Some Nighttime Snack Inspiration

Tonight's Nighttime Snack comes to us by way of guest submission. If you're looking for some inspiration after my depressing start to this series, look no further. Today's story comes to us from Nick:

This is not a picture of Nick, FYI

It's 2008, the month is August. For the last two years, World of Warcraft has been  the end-all, be-all of my life. In fact, you know the face hugger from the Alien movies? That is WoW for me. But for the last month, I've been cold turkey. It hasn't been easy. I go to sites like wowdetox.com and feebly talk about how much my post-WoW life sucks and what a black crater WoW has left. Wowdetox is a place people go to to say things like, "I'm still playing, even though my dog died last week, and I regret not playing more with him... :(" You get the picture.

Collegeswimming Doin' Work

It's kind of hard for me to imagine a time without collegeswimming.com. The website is by far the go to resource for information on college swimming teams, meet results, and runs an awesome recruiting service. There are many things that Collegeswimming does that are a service to the sport in general. Earlier this year we highlighted their "Assistant Coach of the Year" award. Today, they released their nationwide recruiting class rankings for men after posting the women yesterday.

Another Swim Beginning: Viking is Now a Swim Dad

This is not my kid.  I would not let her wear one of those ridiculous caps.  I would trade the shark fin and googly eyes for horns.

My relationship with the sport of swimming has once again taken a new direction. I am officially a swim dad. My four year old daughter had her first swim practice last night. It was in-water lessons, but still it was during my practice and therefore her swim team career has officially begun.  It was hard to coach when I wanted to be on her end of the pool so badly to watch.

Swim Beginnings: The Viking

I had to slash my way through the forest to get to swim practice every morning. You can't see it, but I am standing on a grizzly bear I had just killed for almost making me late.

How did I start swimming? Well, the way everyone in Petersburg, Alaska did: through elementary school classes. This was the reason our little tiny island of 3000 people tucked away in the Tongass National Rainforest constantly developed good swimmers. Our school started their talent selection process in Pre-K. Russia modeled their sports school system after us. Seriously. We had a great thing going up there. 

Chill out, Hungary!

So I read over at my favorite swimming news site, http://www.theswimmerscircle.com/, that Hungary just pre-selected 12 people for its 2012 Olympic team. My first thought was, "oh well, who cares about Hungary?". Then I realized that it's pretty crazy to have selected your Olympic squad more than twelve months out. I mean, who do they think they are? USA Swimming picking it's World Championship team?

View From The Stands

The following blog is not, in fact, written by Chris DeSantis, as blogger may indicate. We are still working on getting Lisa Stephens up with access to the blog. Please excuse our technical difficulties.

So Huey, Duey and Louie and asked me to blog with them and I've agreed.  Since accepting I was hoping for (at the bare minimum) a large Edibles basket delivered to my door or tickets to the 400IM final in London but since I don't think that will be happening, I assure you, I'm just happy to have a forum for swim fans to have a voice here on Swim Brief.

Nighttime Snack: Swim Beginnings

An approximation of my freestyle for the first 5 years of my swimming career

Over the next couple days, we're going to be posting some stories about beginnings in the sport of swimming. One will be long form by Lisa Stephens tomorrow, the rest of the Swim Brief crew will be checking in by these Nighttime Snacks. As executive omnipotent editor in chief, I thought I'd post mine first. Take that, everybody else!

Announcement: Open Submissions Policy!

We realized during our blog contest in June 2011 that there are a lot of swimmers, swim fans and coaches out there who have great things to contribute to a swim-based site like ours.  We have had fun reading submissions and offering critiques.  We also appreciate the increased sense of community that seems to have come from welcoming guest bloggers to the site.  We love the interaction.

Drunk on Deck

"Now that I think about it, my age group coach when I was a kid sure seemed awful tired most of the time."

This Saturday morning at my summer league meet I saw one of those gigantic 64 ounce "cups" from the gas station that looks like a mini-cooler, requires two people to team lift and has been engineered to keep your drink cold until you retire.

Nighttime Snack: We Have a Winner

When we announced our contest to have a new blogger, I have to admit we were very nervous. Wechecked the swimbrief gmail account several times in the first hours. Nothing. We were very nervous- whar if no one ended up sending anything in? In the end, what we received was far beyond our expectations. We received a number of oustanding submissions, and while at this point we are gaining just one permanent member, there may be others from the submissions joining us in the future.

Swim Geekend

Weekends like this past one are a swim geek's paradise. When there is more than one meet going on, especially with one in Europe, there is always a fresh set of results to look forward to. Take it from a Swim Geek that's reached adulthood, however: it's not easy to track every single results. For those of you with a little less time on your hands, we present the "Swim Geekend". All the results you need to be conversational in Swim Geek in bite sized form. Let's begin in Europe:

Swim Brief Blogger Contest: Feedback

A traditional week in review wouldn't make sense this week: we were consumed with one thing. At the beginning of the week, we announced a contest to pick a new blogger, or two. We had no idea what to expect as a response. So far we've been pleasantly surprised. Let's rewind and look at what we've got so far and what is yet to come:

Swim Brief Blogger Contest: Rebecca Boston

Earlier this week, we announced a contest to add another blogger to the Swim Brief. Applications have been pouring in. If you want to submit, write to us at SwimBrief@gmail.com. We've decided to give some of these bloggers a "tryout" by writing a guest blog. Here is a blog we received from Rebecca Boston. Click the following for the first two guest blogs from Lisa Stephens and Reed Shimberg

The Martini Treatment for Swimmer’s Hair


After more than two decades of swimming, you’d think I would have learned to embrace swimmer’s hair.  That I’d love the dryness of my hair, because at least I don’t have to deal with greasy hair as do the runners. That I would “own” the green tint as a feature that made me look edgy – hey, it works for the teenagers!

Swim Brief Blogger Contest: Reed Shimberg

Earlier this week, we announced a contest to add another blogger to the Swim Brief. Applications have been pouring in. If you want to submit, write to us at SwimBrief@gmail.com. We've decided to give some of these bloggers a "tryout" by writing a guest blog. Here is a blog we received from Reed Shimberg:

"Rules of Off-Season Swimming"

As much as we love swimming, what do we love doing more? Not swimming. Here is a guidebook to help off-season swimmers navigate those treacherously lazy waters between seasons:

Nighttime Snack- AnchorWOMAN?

Crazy happenings on the Swim Brief today. I don't want to give too much away, but I really feel the following video clip encapsulates how the existing members feel about our new guest blogger.

Swim Brief Blogger Contest: Lisa Stephens

Earlier this week, we announced a contest to replace Gu...I mean add another blogger to the Swim Brief mix. Applications have been pouring in. We've decided to give some of these bloggers a try at writing for the site as a "tryout". This is the first blog we received, from Lisa Stephens:

Stories From the Stands:  A Fan's Perspective

MIdnight Snack: Death Race 2011. You May Die.

Think you’re a bad ass?  Then, go ahead… sign up for this year’s Death Race.  It’s this Saturday in Pittsfield, VT.  What are you waiting for?  If you don’t know what I am talking about, please check it out at youmaydie.com.  My friend Andy Weinberg, a former distance record holder at Missouri State, is one of the people who organizes this race-- if you want to call it a race.  The time does not matter.  It is all about survival. This race will test you, no matter who you are. Please watch the video made by the New York Times.  It will blow your mind.

Why Does Brendan Hansen Play By Different Rules?

There is one interesting conversation still worth having from this past weekends Santa Clara Grand Prix. Lost amid all the great swims (can you believe I didn't mention Ariana Kukors? me neither) was the fact that Brendan Hansen was allowed to seed himself with three year old times to enter the meet. If you go to the meet information for the Grand Prix, it states pretty clearly that swimmers must have met the time standards during the qualification period, which starts January 1st. So what gives?

Nighttime Snack- Future Swim Briefers?

We've already started receiving some submissions for our loosely defined future Swim Brief blogger contest. So far, the submissions have been extremely strong. To be honest, Gus squealed like a small child when got one submission. If you haven't gotten around to sending us an e-mail yet, don't hesitate. We are already soliciting guest blogs. Just look at some of the quotes from e-mails we've received so far:

Care to Join Us?

The Swim Brief In the Early Days

At The Swim Brief, we hope you've enjoyed the content we've provided you over the last couple months. While all three of us can agree it's been a great time, there are moments when we wish we had a little more help. Our budget of unsalted peanuts doesn't allow us to completely set aside our day jobs to post as often as we would like.

Maybe you're a lonely swim blogger sick of posting in isolation. Maybe you're a frequent commenter working up the courage to blog. Maybe you're just a silent lurker. In any case, we are looking for another writer. Check that, if you're a silent lurker please don't apply- you creep us out.

What to Make of Santa Clara

The Grand Prix season ended yesterday. There are still a couple elite meets sitting between now and this summer's World Championships, most notably the TYR Meet of Champions coming up this next weekend.  But, as intrepid swimming reporter Craig Lord notes, we are now less than six weeks from Shanghai. I frequently point out how nerve-wracking the spring and early summer are for fans of America's Swim Team, watching the rest of the world swim fast while we muddle through. This year features even more anxiety.

Nighttime Snack- D'Arcy Wins!

In the first men's event of the Santa Clara Grand Prix's final session, Nick D'Arcy stormed home to beat Michael Phelps in the 200 fly. Nick D'Arcy has had some pretty tough luck, much of it self-created. I don't know why, but I have found myself cheering for him. It's not that I have general sympathy for anyone that causes serious bodily harm on another person in a bar fight. But, D'Arcy has been subject to not just double but probably triple jeopardy as a result.

Ritchie MP Cummins: "Welcome to Twitter, Debbie Phelps!"

I am ninja-level pumped to get tweets from the real Debbie Phelps!  Hiyaaahhh!

I have a big announcement guys!  Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman both sent out a tweet welcoming super-duper gold medal swim mom of the universe Debbie Phelps to the world of twitter.  That's right!  They personally invited all of their tweeps like me to follow her. I am waaaayyy excited!  She is such an inspiration to me and so many other people. I wish Debbie was my real mom!  (Sorry mom.  You are cool too, but your son, me, hasn't even won one gold medal in anything!)

Missing Swimmer At Santa Clara

Hey everyone. Just got a flurry of texts/tweets about this breaking story. Apparently, at 10:30am this morning, a 17-year-old girl went missing before one of her races. She left her wallet and phone and bag. She hasn't been seen since. Please read more of ESPN's Bonnie D. Ford's story here. And if you're at Santa Clara right now, link this story around. Hopefully she is OK. But this is scary stuff. The more people aware about this, maybe the quicker we can find more information about it. 

Here is the photo, taken from @Bonnie_D_Ford's twitter.

If you have any information about this, call the Santa Clara Police Department: 408 615 5580. 

Tae Hwan Park is Only 21??

It kind of pisses me off when people ask questions like the title of this post. I mean, if you've been paying attention, you should know that although Tae Hwan Park has been around forever, he's still the age of your average college senior. He's seeded second in the 100 freestyle, displaying pretty good speed at 50.0 for a swimmer known far more for his middle distance and up swimming. Here are the other stories to watch for tonight at the Santa Clara Grand Prix:

Conversations you have with yourself when the water is too freekin cold

"Screw swim practice!  The pool's way too cold.  I'm outta here."

Beginning of AM practice, dipping your toes in the water:   

“Oh, man.  That’s cold.  I wonder if the heater is broken.  Ummm….   Oh yeah.  Coach hates it when you ask if the heater's broken.  He is gonna say it's 83 degrees.  He always says it's 83 degrees.”

"How can those guys just jump in like that?  Maybe if I get in really slow...  If I'm at least getting in, coach won’t notice that I'm missing half the warm-up.”

“Oh crap.  He noticed.  Here he comes.  Better get in.  Okay.  Turn around and hold the gutter.  Dip in slowly.  It's not so bad until you get to inner thighs.”

Nighttime Snack: Kill a Shark To Set A Record?

Today, sitting in the airport, I read an article linked on Mel Stewart's website about an open water swimmer killing a shark to set a record. Apparently, the story goes like this: 1) Swimmer Wants Record. 2) Sharks Swim In Ocean, Because Duh, That's Where Sharks Live. 3) Then Swimmer's Crew Kills Sharks. You can read the story here if you want the details. 

The swimmer's husband expresses regret, but you wonder if there was a better alternative? Or maybe just , you know, stop the swim?

Here's an interesting quote from the article:  "Imagine an ultra runner wants to set a new record racing across the bear-infested northern Rockies. Four bears approach her while she’s running along the trail and her support crew uses some manky bilious road kill to lure them away, where they’re shot dead."

Let's help get Brendan Hansen motivated!

This weekend, in celebration of Brendan Hansen's big comeback, I say we re-start the argument about Kitajima's dolphin kick during his pullout at the 2004 games.  Brendan Hansen gave a clinic for my club a few years ago and it was hard to hear him talk about it.  We all know that moment has to be a big personal motivator.  Watch closely.  You can actually see Kosuke inch ahead after the oh so obvious illegal kick.

Late Night Snack: The Smell of Fear and Sprinting

In case you missed it, the other day I posted this on facebook and twitter:  "Love coaching club again!  This am warm-up:  10x "sit on the gutter, stare at the floor, feel sorry for yourself bc last pm practice was so hard" on 1:05.

The funny part is that it really went pretty close to that way.  They were moping on the gutter and stalling as much as they could (which is typical when it is so early) so I made that joke and a couple of them started watching the clock and acting like they were taking short breaks between rounds of sad-faced self-pity.  It was downright hilarious.

I am starting to find that with this group of athletes morning practice is turning into an awkward sort of comedy gold and i really am enjoying seeing their not-quite smiling faces at 5:45am.

This is another example of a true conversation from practice this morning:

Swimming World, USA Swimming Leaders to Consider Using Internet

In a stunning joint statement today from both Phoenix, Arizona and Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Swimming and Swimming World magazine announced a bold new plan for the future of their organizations. Both organizations, whose leaders have traditionally not used the internet, or as they call it "The World Wide Web", are forming committees to consider consulting with people who use the service.

Nighttime Snack: The Return of Hansen (Brendan)

He's back. And we're really @$*$&@ing excited.

This weekend at the Santa Clara Grand Prix, Brendan Hansen returns to the pool. I imagine a scenario in which he arrives to Palo Alto, gets off the plane, and his entourage with a boombox plays "Hanson." Or something similar to Zoolander, with "Hansel." Something. Something will happen. It has to. Because this is one of the more exciting comebacks we've seen in the last ten years. (Will someone please play "Hanson" super loud during warm-ups at this Grand Prix?)

Why? Why is this so exciting? Well, a number of reasons.

Why does ASCA Get To Have All the (Certification) Fun?

That's the question Tony Austin asks in a remarkably detailed blog today. I remember eight years ago when I first became a USA Swimming coach- I didn't even question that I was supposed to jump through ASCA's hoops. Frankly, I'd love to see someone else get involved in coach certification (Glenn Mills, cough). But I'm not sure it's possible. I'd be very interested in the response. Has anyone heard from John Leonard lately?

Picking on the Officials

I love carrying my video camera around at meets.  I think that every coach should at least have one on their phone.  It is handy to be able to be able to show swimmers some of the things you want them to correct, but even more important is that it can really add some fun to your team website and it contributes to the culture and atmosphere of your club.  My team page has a lot of really funny interviews with swimmers and the parents love it.

My favorite thing to do with my camera though, is pick on the officials.  Two years ago I was on deck sitting next to one of my former swimmers and started making fun of her dad, who happens to be the head official for our summer league.  Check these out:

Midnight Snack presents Shawn Klosterman: The Many Faces

Shawn Klosterman is at one time someone resembling an extra from the 13th Warrior, a gentle family man and a teacher, But he is also a hero, and if you don't believe me, you have to head this article about in the Juneau Empire.It covers how inspiring Shawn Klsterman was a to young Derek Gibb. Now I know what you'r thinking, but this will have nothing to do with the bee gees.

Swim Brief Classic: Berkoff on Sex Abuse

Over at www.usswimnscandal.com, the authors are calling out David Berkoff. The gist of their criticism is that Berkoff was a vocal proponent for change in sex abuse policy at USA Swimming prior to his election to the board nine months ago. Since being elected, he's been far more silent. As evidence as the strong opinions Berkoff had, they cite an e-mail written by Berkoff. A year ago, we had Berkoff on the short lived Swim Brief podcast and asked him about that very topic: