by Emily Castillo
Fair warning to anyone competing in a master’s meet this fall—you’re going to see some lightning fast starts and turns! Last Saturday, 20 Masters swimmers went on a deep dive into starts and turns with Diana Hermanson, PNA’s 2024 Coach of the Year.
If you’re like me, you deal with a fair amount of anxiety when it comes to starts. There’s a lot to worry about: What is this wedge on the block? Where do I put my feet on a backstroke start? How do I keep my goggles in place? Diana covered all of these concerns and taught techniques for achieving beautiful, clean starts.
Swimmers were in and out (and in and out) of the water as they practiced their dives. They received excellent personalized feedback on their technique from our on-deck coaches. Swimmers made great improvements. We were seeing very impressive dives by the end of the session!
Diana also taught how to make quick, powerful turns. Swimmers learned how to position themselves well to turn quickly and get some great speed off the walls.
The Power Starts & Turns Clinic was a lot of fun, and swimmers walked away with some impressive skills. A huge thanks to Diana and to our on-deck coaches: Colleen Wahlstrom, Jessi Gable, Kelly Vikstrom-Hoyt, Steve Fogg, Serrell Collins, Alison Eliason, Kent Slyter, and Mike Schwartz!
If you’re thinking you’d like to attend a Starts & Turns Clinic, you’re in luck! Diana is planning an Advanced Starts & Turns Clinic. Stay tuned for details!
