FIRE Nominations - March

Click HERE to nominate a teammate who is an example of INTENSITY

At ATOM, the core value of intensity is all about how you relate to the work you put in. As a coaching staff we want our swimmers to place a high value on hard work and intensity in themselves and in their teammates.  This is not about how fast you swim, but the intention you put forth in practice and in meets, day in and day out.  

Swimming is a hard sport, and while we might be a little biased, I dare say we would all agree it is one of the hardest sports out there.  Without a doubt, you get out of it what you put into it.  You cannot hide in the water (even though you may try to during those foggy 7am practices at Fairmeadows).  The stopwatch does not lie.  

At ATOM we define intensity as hard work, attention to detail, and pushing beyond our limits.  Champions not only work hard, but they work smart.  They are purposeful and intentional with where they focus their energy.  As the saying goes — where your mind goes, your energy flows. 

While our athletes learn these skills in the pool, they extend far beyond the water. We are intent on being the best versions of ourselves day in and day out.  We are focused on being better tomorrow than we were today.  This is not about striving for perfection, but it is about intentionality and accountability.  

This work is not done alone; our ATOM family helps us every step of the way. We are determined to bring our teammates along with us when their intensity is wavering — intensity is meant to be shared.  Share it with your teammates, share it with your friends, share it with your family — work each day to the best of your ability, with purpose, integrity, and intensity.  And on those days when your intensity has escaped you, you can be certain that one of your teammates will be there pushing you to be better.  You can be sure, ATOM Nation, that you get what you give.  The shared commitment extends beyond the pool lane -- to the coaching on deck and the parents in the stands or behind the wheel of the “swim taxi.”

Intensity is what gets you through those grueling workouts; intensity is what causes you to force your hands over the top into the finish to out-touch the competition; intensity allows you to push not only your own limits but your teammates’ limits as well. 

Intensity has nothing to do with how fast you swim and it has everything to do with your mindset.  Are you willing to zero in on the details that will make you a champion and work to be better each day?  Are you willing to focus on those details when you are tired, sore, frustrated, stuck, defeated?  Will you do the extra thing that others won’t — foam roll after practice, do your full warm up and warm down routine before and after races, complete your PT, stay rested and hydrated?  

This is the level of commitment and seriousness that separates champions from everyone else. At ATOM our primary goal is to “create an environment where champions are inevitable.”  That inevitability comes from intensity - stay purposeful, stay focused, and fuel your intensity