The BYU diving team is in Los Angeles to compete in the Trojan Dive Invite, while the swim team is home to compete against UNLV in the Richards Building tonight.
With three meets behind them, the swimmers are finally getting back into the groove and taking advantage of the small things that will help them win their next race.
Team captains Ryan Krause and Dani Bates have years of swimming experience and shared their tips and strategies to help the teams prepare for UNLV.
“All of our guys will be swimming with 100 percent effort,” Bates said. “We’ve done some things in training we haven’t done in the past to prepare for UNLV.”
When swimmers step up to the block, there is an automatic feeling and sense of competition as they line up and stand next to someone about to race. Each athlete has a different way to prepare for that important but short race.
The captains said it’s crucial to find a happy medium of not getting too energetic or too relaxed. It will result in either false starting or not racing to your highest potential, so they stretch just enough to get their legs going.
“I try to get into the zone before a meet and listen to positive and clean [music by] Eminem or Lil’ Wayne,” Krause said. “Sometimes I’ll sit behind the blocks, watch a few races go by, visualize the race, practice breathing and think about past races I won to get me going.”
Both team captains said waiting and standing behind the starting blocks is a unique feeling. It takes mental meditation, visualization and an adrenaline rush.
All of the swimmers are familiar with the starting blocks and atmosphere, as they use home court to their advantage.
“Our pool is something we have an advantage of because our blocks are old,” Krause said. “The altitude will help too because visitors have a hard time adjusting to that, especially in a day.”
Whether it’s practicing, competing, winning or losing, Krause and Bates take on the responsibility of leading their team.
“I feel like an older brother, not just a teammate, to the other guys,” Krause said. “It changes the way I look at things, judge others and live my life.”
Bates and Krause hope to push their team to great results against UNLV and hope fans watch this race and will want to come to more.
