2008 Woodie Awards
Swim team gears up for crucial Husker Invitational
TC Fleming
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: SPORTS
Beginning Thursday, NT's swimming and diving team will compete in its second-most crucial event of the year, the Husker Invitational.
"I feel pretty good. I'm real excited to see us swim," head coach Joe Dykstra said. "We've backed off our training load for the past few days. We haven't done weights the last couple days. We've backed down our volumes in the pool, so we're going to go out there and let them shave down and see how fast we can go."
The event is hosted by the University of Nebraska and takes place in Lincoln over four days. In addition to Nebraska, NT will be taking on Colorado State University, Iowa State University, Rice University, Northern Iowa University, Northern Colorado University, South Dakota State University and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
The four-day setup is different from any of the previous meets, but it is similar to what the format will be for the Sun Belt Conference Championships.
"I'm really looking forward to do a practice style, like conference," freshman Madison Fleming said. "It gives us an opportunity to really focus on one race at a time and get a feel for what it's going to be like at conference."
Of the nine participating teams, Dykstra said NT has been picked to finish in fifth place.
"Our goal is to definitely be in the top four," he said. "That means we're picking off a team that would be favored over us on paper."
This race holds such special importance, Dykstra said, because it is one of the times when the swimmers are put in the best position to put in their fastest times and see what they can do before the conference meet.
"This is all day for four days," he said. "This is the only other time in the year where I let the swimmers shave, and we significantly back off our training. Other than onference, this is their real opportunity to see how fast they can go."
It is a practice among swim teams not to shave body hair during the season, waiting until the important meets to do so, Dykstra said.
Shaving gives swimmers an advantage in the water, and Dykstra said the players also receive a mental boost from feeling swifter and knowing they're in position to swim at their fastest.
"I feel pretty good. I'm real excited to see us swim," head coach Joe Dykstra said. "We've backed off our training load for the past few days. We haven't done weights the last couple days. We've backed down our volumes in the pool, so we're going to go out there and let them shave down and see how fast we can go."
The event is hosted by the University of Nebraska and takes place in Lincoln over four days. In addition to Nebraska, NT will be taking on Colorado State University, Iowa State University, Rice University, Northern Iowa University, Northern Colorado University, South Dakota State University and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
The four-day setup is different from any of the previous meets, but it is similar to what the format will be for the Sun Belt Conference Championships.
"I'm really looking forward to do a practice style, like conference," freshman Madison Fleming said. "It gives us an opportunity to really focus on one race at a time and get a feel for what it's going to be like at conference."
Of the nine participating teams, Dykstra said NT has been picked to finish in fifth place.
"Our goal is to definitely be in the top four," he said. "That means we're picking off a team that would be favored over us on paper."
This race holds such special importance, Dykstra said, because it is one of the times when the swimmers are put in the best position to put in their fastest times and see what they can do before the conference meet.
"This is all day for four days," he said. "This is the only other time in the year where I let the swimmers shave, and we significantly back off our training. Other than onference, this is their real opportunity to see how fast they can go."
It is a practice among swim teams not to shave body hair during the season, waiting until the important meets to do so, Dykstra said.
Shaving gives swimmers an advantage in the water, and Dykstra said the players also receive a mental boost from feeling swifter and knowing they're in position to swim at their fastest.
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