The Evanston girls swimming team is trying something different this year.
Specifically, weight training. The adjustment was a surprise to senior Paige Haden, who has qualified for the state meet in the 100-yard backstroke each of her previous two years on varsity.
“It’s something we had never done before as a team since I’ve been here,” Haden said. “Last week, I was finishing up during practice and it almost felt like I couldn’t finish because I was so physically tired. My muscles were so sore. I wasn’t used to that.
“But coach [Kevin] Auger told us it’s something he’s done in the past, before I got here, with some of his previous teams he felt were extremely talented, or the ones that had a good chance at making some noise during the state meet at the end of November.”
Auger has been the coach at Evanston since 1997.
“Coach Auger has told us that while weight training may make us more fatigued now, in the long run, it’s going to pay off,” said senior Iana Wolff. “We’re like five or six weeks into our weight training, and I’m starting to feel more energized near the ends of races. It’s definitely helping, and I think it will make a huge difference during sectionals, and hopefully state.”
The Wildkits have been doing leg presses, pullups and situps and using rowing machines 2-3 days a week, in addition to their regular swim meets and practices.
Auger also tells his swimmers not to worry too much about their overall times at this point of the season, as it can become a distraction.
“A lot of times, kids get down on themselves if they don’t finish with the times they expected to,” Auger said. “But I tend to look more at relative times, rather than comparing them to our best-ever times in the pool. By that I mean, I like comparing what the girls’ times are in different events or meets this year compared to what they were in those same meets a year ago. Especially with us being in the middle of the most strenuous part of our training now.
“It’s important to look at the bigger picture. Comparing relative times shows me the most accurate depiction of what kind of overall progress we’re making. We’ve made some big strides in some of those numbers, and hopefully that translates into us qualifying a bunch of our swimmers for state, and ideally, for the final day at the state meet.”
Courtesy of: Chicago Tribune