The Gilroy Gators Swim Team ( GGST ) is a great opportunity for grade school and high school children who want to swim competitively for their athletic and educational advancement . The Gators ’ team philosophy is to emphasize and reward continuous selfimprovement . From the standpoint of the swim team ’ s coaches , it ’ s all about the hard work and dedication of every swimmer on the team . Last winter , the Gators hired Gilroy newcomer Wayne Norris as their new head coach . Norris intends to support the GGST mission and create even more opportunities for the most serious swimmers in the program . With over forty years of coaching experience , including thirty at the collegiate level , Norris knows what it takes and what colleges are looking for , and he wants to do all that he can to help swimmers earn the scholarship of their choice .
Norris is currently restructuring the Gators team and rewriting the requirements for each group of swimmers . There will be eight groups , with the more advanced swimmers working out twice a day during the summer . Despite this focused schedule for the most dedicated swimmers , Norris described the Gators team as a “ novice type program ,” and indicated that some programs require twice a day workouts all year long .
But as reflected in their mission statement , the Gators club is not exclusively for those swimmers competing for college scholarships . “ The younger kids and less serious older swimmers will have more free time ,” Norris explained . Throughout all levels of the program , he said , “ We have a high percentage of swimmers who improve , and great parent support .”
Norris said he understands that younger kids are still trying to sample different sports and decide what they like . “ But by thirteen or fourteen they ’ ll want to decide whether to swim for the enjoyment of it , or if it ’ s going to be a stepping stone into college .”
The team currently includes swimmers as young as four and up to seventeen years old , but with his collegiate experience Norris would be happy to coach swimmers in their twenties .
Practices are held at Gilroy High School ’ s two , 25-yard pools — one competition depth and the other a training pool that ’ s three and-a-half feet deep . The club operates a year-round program , with a one-week break after short course season ( late April to early May ), and a two-week break after the long course summer season .
During the short course season , there ’ s one workout a day , five days a week in the late afternoon to evening — depending on age . Norris said swimmers are expected to attend seventy to eighty percent of their practices , but he ’ s more lenient with younger kids . “ I want everyone to stay on the team ,” Norris said .
Before Norris retired from college coaching , he always told everyone he wanted to return to age group coaching . People would say , “ After all your experience , why would you want to do that ?”
Norris explained , “ I actually enjoy watching kids improve no matter what age , as long as they are happy and they enjoy the sport . I enjoy working with the seven- to eight-year-olds as much as my older swimmers . The kids surprise me sometimes at a swim meet by swimming a lot better than at practice , and I think ‘ Where did that come from ?’ It ’ s a lot of fun . And there ’ s still room to help the more advanced swimmers .”
Norris said he feels the program is headed in right direction . “ We have better turnout with kids all the time .” He added that the Gators ’ April swim clinic was well-received . “ We ’ ll bring in kids and help them learn all the strokes , and hopefully they ’ ll want to join the team .”
Visit their website at teamunify . com to learn more .
Aquatics Center in Morgan Hill
The City of Morgan Hill has an outdoor Aquatics Center on Condit Road and an indoor pool at the Centennial Recreation Center ( CRC ) on Edmundson Avenue . Lisa Rick has served as Aquatics Center Coordinator since October 2012 . She manages programming ( including the Splash Aquatics program ), and staff , as well as swim lessons and pool maintenance at both locations . Anna Bielecki , the CRC ’ s Aqua Coordinator , manages the lifeguard staff and yearround aqua fitness classes for adults at both facilities .
According to Rick , Morgan Hill Splash Aquatics hires only certified coaches , who teach students to compete in swimming , diving , and water polo sports . Children can participate on the swim team beginning at four to five years of age , depending on ability , and up to 18 years old . She said interested swimmers need to be able to swim a lap ( 25 yards ) of freestyle and a lap of backstroke , but they don ’ t have to be perfect — that ’ s what the coaching is for . The team practices five times a week .
“ Our goals and purpose ,” Rick said , “ is to provide healthy attitudes toward competition and promote the sport
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MAY / JUNE 2017 gmhtoday . com
Gilroy Gators
The Gilroy Gators Swim Team
(GGST) is a great opportunity for grade
school and high school children who
want to swim competitively for their
athletic and educational advancement.
The Gators’ team philosophy is to
emphasize and reward continuous self-
improvement. From the standpoint of
the swim team’s coaches, it’s all about
the hard work and dedication of every
swimmer on the team.
Last winter, the Gators hired Gilroy
newcomer Wayne Norris as their
new head coach. Norris intends to
support the GGST mission and create
even more opportunities for the most
serious swimmers in the program. With
over forty years of coaching experience,
including thirty at the collegiate level,
Norris knows what it takes and what
colleges are looking for, and he wants
to do all that he can to help swimmers
earn the scholarship of their choice.
Norris is currently restructuring the
Gators team and rewriting the require-
ments for each group of swimmers.
There will be eight groups, with the
more advanced swimmers working
out twice a day during the summer.
Despite this focused schedule for the
most dedicated swimmers, Norris
described the Gators team as a “novice
type program,” and indicated that some
programs require twice a day workouts
all year long.
But as reflected in their mission
statement, the Gators club is not
exclusively for those swimmers
competing for college scholarships.
“The younger kids and less serious
older swimmers will have more free
time,” Norris explained. Throughout all
levels of the program, he said, “We have
a high percentage of swimmers who
improve, and great parent support.”
Norris said he understands that
younger kids are still trying to sample
different sports and decide what they
like. “But by thirteen or fourteen they’ll
want to decide whether to swim for the
enjoyment of it, or if it’s going to be a
stepping stone into college.”
The team currently includes
swimmers as young as four and up to
seventeen years old, but with his colle-
giate experience Norris would be happy
to coach swimmers in their twenties.
Practices are held at Gilroy High
School’s two, 25-yard pools—one
competition depth and the other a
training pool that’s three and-a-half feet
deep. The club operates a year-round
program, with a one-week break after
short course season (late April to early
May), and a two-week break after the
long course summer season.
During the short course season,
there’s one workout a day, five days a
week in the late afternoon to evening—
depending on age. Norris said swimmers
are expected to attend seventy to eighty
percent of their practices, but he’s more
lenient with younger kids. “I want every-
one to stay on the team,” Norris said.
Before Norris retired from college
coaching, he always told everyone
he wanted to return to age group
coaching. People would say, “After all
your experience, why would you want
to do that?”
Norris explained, “I actually enjoy
watching kids improve no matter what
age, as long as they are happy and they
enjoy the sport. I enjoy working with
the seven- to eight-year-olds as much as
my older swimmers. The kids surprise
me sometimes at a swim meet by
swimming a lot better than at practice,
and I think ‘Where did that come from?’
It’s a lot of fun. And there’s still room to
help the more advanced swimmers.”
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
MAY/JUNE 2017
Norris said he feels the program is
headed in right direction. “We have
better turnout with kids all the time.” He
added that the Gators’ April swim clinic
was well-received. “We’ll bring in kids
and help them learn all the strokes, and
hopefully they’ll want to join the team.”
Visit their website at teamunify.com
to learn more.
Aquatics Center
in Morgan Hill
The City of Morgan Hill has an outdoor
Aquatics Center on Condit Road and an
indoor pool at the Centennial Recreation
Center (CRC) on Edmundson Avenue.
Lisa Rick has served as Aquatics Center
Coordinator since October 2012. She
manages programming (including
the Splash Aquatics program), and
staff, as well as swim lessons and pool
maintenance at both locations. Anna
Bielecki, the CRC’s Aqua Coordinator,
manages the lifeguard staff and year-
round aqua fitness classes for adults at
both facilities.
According to Rick, Morgan Hill
Splash Aquatics hires only certified
coaches, who teach students to compete
in swimming, diving, and water polo
sports. Children can participate on the
swim team beginning at four to five
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