From the Swimming World website... By DIANA PIMER There is a lot of pressure on swimmers. The training, the suit, the mentality all has to be perfect. However, behind every great practice, every great race, and every great swimmer is a great swim parent, even when the kids leave for a collegiate pool instead of the local YMCA. As swimmers’ pre-meet meals evolve from hot dogs and nachos, to pasta with meatballs, to grilled chicken and vegetables, swim parents must evolve with their surroundings and their new teams. However, no...

From the USA Swimming website... By Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD It seems like sodium-heavy and electrolyte-filled supplements, pills, and powders are everywhere these days. But do your athletes really need these expensive sodium-enhanced products? Read more >>

From the Swimming World website... By Rachel Helm, College Swimming Intern. To most people, swimming is seen as just a sport or having a little splash in the pool. However, to a competitive swimmer, it becomes a lifestyle. Here are 12 quirks of competitive swimming that we all can relate to. Read more >>

From the Swimming World website... By Chandler Brandes, Swimming World College Intern "I didn’t choose the distance life. The distance life chose me." Well, not quite. Distance swimmers are all born the same way: we swam the 500 for the first time around age nine or 10 and didn’t do too badly, so our coaches put us in it again at the next meet. Read more >>

From the SwimSwam website... By SwimSwam Contributors (courtesy of Kevin Pierce) In swimming and every other sport, emotions are often magnified. The water has a unique way of reflecting our efforts, triumphs, and setbacks back at us. A disappointing swim in a meet can feel devastating, especially when expectations are high. But here’s a hard truth: the right to be upset about a poor performance isn’t automatically granted. It must be earned through commitment, effort, and discipline both in and out of the pool. Without that foundation, frustration becomes misplaced...

From the Swimming World website... By Summer Finke It’s that time of year again. Practices gradually become shorter, the yards start to decrease, and the energy is at an all-time high. It’s taper time. For swimmers, tapering marks the beginning of championship season – a period of rest and recovery carefully catered to each swimmer to help you perform at your absolute best at the most important moment. Read more >>

From the Swimming World website... By Eric Bugby Congratulations, you’ve made the decision to swim in college. Swimming in the NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, or CCCAA is an opportunity and feeling like none other. It combines the best of club and high school. The people you meet and friends you make will last a lifetime. Read more >>

From the USA Swimming website... If you've been at a large public event like a triathlon or marathon recently, you may have noticed booths set up to provide athletes with IV infusions, promising fast rehydration or immune-boosting properties from vitamin infusions. Some nutritionists and naturopathic doctors are also prescribing vitamin infusions via IV on a regular basis. But should your young athlete be considering an IV infusion? Read more >>

From the Swimming World website... By Delaney Lanker, Swimming World Magazine College Intern I once had a coach tell me that butterfly was the easiest stroke. At the time, I just looked at him and rolled my eyes. But, here I am years later, a Division I butterflier, and I might have come to believe him. This means I must have gone crazy right? But after endless 100 and 200 butterfly sets and constantly sore shoulders, it doesn’t seem that bad anymore. Read more >>

From the USA Swimming website... By TrueSport / Betsy Butterick If you've ever tried to do any goal setting or planning for the future with your athlete, you may have struggled to help them hone in on what really matters to them. This can happen whether they're simply trying to prepare for the upcoming softball season or debating which colleges to apply to in the fall. Read more >>