Hello everyone. Writing from Ottawa, ON. Cold, rainy and not far from the Queen of England, apparently.
All 10 of our athletes are here; Matt Fox, Tessa Cieplucha, Bjoern-Ole Schrader, Keri-Lyn Copeland, Emma Fender, Veronica Fong, Kyle Haas, Mitchell Krafczek, Aaron Braugtigam and Karl Massey. I would like to remind everyone that this is the largest group that HHBF has ever sent to the Ontario Provincial Championships.
We had a small warm up today in an over packed pool, but we honestly looked fantastic! I am very excited about this. We have a lot of opportunities to be great this weekend. Please stay tuned for more details. I am switching hotels tomorrow morning (to save HHBF some money) so I am not sure what my internet connectivity will be like. I will do my best to connect and keep people posted when I get back from finals around 9 or 10pm.
Just got back from a team diner. Everyone seems pretty excited and focused. I cannot wait for tomorrow. Our athletes are going to make HHBF very proud and hopefully make some history in the process.
Until tomorrow....
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
The Culmination of Preparation
In May I was notified of the 1st annual Stratten and Bond meet being held @ McMaster University by the Greater Horseshoe Aquatic Club. It is a meet for those not going to provincials, yet over qualified for central region team champs (and in our case, the 15 and overs that were too old for Halton Cup). I really wanted to use this meet as a good way for those athletes to end the season and for those who don't usually qualify for finals to end their season with that opportunity. HHBF faired quite well at Stratten and Bond this weekend. I think every individual over the age of 13 qualified for a final. Amongst those who were able to make it back for finals were Kelly and Ryan Smith, Tatyana Austrie, Erin Troughton and Arielle Sabourin. Well done coming back and finishing your season strong, guys. In the years to come, the goal is that everyone going to a meet is prepared, if required, to swim again at finals. In in turn, we will start making more finals. We must be prepared to compete and be our bests at every opportunity: thats what a competitive team does. Unfortunately, this year the meet happened to coincide with exams, family summer plans, etc. We will continue to go in the future and it will likely become a fixture on our meet schedule. I think it is a great way to finish a long season.
T-minus 5 days until the start of Ontario Junior Provincials in Napean, ON. We have our largest team in HHBF history traveling to compete (not just to participate) against the best Ontario has to offer. Please stay tuned to my blog for details.
Great news for HHBF, MATT FOX made it onto the Ontario Summer Games team and will be joining Mitchell Krafczek and Karl Massey and myself to Sudbury, ON this summer. This is pretty impressive, not only because this is the first time that HHBF has had people on the team... not because I will be the Head Coach of this team and 3 of our athletes will be going (and another 3 declined)... but because Matt is 12 and has been chosen to compete in the 14 and under category.... and he's only 12. Did I mention that he's only 12?
If I don't see you again this season (my schedule has been busy to say the least and I have been away from the pool for various reasons lately), PLEASE have a safe and happy/relaxing/exciting/fun summer! I hope to see you all again in September. As always, I can be reached in the regular ways if you need me. Don't be afraid to contact me at any time.
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
T-minus 5 days until the start of Ontario Junior Provincials in Napean, ON. We have our largest team in HHBF history traveling to compete (not just to participate) against the best Ontario has to offer. Please stay tuned to my blog for details.
Great news for HHBF, MATT FOX made it onto the Ontario Summer Games team and will be joining Mitchell Krafczek and Karl Massey and myself to Sudbury, ON this summer. This is pretty impressive, not only because this is the first time that HHBF has had people on the team... not because I will be the Head Coach of this team and 3 of our athletes will be going (and another 3 declined)... but because Matt is 12 and has been chosen to compete in the 14 and under category.... and he's only 12. Did I mention that he's only 12?
If I don't see you again this season (my schedule has been busy to say the least and I have been away from the pool for various reasons lately), PLEASE have a safe and happy/relaxing/exciting/fun summer! I hope to see you all again in September. As always, I can be reached in the regular ways if you need me. Don't be afraid to contact me at any time.
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Sunday, June 20, 2010
French World Cup Team Implodes...
How does something like this happen...??
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5307299/ce/us/france-team-refuses-practice-nicolas-anelka-expulsion&cc=5901?ver=us
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5307299/ce/us/france-team-refuses-practice-nicolas-anelka-expulsion&cc=5901?ver=us
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Happy Fathers Day
Happy Fathers Day tomorrow to all HHBF fathers! Every one of you who has gotten up early to get your kids to the pool, driven hours to a meet, waited in line to get equipment and worked hard to pay the swim fees, your children appreciate you. I appreciate you too. Have a wonderful day!
Lots going on today. I started my day at 7am with a workout for the people going to provincials. We largely worked on recovery from a very tough workout last night, but did do 2 fast 100s from a dive which yielded very impressive results. These individuals are all VERY focused on their goals in 2 weeks at Provincials in Ottawa. Our motto for that meet is "We've Got A Job To Do". That job...? Aside from representing HHBF as a strong, respectable club, we are also there to compete... not just to participate. All of these competitors know what they need to do in each event they swim. This is quite probably the strongest team that HHBF has ever sent to a Provincial Championship. Stay tuned to my blog for day by day results. I will be posting them from July 1st - July 4th around 9pm (July 4th I will be traveling home... will likely be posted on the 5th).
I then stopped by Milton to check in at the second session of Halton Cup. I saw several good swims in the 40min I was at the pool, but I must say that I was a little disappointed with the turn out at our club's championship meet. I understand that individuals may have things to do on their weekends late in the season, but we need EVERYONE if we wish to win the Halton Cup. We honestly should have won that meet, but we were out numbered about 2:1. We really team mates to understand that we need a true team effort to win a dual meet. I get the feeling that we wouldn't have had as many no shows if it were a hockey or soccer game. I am hoping that we can come back revived and willing to compete against Milton next season.
I then stopped by to catch the last few events in Etobicoke at Central Region Team Championships. We had some decent races through the day including a great gold medal winning relay which featured Nick Levesque, Taylr Cawte, Alicia Lubja and Ryan Smith. HHBF currently sit at 11th place out of 17 teams, but once again suffered from a few no shows and 1 dropped relay as a result. CRTC is a good opportunity for people to race in Etobicoke one last time before the end of the year. It looks like our participants are making the most of that opportunity.
I finished the morning in the Etobicoke Coaches Lounge where I ran a meeting regarding exciting new changes for the GTA series of meets. I do not want to reveal too many details, but in short; we will not be driving 2 hours anymore to attend GTA meets. I'm sure many parents will be very happy about that! That is my Fathers Day gift to all you HHBF dads.
"Enjoy swimming for swimmings sake. We have to spend far too much time in the water to not enjoy the process challenging yourself of moving through the water".
~Jeff Rouse - Multiple Olympic Gold Medalist and World Record Setter in 100BK
Have a great weekend! Stay Tuned.
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Lots going on today. I started my day at 7am with a workout for the people going to provincials. We largely worked on recovery from a very tough workout last night, but did do 2 fast 100s from a dive which yielded very impressive results. These individuals are all VERY focused on their goals in 2 weeks at Provincials in Ottawa. Our motto for that meet is "We've Got A Job To Do". That job...? Aside from representing HHBF as a strong, respectable club, we are also there to compete... not just to participate. All of these competitors know what they need to do in each event they swim. This is quite probably the strongest team that HHBF has ever sent to a Provincial Championship. Stay tuned to my blog for day by day results. I will be posting them from July 1st - July 4th around 9pm (July 4th I will be traveling home... will likely be posted on the 5th).
I then stopped by Milton to check in at the second session of Halton Cup. I saw several good swims in the 40min I was at the pool, but I must say that I was a little disappointed with the turn out at our club's championship meet. I understand that individuals may have things to do on their weekends late in the season, but we need EVERYONE if we wish to win the Halton Cup. We honestly should have won that meet, but we were out numbered about 2:1. We really team mates to understand that we need a true team effort to win a dual meet. I get the feeling that we wouldn't have had as many no shows if it were a hockey or soccer game. I am hoping that we can come back revived and willing to compete against Milton next season.
I then stopped by to catch the last few events in Etobicoke at Central Region Team Championships. We had some decent races through the day including a great gold medal winning relay which featured Nick Levesque, Taylr Cawte, Alicia Lubja and Ryan Smith. HHBF currently sit at 11th place out of 17 teams, but once again suffered from a few no shows and 1 dropped relay as a result. CRTC is a good opportunity for people to race in Etobicoke one last time before the end of the year. It looks like our participants are making the most of that opportunity.
I finished the morning in the Etobicoke Coaches Lounge where I ran a meeting regarding exciting new changes for the GTA series of meets. I do not want to reveal too many details, but in short; we will not be driving 2 hours anymore to attend GTA meets. I'm sure many parents will be very happy about that! That is my Fathers Day gift to all you HHBF dads.
"Enjoy swimming for swimmings sake. We have to spend far too much time in the water to not enjoy the process challenging yourself of moving through the water".
~Jeff Rouse - Multiple Olympic Gold Medalist and World Record Setter in 100BK
Have a great weekend! Stay Tuned.
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Year End Party
This year has flown by so fast! Where does the time go.
Thank you so much to Donna, Shellie, Mary and everyone else who put that party together. Really well done and I had a great time watching everyone else have so much fun. A special thank you also to Paul for MC-ing.
When I joined the team 5 seasons ago, we had around 40-50 swimmers and the award winners were easy to select. Now, with over 200 HHBF swimmers, its SO hard! Thats why in October 2010 we will be having our first annual awards banquette where we will celebrate the particular achievements of our athletes from the previous season (Central Region qualifiers, Medalists, Provincial Qualifiers, Medalists, National qualifiers, Medalists). We have had so much success at these levels, it becomes really difficult to recognize all the people that deserve it without making the evening 4 hours long. We also do not have enough awards in our current system to recognize everyone. I feel that these achievements need to be recognized and appreciated AND announced to the rest of the team in order to inspire the others to do the same.
Lots of changes for next season and lots more success to come. I can't wait!
Please wish our Blue Fins luck for Provincials and Nationals. We have a lot of time left in this season and a lot of work to do. I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that Karl Massey and Mitchell Krafczek have officially been selected to join me in Sudbury on the Ontario Summer Games Team (representing Central Region). Please congratulate them when you see them. This is a HUGE deal for HHBF and we should all be proud that they are representing HHBF on this team. Elizabeth Skuriat was also selected for this team but declined due to her injury. We will miss her A LOT this summer!
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Thank you so much to Donna, Shellie, Mary and everyone else who put that party together. Really well done and I had a great time watching everyone else have so much fun. A special thank you also to Paul for MC-ing.
When I joined the team 5 seasons ago, we had around 40-50 swimmers and the award winners were easy to select. Now, with over 200 HHBF swimmers, its SO hard! Thats why in October 2010 we will be having our first annual awards banquette where we will celebrate the particular achievements of our athletes from the previous season (Central Region qualifiers, Medalists, Provincial Qualifiers, Medalists, National qualifiers, Medalists). We have had so much success at these levels, it becomes really difficult to recognize all the people that deserve it without making the evening 4 hours long. We also do not have enough awards in our current system to recognize everyone. I feel that these achievements need to be recognized and appreciated AND announced to the rest of the team in order to inspire the others to do the same.
Lots of changes for next season and lots more success to come. I can't wait!
Please wish our Blue Fins luck for Provincials and Nationals. We have a lot of time left in this season and a lot of work to do. I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that Karl Massey and Mitchell Krafczek have officially been selected to join me in Sudbury on the Ontario Summer Games Team (representing Central Region). Please congratulate them when you see them. This is a HUGE deal for HHBF and we should all be proud that they are representing HHBF on this team. Elizabeth Skuriat was also selected for this team but declined due to her injury. We will miss her A LOT this summer!
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Monday, June 14, 2010
University of Waterloo Suspends Football Team For Steroid Use
I am very disapointed to read this story in today's news...
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur/story/2010/06/14/sp-waterloo-suspended.html
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur/story/2010/06/14/sp-waterloo-suspended.html
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Busy Busy Busy
Sorry, folks. I have been very busy the last few days. Central Regions this weekend and I promise to keep everyone updated on this blog AND will be sure to keep everyone posted on Central Region's decision on the Milton Titans AND will give more info on Ontario Summer Games as soon as more details become available.
Next post will be tomorrow...
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
Next post will be tomorrow...
Mike Thompson
Head Coach
HHBF
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