Summer Newsletter 2010
Parents and Swimmers here is some information that you will want to read as we get ready to start the summer schedule. Beginning Tuesday, June 1, the daily practice schedule will be as follows:
Summer Schedule
1. Mornings: Monday through Friday: 6:00 to 6:30 team stretching. 6:30 to 8:30 water. 8:45 to 9:30
dryland exercises*. (* please note that we will be dong dryland Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and
Friday, Thursdays we will have off as these will be our Power Days.)
2. Afternoons: Monday through Thursday: 4:15 to 6:15
3. Saturdays: Regular schedule-8:00 to 8:45 dryland, 9:00 to 11:00 water
Training and Meet Schedule
The long course season here in the states is very short. From Monday, May 31 until Sectional Championships there are just 44 days, and 51 days to the Utah Long Course State Championships, 57 days until Junior National Championships, and 62 days until the National Championships. It is VERY important for you to understand and realize that this is an incredibly short period of time. So every practice session is important to your preparation if you are going to achieve your goals. Please make sure that you are at practice sessions. For those of you restarting you need to understand that we are in the middle of a training phase. There will be no alterations made for you, but practices shall be adjusted for you. The majority of the team has done the preparation work already. You will get stroke technique instruction as part of every practice session for that is the philosophy here at HAST.
The summer meet schedule has been published and can be found online at the HAST website. Please remember that you are expected to attend the State Championships and B-C Finale. This is part of being on a team. We have two meets this month the first one coming up very soon is at Dimple Dell and then Cottonwood Heights later in June. As coaches we spend a lot of time planning the season, teaching and instructing, writing workouts and helping you have a great experience so that you can accomplish your goals. Often times it is through meets that we are able to evaluate ourselves and learn how we can get better and do things more efficiently so that continuous progress can be made.
Senior Team T-Shirts
To the left of this article you will find a copy of this summer’s Senior Team T-shirt. It is patterned after the story of Congressional Medal of Honor winner Robert Bush. Below is his Congressional Medal of Honor citation:
BUSH, ROBERT EUGENE
Rank and organization: Hospital Apprentice First Class, U.S. Naval Reserve, serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Entered service at: Washington. Born: 4 October 1926, Tacoma, Wash.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Fearlessly braving the fury of artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire from strongly entrenched hostile positions, Bush constantly and unhesitatingly moved from 1 casualty to another to attend the wounded falling under the enemy's murderous barrages. As the attack passed over a ridge top, Bush was advancing to administer blood plasma to a marine officer lying wounded on the skyline when the Japanese launched a savage counterattack. In this perilously exposed position, he resolutely maintained the flow of life-giving plasma. With the bottle held high in 1 hand, Bush drew his pistol with the other and fired into the enemy's ranks until his ammunition was expended. Quickly seizing a discarded carbine, he trained his fire on the Japanese charging pointblank over the hill, accounting for 6 of the enemy despite his own serious wounds and the loss of 1 eye suffered during his desperate battle in defense of the helpless man. With the hostile force finally routed, he calmly disregarded his own critical condition to complete his mission, valiantly refusing medical treatment for himself until his officer patient had been evacuated, and collapsing only after attempting to walk to the battle aid station. His daring initiative, great personal valor, and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in service of others reflect great credit upon Bush and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
Here is another example of excellence, commitment and perseverance from the Congressional Medal of Honor lists that is similar to Robert Bush’s. Both of these great heroes fulfilled their duty, and performed well beyond anyone’s expectations under some tremendously adverse situations. This one is about George Wahlen who was from Ogden, Utah.
WAHLEN, GEORGE EDWARD
Rank and organization: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class, U.S. Navy, serving with 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands group, 3 March 1945. Entered service at: Utah. Born: 8 August 1924, Ogden, Utah.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano group on 3 March 1945. Painfully wounded in the bitter action on 26 February, Wahlen remained on the battlefield, advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific concentration of fire. Tireless in his ministrations, he consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets, and rendered prompt assistance to various elements of his combat group as required. When an adjacent platoon suffered heavy casualties, he defied the continuous pounding of heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the wounded, working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon. Wounded again on 2 March, he gallantly refused evacuation, moving out with his company the following day in a furious assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of powerful Japanese guns. Stouthearted and indomitable, he persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce battle and, unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing wound, resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to still another fallen fighter. By his dauntless fortitude and valor, Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed vitally to the high morale of his company during critical phases of this strategically important engagement. His heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy fire upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
The purpose of the t-shirt is to remind you that in all you do never “drop the bottle”. Whether in or out of the pool you will be faced with difficult and challenging situations. I doubt that anyone of us will have to face the type of situations that Robert Bush found himself in that day on Okinawa, yet we all have our own personal “Okinawas”. For some their personal “Okinawas” maybe struggling to get out of bed, or go to bed at the appropriate time, or stretching and dryland, or friends who want you to play late into the night rather than rest, or other more serious matters in life. Hopefully by now you have all set goals and you have committed yourself to do all that you can to “hold” on to your goals until you have achieved them. I hope that you can learn from Robert Bush’s example and under difficult situations stand fast and hold onto your goals, whether they are swimming, school, or life related and not let go until you have accomplished them. Like Robert Bush, I believe that you can do difficult things if you are willing to never “drop the bottle”.
I would like everyone to get this t-shirt. If you want one please sign your name and fill in your size and tear off the bottom of this sheet of paper and bring $8.00 made out to HAST Boosters. I would like all money turned in by Monday, June 7. Thanks.
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