Summer Nationals Registration is OPEN

Online registration for Summer Nationals in San Juan, Puerto Rico has opened. The meet will be held August 9-12. Entries received by July 1 receive a $10 discount. The deadline for entry is July 8. The event will be capped off with an open water swim on August 13. A separate open water registration page will be updated, so check back for more information.

As you move through online registration, you will notice that there are many apparel options, including women's cuts, tech shirts, polos and more available for this meet-- be sure to order them during the online registration process-- only limited styles and quantities may be available for purchase at the meet.

See You in San Juan!

Changing for Good

by William G. Ewan, Ph.D.

One of the greatest contributions to psychology in the 20th Century came from research done at the University of Rhode Island. In a book entitled "Changing for Good," James Prochaska, Ph.D., John Norcross, Ph.D., and Carlo DiClemente, Ph.D. describe their findings. By outlining them here briefly, I hope to help swimmers understand how they can change in the water to become faster. [Read more]

When Shoulder Hypermobility is a Problem for the Swimmer

by Ross A. Hauser, M.D.

Athletes who participate in shoulder-stressing sports, such as tennis and swimming, often experience laxity, or looseness, in their shoulders, with female athletes normally having more shoulder laxity than male athletes. Certain sports stress different structures in the shoulder. [Read more]

USMS Spring Nationals Recap

In case you missed it, USMS hosted nearly 2,000 athletes at Georgia Tech Aquatic Center May 20 - 23. Over 100 individual and 19 relay records were set at the same pool used for the 1996 Olympics. Extensive coverage could be seen on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube throughout the weekend. Subscribers can enjoy the benefits of future U.S. Masters Swimming content. You can also log on to usms.org for all of the daily video recaps cataloged on the site.

   

Larry Kravitz with Nitro Masters in Austin, Texas missed the entry deadline for Spring Nationals in Atlanta and sent a plea for leniency. Unfortunately, no exceptions were granted and he had to attend as a spectator. We did, however, enjoy his list of excuses as to why he was late.

His teammates got in the action by printing him a T-shirt with his Top 10 list, which he wore proudly while cheering for them on deck in Atlanta. Kravitz, 56, says he and his teammates have several Top 10 lists and have such a good time that his kids think he goes to work just to have access to a computer to email his swimming friends all day.

Top 10 Reasons Why I Missed the Entry Deadline for Spring Nationals...
by Larry Kravitz

#10: I had Icelandic volcanic ash clogging my computer keyboard.

#9: I didn't want to intimidate the other swimmers who might    withdraw if they saw my name in their race.

#8: I was busy doing CPR on my teammate who collapsed trying to make the cut times for the meet.

#7: I got lost on the 10K open water swim last week and just hitched my way home.

#6: I was too busy trying to sew up the rip in my tech suit (you know where) that happened because I put on weight since qualifying for Nationals.

#5: I was waiting to see if I was picked up as a quarterback in the NFL draft.

#4: Who could think straight to do an entry after one of our coach's workouts?

#3: I had too much fun at Zones, and spent the week in confessional.

#2: I ate one of my teammate's recovery recipes, and was in the bathroom the rest of the week.

#1: I was too busy helping Michael Phelps learn to swim butterfly breathing every OTHER stroke.

Start Your Engines:
Open Water and Long Distance Seasons Kick Off

Last weekend was a busy one for both long distance and open water aficionados. Be sure to check the results for the USMS One Mile Open Water Championship in Charlotte, N.C., and the first event in the H2Open Series, the Jim McDonnell Lake Swims, in Reston, Va.

Upcoming Open Water and Long Distance Events

Long Distance National Championships:

• 1-3 Mile Open Water Championships (1.5 miles) Livermore, Calif. June 6
• 3-6 Mile Open Water Championships (6 km) Windsor, Colo. June 19
• 2-Mile Cable Championships Chris Greene Lake, Charlottesville, VA July 10
• USMS 6+ Mile Open Water Championships (10 km)
  Morse Reservoir, Noblesville, IN
  July 17
  

The H2Open Water Series, USMS's National open water series:

• Lake Berryessa Swim in Lake Berryessa, Calif., June 12.
• Big Shoulders, Chicago Ill., September 11
• Tropical Splash, Sarasota, Fla., Oct 2
  

Goggle Strap 4-1-1

by the Professionals at SwimOutlet.com

Take a close look at the huge variety of goggles on the market, and you'll soon notice that your choices include not only different types of lenses, but also many different types of goggle straps. And that may leave you with a whole new set of questions.

Which goggle strap will keep your lenses in place for the start of a race? Which goggle strap is easily adjustable? Is it better to have a single or a double strap? Whatever your questions are about goggle straps, the answers are here. [Read more]

USMS Historical Record Missing

The USMS historical records do not contain the minutes from the 1985 USMS Convention held in Phoenix, Ariz. Long-time convention veterans are asked to dust off their files and search for a typewritten copy of these minutes. If found, please contact Meegan Wilson.

We've Got Spirit!

Masters of South Texas

The lake water is warming up. Linda Callaway, Shawn Feather and Scott Linnborn submitted this picture taken May 3rd, as they swam in Lake Georgetown in Texas. The water temperature was 68 degrees at the time.