About Southern California Aquatics (SCAQ): SCAQ has three coaches who have swum in the Olympics and many more that have come close by qualifying for Olympic Trials. One of our USC coaches even swam in THIS year's Olympic Trials! So, when you are wondering what Olympians do in workouts, you are experiencing it at SCAQ. (Okay, watered down of course).Let me do some more bragging about our staff: Coach Erik Hochstein set a World Record for the 40-45 age group in the 100 Freestyle and came within tenths in the 200 and the 50. Current Olympian Amanda Beard (three-time Olympian/two-time Gold Medalist) swam in two SCAQ workouts in the last year as did the current 200 backstroke world record holder and two-time Olympian Margaret Hoelzer. Last summer, Michael Phelps swam in one of our workouts, but I will have to admit he got his own lane and did his own thing. What a treat that was. We still have some of our fast SCAQ advanced swimmers bragging that they beat him. Of course he was warming up while they were sprinting all out, but still...
The best thing about SCAQ is 60% of all swimmers are beginners and they have workouts [and clinics for the first-timer including lessons. The first ever swim workout with a coach was with SCAQ. If you are ever in LA SCAQ welcomes drop in visitors. If you live in LA then think about signing up. Check out SCAQ at SWIM.net or call the office at (310) 390-5700 [Link]
Upcoming clinic and events:
SCAQ OCEAN CLINIC: swimming through the California Surf. Come learn all the tricks to swimming in the ocean: getting in and out of surf, sighting, and swimming better, safer and faster! You must call the office to register.
TRIATHLETES hopefully will be inspired by the Olympics and start swimming with their local masters team and all the great coaches across the USA. It is not good enough to just buy books, tapes and take a two day clinic by “drive-by” coaches. Get in with a group of experienced swimmers where you battle for pool space.
Where do you think all the college swimmers workout? Masters! So, if you have no swimming background, you need heavy pool time: working hard and watching that clock. Two major triathlons are a month away, so get swimming! You think the Olympians would be doing one or two swims a week and mostly drills? A two minute improvement in your swim can mean dozens of places...
SCAQ NOVEMBER TRIP TO BEIJING AND THE OLYMPIC POOL – Clay Evans has been investigating a swimming adventure over Thanksgiving to Beijing (Nov 17 – 24). He has contacted the Chinese Embassy and would like to know who would be interested in a week of swimming, coaching by Clay and exploring Beijing including an excursion to the Great Wall. Costs -if we could get 20 people- is estimated at $3,500 and would include air, buses, pool rental and hotel (not food and entertainment). This will be a small group so get on the list now, email Clay@SWIM.net. First come first serve. Put Beijing in your subject line. drills?
[Above is a photo the Santa Monica College pool, a SCAQ affiliated pool that I swam in this morning. -- T.A.]
2 comments:
that is a beautiful pool. Those lanes are huge! My 6'8'' wingspan would definitely fit in them when I do butterfly! (Unlike the pool I swim in currently) If I'm ever in LA, I'll have to drop in and do a workout with you and your club, Tony!
Ah...battling for lanes.
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