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Latest News
February 20, 2012
Amanda Weir
 Rediscovering the Joy of Swimming
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| February 20, 2012
Eastern Canadian Championships
 A great meet with many new club records and a new Senior national qualifier!! Well done, BAC!!
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| February 16, 2012
Paralympian Completes First Back Flip on a Sit Ski
 The sky is the limit, regardless of any limitations you may have...
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| February 15, 2012
HOBB & SWA Success
 A double swim meet weekend - great job, BAC!!
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| February 14, 2012
Garrett Weber-Gale
 An Olympian dealing with disappointment and giving back...
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| February 13, 2012
Ryan Lochte - London Calling...
 Great things being done beyond the pool...
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| February 13, 2012
Congratulations!!
 John Vallee, Level 5 Master Official
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| February 10, 2012
Another perspective!
 The magic of an opportunity...
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| February 10, 2012
The Swim Team Comes First
 An interesting read about the life of a 16-year old, world record holder...
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| February 7, 2012
Tax Receipts
 Tax Receipts for 2011 are in the process of being prepared
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| February 6, 2012
Western Region SC Championships
 Rachel Mitchell qualifies for Provincial Champs and Kennedy Russell for Eastern Canadians!!!
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| February 1, 2012
Attitude
 What is yours, and how does it impact you, your life and your swimming?
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| | January 23, 2012
HOBB vs. Blue Fins
 2 more Regional Qualifiers!!!
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| January 16, 2012
12 & Under Celebration
 Congrats to new Provincal & Regional Qualifiers!!!
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| January 16, 2012
Congratulations!!!
 Crosby Gibson, Level 3 Official
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| January 11, 2012
Julia Wilkinson
 Originally from Stratford, Ontario - on her journey in preparing for Olympic Trials, and then London 2012
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| January 9, 2012
Brock Invitational
 First meet of 2012...
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| January 6, 2012
QUICK TIP
 Amanda Beard on the importance of fuel and hydration...
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| January 6, 2012
Congratulations!!!
 What is possible for swim parents...
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| December 30, 2011
Happy New Year!!!
 As we are in the midst of the Holiday season, what can we do to make someone else smile?!
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| December 24, 2011
A Christmas Poem...
 'Twas the Night before Christmas in the Open Water
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| December 19, 2011
MORE Steeltown Success!!!
 BAC Wins Team title & 5 High Point Awards!!!
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| December 14, 2011
Underwater FLY kick
 How good is your underwater FLY kick?
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| December 9, 2011
Living beyond Limits
 How do you draw inspiration from your life's obstacles?
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| December 9, 2011
Interesting read...
 7 Habits of Highly Effective Athletes
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| December 5, 2011
Youth Cup
 BAC WINS SMALL TEAM HIGH POINT AWARD!!!
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| December 5, 2011
HOBB vs. Oakville
 Squads 1 & 2 swam great!!!
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| November 28, 2011
Nothers Invitational
 The Brantford Aquatic Club completed a very successful weekend at the Nothers Invitational in London.
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| November 25, 2011
The Uncommon Professional
 Respect doesn't come from the kind of work you do; it comes from the way you do the work.
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| November 21, 2011
HOBB @ Hamilton
 Season Opener for BAC Youngsters
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| November 13, 2011
Swim International 2011
 One of the fastest...
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| October 31, 2011
CHALLENGE!!!!
 Try something new for 30 days...
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Julia Wilkinson
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By: Julia Wilkinson - Jan. 11, 2012
I'll be honest with you: normally, New Year's Eve is not very exciting for me.
During college, we were usually away on a training camp after Christmas, which meant double workouts every day and a general lack of knowledge as to what day of the week - or month, for that matter - it was. It isn't very often that I'm awake during the countdown.
This year, however, ringing in the new year was special. It's now officially the Olympic year: 2012. I've said this year over and over in goals, conversations with my coach, and to the media. Now it's finally upon me. We're just over three months away from the Canadian Olympic Trials, and the Olympics will follow soon after. I'm excited and terrified all at the same time.
Looking back on 2011, my final results in terms of times and world rankings were not what I had hoped for. What I learned in terms of mental toughness, race strategy, and where I can improve the most on my own weaknesses, however, was priceless as I prepare for the Olympics. As 2011 drew to a close, I saw massive improvements in my 200 IM race execution at the U.S. nationals in Atlanta in early December.
We arrived in Atlanta after a hard block of training down in Key Largo, Fla. My coach, Randy Bennett, decided not to rest us or have us shave down for the meet in an effort to see the times we could post regardless of racing "tired." I was happy with the execution of and time in my 200 IM. I felt like I was in control of my race as opposed to flailing my way to a fast first half and then dying during my breaststroke and freestyle legs.
The racer in me was less than satisfied in a sixth-place finish, but my rational side knows that I'm on track. I posted the fastest time I ever have at this point in the season, and was racing girls who were all over the map in terms of their level of rest coming into the meet. Some girls were partially rested but not shaved, but some were completely tapered. Thus, I cannot base my success on my placement in the final, but rather what went on in my lane alone. The only race that's going to matter is the one at the end: the Olympic final.
Quite the Christmas present
After a long stretch of hard work, we had a two-week "recovery" period, where practices were a little bit shorter in an effort to help us rebound from the demanding previous weeks. Working hard is good, but at some point you need to back off a bit so you don't risk getting sick or injured, or simply becoming so exhausted that you can't seem to get out of the trench.
The second week of this cycle coincided with Christmas, and I was able to get back home to Stratford, Ont., for the week. Sadly, the closest thing we got to a white Christmas was listening to Bing Crosby albums. There was, however, something extremely exciting that happened: my boyfriend, Shane, and I became engaged!
A few days before Christmas, Shane asked me to take him on a tour of my hometown. We headed down to the river - which, during the spring and summer is very picturesque -and walked by the Festival Theater and up to the park. There, he distracted me by pointing out an abnormally fat squirrel and then dropped down to one knee when I wasn't looking. Needless to say, it made for a very exciting holiday season!
Even though we've decided to wait until 2013 to tie the knot in an effort to reduce my stress around the Olympics, I can't help myself from buying bridal magazines and scouring the internet for wedding dress styles. During my hard weight and dry-land workouts I tell myself that I need to work even harder because it doubles as Olympic training and bridal boot camp. What can I say, I'm a little bit excited.
Already, 2012 has started out with a bang. I made a New Year's resolution to actively reduce the stress in my life by practicing yoga and meditation as well as focusing on the positives in my life as opposed to overanalyzing the negatives. For example, I have a terrible habit of only looking at the one per cent of a swim practice that went wrong as opposed to the 99 per cent where I succeeded. With the help of my coach, sports psychologist, yoga instructor and very supportive fiancé, I feel like this is a resolution I'll be able to keep past the "February fail" point. As I've mentioned earlier, I need to have a strong mental foundation when I get to the Olympics if I want to even compete to get on the podium: this resolution is a critical part of that foundation.
I have just over a week here in Victoria before I'm off to my old "home" state of Texas for the Austin Grand Prix. It'll be another chance to test the waters against some strong American competition, and as an added bonus, since Shane's family lives in Texas, I'll have a large contingent of my future in-laws in the stands. After the meet, we're going back to Key Largo, which I couldn't be happier about. I had a great camp there in November, and it is the perfect place to get some serious work done (and get a tan). After the camp, we'll race at the Missouri Grand Prix, and then head back to Victoria in mid-February. There will be lots to keep me busy as I anxiously wait for the Olympic Trials in Montreal!
I'd like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year, and I hope you are all as excited as I am to see what 2012 has to bring.
Julia Wilkinson is one of Canada's best young swimmers. The Stratford, Ont., native made a splash in her Olympic debut by competing in six events at the 2008 Games in Beijing, setting a Canadian record in the 100-metre backstroke and helping her relay teams set national marks in three other races. Wilkinson added a pair of bronze medals at last year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
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