:help: Sorry, just a rant for those of you out there who sympathsize with my college swimming experience..
Okay, I have not spoken to my coach since his comment after my 100free at championships regarding the fact that I don't have any heart, and thats why I am swimming poorly. I can't imagine saying that someone doesn't have heart, when they've given sweat, blood and tears to the sport all in one season. If I wasn't caring that I was stinking, then maybe it would be reasonable to say I didn't have heart, but I was miserable and trying anything to improve my season...so that annoyed me, and I didn't talk to him for the rest of the meet, and haven't talked to him since.
Got an e-mail today that he is making it mandatory that we attend 3 practices a week with him, from now till the end of the semester.
#1. it has been 3 months since championships==why now?
#2. This is the most hectic time of the semester for EVERYONE
#3. I don't want to swim with him in the off season, which is why I am doing masters
:( Miserable in Albany
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Thanks everyone for the insight.
Looking at everyone elses takes on my situation helps me to really sort out what I am feeling and what is/ might be reality.
Maybe my coach did say that to light a fire under me, but saying that AFTER the last race, of the last meet of the collegiate season, seems a little late.
I too believe that swimming is a huge mental game, and I do go into races confident that I can win, and that I will swim my best swims that I am capable of at any given time...being that I am allergic to chlorine and as a result fall ill with bronchitis on a monthly basis, I have had to overcome a lot of physical obstacles to swim, and on top of that, I have done best times with illness. I always focus before my races, and will not allow any of my teammates to follow me to the blocks to "chat" or whatever, because I like to stand behind the blocks and take in the whole situation and get into the zone. And I swim...because I love winning. I mean I like swimming, but nothing beats winning in my mind. If I could have a meet everyday, I would have it that way in an instant, because I thrive on competition and touching people out, so I really don't think he could possibly have been more disappointed in me, than I was in me...I was trying so hard in practice, out of practice at meets to really be focused and give it my everything, and for whatever reason was always falling short. I don't know if it was just an off season, or if it was the training we were doing...but I took the 3 weeks after the season ended, to design my own training regimine, and did best times of the season at a meet I entered. I don't know if that was because of the different approach to training (which I strongly feel it was) or because of some mental block I had towards my coach, or both. But, I really think it was the training approach, because I have had crappy coaches before, and my coach is not the worst I've had suprisingly, he's just ineffective on the deck, but that would not cause me to lose heart...because I still wanted to win and do good times, even if I was not happy with the coaching staff.
I plan to talk to him tomorrow if he's around. I was actually talking earlier with the fastest guy on the team, and he is very upset as well. He does not like the program either, and was very upset to hear that we were having mandatory practices. He feels he needs the time away from the pool in order to come back in the fall and dedicate himself for the next 7-8months, which I completly understand. He however, is being drastic and telling coach that he will quit the team (which for him will mean having to leave the school and go back home to a community college-because he depends on his scholarship) if coach makes him come to the practices.
It should be interesting to see what happens with that situation.
I will keep you all posted with how my talk goes with him, I just need to go in there on a mission, because he tends to be a jerk on the pool deck, but once your in his office or away from the pool he tries to be your best friend and fatherly figure, which makes it hard to maintain your momentum when you want to have a serious talk with him.
Thanks again for all your help and support, it means a ton to me, and as I told Kristina, this group of dedicated and supportive swimmers that I have met on here, have really helped me to get back to just simply enjoying swimming. I would not have wanted my college swimming experiance to ruin swimming for me, because as I have been reminded, since joining masters and getting to meet all of you--even if only virtually, I really do love the sport.
Thanks everyone for the insight.
Looking at everyone elses takes on my situation helps me to really sort out what I am feeling and what is/ might be reality.
Maybe my coach did say that to light a fire under me, but saying that AFTER the last race, of the last meet of the collegiate season, seems a little late.
I too believe that swimming is a huge mental game, and I do go into races confident that I can win, and that I will swim my best swims that I am capable of at any given time...being that I am allergic to chlorine and as a result fall ill with bronchitis on a monthly basis, I have had to overcome a lot of physical obstacles to swim, and on top of that, I have done best times with illness. I always focus before my races, and will not allow any of my teammates to follow me to the blocks to "chat" or whatever, because I like to stand behind the blocks and take in the whole situation and get into the zone. And I swim...because I love winning. I mean I like swimming, but nothing beats winning in my mind. If I could have a meet everyday, I would have it that way in an instant, because I thrive on competition and touching people out, so I really don't think he could possibly have been more disappointed in me, than I was in me...I was trying so hard in practice, out of practice at meets to really be focused and give it my everything, and for whatever reason was always falling short. I don't know if it was just an off season, or if it was the training we were doing...but I took the 3 weeks after the season ended, to design my own training regimine, and did best times of the season at a meet I entered. I don't know if that was because of the different approach to training (which I strongly feel it was) or because of some mental block I had towards my coach, or both. But, I really think it was the training approach, because I have had crappy coaches before, and my coach is not the worst I've had suprisingly, he's just ineffective on the deck, but that would not cause me to lose heart...because I still wanted to win and do good times, even if I was not happy with the coaching staff.
I plan to talk to him tomorrow if he's around. I was actually talking earlier with the fastest guy on the team, and he is very upset as well. He does not like the program either, and was very upset to hear that we were having mandatory practices. He feels he needs the time away from the pool in order to come back in the fall and dedicate himself for the next 7-8months, which I completly understand. He however, is being drastic and telling coach that he will quit the team (which for him will mean having to leave the school and go back home to a community college-because he depends on his scholarship) if coach makes him come to the practices.
It should be interesting to see what happens with that situation.
I will keep you all posted with how my talk goes with him, I just need to go in there on a mission, because he tends to be a jerk on the pool deck, but once your in his office or away from the pool he tries to be your best friend and fatherly figure, which makes it hard to maintain your momentum when you want to have a serious talk with him.
Thanks again for all your help and support, it means a ton to me, and as I told Kristina, this group of dedicated and supportive swimmers that I have met on here, have really helped me to get back to just simply enjoying swimming. I would not have wanted my college swimming experiance to ruin swimming for me, because as I have been reminded, since joining masters and getting to meet all of you--even if only virtually, I really do love the sport.
