by Dan Underbrink
Last Sunday, March 26th, TWIM presented the latest in a continuing series of highly effective swim clinics. This latest clinic was Performance Breaststroke, with Coach Mike Hamm presenting.
If you are reading this blog, you no doubt have some level of dedication to our great sport of Swimming! At TWIM, we say, “Swimming is Our Way of Life!” Each of us is out there, working out, and improving both our physical and mental health through our individual swimming programs.
Each swimmer brings a different set of needs and desires to the pool, to the lakes and rivers, or to the ocean waters. For some, it is simply a desire to remain healthy and stay in shape. Some are just trying different things and learning what sort of swimming works for them. Some swimmers enjoy difficult or challenging distance swims. For others, it is all about competition.
Swim clinics provide something for every type of swimmer. A clinic gives swimmers an in-depth look at all aspects of the stroke being presented. Some swimmers are there to learn the mechanics of the stroke – how to swim the stroke correctly. Others may suspect they have developed poor habits and seek to correct their technique. For the competitive swimmers, they are often looking for that small change in their stroke, that will yield a faster time in future races.
Just doing one’s daily swim routine can lead to stagnation. An underlying question for many swimmers is, “How do I get better?” The way to get better at anything, is to study deeply and then practice what you learn. For swimmers, swim clinics are your vehicle for deep study of your subject.
TWIM’s Performance Breaststroke clinic in Mount Vernon, attracted swimmers from as far away as Bellingham, Centralia, and the Kitsap Peninsula. The event started with one hour of classroom learning, and then transitioned into a two-hour pool session.
Classroom Learning
Coach Mike Hamm hails from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He is a truly dynamic presenter, whose love for the sport of swimming is evident in every word and action. He engaged in dialog with each and every swimmer in both the classroom and the pool.
Coach Mike Hamm
In the classroom, clinic attendees discovered that we would be learning nine specific Breaststroke drills. Each of these drills was presented in depth, with instructions on how to do the drill, as well as insights into what we could expect to achieve from each drill.
Nine Breaststroke Drills
The classroom presentation also included videos of several expert breaststrokers, which Mike used to illustrate some of the skills he wanted us to learn. Some of the videos and animations were simple demonstrations of stroke technique, while others featured some very exciting Breaststroke races!
I think all clinic attendees would agree that the classroom session was very interactive! Everyone got opportunities to speak, to ask questions, and to answer questions. All were engaged and interested, and it made for a very satisfying, fast-moving, and educational presentation.
Skagit Valley Family YMCA Aquatic Center
Moving to the pool, swimmers were invited to demonstrate each of the nine Breaststroke drills. We would swim several lengths of a drill, before moving on to the next logical drill in the progression. Having a dedicated on-deck coach for each lane really helped get immediate feedback to each swimmer. Mike was everywhere, encouraging and helping every swimmer.
On-Deck Coaches Observing and Speaking with Swimmers
After progressing through the drills, we were then invited to begin combining the skills learned, and eventually swimming the full stroke. We also worked on racing skills such as our underwater pullout, our two-hand touch, and our racing turns.
Performance Breaststroke Clinic Pool Session
At the end of the swimming session, it seemed that all attendees were very satisfied with their clinic experience. All were invited to an after-clinic social event, and those who did not have other plans or commitments met up at District Brewing in Mount Vernon, for a very enjoyable meal, and of course, more talk about our favorite sport, Swimming!
The Post-Clinic Social Event at District Brewing in Mount Vernon
These clinics don’t just happen. There is a dedicated group of people behind the scenes, who work tirelessly to bring one of these events to life. A huge thank you goes out to all who were involved. Those include Mr. Steve Fogg, our tireless Clinic Champion, and also various members of the TWIM Booster Club Board of Directors. Thanks too, to the Skagit Valley Family YMCA in Mount Vernon, and to Aquatics Director, Jenn Radford for working with us to provide a superb venue for the clinic.
The TWIM Board would also like to thank our volunteer on-deck coaches for the clinic, who provided great support for all swimmers in attendance. These included Steve Fogg, Brad Jones, Dave Scott, Kathy Pelham, Steve Peterson, and Kerry Ness. Additionally, TWIM would like to thank Puget Sound Masters for helping us sponsor this clinic. Finally, much gratitude to Coach Mike Hamm, for his vast knowledge and his dynamic presentation skills! We could not do these without all of your support!
