New Strength and New Thoughts

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “With a new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”

Beginnings are fantastic and motivating.  They burst wide-open with possibility and can even feel a little intimidating. 

It’s the time of year when things can go in the most directions.  We lay a foundation year upon year, but a fresh season means the chance to focus our pursuits and create new opportunities for our team. 

Incidentally, the first morning workout of the season is also the one I worry most about my own alarm going off as planned.  As a coach, it’s hard to preach that being on time means being early if I’m still tucked comfortably in my bed when the swimmers are spilling sleepily out onto our pool deck for workout.

Luckily, I’ve hit the point in my career where, often as not, I wake up just before my alarm.

Monday was the big first day.  Morning workout to which our swimmers arrived early.  We had a quick talk about key points.  Then everyone in the water smoothly with no stragglers.

And the fun begins!

Coach Sarit and I got to watch all our freshmen in the water with their new teammates for the first time.  The build-up is over and the season is going.  It goes quickly.

AM swim and PM introduction to the strength program with Coach Ange in Pioneer Strength and Conditioning.   Some soreness was surely brewing for the next few days because the team got a good dynamic warm-up out on the patio and then jumped into real work in the weight room.

Now, four days into our season, we still see smiling faces and good energy as we build into our training.

We have great weeks ahead!  Possibility is high, attitudes are good, and opportunity abounds. 

As Tom Petty said, “The future was wide open.”