Swimming w/ The Cool Kids

I hope everyone is having a great winter break!! So, if you have been on my blog for the past few weeks, you may have noticed a little poll on the side of the page. I was asking what you guys wanted me to write about; and y'all said high school swimming! Let's dive right into it... (haha get it, "dive" like actually "diving" in swimming... OK never mind). The following picture shows major muscle action from a professional diver (and it's pretty funny).

Photo Courtesy of: Funny Place

The high school swimming season starts in October and goes until February. It's pretty long. You have to practice EVERY school day, but it is kind of nice because you don't have to swim when there is no school. Although, it is highly encouraged to swim on your own, but who wants to do that? There are a variety of meets, some dual, tri, or invitationals (which include a lot of teams). We just finished our annual PCHS Invitational, which was super-duper fun. A total of fourteen teams came! My team mates and I swam very well. We placed first in all of the relays, and in most individual events. The following are pictures from our previous meets!

Pre-Meet Talk
Photo Courtesy of: Coach Folber

Setting Up the Pool for the Meet!
Photo Courtesy of: Coach Folber

Post-Meet Victory Talk
Photo Courtesy of: Coach Folber

Swimming is a very important sport to do, if you want to get serious about water polo. It helps so much, especially on counter attacks, and coming back on defense. The high school season works perfectly with the water polo season because they are right after each other! Trust me, I know that swimming doesn't sound very appealing, but high school swimming is the bomb-diggity. I love being apart of the team and going to all of the parties! Get to know the team by following us on Twitter!!

Well, I hope that you guys enjoy the rest of your Christmas break. Make sure that you are having fun with your family during this holiday break because that's what Christmas is all about... JUST KIDDING! Everyone knows that it's all about the presents!! Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!

The Truth Comes Out

Okay, I have to say something. I kinda messed up on the whole "my favorite suit thing." If you have looked at my blog for the past few weeks, I have showed a picture of my favorite suit: a TYR Durafast. Now, I am taking that baby down.

First of all, it is way to showy! Instead of being called a "low back" suit, it should be called an almost "no suit" back. It hangs down so low and makes even the most outgoing people (like me) feel self-conscious. Secondly, it wore out in seriously like five practices! Fifty dollars on a suit that only lasts you a few practices is horrible! The material of the suit was so stretchy after a little bit, that I could blow into it and make myself look like a sumo wrestler. There were very many small air bubbles in my suit as well which were really annoying when I was swimming.

Photo Courtesy of: Me

So, since that suit is going on my hate list, I have decided to try out a new kind of brand and suit... drumroll please... a Nike brand! Besides being stylish and cute, they are also made with the best kind of material:  50% Polyester and 50% PBT (which is a mix of a polyester and a type of material that is more stretchy). Click here for my previous post on suit types!

I actually did quite a bit of research to see what type of suit would last me the longest, and this was the best choice. It is pink and white (kind of an acid-wash look). It is low back (but not too low, if you know what I mean) and thin straps. It is almost like my dream suit, but coming to life!

Picture of My Beautiful New Suit!
Photo Courtesy of: Me

Well I hope you enjoyed this post, and also figured out that you should never get the TYR Durafast brand again. I am not quite sure if it is illegal to be doing what I'm doing right now (bashing on a suit company), but I feel that it is appropriate. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!

Thanks to One Very Important Person...

Your coach!

So, today on the fine morning of Thanksgiving, I have decided to power through the rest of my homework. Yes, I know, I probably won't do that, but I thought I would try by starting off with a post! Thanksgiving Day isn't all about the drumsticks and the mashed potatoes (even though thats what my stomach thinks it's about). It's about giving thanks to everyone that has helped you achieve your goals. You don't have to thank EVERYONE per say, but you have to thank the ones that have been an important asset in your life recently. Here is a mini history lesson on The First Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving History!
Photo Courtesy of: Wikipedia

Since this blog is about water polo, I have decided to talk about thanking your coaches. Coaches take time out of their day to help other people achieve things. That is the most unselfish thing ever! Some people may take their coaches for granted, which is totally unacceptable. Now for the ideas part.

If I think of Thanksgiving presents, I think of pie. Well, when am I not thinking about pie? So, bake your coach a pie and drop it off at their doorstep, and he may make practice a bit shorter on Monday. Here is a great recipe for pumpkin pie from my friend Amy's Blog. If you are not the baker type, pick up a card from the store, and send it to your coach.

Our Thanksgiving Dinner!
Photo Courtesy of: Me

On Thanksgiving day, it is important to help out with everything possible. A lot of stress may be going on your parents, so they would probably love for you to help out. Let's get a little extra love from our parents this fined day by grabbing some marshmallows from the pantry and sprinkling them over the sweet potatoes. (Okay I am seriously joking about the marshmallows for my family because we don't like the whole sweet junk and sweet real food mixing) - Come to think of it, I forgot to tell y'all that I am an American Citizen as of last weekend! I am now a dual with Canada as well.



Well I hope you enjoyed these fun ideas! Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!

Wait... What?

So everybody knows that I have a huge problem with procrastinating and I really want to just get all my homework out of the way before the weekend. So then I was thinking "let's get this party started" and then it struck me. All of you non-water polo players have no idea what I'm talking about half the time! I mean I have never really explained the whole game rules and stuff. So that's why I have called this post, "Wait... What?" just to enhance what everyone is probably thinking when reading this blog.

Photo Courtesy of: Tails Doll

So I am basically just going to go through the game start to finish... At first, everyone lines up on their opposite walls, and the swimmer is the one closest to the lengthwise wall (I'm one of the swimmers on the team). When the ref blows the whistle he drops the ball right in between the two swimmers, everyone on either team swims towards the middle of the pool. The swimmer goes the fastest to try to get to the ball first, so they can have the advantage.  In higher level games, the ball will be placed in the very middle of the pool, on a magnetic ring.

Next it goes on like any other game, and the offense lines up in a D-shape. Look back at my previous post for a view on how the offense lines up. Your team has thirty seconds to get the ball into the net. A variety of passing and plays happen during this thirty seconds.

If the ball is shot into the net, the ref blows the whistle, and everyone lines up again; this time in the middle of the pool. The ball is given to the opposing team. If the ball misses, and the goalie gets it, then the previous defense switches to offense and attacks the opposite goal. If the thirty seconds has gone up, then the ball is turned over (this is usually a good time to swim as fast as you can).

Photo Courtesy of: Download CNet

Above is a picture of a water polo score board. There are four quarters with breaks in between each quarter and an even bigger break during half time. They are all 6, 7, or 8 minutes long, depending on the age of teams playing. The top number shows the time. The period (actually the quarter) shows what number out of four. The two numbers on the side of the period number are the goals scored for each team. underneath the goals scored are the T.O.L 's which are the ejections for each team. Finally, in between the ejections, is the shot time which counts down from 30. Here is a video (courtesy of YouTube) of the beginners guide to water polo (the video doesn't work on this site, but it will give you an option to watch on YouTube)

I hope you enjoyed learning what water polo is, and your time on this blog isn't just a whole lot of "wait... what?"'s. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!

My Thoughts On ODP

Two weekends ago, the ODP camp took place. Overall, it was pretty fun. I met a lot of new people, and practiced my skills. Haha skills is a really funny word. Anyway, I feel like I was in the top area of the girls which is pretty good I guess. My sister also tried out, and she did well as well!

The only problem with the camp was that we didn't even get to show our skills (no comment). The reason for this was because we didn't have enough time. We spent way too long on learning how to play center defense which guards the set. Here is a good picture to show the basic diagram of water polo positions: (for more help go to www.waterpolobasics.net)

Photo Courtesy of : Rain City Polo

Only one person is the center defense on a whole team! Also, we didn't really scrimmage at all, so swimmers like my sister and I couldn't show our skills talent in beating people across the pool. there is going to be another camp in January, so hopefully we actually PLAY WATER POLO. 

I couldn't quite tell if the girls from New Mexico were being rude or just shy. At first, they seemed pretty nice because they wanted to be partners on this drill that we did, but then it was different. They seemed really annoyed whenever I missed a shot, but that was probably just my imagination. I really hope that we become good friends, since we will be spending a lot of time together if we make the team. This is how I feel about my feelings towards the girls feelings on me. Confused yet?

Photo Courtesy of: Illustration Source

One thing that I didn't know about before was the fact that there is a select team! They take three people from each team to go to this National Camp. If you get to go to the camp, you are trying out with people from all over the United States to get on a team for your age group. That team then goes all over the world! Last year they went to Hungary, and I am pretty hungry to go to Hungary, if you know what I'm saying. Just joking, I probably won't even make it to the camp, but it would be a great opportunity if I did. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my thoughts because I enjoyed sharing my feelings with you. Anyway, stay tuned for more posts coming soon!

ODP But Not Really

With the Water Polo Fall Ball season coming to an end, the tryouts for ODP commence! ODP is the Olympic Development Program and has different zones. The zone that I will be trying out for is the Mountain Zone Team. This team includes Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. There are two tryout camps that are both two days long. The first one is in Salt Lake at the Kearns pool. The second camp is in Albuquerque, where we will be traveling to shortly before winter break ends. There are a few players on our team that are hoping to make it.

The reason why I have called this blog post "ODP but Not Really" is because we are trying out for ODP, but they make it sound like we are getting ready for the Olympics. In reality, it is just a step up from the club sport. Now, don't get me wrong. I am REALLY excited for this opportunity because you get to travel places, and you might even get to go to Nationals! The team that I would be trying out for is the U15's. There are about eleven people to a team, so I am hoping that I am one of these lucky few.

It's really important to get out of your state sometimes to see how sports work in other states. In Utah, water polo isn't very good because they don't play the way that should be played. In California, they teach Olympic-style water polo which would obviously be the best choice. There are a few techniques that are taught in Utah that should definitely be shut down if a player ever wants to get past the club level.

Team Suit

Team Jacket

Overall, I am very excited to start ODP camps, for I think that it will be a great experience. If I make the team, it will be even better! Below are some pics of the cool gear you get if you make ODP. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!


All photos courtesy of : USA Water Polo

Team Bag

Team Shirt

Team Pants

Replenish The Works

Most sports require a lot of physical and mental strength. That is why it is important for athletes to take care of every aspect of their body. In this post, I will explain how you are supposed to keep your body running while still breaking it down through sports and activities.

What would you rather drive?

Not Taken-Care-of Car
Photo Courtesy of: Friedman Archives

Taken-Care-of Car
Photo Courtesy of : The Internet Pet Vet

The most important thing that your body needs to survive, even, is water. Without water in your system, your brain can't think correctly, so you get headaches, nausea, and breathing problems. This will happen if your just sitting around at home doing nothing. Imagine if you are working hard at a sport, such as water polo, for several hours a day, and you have nothing to drink. Your body pretty much shuts down because it has nothing to work off of or REPLENISH it with. I really need to start drinking more water, myself. I don't think that I have had a glass of water for the past three days. This is a really bad habit of mine, and I think I am going to go downstairs and grab a glass of water right now!

Okay, I am back.  The next important thing besides water is eating healthy. Every meal should be balanced with vegetables, dairy, protein, and carbohydrates, especially before a game or practice. I am not very big on dieting because I find that more harmful on your body than good for it. The most commonly used diet is one without certain proteins and carbohydrates. Your body needs these to perform everyday activities, so living without them should not be an option. Another meal that is important is your post-workout meal. After every practice of either swimming or water polo, I usually mix up a big glass of chocolate milk! The dairy in this is proven to rebuild all of the muscles that were broken down during the workout. Click here for an article written on all of the benefits of this amazing drink. Besides being great for your body, it tastes great, too!

The next part of your body that needs replenishing is your skin. The one thing that I can say for this is MOISTURIZE! A water-sport such as water polo requires you to be in a pool for a long time. Certain chemicals in pools can make your skin very dry and tight. That means it is important to apply lotion to your face and skin after every practice or game. Without moisturizing straight after contact with water, you are drying out your skin and basically destroying it. Your body lotion and your face lotion should be two different things because the skin on your face tends to be more sensitive. Try Nivea Soft Moisturizing Cream because it has no added scents and is great for the more sensitive-skinned people.

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Cream
Photo Courtesy of : Chandigarh Store

If I want to become the best athlete I can be, I need to keep my body replenished as well as I can.

Stay tuned for more posts coming soon, and make sure to keep replenishing the works!

Game Day

Saturdays are my favorite days out of the whole week because Saturdays are game days! Without these special days in my life that only take place once a week, I would spend my weekends in my bed on Netflix. Oh wait, that's what I do anyway. Let's get to it.

Since it is the Fall League right now, every Saturday there is a game schedule that takes place at Kearns. The games start from 7:30 in the morning and go until 4:30 in the afternoon, and, surprise, I am there for that whole time on most days. You are probably now thinking, "This girl doesn't even have a life. Like, she spends her whole Saturdays at a small, humid pool in polluted Salt Lake." Guess what? You are COMPLETELY right.

Photo Courtesy of : Keep Calm O-Matic

Now since we have finished our introductions to this topic, I will go through a day in the life of me on game day.

First things first, I wake up at around seven in the morning. I get dressed (slowly) and make my way downstairs. Next I pack my bag which includes snacks, such as rice krispie treats, baguettes, more rice krispie treats, and another baguette; two game suits; two towels (depending on how many games I have); and some lotion because that pool makes your skin fried. After my bag is packed, I make some breakfast that usually consists of a pound of bacon, a pound of bread, and a pound of juice. You want to make sure that your breakfast has carbs, proteins, and fruits for a balanced meal :).  I also make sure that I bring a full water bottle to the games so I can stay hydrated. Once everything is packed and ready to go, we leave on a 45 minute drive to Kearns.

When I first get there, it is either my game to start getting ready for, or we are watching the high school boys team play. It usually depends on the day, but for this post we are going to start off with the high school boys. I usually film their games so their coach gets a better idea on what they need to work on at practice the next week. They usually lose (no offense) so then the girls team starts getting ready for their game. We stretch and do exercises on land until it is time to jump in and warm-up. For warm up we usually swim a few laps, egg-beater a few laps, pass for a while, and then shoot. When our warm-up is finished, we put on our caps and talk about our game strategy. When the 45-minute game is over, we talk in a circle about what we did well and what we could improve on. Since players usually have up to 4 games in a day, it is important for us to revive our bodies with water and food. If there is a lot of time in between games, we usually go out for some lunch or Jamba Juices. My favorite smoothie is Caribbean Passion... mmmmhhhh!

Water Polo Cap: I am usually #11
Photo Courtesy of : Olympics Time

After a long day of games, I go home, rest, and usually stretch out whatever I need stretching like a good athlete. Haha, just kidding! I am really not that good about my body, so I actually get a huge bowl of ice cream after dinner and finish it while watching my new favorite TV show, Grey's Anatomy.

Well I hope that you got something out from this post, and stay tuned for more coming soon!

If The Suit Fits

The most exciting day for me is when I walk into practice with a new and vibrant suit. The one suit that everybody is soooo jealous of, and that they wish they had (well at least I think). Now that we have come upon this topic, there are two main types of suits: practice suits and game suits. Then, there are all the categories that fall under them. Game suits are usually chosen by the team manager or coach, so you don't have very much say when it comes to choosing those. It makes sense to talk about practice suits since there is one for any individual! Since I have been splashing around in the water for a decade by now, I feel like I have something to share. I will be covering the different materials, colors, shapes, prices, and basically the overall appearance.

Practice suits are the one thing that you can be creative with. They range from a wide price range and types. First, the materials that make up a practice suit are important to consider. Lycra is a type of material that is soft and comfortable with a great stretch. A suit with this material lasts about 6 months if taken care of properly, something that a certain person by the name of Blaire might need working on.  Contrasting from lycra, polyester last years with proper care, but isn't quite as comfortable. It's itchier and not as stretchy, but is a money saver. The last material that I will be covering is nylon. This is a very strong material but has incredible comfort at the same time! It's lightweight and dries very quickly which is helpful for days when you have a double practice. It lacks elasticity and the ability to hold color which may be a problem for certain people.

Lycra Suit (notice the shiny, stretchy looking material)

Nylon Suit (notice the shiny material, but not as stretchy)

Polyester Suit (not as shiny or comfortable, but durable)

Thin Strap, Medium Back

For water polo games, you want suits that have the tightest and most coverage possible. With more keyholes and straps, there is a bigger chance that you will get pulled under. Those people will grab anything they can get their hands on, and I mean anything. Practice suits come in many shapes and sizes which is great for all different types of people! The back of a suit tends to vary the most. There are high backs, medium backs, or low backs. I personally like suits with low backs and thin straps because I find them most comfortable. Thin straps tend to have more elasticity than thick straps which allows for more movement which is probably better when playing water polo. You want as much rotation of the arms and torso as possible for better shots, passes, and the stroke of the player.

Thick Strap, Low Back

     

Thick Strap, High Back

Prices range anywhere from $25-$80. Different brands have various price ranges. I say that any practice suit over $60 is outrageous, no matter the quality or pattern. Dolfin, a popular swimsuit brand, tends to have cheaper prices, most suits made up of polyester with not as many color patterns. Nike and Speedo, also popular brands, are usually more expensive, but they have a wide range of patterns. Overall, the best brand that I would recommend is TYR which has the best prices for the patterns and fits that they provide. TYR is usually made up of lycra, as well, which is a good material.

Patterned Color (contrasts with skin-
tone : good!)

You never want to choose a color that is close to your skin tone because then you look unattractive and naked. I tend to choose colors that contrast with my skin tone, but also don't make me look to white (especially in the winter when I look like a zombie).

                             

Nudish Color (blends in with skin-tone : bad!

Solid Color (for the more serious)

Well, I hope that you learned something from this, as information or help. To the side of this post there is a pic of my current practice suit. It can be found here. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!

(All photos courtesy of All American Swim)

The Building Blocks

Blogs and sports are relatable because both have something that they build from. In a blog's case it's the first post, but in a sport, it's the team. Even though it is not always shown, teams should be one of the biggest aspects of a sport. The teams that I am on include swimming and water polo. This blog will focus more on the water polo side which is what I like to focus on in every day life.

I play with Park City Water Polo. Since water polo isn't very big in Park City, there isn't enough girls for a high school team. Lately, my sister and I have been playing games and doing some practices with the Wasatch High School girls who train in Heber City, Utah. On the Park City team, I play with the junior high mixed team which is also very fun. This includes girls and boys from grades 6-9.

Our 2014 Girls Park City High School Team
Photo Courtesy of : Kit Selznick

Water Polo is not only my hobby, but also my passion. Even though the game and the sport is amazing and exhilarating, I don't think I would love it as much if I didn't have a a fun team. At practice, you work together and learn from each other.  You push each other to make your team better as a whole, and that is the fun of it: improving, succeeding, and even sometimes failing as a team. During games, seeing your friends' smiling faces next to you is such a cool experience. Playing a sport together brings friends closer than ever which makes being together so much fun. If I didn't play water polo with my teammates or even be around them, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!