4:55 p.m. – Good late-afternoon everyone! I am back in the Conroe media room ready to get back to work this evening. The team is across the pool warming up with a new spark and a new found energy. It was an emotional morning session with it’s fair share of ups and downs. Like I said in my blog this morning, tonight will come down to how well the Gusties can respond to adversity.
The coaching staff addressed the team prior to the departure and kept the meeting short. Much of what was needed to say was already addressed following prelims earlier this afternoon. Below is a rundown of the meeting broken up coach-by-coach.
Carlson: Focus on the little things because all those little things piled together can turn out to be the difference in the end. What are the little things you can tweak to help the team and make the difference in the next race? Historically, Gustavus has had sessions like this. Historically, Gustavus bounces back from sessions like this.
Lindstrom: There are five sessions left and you’ve made it through the tough part of the meet. Aren’t you glad you got that session out of the way early and now have a chance to battle back? The turnaround is here, take advantage of the opportunity.
Weyandt: Own the deck and create atmosphere. Be dorks, be goofy, be yourselves. Have fun and enjoy the moment.
The 200-free relay featuring Reilly, Campeau, Klunk, and Olson (seen in the banner picture above) is first up shortly after the National Anthem at 6:00 p.m. The turnaround that Lindstrom talked about begins right off the bat.
I will be at the starting blocks taking video of the race. After the awards ceremony, I will hopefully have good news to report.
Go Gusties!
6:13 p.m. – Congrats to the Gustavus 200-free relay team on earning All-America honors with an eighth place finish! Although the Gusties didn’t move up from their prelim position, the coaching staff was more than pleased with the performance. As was talked about heading into tonight, little tweaks had to be made and this group did that. The mood of the team is much better already and it looks like the Gusties are getting back in the flow.
7:14 p.m. – I am back in the media room after going an interview with the All-American 200-free relay team. The Gusties are getting really good at interviews and were bubbly tonight as we chatted outside in Conroe Nataorium. Thanks to Katie, Dannielle, Kate, and Michelle for being so cooperative and taking the time after their cool down.
A couple of observations from the race: 1. The ladies looked much more at ease. They carried themselves onto the blocks with confidence, despite the fact that two of them are freshman and one was swimming her first NCAA Championships finals race. 2. The energy poolside was intense. I won’t try to describe instead I hope the video gives fans a sense of what it’s like to be in the thick of it.
The mood of the team is much better and the coaches are pleased with its demeanor. I think we’re off an running.
7:24 p.m. – While we wait for the 400-medley relay to go, here’s a little something I’ve been chipping away at.
All Swim Cap Team (so far…)
- Gustavus – This will obviously come off as biased, but Gustavus has the best swim cap at the Conroe Natatorium. It’s traditional, simplistic, and timeless. With “GAC” on the left and the Three Crowns on the right, both stand out over the top of a black base. More than any other logo on any cap, the crowns easily recognizable from space.
- Bowdoin – Not only does Bowdoin have a sweet mascot, the Polar Bears also rock a classically good swim cap. Although I’m not a big fan of teams having more than one cap, which a few on this list do, I have to give props to Bowdoin on both its versions. The black cap with the giant “B” is like Gustavus’s and can be seen from anywhere in the pool – you’ll notice a theme with this type of cap as we move on. The alternate cap is white with a black polar bear paw print on one side and a big black “B” on the other. Both are simple and stay true to the school and animal’s color scheme.
- Chicago – Chicago also has several versions but I like this one for a couple reasons. 1.) I love the off-white, old school cream color. It reminds me of Penn State’s football helmets. 2.) Much like Gustavus’s cap where each side has something different, Chicago’s features its maroon “C” logo on one side and the institution’s crest on the other. Although it’s likely not meant to be used as an athletics logo, the crest is a cool tribute to the University.
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The All-NCAA Swim Cap Team Middlebury – Middlebury and Chicago were close. Both use a cream colored cap and both keep in simple. I gave the edge to Chicago because the Maroons used the school’s institutional crest. Middlebury’s cap features the athletics “M” logo on both sides, which again, can be seen from just about any vantage point. If you were to see any Middlebury athletic team in action, it’s likely this dark blue (or white) “M” will be the featured logo on the uniform. Consistent branding from one of the ivory tower Division III institutions.
- Denison – A staple program at the NCAA Championships, Denison also boasts one of the most recognizable swim caps. Denison’s cap is black with the Detroit Red Wings “Winged Wheel” logo gracing both sides. In the middle of the wheel is a black Denison “D.” The red logo meshes well on the black cap and the wings wrap around the swimmers head smoothly.
- ??? – Yeah, those question marks mean that I don’t know what team this is. Whatever, lets move on. Not many go with a patterned cap, but this college takes a chance with the famed Michigan Wolverine wings. I’d rather see the base color red and the wings white, but props to whomever this is on taking a chance on something different.
- Gettysburg – This is the only cap on my list that has an actual word on it. There are a lot them at this meet, but Gettysburg stood out to me the most. First off, there aren’t many (if any at all) orange caps here, so that caught my eye right away. Second, Gettysburg’s nickname is the “Bullets” and I love the irony in that bullets – those shot from a gun – don’t travel well in water.
- Franklin & Marshall – The use of the ampersand is unique and that’s why it makes the list. I like the font used and the “F&M” logo fills out thecap nicely. The deep, dark blue color is also one of my favorite tones for a cap.
- Emory – Emory has roughly 100 swim cap variations, but I like this one the most. Actually, I’m not sure if I like the cap as much as I like the statement it makes. With one logo located on the front– something that’s also rarely seen – the swimmer in the picture is likely a butterflier or a breaststroker. If you swim those events, pictures of you will surely be taken from the blocks or opposite end. What’s going to been seen when he comes of the water? Yup, that Emory logo on the front, rather than side, of the cap. I could do without the huge Speedo logo, but I like the thought process.
8:16 p.m. – The diving competition is still going on so I will throw out another observation. In what is another sign of the changing times, there is now a Massage Room at the NCAA Championships. In talking with Coach Carlson, this has become a staple the last several year. My guess is that ten years ago a massage room at the NCAA Championships would have been unheard of. The NCAA or host facility do not provide a masseuse for the entire field. Instead, if a team wishes to travel with one, the NCAA provides the space while the team pays the expense.
The 400-medley relay will be up soon.
8:50 p.m. – The 400-medley relay is in the books and Gustavus is done for the night. The Gusties won the heat, finishing ninth overall to earn All-America Honorable Mention honors. Congrats To Hayley Booher, Kate Reilly, Jenny Strom, and Katie Olson.
I talked to the coaches after the race and they all agreed that this team has its confidence back. All four members of the 400-medley relay dropped time. The mood is great and the girls are smiling. Lets bookmark this spot in case we need to know exactly when this whole thing turned around.
As of right now, the Gusties are in ninth place with 64 points.
I am going to work on getting an interview with one of the coaches and then it’s back to the hotel. The women are going through their cool down in the practice pool behind me. It’s been a long, emotional day. I’m sure the ladies want to get to bed as soon as possible. I will report back later tonight.
9:42 p.m. – Coach Carlson and I are back in the hotel. Like I said before, what an emotional day. When I think back to how I felt following the prelims, its seems so long ago and it seems so pointless. The Gusties responded to adversity – just what coach Carlson challenged them to do. This team was challenged, it challenged itself, and it responded. Well done Gusties, well done.
I’m going to close tonight’s blog by saying congrats to senior Danielle Klunk. Dani earned All-America honors on tonight’s 200-free relay, capping her Gustavus career with style. Although she swam just two seasons for the Black and Gold, her impact was immediate and it was extensive. Congrats, Dani, from the whole Gustavus community.
I am going to work on my formal recap and get it released shortly. There will be two videos included with tonight’s press release. The first is of the 200-free relay and an interview with the girls. The second is of the 400-medley relay including an interview with Coach Carlson. Finding a place to do interviews proved to be a task in itself tonight. Coach Carlson and I found a somewhat quiet spot upstairs of Conroe and managed to get it done despite having the lights shut off on us during the interview.
Thanks for following everyone. It’s back to work for us.
Momentum has entered the building and the Gusties looked poised to capture it.
To give fans of behind the scenes look at this year’s NCAA Championships, Sports Information Director Ethan Armstrong will be with the Gustavus swimmers in Shenandoah. Over the course of the four-day meet, Armstrong will be blogging, posting pictures and videos, and providing day-by-day recaps of all the action. His blog posts will be entitled “Lone Star State Of Mind” and will be updated on the Gustavus athletics website throughout the meet.