practice today, Jerry,” said the coach. “We can work on turns. And later this week,
we'll improve your dive. Those are two of the areas where most beginners lose time and points.”
“I'll be there,” said Jerry.
And he was. When the coach signaled that officialpractice was over for the day, he called out to Lars Morrison.
“Lars, come on over here,” he said. “I want you to help demonstrate a flip turn for Jerry.”
Lars nodded and got into the shallow end of the pool several feet in front of Jerry and the coach. At the coach's signal,
Lars swam toward them. Then, just as his hand touched the wall, he somersaulted and was swimming in the opposite direction.
Jerry remembered the first time he'd seen that move — and he was just as confused now as he'd been then.
For the next half hour, under the coach's guidance and Lars's example, Jerry learned how to do a complete flip turn from the
crawl.
“You see, you're really doing a straight, forward somersault over onto your back, and then you twist,” said the coach. “As
your fingers brush the wall —which they must do, or you'll be disqualified — you begin to roll forward. And then, it's a ninety-degree
twist that puts you on your side just as your feet touch the wall.”
“And the minute my feet touch the wall,” added Lars, “I twist the rest of the way so I'm up on thesurface and already starting my stroke in the other direction.”
“Wow! That's pretty complicated,” said Jerry.
“Trial and error,” said the coach. “Lars, you go ahead and do it first.”
Lars swam out a few yards and then approached the edge of the pool doing a crawl.
Jerry watched him intently. He tried to put together in his mind what the coach had said and what Lars was doing.
Then it was his turn.
It seemed to him that he did just what he was told, but he ended up upside down, with a nose full of water. He gasped, snorted,
and floundered as he regained his balance.
Lars smiled, but he wasn't mean. In fact, he said, “You almost got it. You just forgot the second twist.”
When he recovered his breath, Coach Fulton gave him a minute to calm down. Then he asked him to try it again.
This time, even though it took a while and felt awkward, Jerry got it right.
“There you go,” said the coach. “You're on the right track. Tony!” He called over to the long-leggedswimmer sitting on the far edge of the pool talking to Tanya. “Come on over here.”
When Tony arrived at the shallow end, Coach Fulton described the way he wanted Jerry to practice his turns.
“You two guys start out with Jerry about ten feet away. Swim toward the edge, and then all three of you do your turns at the
same time. I want you to develop a rhythm to it that's solid and dependable, Jerry. And when you have it down, you can practice
on your own. Tanya, you're not doing anything right now,” he called to her. “Come on over and keep an eye on their turns.
I'll be back in fifteen minutes.”
The next quarter hour went like a breeze. Jerry could hardly believe how natural the turn had become after he got it right.
How could he even have thought of racing until he knew stuff like this?
During the next week, Jerry managed to work in some extra coaching from Mr. Fulton, Tony, or Tanya — and even from some of
the other members of the team once in a while.
After he perfected his flip turn, he learned how to dive properly.
“A long, shallow dive can cut seconds from yourtime,” Tanya explained. “The farther out you go, the less distance you have to swim. And if you don't have to come up from
below, you can start swimming sooner. The same is true for the backstroke takeoff. Push yourself as far as possible from the
wall.”
And with each session, he got more and more comfortable. By the end of the week, he couldn't resist showing Tanya how well
he had mastered one of his big problems.
“Just watch this takeoff!” he shouted. Then he demonstrated how well he
we'll improve your dive. Those are two of the areas where most beginners lose time and points.”
“I'll be there,” said Jerry.
And he was. When the coach signaled that officialpractice was over for the day, he called out to Lars Morrison.
“Lars, come on over here,” he said. “I want you to help demonstrate a flip turn for Jerry.”
Lars nodded and got into the shallow end of the pool several feet in front of Jerry and the coach. At the coach's signal,
Lars swam toward them. Then, just as his hand touched the wall, he somersaulted and was swimming in the opposite direction.
Jerry remembered the first time he'd seen that move — and he was just as confused now as he'd been then.
For the next half hour, under the coach's guidance and Lars's example, Jerry learned how to do a complete flip turn from the
crawl.
“You see, you're really doing a straight, forward somersault over onto your back, and then you twist,” said the coach. “As
your fingers brush the wall —which they must do, or you'll be disqualified — you begin to roll forward. And then, it's a ninety-degree
twist that puts you on your side just as your feet touch the wall.”
“And the minute my feet touch the wall,” added Lars, “I twist the rest of the way so I'm up on thesurface and already starting my stroke in the other direction.”
“Wow! That's pretty complicated,” said Jerry.
“Trial and error,” said the coach. “Lars, you go ahead and do it first.”
Lars swam out a few yards and then approached the edge of the pool doing a crawl.
Jerry watched him intently. He tried to put together in his mind what the coach had said and what Lars was doing.
Then it was his turn.
It seemed to him that he did just what he was told, but he ended up upside down, with a nose full of water. He gasped, snorted,
and floundered as he regained his balance.
Lars smiled, but he wasn't mean. In fact, he said, “You almost got it. You just forgot the second twist.”
When he recovered his breath, Coach Fulton gave him a minute to calm down. Then he asked him to try it again.
This time, even though it took a while and felt awkward, Jerry got it right.
“There you go,” said the coach. “You're on the right track. Tony!” He called over to the long-leggedswimmer sitting on the far edge of the pool talking to Tanya. “Come on over here.”
When Tony arrived at the shallow end, Coach Fulton described the way he wanted Jerry to practice his turns.
“You two guys start out with Jerry about ten feet away. Swim toward the edge, and then all three of you do your turns at the
same time. I want you to develop a rhythm to it that's solid and dependable, Jerry. And when you have it down, you can practice
on your own. Tanya, you're not doing anything right now,” he called to her. “Come on over and keep an eye on their turns.
I'll be back in fifteen minutes.”
The next quarter hour went like a breeze. Jerry could hardly believe how natural the turn had become after he got it right.
How could he even have thought of racing until he knew stuff like this?
During the next week, Jerry managed to work in some extra coaching from Mr. Fulton, Tony, or Tanya — and even from some of
the other members of the team once in a while.
After he perfected his flip turn, he learned how to dive properly.
“A long, shallow dive can cut seconds from yourtime,” Tanya explained. “The farther out you go, the less distance you have to swim. And if you don't have to come up from
below, you can start swimming sooner. The same is true for the backstroke takeoff. Push yourself as far as possible from the
wall.”
And with each session, he got more and more comfortable. By the end of the week, he couldn't resist showing Tanya how well
he had mastered one of his big problems.
“Just watch this takeoff!” he shouted. Then he demonstrated how well he
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