Swimming Beyond the College Years
from Swimming World Magazine
 Thirty years ago, the end of a swimmer's collegiate career almost always coincided with the end of the swimmer's career in the pool. Although many of these swimmers would have liked to continue their training as professional athletes, the means for a swimmer to support themselves after college as a swimmer were nearly non-existent. A change that has benefited the progression of swimming today has been the continued support for athletes after their college days are over. It is no longer just Michael Phelps who is able to support himself as a swimmer: the opportunity is now available for many of the elite swimmers to continue in the sport. More
Staph Infections: Must-Read for High School Athletes
from Palm Beach Post
There has been a lot of attention on staph infections lately, due primarily to situations with Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow and (allegedly) Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. If they can get it, you can get it. Hopefully that scares the daylights out of you, because it should. More
Pool Now is Cool for High Schoolers
from San Antonio Express-News
Night after night in August, Brackenridge High School junior Manuel Duran would stay up into the wee hours watching delayed showings of Michael Phelps' jaw-dropping Olympic swims. A former runner, boxer and basketball and football player — but never a swimmer — Duran had enjoyed watching Olympic swimming in years past, but never like this. So captivated by Phelps' record eight gold medals in Beijing, Duran was spurred to do what he never thought possible: He signed up for swimming. He wasn't alone. The “Phelps Phenomenon” has caught the nation's attention. And that includes some of the unlikeliest of places — such as the inner city, where San Antonio Independent School District is seeing an unparalleled spike in participation of more than 60 percent among its high schools. More
Stretching Before Exercise Can Be Bad for You
from Telegraph
Researchers say stretching, considered an important part of any athlete's warm-up routine, can actually weaken muscles. The habit of holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, known as static stretching, has been considered benefitial for priming muscles. However, scientists from the University of Nevada Las Vegas say this should no longer be encouraged. Their findings highlight that the two common pre-running stretches - for the hamstrings and quadriceps - may actually reduce performance by weakening muscles in the leg. More
Focusing on Swimming Helped Her Handle Disability
from Indianapolis Star
I was born with aniridia, a rare eye condition, in which you don't have an iris. My eyes could not reduce glare from any source of light. My vision was about 20/1100, meaning that what most can see at 1,100 feet, I could see at 20 feet. I also had cataracts, which distorted my vision. I started swimming when I was 10 years old and was on a club team and competed in high school. Swimming was a sport that I could be successful at. Instead of looking for the wall, I counted my strokes from one side of the pool to the other.
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Nutrition for Child Athletes
from WSOC Charlotte
A recent survey by the National Council of Youth Sports reports more than 44 million children in the U.S. participate in some type of organized sport. Seventy-five percent of young athletes participate in sports activities year round. Child athletes need fuel for their bodies. This article contains a breakdown of some of the important nutritional needs. More
Six Ways to Avoid Infections at the Gym
from U.S. News & World Report
High school, college, and pro athletes in sports including wrestling and baseball have come down with staph infections in recent years, in some cases MRSA, the potentially deadly strain that is immune to antibiotics. It's not always clear where these and other infections originate, but athletes are at risk because they tend to get nicks and cuts, to have skin-to-skin contact with teammates and opponents, and to share equipment and towels. That doesn't give you another excuse to hit the snooze button rather than working out, however. Doctors say the benefits of exercise far outweigh the small chance of acquiring staph or another infection at the gym or in the course of your fitness routine. And, they say, you can take some common-sense steps to protect yourself. More
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