She swims the 500 in 5:11, she's a junior in highschool and she is swimming in my next meet! I swim the same event in 7:18 (planning on dropping LOTS of time at meet) but still, she's amazing. And when she swam that race, the 5:11, she had recently had open heart surgery I was told. I am so excited! I am going to have her sign my swim cap with a sharpie!

I don't believe Dana has had open heart surgery. She DOES have a heart condition that sometimes causes her heart rate to jump sky high. Her parents carry medication to swim meets that can be administered via hypodermic if necessary.

And yes - she is a fantastic swimmer.

well. still I'm competing against her, and I'm scared, and honored..

Good Luck to you 07!

thanks, Im 'bout to head on to bed and rest up for the big day, if anyone wants updates on how it goes I will!

let us know how things went when you get a chance.

She swam the 500 in 5:01, 2nd place swam it in 6:12 and I placed 7th, I dropped 3 seconds! woo-hoo, districts is in like 3 days though!

"She swam the 500 in 5:01"

She still can't touch my best time.........

which is?

oh, btw at districts I placed 4th and dropped 17 seconds, which means that I broke 7 minutes. time=6:57

I went a 4:58, now mind you that this is waaaaaaaaaay back in 1987 (I was 17)and freestyle was not even my best stroke.

How about you, what are your best events....how long have you been swimming and who and where do you swim for??

Andyv94 - are you an ego maniac? I assume you are a male? So your best time was a 4:58 in 1987? Dana Vollmer is female, 16, and that time was in a "nothing" meet. She is an Olympic medalist and fantastic. tu has a freshman named McGinnis who has already swum a 4:25.

What's your point?

Spicewood,

Don't be such a girl..........I was joking around. Did you not see the little face with the sun glasses?? That means that most likely my comment is being made in a joking manner.

I was also trying to start a conversation with a young girl about swimming,in a board that gets ZERO attention.

Oh and please don't preach me about swimming, I only swam for about 19 years of my life competitiveley (sp) at club level and in college.

Get a freaking clue or thicker skin!

Andy - I'm definitely not a preacher. I read what you wrote "as is" and the smiley didn't make a dent. In any case - it didn't read like teasing to me. Sorry. I hope swimmerbabe stays with the sport. As you know - it's a great one.

Sounds like the meet against tu was good last night. Our women's team is definitely improving. I don't think we'll so well tonight in Austin against the tu men.

I swim the IM in 3:03.27 and the 500 in 6:57, Im planning on dropping at least 30 seconds at regionals though. Breastroke is my best stroke in the IM, I used to swim the 100, but noone told me the rules so I dqed like 4 times my freshman year, got sick of it and tried these two events. I love them and Im good at the 500. I started this year out swimming an 8:30

oh, and Ive been swimming for about four years, I wish I wouldve started it earlier, but Im in a baseball family!

So do you swim here in Aggieland with a team of just with the HS?? The reason that I asked is because I know the HC, that is all.

Listen don't worry about the "I started too late thing". One of my best friends in HS started swimming about the same time as you did, and by his senior year in HS he had made it to Senior Nationals and got a full ride to college.

Hang in there, and just give it your all during workouts and during the swim meets, no matter how crappy the swim meets are.

Nah, I live in Waco. And with practice, I have a method that seems to work very well with me, I swim with the faster people on the team so that I am killing myself to keep up, and never taking breaks or anything, I love it! but for my time with swimming Im pretty good, but I have to work for the speed I get.

Beat the heck outta t.u.
Beat the HELL outta TEXAS TECH!!!!!

I don't know if you're also a club swimmer - but one of the biggest things you can do to improve is NOT take the summer off. Don't swim for a neighborhood swim team. Swim with a real club team this summer, preferably long course.

We have a club, tidalwaves and I think Im gonna take a couple weeks break then join that, only thing is that it is reaaly expensive

I would completely agree that a USS club team is the best way to improve quickly and sustain success in swimming. I swam club for about 12 years growing up.

I have also known swimmers that didn't start swimming until HS that ended up going on to swim at very high level colleges and national meets. Just about all of them also swam USS.

The late start might help you a little bit because long-time swimmers seem to hurt shoulders right about the time they hit college, give or take a few years. Starting later might keep your shoulders healthier through college if you go that route.

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"When I look to this lion it looks arrogant, it is aggressive, it is powerful. He is proud of being a Chelsea lion." -- José Mourinho

It's OK to take a few weeks off. Just not the entire summer. You will be amazed how much faster you'll be next Fall if you swim hard this summer. You won't spend Sept and Oct. getting back into shape. You'll already be in shape and will spend the Fall getting FAST!

A club team will do you alot of good. My son is 9 and has been swimming for only 2 years, but the coaches at his club have him swimming TAGS already. Swimming is a great sport, stick with it.

I Love what you did with the place, it must have cost you hundreds.

i second that whole shoulders thing. swam for a team since i was 4, and now some times my shoulders will have constant pain in them! and i quit swimming about 5 years ago.

Wow, I have alot of trouble with my shoulders, my rotater cuff got inflamed like the week before districts, but yeah Im always sore in them. BTW, with me swimming in college, if I do it will be intramural, Im not slow but Im not a natural, I had to work my butt off for the time I have.