{"id":119388,"date":"2015-01-10T12:34:08","date_gmt":"2015-01-10T19:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=119388"},"modified":"2015-08-24T08:19:34","modified_gmt":"2015-08-24T15:19:34","slug":"coaches-swimmers-race-strategy-cerave-invitational","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/coaches-swimmers-race-strategy-cerave-invitational\/","title":{"rendered":"Coaches, Swimmers Talk Race Strategy At CeraVe Invitational"},"content":{"rendered":"

Swimming World is producing the live webcast of the 2015 CeraVe Invitational. Click here<\/a> to watch the live stream, view video interviews and watch races on-demand from previous sessions!<\/i><\/p>\n

By Richard Kang, Swimming World intern<\/i><\/p>\n

PISCATAWAY – At the 2015 CeraVe Invitational at Rutgers University, SwimmingWorld had the opportunity to listen in on the valuable insights coaches gave their swimmers after racing in the senior finals. After nearly screaming themselves hoarse screams of \u201cC\u2019mon!\u201d and \u201cGo!\u201d that rang through the natatorium, the coaches turned it down a couple of decibels to give their athlete some crucial pointers before and after their races.<\/p>\n

Dave Ferris, head coach of the Long Island Aquatics Club had this to say to 800 freestyle swimmer Connor Brown before his race: <\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to make sure we\u2019re forward. Hands low. Fast and forward, stay low.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Before her 100 breaststroke race, which she would later win, Maggie Aroesty got this advice from Ferris: <\/p>\n

\u201cGet your hips up on the second half. The hand speed has to be faster.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He also told Samantha Gallego before her 100 breaststroke that he wanted \u201cshorter strokes,\u201d and that the two-length race was \u201call about the turn.\u201d<\/p>\n

And this was Ferris\u2019 advice to Dylan Vanmanen before his 100 breast: <\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t have a 1.5 (seconds per stroke rate) hand speed before the turn. We need 1.4 speed.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Cougar Aquatic Team Coach Eric Harse was very vocal as he cheered on his athletes during their races but was one of the more laid-back coaches during the one-one-one conversations with his athletes.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust have fun and beat Rizzo,\u201d Harse told Chris Balbo before the 200 IM, referring to teammate Anthony Rizzo.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Rizzo swam his 200 freestyle a bit differently than normal, correcting his bad posture and swimming with deeper pulls in each arm stroke. <\/p>\n

\u201cNot a better time, but it was a better swim,\u201d Harse told Rizzo after the race. \u201cI\u2019d prefer that it look better because that will set you up for a better swim.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Molly Kowal didn\u2019t have a perfect race to place second in the 800 freestyle, but John Carroll, head coach of the Jersey Wahoos, was still pleased with what he saw:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did your job. I\u2019ll tell you why. You kept it up, and your back half is a little bit off, but you\u2019re in the four-second range.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Judy Montalbano, also of Cougar Aquatic, gave Tim Barth a post-race report that every swimmer likes to hear \u2026 and every coach likes to tell:<\/p>\n

\u201cThat two-second drop, that is a better swim. We\u2019re in a good spot right now.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Photo gallery: Coaches talk race strategy with athletes<\/h2>\n