Friday, September 30, 2011

Grant's case for moving from the swim club's Allegheny Group to the PA Group

Dear Coaches,

I have developed goals in swimming that will allow me to improve as a swimmer and water polo player. I hope to now gain admission into the PA group.

I tried out for and was picked as an Olympic Development Program participant through USA Water Polo. This season I hope to increase my ability in swimming to broaden my skills in the two sports. I have the opportunity to go to Colorado Springs to the Olympic Training Center in December for 5 days to play water polo in a camp/clinic. Water Polo has opened my understanding for the importance of swimming, and I want to become a serious swimmer that can handle and excel with workouts in the PA group.

Through this winter's season, I want to achieve a 25.90 second 50 free. I also want to become a respectable distance swimmer, by working to get an A time cut in the 500 free. As a secondary goal, I want to do really well in the city championships for my school, but understand the degree of a swimmer I am devoted to become beyond the needed ability to achieve this goal. I want to get a lot better in backstroke as well and my goal is to go under 1:10.00. I can devote myself to this goal because I aim to swim almost all of my middle school practices doing backstroke.

I work out every day. Often it is at the JCC, but when I am not at the JCC I am playing water polo at North Allegheny. I will do doubles for the majority of the winter with 2 hour AM practices with my school and JCC workouts along with a couple water polo practices every week. On Sundays, I will be in attendance at swimming practice in the mornings and water polo games and practices in the afternoon. Because of my water polo team and zone team through ODP, I will have to miss some practices for matches and games.

I have also competed in biking, running, and triathlon races that have helped me to get in shape and I will continue to do these to help my swimming and overall strength. I also work out and weight lift at the JCC. I think that having these additional things will help me to focus on my swimming techniques with workouts and not suffer with any conditioning breakdowns at PA practices. Next summer I want to do the Pgh. Sprint Trathloni and open water races if they return with AMS. Thanks for your help and coaching,

Grant Rauterkus

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Tryouts for the ODP, Olympic Development Program, with US Water Polo are in June

Grant and I will go to Philly in June for a tryout to the ODP, Olympic Development Program with USA Water Polo.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Last Splash entry

Meet Date = March 19
#14 = 100 back = EntryTime1 = 1.23.71
#18 = 50 free = 33.33
#26 = 500 free = NT - 6:35.35

#59 = 100 breast = 1.35.35
#62 = 100 free = 1.11.30
#66 = 100 fly = 1.35.35
#72 = 200 free = 2.35.35