Why Underwater?

When it's done correctly, underwater kicking is faster than swimming on the surface.


We're doing better underwater this year. Let's keep working on it!

Finishing Races: Dana Vollmer

Embedding is disabled, so you'll have to click on links to watch vids.

At this past summer's national championships, former Granbury HS/FAST standout Dana Vollmer had a great swim in the 100 free. Watch the race here.

Go back and compare Vollmer's last five meters to Jessica Hardy's. Note that Vollmer appears to make an adjustment in her last few strokes - stretches them out - while Hardy's stroke length doesn't change. By stretching each of those last four (4) strokes out just a bit, Vollmer took the win by just two tenths of a second.

Later in the summer at Pan Pacs (same pool), Vollmer had a poor start in the 100 fly. She wasn't in the top three at the fifty, but she continued to swim her race and it all worked out. Watch the video here.

Another great finish for the Olympic gold medalist who grew up just down the road...

TISCA Recap

While we didn't get anyone back for Saturday's finals, we did swim well. We trained through this one and still had swims that were right at lifetime bests.

Complete results are here.

Non-TISCA Recap

Even though we trained through this meet, we still managed nineteen (19) new season Top Ten swims Saturday!

We've been working on our underwater work and we look much better off the walls. Keep working on this in practice and it will continue to carry over to our meet performances.

We finished 12th in girls' team scoring, ninth in boys' team scoring, and tenth in combined team scoring.

Mr. Shaft has posted pics and vids from the meet here.

Take a look at this nice swim by Henry I. He does a great job both into and out of his walls. Note that "Hank" gets into a 1 up - 1 down breathing pattern early in his race and holds that throughout the race. Also note that he didn't take a breath on his first stroke off any of the walls.

Of the four guys in the field of view for most of the race, Henry was clearly 4th at the first turn. See where he was at the finish...

Next Week

Monday is team picture day. Please remember to have your warm-ups and dry-land shirts for your individual and team pictures.

We don't have a meet on Tuesday, so plan to be at the natatorium for the Legacy vs. Mansfield vs. Martin meet. They'll need timers and would appreciate your help.

Friday is the non-TISCA meet. I will send out an email to THS teachers to release morning group swimmers after 3rd block that day.

Those with their own transportation will drive up to the natatorium. Those without transportation will ride the afternoon bus that brings 4th block swimmers and divers to the natatorium.

Those not competing in the meet will help out as timers.

The second six week grading period ends on Friday, the 12th. If you've been shooting for A's and B's, you needn't worry, right?

In January, the A&M vs. SMU men's dual meet came down to the last relay. The Aggies needed a 1-3 finish to win the meet by a point:

Arlington Dual Recap

Even after a tough couple of days of training, we still managed twenty-one (21) new season Top Ten times at last night's dual meet against Arlington.

A summary has been submitted for tomorrow morning's announcements.


The girls came away with an 85-63 victory to improve to 3 - 2 on the season.

Individual event winners against Arlington were:

Sierra M. (200 free)
Alyssa L. (50 free & 100 breast)
Melyssa T. (100 fly)
Mayrena H. (500 free & 100 back)

Mayrena, Alyssa, Melyssa, and Memory H. combined for a win in the 200 medley relay and Melyssa, Megan N., Savanna C., and Alyssa teamed to take top honors in the 200 free relay.


The boys went to 4 - 1 on the season with a 111 - 52 win.

Individual winners against Arlington were:

Pedro S. (200 free)
Kyle S. (200 i.m.)
Stephan C. (50 free & 100 fly)
Nate F. (1 m diving)
Jamie P. (100 back)
Parker S. (100 breast)

Jamie, Parker, Stephan, and Caleb B. won the 200 medley relay, while Pedro, Parker, Henry I., and Richard M. took the 200 free relay.

Most of our athletes will be competing in the non-TISCA invite we're hosting on November 12.

Pics and vids from the meet can be found here.