News and Announcements
Hi All
Another week missing everyone – we can’t wait to be back on the pool deck! Important information below about our team meeting, nutrition course, activity logs and more!
Nutrition Course
Sent out a full email with information last week so check that for more details. We really want as many swimmers as possible to participate in this as possible. We can promise it won’t be too much added “homework” and we know right now it is a financial stretch for some. Suggested price is $200 – if you are not in a position to pay that, email me as we are willing to make it work for EVERYONE!
Starts this Wednesday – we need your swimmers email and a parent email to join.
LET ME KNOW BY TOMORROW LATEST!!!
Zoom Team Meeting
Every Monday at 3:45 – be there! We had over 60 people there last week & it was so fun.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/982917807
Meeting ID: 982 917 807
Activity Logs
WOW – what an improvement from last week. More people turning them in, though still missing a few… if that is you, we won’t chase you down for it but remember this is important to stay engaged and accountable in your swimming.
We also are attaching an excellent example from Alanna Baker (she gave us permission to do so) about what we are looking for in these activity logs. It doesn’t have to be as pretty as hers but she is really detailed and clearly putting time, thought, and consistency into what she is doing.
Send in your logs EACH WEEK on Saturday!!!
Push Up Challenge
Coach Ken challenged all to do 400 pushups last week… since we are a competitive swim team we thought we would keep this challenge going each week. This can be added to your activity log… lets get some more names on this list! I know there are a few who should be added but we need to know numbers not just “pushups” or “strength & conditioning exercises” – lets go Tuna!
725 – Nicky Glenn
510 – Ken DeMont
420 – Alanna Baker, Bruno Coelho
400 – Kallen Wank
315 – Jonah Lee
300 – Sophie Lee
280 – Harry Wait
250 – Sydney Brakebill, Micah Sher
210 – Emma Keith-Brown
175 – Luca Gissendaner
140 – Alex Gershman
135 – Alena Sharp
120 – Vincent De la Tour
105 – Sophie Keith-Brown
100 – Savanna Flynn, Dean Gustavson, Adeline Turner
60 – Andre Ignoffo, Kelsey Brakebill, Jane Thompson
57 – Lena Wang
34 – Nina Bonte
10 – Kim Keith-Brown
Pre Senior Phone Numbers
I have almost all the PS phone numbers – please send them my way. This way in the spirit of accountability I can message swimmers updates/reminders.
See you (virtually) this afternoon!
Devon
Hello-
It looks like Saturday might be my new weekly update day! Anyways, I hope everyone is doing well – I miss seeing all of the youngsters at the pool.
FAMILY – We are doing well and having fun exploring our new routines and reality. It is not without some trials and tribulations, but overall a pretty exciting time! (I taught the kids dominoes last night).
SCHOOL – Homeschooling is a breeze! (‘jk’ as the kids say). We are making our way through the new platforms and expectations from our teachers. A special shout out to the teachers who are learning how to teach all over again – very challenging! A side note: Coach Don (who coaches the Senior Team with Coach Ken) would be irate if any of us said that anything was ‘hard’. Diamonds are hard. Our circumstances are challenging – and, fortunately, as competitive swimmers, we embrace challenge.
SWIMMING – I must be honest, I have not been keeping up with my push-ups, but I am re-motivated. Ken has challenged the PreSr/Sr team to do 400 push-ups/week, so my goal this week is 401 – one better than those guys.
I was talking to another coach today, and he told me he suggested to his swimmers that they ‘unplug’ and walk outside at least 2X/day. What they did outside, was up to them (hike, bike, jump rope, skip, do cartwheels (be careful), etc.)—but, get away from the ‘screen’. It’ll probably be great for your mood/mind/mental well-being. We should all heed those words.
ZOOM – We will have a quick Zoom meeting tomorrow, Sunday at 10:30am. If you haven’t used ZOOM yet, it is a pretty easy web-conference interface that will allow us to see each other’s smiling faces! Info for joining the meeting is at the bottom of this email.
GO SWIM – If you haven’t heard, GOSWIM is offering free access to its vast video library. For those interested, please see email below the ZOOM link. In the future, I will curate the videos, but as for now, have at it!
QUOTE – Change alone is unchanging. – Heraclitus
See you online, Coach Mike
Mike McDonald is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Swim Team NBA/TPC
Time: Mar 29, 2020 10:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 858 111 350
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Meeting ID: 858 111 350
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ad96G2ebMp
Supporting Swim Education during the Coronavirus-
For nearly two decades, our mission at GoSwim.tv has been to help people of all ages and backgrounds to swim better and reach their full potential in the sport. In this challenging time of COVID-19, with pools closed, meets canceled, and swimmers stuck at home, we are determined to continue — and even expand — our mission. Because of our long-time commitment to virtual learning, we believe we are in a unique position to step up right now, to serve the swimmers and coaches of our shared community.
Here’s how we’d like to help right now…
For the next few weeks, when you sign up for a free GoSwim account (or if you already have a free GoSwim account), you will have free access to ALL of GoSwim’s content. In addition, you will receive a daily email from us, with a link to a video we’ve chosen as part of a weekly theme.
If you’re a coach and pick up a free account during this time, you have the added benefit of looking through GoSwim’s entire site and selecting videos to share with your swimmers. You can share as many videos as you want with as many swimmers as you want. Because of COPPA and MAAP regulations, each swimmer will need to create their own account. But once everyone has an account, you will be able to share any GoSwim URL through your own internal communication system with your team.
We invite every swimmer and coach, of every age and ability, to set up a free GoSwim account during this challenging time, and to experience what we have to offer. We hope this will give everyone the opportunity to expand their swimming knowledge, get new ideas, or be inspired by the swimmers who have shared their talent in our platform. For coaches especially, we hope this provides answers and solutions as you search for ways to stay in touch with your swimmers, to keep them engaged, motivated, and in command of their own swimming.
We know from personal experience that the simple act of watching great swimming can improve our swimming. We hope you will use GoSwim’s videos to help visualize the kind of swimmer you want to be when you get back in the pool. Stay healthy and safe, everyone.
How do I get started?
Go to www.goswim.tv to create your free account, and start searching for the videos that are best for you.
Hi All
Another strange looking weekly update… hope everyone is staying healthy and happy at home. Lots of new info for you this week. If a swimmer needs to get on the email list – just let me know as this is a great place to get info every week.
ZOOM TEAM MEETING
Looks like the best time for MOST will be to do a Team Meeting on MONDAYS at 3:30. This will be short – just a check in with your coaches with some ideas for you and because we of course want to see all your faces! If you can’t make it – don’t stress reach out to us and we can fill you in.
Devon DeMont is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: NBA Team Meeting
Time: Mar 23, 2020 03:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/795542453
Meeting ID: 795 542 453
NUTRITION
Working out the last details on this… what we are looking at is hopefully a 5 week course (one for boys and one for girls). We are figuring out when is best to do this/what the pricing would be.
ACTIVITY LOGS
Keep in mind as more public spaces are being closed we want everyone to be following the guidelines and rules set out by the county and the CDC. This means more creativity on all of our parts on how to stay active… there are many options to do at home!!!
Pre Seniors:
I only got a small handful! This is SUPER IMPORTANT – it keeps you accountable for your activity during this time. It also keeps me involved in this process as your coach. I expect to see MANY more at the end of this week – thank you to those who did send it to me! If your’e comfortable – we can do it via text (reach out individually to me and I am glad to set it up)
Seniors:
Ken was excited to see so many come in – keep them coming and keep getting creative with what you can do to better yourself during this time.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
Seniors can get theirs via the Bridge app it should be updated – Pre Seniors Jeff has added 3 new routines which I am uploading below, along with the dynamic warmup and shoulder stabilization.
We suggest doing this 3x a week (it can be put on your activity log!). These exercises are created with swimming in mind and all of this should take you only half an hour or so!
Hello-
I hope everyone is doing well!
PRIORITIES – When I talk to my kids, I usually break things down simply:
FAMILY
SCHOOL/WORK
SPORTS/SWIMMING
In that order…so that’s the format of this email:
FAMILY – I hope everyone is healthy and enjoying time with their family! While there are certainly some challenges in our current reality – like homeschooling, figuring out every Google platform that exists, shopping, getting exercise, preparing every meal, etc. – they are juxtaposed by some hidden benefits. We get to spend a ton of time with our kids! While this may be maddening sometimes, I believe we will look back on this time as a time when we truly got to know our precious kiddos — learning how they learn, what makes them proud, what hurts their feeling, what are they insecure about, what are their talents, etc.
I challenge all of you to find the silver lining in they way your family is set up right now (for example, I got to have dinner with my family every night this past week!—can’t remember the last time that happened!).
SCHOOL/WORK – The challenge is real. Those of you not accustomed to teaching are probably somewhat overwhelmed (as I am). It is a lot of stuff, and gives you a appreciation for those who dedicate their lives to teaching. I think the key is doing your best, but not holding yourself to an impossible standard. Also, remember that our kids are immersed in a very anxious/crazy environment and they are picking up on all of that. They are sponges, and it would be naive to think that they aren’t being affected. Make sure to focus on art and recess—I’ve been on quite a few family hikes recently! (see photo).
SWIMMING – Oh, yeah. This is a swim team update! Practice, as you know, is on hiatus for awhile…no return date as of yet—I’ll keep you posted. USA Swimming has cancelled EVERYTHING until the end of April. Their letter is <> if you need more stuff to read.
Our plan is to reboot as soon as we are able, and have the greatest season ever!
I am in the process of refunding those who have paid online for the SPRING, and TPC members will not be charged anything for Spring Swim Team, as well. We will see what our season looks like when we have a start date.
But, that does not mean that we are not swimmers! We are trying to come up with things to help us once we return to the pool.
PUSH-UPS – I challenge every swimmer to complete a certain number of push-ups every day (everyone is different so pick a number that you can consistently do—you don’t have to do them in a row!). HERE is a video on some good push-up technique. Parents can do this as well, I’m going to start with 50/day.
PLANKS – Let’s see what kind of core strength we can develop over the break with some basic planks. Can you hold a forearm plank for a minute? HERE is a video with some basic planks.
200M BREASTSTROKE – How times have changed…check out this crazy race from the 1936 Olympics! HERE
QUOTE – This world of ours… must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be,
instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect. – Dwight D. Eisenhower
See you at the pool! (date TBD), Coach Mike
Dear NBA families
A little late in the promised Email about how we are approaching the situation we are currently facing. A lot has happened in the last 48 hours and the immediate future promises to be the same. Having said that with the help of the board we have come up with a plan. This will be reassessed as needed over the next few weeks and or months
Starting April 1 we will be pausing all swim dues for the month and on into the future as circumstances dictate. The hope is at some point this season we will be able to get back to our program but we are also cognizant that anything is possible
For those families who have paid dues through the annual plan I am going to ask you to hang tight for a month so we can have the time to perhaps better assess our timeline of being out of the water which will direct our solutions of reimbursement. If anyone has an issue with this please contact me and we will resolve it now.
We will not be holding the annual Tunathon at the normal end of April time period. While this is a vital part of helping us stay whole financially it cannot be a priority. We will reassess this as well as we get more information about how long we will be out of the water.
All coaches will continue to be paid their monthly salaries. This is the right thing to do. Through much protection of assets over the last dozen years we have enough in our rainy day fund to allow this to happen for an decent bit of time. Thanks to the board and all of you who have supported us through fundraising to put us in this position of strength. This will better help us have the ability to jump back into what we love to do when that time comes…and it will come at some point
Meanwhile we will continue to reach out to our team and be involved in their training as that feeds our soul. Coaches love to coach so this time away has been agonizing. Then we see pictures like what we received yesterday and it makes our day. Scroll to the bottom to see them – they are an example of the NBA spirit as well as the intelligence to honor social distancing ( love the 6 foot apart pic)
Let’s keep that energy as we move forward. We (all your coaches) would love to receive more examples of NBA in action so send them our way via email or text.
Stay smart and safe…see you at the pool…someday :)
Ken – ken@northbayaquatics.org