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