Jan. 8, 2011
Tempe, Ariz - The Fighting Illini swimmers and divers recently traveled to Arizona to train for the second half of their season. Head coach Sue Novitsky offers her perspective on the team's second week of training.
Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 - TEAM HANGS OUT AT THE LOPERS' HOUSE
It is a half day of training today, and the team will get some recovery time after a three-hour morning practice of swimming and weights. We start swimming at 9:00 a.m. The sun is out, and the temperature is starting to climb. The sprinters complete a threshold set with (senior) Meghan Mason and (junior) Kristen Manias leading the way. On the other side, it is a power morning with some parachutes, paddles and fins. After the water work, the swimmers complete their core work on the deck and pull-up sets. During this time, the divers arrive to start their workout. (Diving) coach (Chris) Waters is having them do some dry land work and is working with them individually before they hit the water.
Current team member (junior) Torrey Loper is from Scottsdale, Ariz., and her parents have invited the team over for some hiking, hanging out and dinner! So after some lunch and a chance to clean up, the team loads up and makes the drive to the Loper house. Even their dog, Scout, is in the Illini spirit, wearing his football jersey. Some of the athletes take the opportunity to hit the pool, water slide and hot tub in the backyard. I guess you can never have too much water time!
After the divers arrive, a group of 28 heads over to Lost Dog Wash Trail, where Mrs. Loper leads the team on a four-mile hike, and the scenery is fantastic. On the way back down, the sun is setting, and the sky looks like it is on fire. We find some of our hikers who ran down ahead and took a wrong turn at a fork. (Sophomore) Sarah Coady slips and jumps back up from a stumble and roll with no damage. Then, we load up the vans, and it is back to the Loper house for a dinner of salad, pasta, bread and desserts. It was a great time and the team thanks the Loper family for the excellent hospitality and fun.
Monday, Jan. 3, 2011 - SECOND WEEK BEGINS
We head into our second week of the trip and are ready to roll. The swimmers hit the pool at 11:00 a.m., and the sun is shining, so there should be some tan lines after practice. The sprinters take advantage of the warmer temperatures and get in some speed work. It is also time for me to hit the water for my annual training trip dip. I dive-bomb (freshman) Courtney Pope with a well-timed cannonball. While I am in the pool, we do some turn work to take advantage of the warmer weather. During the cool-down, I complete my 50 butterfly - still alive!
In the afternoon we head back for dinner before practice with the newly released van soundtrack in the CD player. Of course the van gets loud with singing. Then, we have some time to kill before we head to the pool, so (junior) Rachel Japp Joyce and and Pope organize a quick game of charades. The swimmers are broken up into three teams and have to act out one of their teammates. After the game, we head to the pool for 30 minutes of dry land work. We hit the pool for the second practice of the day. My training group is going fast tonight, trying to hit some race paces. (Freshman) Alyssa Toland really knocks the set out of the park, great to see. The sprinters are doing an aerobic practice. It is a good day and a solid start to the second half of the trip.
Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011 - MORE BONDING IN ARIZONA
It is another day at the pool - nothing like four or five hours of practice to keep you going. My group practices in the shallow pool tonight so I call an audible on some planned vertical kicking. It ends up being pretty entertaining.
The seniors choose this evening for their senior dinner in Scottsdale. (Seniors) Lauren Frendreis, Corey Kasten, Meghan Mason, Ann Miller and Sara Stoneburg are very happy with their choice and the fried ice cream.
Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011 - THE FUN CONTINUES!
We are back at it early in the morning, and the sprinters are doing a set of 5 X 100 off the block. (Associate head coach) Steve (Farnau) is fired up and excited about the times that the swimmers put up. The divers come in, and it is a chilly morning with frost on the workout mats. The divers still get to it and quickly work up a sweat!
To keep the team busy and working together, I assign a photo scavenger hunt. The team is broken up into three smaller groups and has to take 13 pictures to submit to a panel of judges when we return to Illinois. As always it should be interesting to see the submitted works of art.
Check fightingillini.com for Novistsky's recap of the team's final days of training.
