Weekly Update: Week of October 20th
Weekly Update: Week of Oct 20th
The leaves are changing and the weather is getting chillier, but FAST is just getting heated up! Our coaching staff is excited about the focus, fun, and work we’re seeing from student-athletes in and out of the pool. Here’s a glance into what’s happening for us on deck and across the team.
Character Value of the Week:
Leadership- Guiding and inspiring others (in and out of the pool).
One Fall semester in Gainesville many years ago, I would watch as an Icelandic Olympian would walk on deck 25 minutes before every single practice. She’d spend 15 minutes stretching on her own, rolling out on a foam roller and performing pre-hab movements with a Theraband.
After her midseason meet, she wasn’t quite as fast as she’d expected, was disappointed her medley relay hadn’t qualified for NCAAs, and went to talk to her primary coach. I stood there listening to the feedback and can still recall the coach’s answer:
“You may be doing the little things correctly, like showing up early to prepare for practice. But you’re still the only one doing those things. Until you have an impact and can influence others to follow your lead, we won’t develop a team culture that values those things and your role as a leader will remain small.”
Leadership is defined as the "action of leading a group of people."
By that definition, and important for our FAST swimmers, is the idea that leadership does not require a title, leadership does not require one to be superlative in any category, and leadership has no connection to age, skill, or performance.
By definition, anyone can act as a leader. People with world-class character are able to identify when a situation requires someone to act with confidence, act with integrity, and serve the people around them to complete a task, start a project, or take action to move the group forward. Anyone, and everyone, can be a leader. Great leaders communicate clearly, act with fairness and equity, encourage others, collaborate, and inspire those around them.
What does leadership look like?
Teammates explaining a set to someone who arrived late.
Teammates encouraging each other to pick up their trash in the team area at a meet.
Teammates encouraging each other when energy levels are low in the middle of a hard set.
Teammates welcoming a new team member and introducing them to the group.
Teammates sharing tips between events and lifting up discouraged friends.
Not everyone will compete at Nationals or Olympic Trials. But everyone will utilize leadership skills in their communities, at school, in college, and in their professional lives. Swimming practice is an early entry point to the world of positive and effective leadership.
What does this look like for 10&Under swimmers?
Leadership for our 10&Under swimmers might be:
- Helping guide a new teammate to the group's practice lanes and including them in their lane
- Offering to lead a team cheer at the end of practice and encouraging others to join in
- Bringing new or hesitant teammates to their Lead Coach before a race at a meet for pre-race instructions.
What does this look like for 11-12 year old swimmers?
Leadership for our 11-12 year old swimmers might be:
- Encouraging teammates to move from dryland to the pool with intention; preventing horseplay and time-wasting activities in the locker room
- Encouraging teammates of a similar speed to line up to race more frequently in practice
- Redirecting a friend's attention when FAST coaches are talking and explaining a set
- Making sure a friend is OK when they miss a repeat in practice and encouraging them to hop back into the set to keep improving
- Congratulating teammates when finishing a challenging set
- Assisting a teammate and directing them to an official when they miss a race at a meet
- Rallying friends to cheer for teammates when they are racing
What does this look like for 13+ year old swimmers?
- Making decisions that revolve around improving your experience as a student-athlete
- Reaching out to teammates who miss practice to tell them you missed their presence
- Encouraging swimmers who are sharing feelings of frustration when they hit a plateau
- Holding teammates accountable to their shared goals
- Acting with integrity, finishing sets as written, refusing to cut corners and lower team standards
- Honestly sharing feedback with coaches and advocating for teammates who need a mental or emotional boost
- Redirecting banter that can be construed as nagging, pestering, or even bullying
- Refusing to partake in gossip. If it doesn't add anything to the conversation, it doesn't need to be said.
Practice Adjustments:
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No formal in-water practice for any group on Friday afternoon / evening
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The CSU Women’s S&D teams will compete at EPIC.
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At the second diving break, roughly 3:15 p.m., FAST 8&Unders will race in exhibition relays. Come cheer them on!
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High School / Senior / Arete: In place of practice on Friday afternoon, Coach Jackson will be at Josh & John’s Ice Cream at Jessup Farms from 4;30 - 5:30 p.m. HS/SR/Arete swimmers are encouraged to come enjoy an ice cream cone, hang out, and connect outside the pool. Swimmers will purchase their own ice cream; Coach Jackson will stay on site until everyone is picked up.
Upcoming Events:
Events, Meets & Deadlines:
CUDA PENTATHLON
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Family Commitment deadline: 11/3
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If you cannot attend, please help us by ‘Declining’
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Send Off for Coach Erin-
Coach Erin has been an exceptionally valuable member of our coaching staff for the past several years as an assistant Coach and as the Lead Coach for Ascend. We will miss her incredibly and wish her luck as she heads off to Officer Candidate School.
Please come and join us at 6:45 pm on Tuesday, October 28th as we recognize her and wish her luck with the next chapter in her life.
Nova/Fireball “IM Showcase”
Date: Thursday, Oct 30th
We’re excited to welcome Nova/Fireball parents/family members on deck at 4:45 pm to watch your kids show off the skills they have learned so far. We’ll have two older swimmers present, too, to help show what Nova/Fireball stroke mechanics will look like in four & eight years from now.
FAST- 10 & Under ‘Popcorn’ Variety Clinic
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When: Sunday, November 2nd; 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
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Where: EPIC
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Who: 10&Under swimmers
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What: An age-appropriate teaching clinic, designed to hold the attention of our youngest swimmers and swimmers newest to the sport. We’ll have dedicated ‘water time’ where we will review drills, practice concepts, and spend more time on specific swimming skills than we can usually allot during practice hours.
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Topics / Blocks:
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- Racing Starts 9:00 - 9:15 a.m.
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Underwater (UW) Skills + Butterfly Breakouts 9:20 - 9:35 a.m.
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UW Skills + Backstroke ‘Reach-n-Roll’ 9:40 - 9:55 a.m.
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Breaststroke Pulldowns & Open Turns 10:00 - 10:15 a.m.
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Freestyle Flipturn & Speedy Breakouts 10:20 - 10:35 a.m.
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Championship Relay Exchanges & Finishes 10:40 - 10:55 a.m.
Each topic/block is broken into:
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4 minutes of teaching, discussion, video
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6 minutes of drills, skills, movement
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5 minutes of ‘practice at speed’
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Cost: $100, charged to monthly invoices
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Includes: popcorn snack, blue & white arena microfiber towel, frisbee, water bottle, and coupon for free Ferris Wheel ride at SCHEELS
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Will there be future 10&Under Clinics if we can’t make this one?
Yes! We’ll offer 10&Under Clinics every few months and cover a variety of skills
Why is the clinic broken up into different segments?
To keep the attention of novice swimmers! We’ll break every 20 minutes for time to check in with family, use the restroom, and relax. Swimmers and families will select 3 or 4 of the 6 blocks to participate in. Swimmers can sit in a controlled space to listen to the information in the blocks they don’t participate in, or they can sit with their family members for a quick break.
What do we need to bring?
Cap, goggles, swim gear, two towels (one to sit on, one to dry off with), warm clothes, athletic shoes, a water bottle, and a healthy snack. We will provide each attendee with a bag of popcorn and a ‘goodie bag.’
How do I register? Log in to your TeamUnify account. Under “Classes,” you’ll find our registration page. Your account will be billed. If you encounter any technological issues, please reach out to our Bookkeeper ([email protected])
Swimming in College: Informational Talk
Where: EPIC classroom
When: Dec. 2nd, 6:00 -7:00 p.m.
Who: All interested families & athletes
Guest Speaker: Coach Chris "Woody" Woodard
Virtual Panel: Olivia Asay (current University of Iowa Hawkeye varsity senior)
Katie Rogers (former Southern Sectional level swimmer; former UVA club swimmer)
Join Coach Jackson and Coach Woody, with CSU Women's Swimming, to hear helpful information about applying and possibly swimming in College. Parents, guardians and swimmers are encouraged to attend even if you may not continue swimming in college. Topics may include but not limited to touch on recruiting timeline, NCAA rules, financial aid, how to contact a college coach, and other helpful information.
To submit questions ahead of the meeting, please use the linked Google Form:
FAST Private Lessons
Where: EPIC
When: As coaches are available; time slots open on our website
Who: All interested families & athletes
Beginning November 1st, 2025
When a topic in class at school is challenging, private tutoring can be a boost!
To navigate complicated situations, community members may seek legal advice from lawyers or explore job opportunities by soliciting the assistance of an executive recruiter.
Every sport has different nuances. Swimming? Swimming is one of the few sports that is 100% technique based.
Since we aren't born knowing how to swim (nor do we naturally develop to swim), we have to learn how to move our bodies with the greatest of ease.
Our student-athletes learn mastery of the sport through repetition and opportunities to practice.
Since no two people learn at the exact same rate, we want to provide additional structured learning opportunities outside of our normal practice hours. Our dedicated, professional, ASCA certified coaches are excited to connect with swimmers in a more concentrated and focused space. Our coaches will provide their availability on a monthly basis, which will be visible on the "Bookings" tab of the website. Families are welcome to register for as many lessons as desired.
Please keep in mind, Private Lessons should NOT replace regular practices. Consistency and attention are key to mastery!
If FAST members are not present for their registered time, to ensure our coaches' time is respected, FAST members will be held accountable for 100% of the invoiced amount.
With written notice- more than 24 hours in advance- to the Private Lesson coach, accounts will only be charged a $5.00 administrative fee.
What does a Private Lesson entail?
Coach-Athlete-Family Discussion
Prior to the Private Lesson, the FAST coach assisting you will connect with your athlete and your family to learn exactly how we can help.
Our goal is to provide detailed, age-appropriate feedback. Identifying specific concerns, poor habits, or inefficiencies before spending time in the pool helps our coaches prepare a structured lesson tailored for you.
Coach Preparation
In advance of your lesson, our coaches will compile specific drills and skills that match the needs of your athlete.
Coaches may use pre-prepared videos to help show FAST athletes what someone their size looks like doing a drill correctly. It can be frustrating for a child to watch videos of Olympians; their bodies look like aliens to 14&Unders!
Pool Time:
Swimmers will follow coach lesson plans to learn, practice, refine, and tinker with drills for specific strokes.
Video feedback will be taken and shown to the athlete on deck. Our Private Lesson footage can be shared in-person with family members who bring their child, but any footage taken is always deleted immediately following the lesson.
Our Private Lesson attendees will go home with a notecard listing drills to remember to implement at practice and any specific details discussed in the water.
Follow Up:
Two to three weeks following your Private Lesson, FAST will follow up via email to hear how your child is feeling after implementing lesson skills in practice.
Administrative Reminders:
King Soopers Rewards:
For families who shop at King Soopers, did you know you can contribute back to FAST simply by purchasing your groceries at King Soopers? As a non-profit organization, FAST has coordinated with King Soopers so that a percentage of quarterly purchases are routed back to the team. Enroll for free by logging into your King Soopers account profile, select “Community Rewards,” search for the organization: “Fort Collins Area Swim Team” or use organization number “YW961”. That’s it!
Keep it moving! Go FAST!
All the best,
