Green Wave Swimming Training Hard for First Meet
Sep 7, 2003 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Sept. 7, 2003
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Tulane University swim team will officially open its first season of competition in over 12 years in mid-October when it travels to Houston for the Rice Invitational. However, until that time, head coach Daniella Irle has the 15-person Green Wave team working tirelessly in practice in preparation for the team's debut.
Green Wave Preseason Photo Gallery
"Because of their youth they are a bit timid with some of the new stuff, like weight-lifting, but they are adjusting quickly," Irle said. "I am focusing more on technique with this young team (more than conditioning) because I do not want to assume they have been instructed in the past. They are learning so quickly that I don't feel the need to rush them."
The team, which began practice on August 31, has two practice sessions nearly every day of the week. The morning sessions involve mostly weight-training and running, while the afternoon session is primarily swimming technique work. Irle will adjust the practice focus as the preseason progresses.
"For the most part, they all had good summers of training," Irle said. "It is critical to our success not to have to 'train' them into shape. We are just putting the finishing touches on conditioning and then we can get right to work on technique."
Tulane sponsored women's swimming and diving from 1977 to 1990, although the program was not fully-funded. The Green Wave will compete with a full Division I schedule as an immediate member of Conference USA. Irle plans to phase the diving component into the program in future seasons.
An average collegiate swimming and diving team has about 25 members. Irle's first team has 15 swimmers (14 freshmen and one junior). The Green Wave's first recruiting class in nearly 13 years includes 15 swimmers from 11 different states and the island nation of Trinidad & Tobago.
"Some of our swimmers have a lot of raw talent and need a lot of technical coaching but we expected that," Irle said. "They are doing a great job of absorbing all of the technical stuff we can give them right now."
While the team continues with its demanding training schedule, it also must adjust to the challenging academics of Tulane, while also learning to live away from home for the first time.
Following the opening meet at Rice, the Green Wave will have two more road meets before making their home debut at the Reilly Center at the heart of Tulane's campus. That first home meet will be on Sunday, November 23 against UL-Monroe and nationally-ranked Nevada.
