Thursday, September 22, 1983

Team jumped to capacity with word of mouth buzz, by September 22 -- upon arrival at the end of August

The prior year, the PAWW team had less than 30 swimmers. In summers, none swam with PAWW. We had a fun "Meet the Coach Night" and things zoomed forward. 
Joining the Peoria Area Water Wizards was the talk of the town. Coaches were hired. Expansion was through the roof. We had to pump the brakes. 



Saturday, June 04, 1983

Creative Conditioning - offered in Waco, Texas

Saturdays for 2-hours for 10-weeks. Program I launched in Waco, Texas. 



Waco Parks and Recreation at Lions Pool
8 to 10:00 am on Saturdays

Creative Conditioning

Aqua Athletes
*An Ultra-Strenuous, 2 hour workout for athletes of high-school age and older meeting each Saturday morning for 10 weeks this summer!

A perfect summer conditioner for any athlete stressing cardiovascular system, muscle endurance, flexibility, power, speed & agility.

FITNESS PARTICIPATION WITH AN EDUCATION INCLUDES:

physiological testing guest speakers informative notebook relaxation/mental imagery cooperation and competition new games video taped performance nutrition, drug and aging insights stroke techniques variety professional staff

COST:
$20 for 10 Saturdays starting June 4 ending August 6

REQUIREMENTS:
physician's permission, liability waver, and enough water courage to dunk yourself. *Manditory physical exam and blood testing if over age 35. Otherwise, both are strongly encouraged.

REGISTRATION:
at Lions Pool on Saturday morning June 4 or later Saturdays or at morning swimming lessons
For questions and more information call for Mark Rauterkus at Department of Parks and Recreation, 753-0223, or home phone, 757-1576.


Creative Conditioning

Deb Johnson, testing coordinator, has furnished this initial list of some possible physiological tests which we might be interested in doing. The details will be forthcoming.

Cardio Vascular Fitness

Physical Work Capacity 170, fitness level 
Astrand-Ryhming Bicycle Test, fitness level. 
Harvard Step Test, recovery rate 
Field test, 12 min. run or 1.5 mile run


Muscle Strength and Endurance
Isometric strength 
Isotonic Strength 
Margaria Muscle Power Test 
Agility tests 
Coordination Tests 
many other basic strength and Endurance tests


Flexibility Tests
Sit and Reach 
Back and Stomach 
Shoulder rotation 
Mark's Flex Test with tape measure 
Mark's Flex Test with a partner and body parts


Body Composition
Skinfold Determination 
Anthropometric Measurements


Posture Evaluation
Back weakness tests 
Grid Evaluation


Others
Blood Testing 
Height, weight 
ECG (modified) 
Blood lactate 
Blood sugar level




Creative conditioning in vogue


By DAVID PINTO
Tribune-Heràld Sports Writer

Aerobic dancing and Jazzerise have made quite a hit with fitness buffs recently. The idea is to keep physically fit and enjoy it with a musical beat.

However, for those less musically inclined (or perhaps more athletic in nature), Mark Rauterkus has developed a way to make fitness fun and games.

Rauterkus, a Baylor graduate student with an assistantship in physical education, is director of a local "creative conditioning" program. The program is for anyone of high school age and over.

"We're striving to make this program attractive to adults of any age,” says Rauterkus. “While it is open to high school students, it is also geared for the adult who wants to improve himself physically."
Rauterkus, 24, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., graduated from Ohio University in 1982. lle has a strong background in swimming instruction and has taught a variety of aquatic sports, diving, softball and weight training.

"We have an excellent facility at the Lions Pool." Rauterkus says. “We've found that using the water in summer has some natural advantages. You can exercise easily in a cool environment. The buoyancy of the water supports the body, and you can exercise a particular part of the body, strengthening it significantly, without undue stress or injury. This type training has been used extensively on the West Coast, and they've done some pretty interesting things in aquatic training."

The program, now entering its third week, has weekly meetings each Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m. 

Counting this Saturday, there are eight meetings remaining in the original 10-week schedule.

“We try for a variety of things,” says Rauterkus. "We strive for a new theme each week." Because of that, Rauterkus has lined up several specialists in their fields as weekly instructors.

"David Scott, who works with Baylor's intramural program, finished third in the Big 10 in wrestling,” Rauterkus points out. "We will have him for one session. And Dr. Norman Gilchrest of Baylor's Department of Physical Education is a scuba diver and mountain climber. He's climbed something like the 50 tallest mountains in North America and plans to climb Mount Everest later this summer.

Other projected guest instructors include:

  • Patrick Yates, who was named the outstanding water polo prospect at last year's Sports Festival; 
  • Dr. M. Mahan, Dallas chiropractor and consultant to Olympic teams; 
  • Bob Fix, Baylor's strength coach; 
  • Larry Newell, Baylor physical education professor whose specialty is golf; and 
  • Shirley Early, yoga instructor.

“But we can't schedule any of these outstanding people,” Rauterkus says frankly, "until we build up our classes to ensure a proper forum."

For Rauterkus, sessions with the experts are vitally important to creative conditioning, which he terms "fitness participation with some understanding of why you're doing it" or "working out for a reason.

People don't like to work out with pain for no gain," he says simply. “This gives us a chance to be educated as we are doing the exercises."

The weekly two-hour sessions consist of a one-hour group workout, a half-hour of optional activity (tennis, golf, weights, swimming), and a half-hour group discussion or instruction by a specialist in a particular field.

“At Lions Park," Rauterkus says, "we have the use of the swimming pool and tennis courts adjacent to it. There is ample area for jogging on the Heart O’ Texas Coliseum grounds or at Paul Tyson Field or we can go in convoy to the Baylor track.

“But we're not limited to just those activities. For example, if someone can improve a part of his fitness by taking up golf, we can arrange for that. We may turn someone onto golf that never played golf before.

“Essentially, this is a cross-training program, one that stresses variety," Rauterkus says. "We urge our clientele to adapt a game to suit a conditioning need. If that happens to be swimming, we can have more swimming at Lions Pool. It's up to the clientele, as well as the individual."

Originally, the 10-week program was projected to cost $20 for each participant. But that price will be adjusted for those taking part just the last eight weeks only.

"That (the price of the sessions) is not that important,” says Rauterkus, “we can adjust it with the individual. The main thing is to let him know he can improve himself physically and enjoy it and learn something about what he's doing at the same time."

Friday, May 20, 1983

Cover letter for job search

This letter to American wasn't sent, as I still had it in my files. But, others like it went out to dozens of possible employers. 


Cover letter to Apply to Don Gambril, Alabama,

I never worked nor even visited Alabama, but I would one day, about 6 years later, publish Don's book, Tide Teamwork. 

Years later, Alabama was good to admit our younger son into the honors program due to test score and grades -- with a fine tuition scholarship. He too would not visit. But, the sense of being accepted at some university, was a joy and big sense of relief for him.


Tuesday, April 05, 1983

Baylor's requirements to get a Education Certificate were steep

So,  asked about what it would take to get an Education Certificate to teach in Texas -- given I was in a Masters Program in the School of Education for HPERD.
It wasn't good news. 

The To Be Done column was more than was willing to tackle. 

Teaching in the schools wasn't my plan. This cemented the deal. 



Friday, April 01, 1983

PE Proud, softball squad news

P .E . Proud Punishes Opponents

 

P .E . Proud's 9-2 pummeling of the Pie Pledges perpetuated Proud's perfect pennant
performance by providing a playoff position in the second week of Division 17 A softball.
Last week the team managed to mathematically double the sum of their season-long-win streak , two.

But print or prose could not properly describe the psychology or perceptiveness of this presumptuous family of fly-ball wizards. Perhaps, game MVP, Mary Beth Welsh, best personified the peppered play by her 11 put-outs at first base.

P . E , Proud's next game will be at 4:30 on Tuesday, April 5.
P . R. Director , Mark Rauterkus , announced Team Picture Day to precede this upcoming game.
"We thought it would be a good treat for our faithful fans , and we had to take some measures to protect our pitching staff from the gobs of autograph seekers," he said.