As the ISU swimming and diving team continues training in preparation for Wednesday’s home meet against Northern Iowa, the key to success for the Cyclones will be swimming up to their potential.

“We’ve got to come in and be our normal selves,” said coach Duane Sorenson. “[Northern Iowa] got a number of good individuals.”  

As the season reaches its midway point, the Cyclones continue their “fine tuning,” Sorenson said. That includes continuing to have a strong mentality going into the pool, which has been mentioned repeatedly to the swimmers.  

“That’s one thing we’ve been talking about,” Sorenson said. “The people who had a lot of success with it shared with the rest of the team how it all worked.”

Success in swimming has a lot to do with mental aspects. But like any sport, the Cyclones have to go into the meet physically and mentally prepared.

“You just can’t be physically ready and ‘out to lunch,'” Sorenson said. 

Dani Harris was one swimmer who mentioned her positive self-talk in the last meet, and she’s one who has been having success in the pool.  

As for the fine tuning, each swimmer is working on different techniques that they each have to improve for Wednesday.  

Meets like Wednesday’s are still to be used for preparation for the Northwestern Invitational on Nov. 19-21 and the Big 12 Championships.

“At this time of the year, it is all about training,” Sorenson said.  

Diving coach Jeff Warrick is excited to be seeing a familiar face Wednesday night. Northern Iowa’s diving team is under the direction of new coach Lori Meierbachtol.

“She was actually my high school diver,” Warrick said. “I think she’s going to do a great job there.”

Northern Iowa is young in the diving pool, but Warrick said his divers still have to be as prepared as if they were facing an experienced diving team. He’s also not worried about any lack of effort.

“I don’t see any signs of slowing down,” Warrick said.  “They’ve been mentally tough.”

Warrick said he’s challenged his divers to behave the way they want to feel and the feelings will fall into place.  

This year there has been one word that comes up with Warrick and his diving team: consistency. He stressed that the Cyclones have to continue to fine tune to nail that consistency.  

“In the end, it comes down to consistency,” Warrick said.

For a diver that means being constant with the things they can control like their posture, for example.

Wednesday’s meet begins at 6 p.m. at Beyer Hall Pool. Admission is free.