Just before the Big Ten Championships — in an attempt to shave a little bit off their times — members of the Northwestern men’s team will take a razor to their bodies.
Shaving might be the most well-known of swimming rituals, but the process is only part of a swimmer’s end-of-year routine.
Like all swimming programs, the NU squad has changed its practice schedule to focus on the championships. Instead of placing an emphasis on the number of laps, the coaches stress the importance of proper technique and speed. The Cats might swim less, but their form should be top-notch.
“Everything you do has a specific focus,” NU senior captain Mike Shue said. “It’s not as much training as it is fine tuning.”
Until recently, the Cats have trained especially hard — and it may have hurt their dual-meet record. Had they started to reduce their practice schedule earlier, they may have eked out another victory.
But at the Big Ten Championships, those records don’t matter.
“That’s kind of what makes the sport unique,” Shue said. “Everything is done with the end result in mind.”
Healthy habits: While the NU women’s team has had its share of injuries this season, the men’s squad has remained healthy.
Men’s coach Bob Groseth said his squad’s health is tied to its familiarity with the team’s training techniques. Usually swimmers hurt themselves because they’re not used to college training, he said.
“The adjustment can sometimes cause some injuries,” Groseth said.
Groseth said he thinks his squad’s upperclassman leadership has helped the team avoid nagging pains. Most of the Cats have participated in Groseth’s training program before, and those who hadn’t were well informed by their older teammates.
“We’re a more veteran team,” Groseth said. “We’ve had the same kind of routine for the last three years.”
NU’s only major injury is sophomore backstroker Nick Eggen’s hurt back. While Groseth expects Eggen to sit out this weekend’s meet against Michigan, the coach said he should return to the pool Feb. 7 against Iowa.
Global giants: After coming off their best performance at the NCAA Championships, it’s possible that next year’s recruiting class will be NU’s finest ever.
“If you look at their times and their rankings on paper, you could certainly make that argument,” Groseth said.
The coach is most excited for the arrival of freestyle- and backstroke-specialist Matt Grevers, a resident of nearby Lake Forest. Grevers recently returned from the World Junior Championships in Australia where he won four gold and one silver medal as a member of the U.S. 17-and-under team.
“He’s going to elevate our program,” Groseth said.
Grevers said he is excited to attend NU, both for the swimming program and the academics.
“I felt really confident with the choice to go there,” he said. “Northwestern was just the best fit.”
Grevers will be joined by breaststrokers Mike Alexandrov, from Champaign, and Kevin Donohue of Wakefield, R.I. Alexandrov, a native of Bulgaria, still swims on the Bulgarian national team.
While he’s focusing on this season, Groseth knows next year’s squad might be even stronger.
“Even one of those guys would have been a coup,” he said.
