SwimSwam took a visit to Charlottesville, Virginia, to see how the Cavaliers were handling winter training. On this Sunday morning, head coach Todd DeSorbo was running a 100-Speed workout, where Olympic sisters Alex and Gretchen Walsh were both present.
***EDITOR’S NOTE: Coach Todd’s watch is typically very quick. This practice is no exception. His philosophy is to start his watch when the swimmers’ feet pass the flags (instead of when they leave the wall) because he feels this simulates what they would go from a start off the blocks. It is not how most coaches time practice swims, but coach DeSorbo is consistent with this method and his results speak for themself.***
The main set was as follows:
12X25 MAX EFFORT W/SOX @ 1 [ALT 4XU/W KICK, 4X YOUR KICKOUT+SWIM, 4 U/W KICK]
2X25 #1 EZ, #2 MAX @ 1
12X25 MAX EFFORT W/SOX @ 1 [2X U/W, 2XKICKOUT + SWIM, 2XPUSH & GO]
2X50 #1 EZ, #2 MAX @ 1:30
12X25 MAX EFFORT W/SOX @ 1 [ODD’S KO+SWIM, EVEN’S PUSH & GO]
2X75 #1 EZ, #2 MAX @ 2
We also got to see highlights from associate head coach Jake Shrum’s workout, which focused on power and feature All-American 5th year Anna Keating and Olympian Emma Weber. See their main set below:
10 Racks on 1 – Start at 1/3 – past yellow go up
8 UW DK or 2 PPD’s
12×50’s on 1
2 choice, 1 STRONG pull
2 choice, 1 FAST/ez
12 Racks on 1:20 – Start max -5
1-6 – 3 Cycles, past yellow go up
7-12 – 4 Cycles, past yellow go up
100ez
12×25’s
6 w/ FINS and PADS on 1 (Brst DK)
Rest 30
6 ALL OUT on 1:10 w/ SOX
lol Todd Desorbo is just straight up lying about the times that Gretchen and the rest were going on those 75s. You can time it yourself on the video, he claims Gretchen goes a 34.9/ when it was actually a 36.7.
Did you read the article?
***EDITOR’S NOTE: Coach Todd’s watch is typically very quick. This practice is no exception. His philosophy is to start his watch when the swimmers’ feet pass the flags (instead of when they leave the wall) because he feels this simulates what they would go from a start off the blocks. It is not how most coaches time practice swims, but coach DeSorbo is consistent with this method and his results speak for themself.***
Is it too early to say 46 in March?
Kudos to the Wash parents for maxing out the Nature/Nurture for these two SuperStars (a little bit of a non sequitur)
I really hope all the work on the pullouts really does help Emma Weber’s pullouts. She should be way better at SCY than she is, and the weakness is obviously on her pullouts, given by how much better she is at LCM.
Some swimmers just aren’t great at pullouts just like some just aren’t great UW. Peaty isn’t great at pullouts and I’m sure he works on it.
What I find fascinating is that ever since the coaches who left Virginia for Texas A&M, the practices they run are the exact same.
Wait, you’re telling me the 100speed sets look the same after the distance coach left? Who would’ve thought
Todd needs to lose that cheesy pornstar mustache. Look professional in front of the camera for Christ’s sake.
Does UVA have a mens team?
No, sorry
Now posted on milk cartons:
Have you seen this team?
Alex being a 19 x NCAA All American with another NCAAs left is wild. These 5th year stats are going to be unreal!
Alex is a 19x NCAA *Champion*
She’s a 27x All-AmericanðŸ«
I’m w you, its nutty. at the end of this year she will undoubtedly be the most decorated NCAA athlete in history
OMG I misread that. Even more mind blowing!
would love a follow-up article on this later in the year — I tried (unsuccessfully) to find better stats on multiple-time ncaa champions across any sport. I think the most similar sport (where you may also find an absurd number of champion titles for one person) would be track & field/XC because of the options for multiple events… possibly gymnastics too?? or else very niche sports that few universities sponsor, like fencing.
at least in swimming, she is currently tied with Jenny Thompson who also had 19 NCAA titles (9 individual, 10 relay compared to Alex’s 8 individual, 11 relay)
On the women’s side, the only other ones I can find with 14 or more titles are: Gretchen Walsh with 18 (6+12), Tracy Caulkins with 16 (12+4), Janel Jorgensen with 15 (5 indiv, 10 relay), Kate Douglass with 15 (7+8), Martina Moravcoca with 14 (10+4), Simone Manuel with 14 (6+8)
On the men’s side, John Naber had 15 (10+5) and Pablo Morales had 14 (11+3) — I believe those are the only 2 with 14+
fun fact: if (when) UVA sweeps the sprint relays again, Gretchen will be the first to go… Read more »
Natalie Coughlin?
11 individual but only 1 relay title
ooh this is good stuff! thank you 🙂