings to practice! In addition, Brenham has tackled each new skill and drill thrown at him. He has quickly caught on to streamline push-offs and catch-up freestyle, and his kicking continues to get stronger and fast each week. Hats off to you, Brenham! Keep up the hard work! —Coach Raven
Technique and Fitness
Cedar Park: Ria Modi
Awesome job this past week regarding our 75 yard kick set. She totally knocked it out of the park dropping her times. In addition to that Ria has always been a consistent swimmer in regards to always showing up to practice prepared and ready to hit the pool. Practice gear ready to go. Great job Ria thanks for being a part of the Nitro family and we’ll see you at the pool. —Coach Stephen
Bee Cave: Judy Song
Wow! Judy! Such a fast kicker! Even though she just joined TF a few weeks ago, she’s already on the top 10 list for fastest kickers (not to mention she’s the only 8 year old on the list). I think this week also helped her come out of her shell a bit. Before, I thought she was just a shy, little one. But now, I believe she’s going to be a great addition to our group! The other girls were giving her high fives and congratulating her all week. What a cool thing to be a part of. I love TF. I love that group. And I love Judy! —Coach Jonny
Bronze
Cedar Park: Ronald Chou
What a great week of IM work for Ronald! Bronze tried to make sure we remembered our IM order, while learning how to do some of the turns for the swim. Ronald nailed his turns on the wall time after time, making them look like second nature by the end. He also put it together for a great 100 IM, swimming smooth and fast through not only 1, but 2 of them! Way to go Ronald! —Coach Adam
Bee Cave: Kylie May
Kylie has been doing a great job of developing her racing ability, this centers on her kick, going out smoother and leaving more energy for her legs at the end of the race. She has also expanded this idea on all the strokes, you find Kylie has times in all four strokes as well as some of the 100s and has come a long way on her 100 IM. When your 8 and you start exploring all the different races open to you it shows the coach that the desire is there and the 200s will not be far behind! I’m looking forward to her next meet to see where she falls on the Top Ten lists. Great Job Young Lady! —Coach Chuck
Silver
Cedar Park: Tanishka Gupta
This young lady always has a smile on her face. Tanishka is also one who will surprise you in practice, as she just keep getting faster and faster. Whatever you ask her to do, she will try her hardest to do it and make it happen. I am also very impressed with her racing skills in meets recently, as she has really revved up her racing speed! Watching her race this summer will be really fun! Way to go Tanishka. —Coach Paige
Bee Cave: Renata Pinero Torre
Serena Williams. Tom Brady. Renata Pinero Torre. Three names that not only exemplify excellence, but also embody the process of creating it. Now there are all types of leaders in this world. Some give pre game speeches. Some methodically plan and prepare. Some, lead by example. When it comes to Renata, without ever needing to open her mouth, her actions sing. First off, this young lady, simply does EVERYTHING right. The Big things. The Little things. The in between things. Just all the things, she approaches with the same amount of care and respect. She listens, works hard, stays focused, her technique borders on textbook perfection, and most importantly – she always brings a smile and a positive attitude into practice. I think we often underestimate the kind of energy a person can bring to their environment, and how much they can truly effect all those around them.
That key aspect was put on display during the last practice of the week. As we entered the realm of our challenge set, many groaned at the first syllable of “challenge”… but Renata, her eyes lit up, and I knew she was going to do something special. And she did. When it got tough, she kept pushing and dare I say, got stronger. Her attitude helped set the tone for the entire set, her effort during the set, pushed those around her to keep fighting, and when she touched the final wall, it again showed, why she is a force to be reckoned with.
It’s hard to bring a high level of consistency to the daily routine, and I’m not directly saying this girl HAS TO BE A SWIM ROBOT, but day in and day out, it just seems suspicious that Renata is able to handle it without missing a step. So that’s out there now. But to be honest, if you selected any week at random, you could have without hesitation, gathered enough evidence to recognize Renata as the swimmer of the week. So it’s about time that I officially got around to it. Just couldn’t ask any more from a swimmer. Or an emerging leader at Nitro. Great Job Renata. Way to be you! —Coach Nick
Advanced Silver
Bee Cave: Anna Leggate
Anna has been ON FIRE as of late–dropping loads of time at B champs, then the TXLA New Year Meet, and then dropping once again at the last chance meet to qualify for Junior STAGS. She is a FIERCE racer and loves to throw down when competition is on the line. She is learning to harness this fire throughout practice and share it with her teammates. Keep grinding, Anna! —Coach Bobby
Gold I & II
CP Gold I: Sophia Carey
Although it was a big move, Sophia is fitting into the Gold group nicely. She is starting to realize that there are going to be lots of tough sets, and pushing herself through them is a challenge. With that being said, I’ve seen her reach her limit a couple of times, but not give up! Sophia has made huge strides in her endurance, and we can see her getting stronger every day. Keep it up Sophia! —Coach Adam
CP Gold II: Lindsay Morgan
Lindsay is starting to learn how much fun fast swimming can be. She is an exceptional A-level backstroker, though her other strokes are catching up fast. I’m really looking forward to these upcoming championship meets and I’m willing to bet Lindsay is even more excited. Let’s ride, Lindsay! —Coach Alex
Bee Cave: Logan Schaefer
Wowza Logan, you never fail to impress me week by week. Always willing to learn, change and grow. Its contagious actually, you make people around you want to be better at whatever they might be doing, including me and my coaching. One specific action I love from Logan is his dedication to getting better. Almost everyday before practice Logan makes an effort to come in and do some dryland to get his body warmed up before entering the water. From jump roping, to pvc pipe, and some running coordination, he does it all to be prepared to swim his best each day. Keep it up Logan! —Coach Allison