You’ve Had a Successful Season – Now What?

Communication is key in any coach- athlete relationship. Why did your coach think of your season? What were your strengths and weaknesses? Hearing feedback from someone who knows what he’s talking about can help you form ideas about what led you to a great season. Your coach can also guide you to set new goals for next season, because a plan without goals is just a plan. It will allow you to stay focused on what you want to accomplish.

The only way to build endurance and strength is to stay in shape. Staying in shape requires commitment to a workout regime and constant training. Swimming and lifting or doing drylands year round helps swimmers maintain peak performance for when championship season creeps back up again.

When you dive back into the pool for a new season, use the feedback from your coach to change something in your stroke or lifestyle. Even if you had a successful season, the only way to get better is to fix something in your training. Whether it is fixing your catch, focusing on underwaters, or watching your nutrition, a change can help ensure further success.

Nothing is ever accomplished without fun. If you do not enjoy what you are doing, you will mentally drain yourself and not want to put 100% into your training. This will result in a bad mentality and attitude. A good way to stay on track is to have some team bonding where all swimmers can participate and enjoy themselves. Having a team themed potluck or beach day can create a close knit atmosphere that helps when the training gets tough.