Double Trouble

As I said a few months ago, I am a notorious note taker. I was looking back at last year's binder and it has papers dated and stuffed into every pocket, clipped to front and back covers and taped to dividers. In other words it's an organized mess.

This year in an effort to ensure that my binder stays in working and presentable order, I decided to take double notes of practice and carry an extra notebook for recording practices, thoughts and other observations that last year were strewn across countless papers.

While this has definitely helped with keeping my notes straight as well as making it easier to record results instantly - and the graph paper has helped with recording tests and erg pieces - it has also created double paperwork. I've found myself spending some nights catching up on a week's worth of practice notes transferring them from one notebook to another. I suppose that it is excess but it also makes me go back and check my notes and check practices and practice results.

As a result of this I feel as though our practices this year have been more efficient and better not just picking up from where we left off or going back and covering something we touched on briefly but also making sure that I've got everyone on the same page. Our three new athletes for the spring have quickly managed to catch up to the technical level of most of the returners and while they are still behind in fitness they are showing rapid improvements there as well.

It remains to be seen if I want to continue this practice next season or if I can find a way to either streamline it or impose a stricter adherence to daily upkeep.