Sunday, January 31, 2010

Who loves a senior? Everyone!

Our last home swim meet of the 2009-2010 has come to pass and with it another amazing Senior Day. Signs and gifts and adulation filled our pool Friday night for our seniors. And this excitement led to an amazing team effort for our last dual meet of the season.


Late Friday night, after the excitement and the cleanup, I was talking with my wife about all the big moments. I soon realized there were so many highlight-able swims that our meet really was filled with one highlight after another. Our kids had lifetime bests, season bests, and came out ahead in so many close races to the finish.
Our men, fueled by senior excitement, won several races and looked great doing it. The women commanded the lead through the meet and it all came down to the last relay. This is really the pinnacle of swimming exhilaration. With races swum and applause ringing out, the women finished the meet with a 3-point victory and both squads will take heaps of confidence into our Championship meet in just under two weeks!
Kira: Age group swimmer 9 years old, going on 20
Susie is fired-up about Senior Day. And next year will be her turn…

Friday, January 29, 2010

Glow Practice

Earlier this week Zac Hixson went on a lunch excursion with the coaches that ended up at 7-Eleven. He eschewed the Slurpee machine in favor of the trinket aisle.

Zac had a plan!

He brought oodles of glow sticks to workout for an impromptu techno swim party during warm-up.




Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Orange and black, meet orange and black: Pioneer women take on Division I Oregon State

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the women’s team traveled south to Oregon State University for a dual meet. I love the chance to race fast, new competition and this was a great opportunity. This was also the end of a string of several meets for our team. With Winter Training barely in our rearview mirrors, our women swam tough, tired races and had fun traveling together.
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Ten of our men caravanned down to Corvallis on their own to cheer on their teammates and this had a big impact on the noise level and the excitement during the meet. We usually train, travel and compete together, so it was natural for our men to want to support the women. I loved seeing them organize for the trip down to the meet.
Afterward, OSU joined our swimmers for pizza and chit-chat in what turned out to be a great opportunity to showcase our matching school colors.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Family time with Pio Swimming

Each year on winter training we find ourselves treated to the magnificent hospitality of our swimmers’ families. Friday evening we descended on Shuichi’s family home where his parents generously stuffed us with carne asada, Korean barbecue, teriyaki chicken, homemade vegetable soup and more delicious fare.

With the possible exception of bunny rabbits, no one loves carrots and celery more than Josh Spegman.

Pio Swimming and the Matsumoto family after dinner


Shu’s little brother treated us to a piano performance and a classical piano tutorial.

Saturday after morning workout Kim’s mom delivered to the pool an array of spectacular donuts with milk and orange juice. Her second annual donut-laden visit to our Winter Training and just as well-received as last year! Swimmers and their coaches work so hard, it’s nice to for our hard to work be recognized with donuts.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Winter Training/Sweet Sunshine!

The California Chapter: Kickoff Photo

We’re three workouts into our southern California trip and the Pios are soaking up the rays and powering through their sets. Two meets sit on the horizon before our return to Portland and the unfolding of second semester. With several more great workouts ahead of us this winter, it’s apparent our training is on track for great swims right into the Conference Championship.



Sometimes you feel like the ground just drops out from under you...
And then you realize that hard work eventually pays off!