We have some young kids that will probably fill in adequately. The year-round swimmers are always going to be your aces when it comes to state championships. They're a plus for any program.

Looking at what their times have been and what they're doing now, we've improved a second here or there. We're right where you want to be. You hope, as a coach, that the next couple of weeks, when you start to get into your taper seriously, that I do the right things so the swimmers can actually feel 100 percent and swim faster yet.

Overall, equities are still quite fairly valued ... I don't think people will be massively more defensive this year.

I told the kids you will not find a better environment to play in than the one they're going to play in (Friday) night. It will be electric.

The kids played as smartly as we've ever played.

He's caught hard throwers, he's caught kids with good breaking balls. He's experienced.