Monday, October 31, 2011

Athletic Code Meeting Nov. 3rd

The Winter Sports Athletic Code meeting will be in the BMHS Cafeteria November 3rd at 6pm.
If you did not do a Fall Sport you and your parents need to be at this meeting.

Go TIDE!!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Lady Tide at Big 8 Meet

The Lady Tide, set themselves up for a Great sectional meet in Kenosha next week.


The Tide had a lot of very good swims today.


The 200 Free Relay of Margo Grover, Taylor Ingolia-Brown, Kallie Oldenburg, Madeline Franklin, swam the 5th fastest time in school history 1:48.98.


The 400 Free Relay of Franklin, Ingolia-Brown, Morgan Makinen, Grover swam the 7th fastest time in school history with a 4:01.33.


Remember Team REST, REST, REST,REST!!! Can't stress it enough.


Go TIDE!!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The Seven Rules of Steve Jobs


Steve Jobs' impact on your life cannot be overestimated. His innovations have likely touched nearly every aspect -- computers, movies, music and mobile. As a communications coach, I learned from Jobs that a presentation can, indeed, inspire. For entrepreneurs, Jobs' greatest legacy is the set of principles that drove his success.
Over the years, I've become a student of sorts of Jobs' career and life. Here's my take on the rules and values underpinning his success. Any of us can adopt them to unleash our "inner Steve Jobs."
1. Do what you love. Jobs once said, "People with passion can change the world for the better." Asked about the advice he would offer would-be entrepreneurs, he said, "I'd get a job as a busboy or something until I figured out what I was really passionate about." That's how much it meant to him. Passion is everything.
2. Put a dent in the universe. Jobs believed in the power of vision. He once asked then-Pepsi President, John Sculley, "Do you want to spend your life selling sugar water or do you want to change the world?" Don't lose sight of the big vision.
3. Make connections. Jobs once said creativity is connecting things. He meant that people with a broad set of life experiences can often see things that others miss. He took calligraphy classes that didn't have any practical use in his life -- until he built the Macintosh. Jobs traveled to India and Asia. He studied design and hospitality. Don't live in a bubble. Connect ideas from different fields.
4. Say no to 1,000 things. Jobs was as proud of what Apple chose not to do as he was of what Apple did. When he returned in Apple in 1997, he took a company with 350 products and reduced them to 10 products in a two-year period. Why? So he could put the "A-Team" on each product. What are you saying "no" to?   
5. Create insanely different experiences. Jobs also sought innovation in the customer-service experience. When he first came up with the concept for the Apple Stores, he said they would be different because instead of just moving boxes, the stores would enrich lives. Everything about the experience you have when you walk into an Apple store is intended to enrich your life and to create an emotional connection between you and the Apple brand. What are you doing to enrich the lives of your customers?
6. Master the message. You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you can't communicate your ideas, it doesn't matter. Jobs was the world's greatest corporate storyteller. Instead of simply delivering a presentation like most people do, he informed, he educated, he inspired and he entertained, all in one presentation.
7. Sell dreams, not products. Jobs captured our imagination because he really understood his customer. He knew that tablets would not capture our imaginations if they were too complicated. The result? One button on the front of an iPad. It's so simple, a 2-year-old can use it. Your customers don't care about your product. They care about themselves, their hopes, their ambitions. Jobs taught us that if you help your customers reach their dreams, you'll win them over.
There's one story that I think sums up Jobs' career at Apple. An executive who had the job of reinventing the Disney Store once called up Jobs and asked for advice. His counsel? Dream bigger. I think that's the best advice he could leave us with. See genius in your craziness, believe in yourself, believe in your vision, and be constantly prepared to defend those ideas.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Tide Swimmers at BAT Pentathlon

Purple Tide Age-Group Swimmers, swimming for the Beloit Aquatic Team swam in the BAT Pentathlon at Beloit College this past Saturday.


Overall 1st Places: Ben Saladar won the eight under boys and Christian Daniels (16) won the 15-18 boys.
2nd places: Sydney Prowse(8),  Meghan Drucker (9), Ben Levy (9), CeCe Cardenas (13) Ben Levy(10).


Individual 1st Places: Jackson Prowse (12) 50 Fly, 100 IM,  50 Breast, and 50 Free.
Ben Saladar 25 Fly, Back, 100 IM, 25 Free.
Christian Daniels 100 Back, 100 Breast.
Noa Levy (8) 25 Back
Sydney Prowse 25 Breast


Other Tide Swimmers in the meet; Katie Kraemer(8), Katie Landon(9), Krissy Landon(7), Brian Bieri(10), Matt Locke(9), Ashley Hassenfelt(11), Ellie Kraemer(11), Caroline Locke(13), Courtney Orr(13), Jose Cardenas(15), Spencer Burns(15) 


Go TIDE!! 


Saturday, October 22, 2011

Note Facility Meeting Change!!


District Facility Planning Meetings


I wanted to let you that a series of forums are being planned for staff and the community to hear more about the progress being made in identifying major facility needs, and research being done in coming up with solutions to our challenge of preparing our district for space/educational needs in the future, as well as offer feedback on the proposed solutions.  Forums will take place:
 
Tuesday, November 1, 2011           6:00 p.m.          Morgan Elementary School   (Vogel  will be at)               Note Change!!!!!
                                                                                    1811 Lee Lane

Tuesday, November 1, 2011       1:30 p.m.          Kolak Education Center Boardroom
                                                                                    1633 Keeler Avenue

Monday, November 7, 2011       9:00 a.m.          Wright School 
(Wright School session will be translated into Spanish)         1033 Woodward Avenue

Wednesday, November 9, 2011    10:30 a.m.        Beloit Public Library Meeting Room
                                                                                    605 Eclipse Boulevard

Wednesday, November 9, 2011    5:00 p.m.          Beloit Memorial High School
                                                                   LITTLE THEATER (Middle St. Entrance) (Vogel)
                                                                                    1225 Fourth Street

Thursday, November 10, 2011       7:00 p.m.          Cunningham Elementary School 
                                                                                    910 Townline Avenue
 
Over the next week or so, a webpage will be developed and linked to the front part of our district website which will include a FAQs sheet, and survey link.


We need swim parents to show up to these meetings. They know I want a new pool. We must show community support!!!!

Go TIDE!!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

From Go Swim. Food for Thought


Over the past couple weeks, there have been a couple significant souls lost that made incredible impact on the earth.
Obviously, we all know about Steve Jobs, and those who visit here read about Al Weatherhead.  Read the third paragraph of the linked article to get some scope of understand of Al.  I'm not writing this to further glorify these two men, but I refer to them for us all to imagine what is possible for humans.
When we think of what our own impact can be, if we were to only compare to people like Steve and Al, it leaves us all falling so short of any sort of impact, one could get very depressed with our own lack of contributuion to society.  It's a humbling experience to sit back and imagine.
However, both men wrote and encourage people to do the best we each could, with the understanding that not everyone has the ability to reach those heights.
When we think of swimming, we have to look at it very similarly.  What is our contribution to society as coaches, and what is our commitment as athletes that would be similar in any way to these great men?
From a coaches perspective, what are we doing to help our athletes be something more than just average... mediocre?  Do we inspire them to want to come to practice?  Do we demand that the come?  Do we encourage, or help them understand that in order to reach the goals they've set for themselves, it's going to be a difficult task?  While the number of people we have the opportunity to impact may not be as great as Steve and Al, the quality of that impact can be just as profound.  The personal connection that you can make with your athletes, by showing them you actually care about their success, and their lives can draw them to go to new levels of commitment and dedication.  Will you get them all, and will you care about them all equally?  No matter what you hear, coaches will have favorites, which are typically the ones that just do things they're asked to... they're not always the fastest, but they're the ones who show up and try.  The real job of impacting your community (your team), is to do your best to care as much about the ones that are slipping through the cracks as you do for the ones who are always sitting in the front row, hands in the air (the lane leaders).
From an athletes perspective, you can equate Steve and Al to "the olympians".  In fact, each of them would qualify for the International Olympic Hall of Fame... they're that great.  If we only held their standard as success, unfortunately, we'd all fail.  What could you possibly do as a swimmer to live up to that level?  If there's no hope to reach the Michael Phelps, Ryan Locte, or Jason Lezak level of performance, what's the point?  The point is simple, to accomplish something you didn't think you could.  I've witnessed so many swimmers over my many years who have overcome others minimal expectations and gone beyond what they thought was possible as an athlete.  These are traits that will stay with you forever, and learning of the direct relationship between work and reward is one of the most important lessons in life.  You don't have to have the potential to BE an Olympian to live your life LIKE an Olympian.  By practicing with the same intensity, the same frequency, and the same quality of movements and actions as an Olympian, trust me, you'll be much better than you ever thought you could be.
Average and mediocre are not words athletes throw around often, nor do great businessmen and philanthropists.  Mediocrity in business is getting in right at nine, and leaving right at five.  Mediocrity in athletics is doing the bare minimum and expecting great results.
How do you overcome mediocrity?  By discovering what is instinctual and overcoming those traits.  In business, not just finishing the task, but trying to solve problems created by the demand of that task... finding a better way (Steve Jobs).  In business, not just earning the money, but understanding that in order for other people to have the ability and opportunity to create a better society, they need a better education, so you give what you have back to creating that future (Al Weatherhead).  In athletics, discovering where you rest, relax, shut down and filling in those gaps.
Don't kick off your walls?  Mediocre.  Fill in that gap.  Don't go IN to the walls aggressively?  Mediocre.  Fill in that gap.  Practice starts at 6, you show up at 6?  Mediocre.  Get in earlier and stretch.  Pull on the lane line?  Ugh... completely mediocre.  Knock that off!  Don't streamline? Worse than mediocre... pointless.  Fill in that gap.
We could go on and on about the opportunities to fill in the gaps both in real life, and athletics.  The trick is, finding out what part of your life is average, and do your best to overcome that.  Living to that standard isn't easy, and we all fall short at times.  It's those who fall short the least that win and succeed.
All you have to do is open your eyes, look at the successful people, find out what they do, and try to do your best to model as much of that as you can.   You don't have to be a Steve and or Al, and truth be told, (not wanting to put limitations on anyone else), I know if they're my personal standard, I'm a complete and utter failure.  My one solace is that I knew Al, and I feel proud that he always knew how hard I try.
Now ask yourself if your hero's know you're trying, and would they be proud of your desire to overcome mediocrity?

Middle School Boys Have Started

Two Time Defending Dual City Champs, have already set a new record and we haven't had a meet yet.
30 boys sixth through eighth grade are swimming this year. This breaks last years record by 10 swimmers.

Remember our meets this year will be held at Beloit College.
All meets start at 4:30.


Go TIDE!! 

Monday, October 10, 2011

Family & Swimmer Meeting

It's coming fast. The season is almost here. 
There will be a Family and Swimmer meeting, Wednesday October 26th at 6:00pm.
Pool Balcony.


Schedules, calendars, equipment order forms will be handed out.
Get to meet the new swimmers and families.


Light fair will be offered.


Any Questions Call Coach Vogel.


Go TIDE!!!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Captains Practices Start Monday!!

Captains Practices start tomorrow. Check with Cody and Christian ASAP!! If you are not doing a Fall sport you need to be there. Season starts November 14th, will you be READY???
This can be a GREAT Team this year. Take advantage of your opportunities!!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

District Facility Planning Meetings


I wanted to let you that a series of forums are being planned for staff and the community to hear more about the progress being made in identifying major facility needs, and research being done in coming up with solutions to our challenge of preparing our district for space/educational needs in the future, as well as offer feedback on the proposed solutions.  Forums will take place:
 
Monday, October 24, 2011           6:00 p.m.          Morgan Elementary School   (Vogel will be at)
                                                                                    1811 Lee Lane

Tuesday, November 1, 2011       1:30 p.m.          Kolak Education Center Boardroom
                                                                                    1633 Keeler Avenue

Monday, November 7, 2011       9:00 a.m.          Wright School 
(Wright School session will be translated into Spanish)         1033 Woodward Avenue

Wednesday, November 9, 2011    10:30 a.m.        Beloit Public Library Meeting Room
                                                                                    605 Eclipse Boulevard

Wednesday, November 9, 2011    5:00 p.m.          Beloit Memorial High School
                                                                   LITTLE THEATER (Middle St. Entrance) (Vogel)
                                                                                    1225 Fourth Street

Thursday, November 10, 2011       7:00 p.m.          Cunningham Elementary School 
                                                                                    910 Townline Avenue
 
Over the next week or so, a webpage will be developed and linked to the front part of our district website which will include a FAQs sheet, and survey link.


We need swim parents to show up to these meetings. They know I want a new pool. We must show community support!!!!

Go TIDE!!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

MIDDLE TIDE BOYS

MIDDLE TIDE BOYS
STARTS MONDAY OCTOBER 17
6PM
BMHS NATATORIUM

DEFENDING THE TITLE

QUESTIONS
CALL COACH VOGEL, COACH DeKOK, COACH DETLING