Back from the first meet of the season in Whitehorse, Mackenzie Muskrat swimmers are preparing hard for territorials in February.

SA国际影视传媒淚t went well,SA国际影视传媒� said coach Vince Brown about the Whitehorse meet, which was structured around best times only and had no awards for placing.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was more of a preparatory meet. Now weSA国际影视传媒檙e in the middle of doing a lot of basic training and getting a lot of the distance and miles in.SA国际影视传媒�

Swimmers were working on their butterfly stroke at practice Sunday, Nov. 12.

Marshall Brown said he shaved about 30 seconds off his times at the Whitehorse meet. He also represented Inuvik at the North American Indigenous Games last summer.

SA国际影视传媒淟ots of our swimmers got a bunch of best times,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淐ouple of us came in first in our races.SA国际影视传媒�

HeSA国际影视传媒檚 trying to focus on his breast stroke now, which he thinks is his weakest.

An upcoming home mock meet in December will help prepare swimmers for the atmosphere of the more serious events.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think the hardest skill is mental, getting them to have confidence in how theySA国际影视传媒檝e prepared, overcoming nervousness and focusing on the smaller points of a race,SA国际影视传媒� said coach Brown.

Much of the training early in the season is based on improving times and endurance.

SA国际影视传媒淐onditioning is heavier at the beginning of the season through to the mid-season,SA国际影视传媒� said Brown.

SA国际影视传媒淭echnique is heavy (in mid-season onward) and then we slowly slide to preparation for meets and speed and the techniques involved in starts and turns.SA国际影视传媒�

Towards the end of the season, swimmers fine-tune their skills for the last meets.

Brown said training for the more experienced swimmers and younger ones is similar, both focusing on beating benchmarks and improving times.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 based on personal best (times) and improving their technique, their speed and their times,SA国际影视传媒� said Brown.

Following territorials in February, the Muskrats will compete in three more meets: one invitational at home, another in Whitehorse and the last one in Yellowknife in May.