Yeah, Asia.

Just a quick thought...

So I've decided that every team needs an Asian handler. This, of course, is why the Buzz Bullets from Japan are so good. Seattle Sockeye has one (Jimmy Chu), and the UPA College Champion in the Women's division has many Asians, and, while Open division champion Wisconsin did not have any Asian handlers, of their three opponents in the championship bracket, only one, Carleton, had any Asians on the roster.

Fortunately for me, no team I every play on will be lacking an Asian handler, as I *am* one :-)

Chuck Yu out.

Woohoo

So I have that feeling right now that you might get after running your little tail off for two and a half hours and getting the win to show for it. We won 17-9. Not much scoring for me...in fact, I don't think I scored a goal. I did get a layout-D followed by a sky and throw three goals, two on nice hucks, and one short continuation that the Atlantic Coast Women's Freshman of the Year was able to run down on the right side of the end zone. We didn't have that many subs, so I played most of the time, but we had very strong women and some fast guys (aside from the fast guys who weren't there). The cold beer, cherry limeade, and Sonic burger definitely hit the spot afterwards.

Chuck Yu out...literally.

Short update: 2-0

Sup, homies?

Umstead Pines at Willowhaven Country Club is now 2-0 after a close win against Croasdaile on Saturday. Great swims all around, as usual. Good to see legal strokes from some swimmers who didn't have them last week, but still some work to be done. I'm gonna work with the kids on their strokes this week and get them swimming butterfly legally within a couple of weeks. Easier said than done, I know, but they're quick learners.

Also, my Summer League Ultimate team (with whom I have played a total of once) is now 3-1 (the one loss coming when the captains were missing and appointed me as the replacement captain), and I can't wait to get back on the field.

I'm tired. Chuck Yu out.

This is an update

Gosh knows...kids can be crazy. Two out of four coaches were missing for the 10-and-under practice. Paige, the other coach present, is usually dedicated exclusively to the 6-and-under swimmers plus those who can't make it all the way down the pool (and I must say, she does an exceptional job with them, bless her heart). One of the parents graciously offered to help coach the 9-10's, and Corinne, Julie, and Alison from the older group helped out too, but the 7-8's were still pretty crazy. It's funny how they know how to do a tight streamline while standing on the pool deck, but once they hit the water, it all goes to hell. They also don't really know how to go five seconds apart during practice. They either go on top of each other, or not at all without me starting them. With three lanes of young kids, I couldn't stay too long in one lane, so I told them to go five seconds apart...slowly count to five and go. I started the first two kids and moved to the next lane to give them a set, and when I turned back around, the first two kids were almost done with the 50, and the other three were still on the wall, waiting for me to start them. Dammit.

We've got a home meet against Croasdaile this weekend. Both teams will be missing most of their year-rounders. Fortunately, we have quite a few non-year-round kids who can really move, so I'm expecting a win.

It's been over 100 degrees for the last few days (down to 91 today...woo hoo!). I played Ultimate on Sunday for the first time in a week, and I played pretty well. I'm just figuring out how to read a disc and then get to the right spot...apparently slowing down isn't always a bad thing. Can't wait to get back out to my Summer League team.

Chuck Yu out.

First win

Woohoo!

Willowhaven is 1-0, and that's my first win as a coach. I think the final score was 233-197 over Treyburn, and we were missing several good swimmers. Time drops all around, and I have a really good idea of what is working and what needs work. Technique is generally an issue, although we didn't have that many DQs.

I'm really tired and I need to get some work done.

Chuck Yu out.

Long time no see

So Kudzu was two weeks ago, but I don't have any pictures of my own (yeah...kind of hard to play and snap pictures at the same time).

CHUF went 3-4 (really, 3-3, but we lost at roshambo for the last game). I got to play on the same team with Josh Torell again, which hasn't happened since senior year of high school before I went to NCSU and he went to UNC. Our alumni also included Lucas, Zach, Aaron, Mike, and Ben on the guys side, and Robin, Janna (fresh off of College Nationals, where, apparently, she won the pulling contest), and Sarah on the women's side. The current players have a lot of potential. I think maybe they could use a handler or two because they're mostly pretty fast, but the best deeps are also some of the better throwers. At any rate, they're pretty damn good.

Willowhaven (now known as Umstead Pines) had our intrasquad meet last weekend and head coach Melissa and I sat down after practice tonight to figure out events for our first real meet this weekend. Overall, I'm really excited. The kids have already shown some great improvement early in the season, although there's quite a bit more to do. Not all of the kids can do all four strokes legally and some of them aren't diving off the blocks yet, but I'm going to have everyone diving off the blocks and swimming four strokes legally by the championship meet.

On a final note, the Chicago Cubs are hot. Keep it up. I believe.

Chuck Yu out for now.

Summer summer summer league

So of the 20-ish people on my Summer League team, about 5 of them showed up today (all of the ECU dudes were at some 5-on-5 tournament, and a couple of our women play for Wake Forest, and they're at UPA College Nationals. We should be a pretty solid team when it comes together. Apparently, the captains also got a major steal in the draft by picking Darryl with their last pick. He's super fast and athletic and, apparently, the best-kept secret around here.

We picked up a few mercenary players, and we ended up losing 17-14. Not a bad game overall, but I really need to work on my hucks. I threw away a couple of flick hucks today, and my backhand from the front corner of the end zone went about 69 yards (when I needed it to go about 70). Seems like a recurring theme for me...no matter where I am on the field, my hucks are always one or two yards short of the end zone. The handler cuts were working well in the first 3/4 of the game, but I probably should have taken a few more points off so that I could keep them fresh, but that shouldn't be a problem later.

Overall, I'm really excited about the season, and I really want to see what this team can put together.

Also...Kudzu. It's coming. One week.