Articles & Tips . . .

Swimming & Club BasicsThe following are resources to learn more about the sport of swimming and HLA.

• New Swim Parent FAQs
• Swimming Glossary of Terms (source: USA Swimming)
• Basic Rules (source: USA Swimming)

Meets & TimesVarious levels of meets exist and HLA's meet schedule is posted each season on this website. For additional information about what meets are appropriate for your swimmer, please consult a HLA coach.

• Local — These meets are administered by our local swimming community, Midwestern and hosted by various teams at pools in Nebraska and western Iowa.
• Regional — Examples of these meets include Zones, Megazones, and Sectionals. These meets are administered by the Central Zone and are held throughout the central part of the country. These meets usually require qualifying times to be eligible.
• National — Examples of these meets include Grand Prix, Jr. Nationals, Sr. Nationals, and US Open. National meets are administered by USA Swimming and are held at sites around the country. These meets usually require qualifying times to be eligible.

Nutrition TipsQuick Tips( source: USA Swimming)

Nutrition Tips for Practices and Meets
The best pre-practice, or pre-meet meal should contain primarily carbohydrates. Carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta, breads and cereal are easily digested and absorbed. Rule of thumb: 0.5 - 2.0 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight one to four hours prior to exercise. Examples of meals that provide 100 grams of carbohydrates: 1 bagel with peanut butter and 2/3 cup of raisins; 1 cup of low-fat yogurt, 1 banana and 1 cup of orange juice; 1 turkey sandwich with 1 cup of applesauce; 2 cups of spaghetti with meat sauce and 1 piece of garlic bread; 8 oz. of skim milk, 1 apple, 1 orange; 2 slices of bread and 3 pancakes; or 1 serving of Gatorade and 1 bagel.

Fluid Replacement Tips
Keep a fluid bottle by the side of the pool when working out and drink between repeats and sets. Choose sports drinks like Gatorade that taste good, stimulate fluid absorption in the body maintain proper fluid balance in the body, and provide energy to working muscles. Avoid carbonated drinks, which can cause stomach bloating and may reduce fluid intake. Avoid caffeine-filled beverages. They are diuretics and contribute to fluid loss.

• Top 30 Foods for Swimmers (source: USA Swimming)
• Nutrition 101 (source: USA Swimming)
• Sport Performance Articles from USA Swimming

Parent Articles Parent & Athlete (source: USA Swimming)
Competitive swimming programs provide many benefits to young athletes including self-discipline, good sportsmanship, and time management skills. Competition allows the swimmer to experience success and to learn how to treat success and failure as two sides of the same coin, while becoming healthy and physically fit. As a parent, your major responsibility is to provide a stable, loving and supportive environment. Read more. . .

• Debbie Phelps on Being a Swim Parent (source: SwimNetwork.com)
• 10 Commandments for Swimming Parents (source: USA Swimming)
• Your Child's Training (source: USA Swimming)

Parent & Coach (source: USA Swimming)
The best way to help your child achieve goals and reduce the natural fear of failure is through positive reinforcement. No one likes to make a mistake. If your child does make one, remember that this is a learning experience. You and your child should learn to treat success and failure as learning experiences and not life changing situations. Encourage your child's efforts and point out the positive things. The coach is the one you have assigned to judge a swimmer's performance and technique. Your role is to provide love and support regardless of outcome.

• Parent and Coach...The Other Stuff (source: USA Swimming)
• What does your coach do all day? (source: USA Swimming)

Swimmer ArticlesSwimming and the Art of Recovery (source: USA Swimming)
Most of us associate increases in training load with increases in fitness level. What we often overlook is the fact that the real gains in exercise capacity occur when the body and muscles are at rest. Read more. . .

• Having a bad day? Put things in perspective with The incredible story of Craig Dietz (source:ESPN.com)

Great web sites recommended by Coach Erik. Each of these sites offers videos, articles and places for swimmers to ask questions and talk to other swimmers across the globe:

• SwimNetwork - Check out the "Chlorination" video series!
• Floswimming
• GoSwim TV

High school juniors/seniors looking to swim in college — "Opportunity Aplenty," an article published by USA Swimming, offers insights on the various divisions available. Read the article here. . .

Mental Toughness — an article published by Swimming World Magazine and co-authored by Rick Paine, offers insights on defining the habit of mental toughness. Read the article here. . .