Thanksgivukkah!

As my last post asserts, summer is in fact over. So over, in fact, that it is almost Thanksgiving. The outdoor pools are closed -- have been for some time -- winter sports are underway at area high schools and the Festival of Lights is upon us as well!

Yes, Hanukkah: the less-important-than-Passover yet still gift-laden Jewish holiday. The faith of menorah-lighters and dreidel-spinners follows a "lunasolar" calendar that schedules important dates based on the movements of both the sun and moon. So their holidays fall at different times each year, which is rather refreshing, if not vexing for social and professional calendars during the Christian holiday seasons.

But this year, the first since 1888 (according to the Washington Post), Hanukkah comes "early" (read: much before its holiday-in-crime Christmas) with its first day falling serendipitously on Thanksgiving. The coincidence has brought Hanukkah media attention the likes of which it hasn't seen in some time, by my judgement, paired with the coining of a Franken-holiday distinction: "Thanksgivukkah".

This would all be very clever... if it hadn't already been done before, to wonderful effect, on the hit Fox teen-novela "The OC." Here's a little taste.

Pure genius. Forget GOT, Dexter, Breaking Bad -- this was premium, addictive television before any of those so-called "award-winners". But I digress.

What does this have anything to do with a swimming blog? Just that the cosmic confluence of consumption-centric holidays means time spent away from the pool with spiking caloric intake. We cancel practices so kids can be with their families and stuff their faces. It is the American way. And for the right or wrong of it, competitive athletes like swimmers tend to be competitive when it comes to eating, especially around Thanksgiving.

Though if your body is used to burning hundreds, if not thousands of calories in a given workout, one day of total gluttony shouldn't be too much of an obstacle or setback. As a rambunctious little yardage machine, my high school self wouldn't think twice about serving up seconds, thirds, fourths of everything on Thanksgiving. No conscience, no regrets, no limits. Where did it all go? 

Wherever it went, it's not going as rapidly, if at all, these days. Having been on the losing end of numerous "food coma" Thanksgivings nearing the conclusion of my third decade, the discomfort just doesn't seem worth the thrill of actually chowing down. I've grown to value enjoying the time after the meal as much as the before and the during.

Does that mean I'm not trying to get in as much swimming, lifting and other cardio as possible in hopes of supercharging my metabolism to comfortably process more than it's used to on a daily basis? Hell no. As much as I love Thanksgiving leftovers, they're never as good as round one. I'm not planning to overeat, but just trying to free up a little more room in tank.

Now our soon-to-be-family (by mehwage) hosts are Jewish, so my sincere hope is we'll take every opportunity to meld the non- and secular holidays into the next-best super holiday known to man. We miss you, Seth Cohen.

high school is over

And no one on my team knows this show. Tough.

Actually, high school is not over. Not by a long shot. And I couldn't be happier to be not in high school any longer. But the high school swim season is definitely over. We've seen the state championship meet come and go. We've even had the end-of-season banquet.

That's how you know it's over.

For the majority of swimmers on our team, the season was actually over back in January. That's when the regular season wrapped up and the series of district, regional and state championship meets began. From a roughly 50-person team, less than half swam at districts, less at regions and states.

I like to think all the swimmers enjoyed themselves during the season, and the generally impressive results of the championship meets reflect the good, well-coached time had by those particular swimmers down the stretch. We had a number of strong finishes at the state meet, including a champion and runner-up. Not too shabby.

Based on my experience and coaching competence, it was really a tale of two seasons: the regular season and the post season. During the regular season, I spent most of my coaching time working with swimmers who don't swim year-round for a club team. With them, I had more opportunities to work on fundamental stroke technique, basic race strategy, standard competition preparation. I've been where they've been.

But our more elite swimmers, the ones putting in many practices elsewhere and only showing up to the obligatory one high school practice per week, the ones competing at the state and even national age group level -- these young people who continued into the post season became our focus as coaches. I can't speak for our entire staff, but talent and achievements of these swimmers have already eclipsed my own. 

To be honest, it was a little intimidating. If this swimmer spends most of his or her training time with another, most likely more elite coach, then what is there to do in the comparatively brief time they're with us? Babysit? Just make sure they get to their events on time and remove all exterior jewelry?

Don't start imagining sad face balloons -- this isn't a pity party. I can coach, and I've done so with various age groups for collectively close to a decade. Just not at "elite" levels.

So rather than try to compensate by over-coaching these high-achieving swimmers to impose what competence I do have and being laughed off, I decided to simply ask these young people what they needed from me.

And, it appeared, they were more than happy to do so. I got asked for input on starting technique, breakouts, turns, pacing splits -- nothing outside my wheelhouse. And being asked a few more detailed questions than I'm used to motivated me to elevate my performance as a coach: I went to coaching blogs, instructional forums, Michael Phelps instructional videos. I trained. 

These kids were content to ask me for help, and I wanted to give them the best help I could, with all the resources available to me. And, it appeared, they were genuinely thankful. Regardless of who coaches who when and for how long, at the end of the day hearing someone truly appreciates your effort and help -- that you both understand the common goal is making them a better athlete and person -- then that's all that matters.  

Maybe this is all a bit too rosy a reminiscence, but it's the end of high school, and we all get a license to be a little emotional.