Step it up coaches!

Ken, I understand yet on the other hand I have seen success stories that lead me to believe that given a "taste" of what it is like to have an outstanding coach/team masters swimmers will indeed pay more for the experience. I'll give a few examples: - Brophy Masters; Mark Rankin can manage a workout like few coaches I have ever seen. Even with 3 different groups and at times 50+ swimmers he manages the send off's, calls times, gives people a hard time for slacking (me) and most important he starts almost every workout with something as simple as an update on things like upcoming meets, acknowledges swimmers who just competed, talks about open water swims, they have monthly socials, on & on. - Utah Masters; great group...love Priscilla! -Nova; Michael does an outstanding job and it shows at meets when they ramp up. - I would make an attempt to catch a workout with Tiffany at Boulder Masters anytime she was on deck...highly technical, up on current training/drills. - Jerry at UCLA masters....I have no idea how he stays so motivated with all the workouts he manages - Although I have not worked out with Walnut Creek when Kerry is on deck I have trained there and its exceptional - Brian with the Manatee's who I no longer get to swim with but had some great workouts There are good coaches out there, there are marginal coaches out there....my concern is that good coaches often take masters for granted and that marginal coaches get hired in the first place. Thanks for the kind words Paul, if I had known you liked abuse during practice I would have thrown you in with Carlos F. (proud to say he's one of ours). I know some of the coaches you mention and have been fortunate to swim in some of their practices. I'd like to add that there are lots of great Masters Coaches out there. I've met many over my term as President of the Masters Acquatic Coaches Assn. from all corners of the country and some from out of it! Most are highly motivated, and working everyday to get better. I've met some of the un motivated types too, and my feeling is they should not be there. Many age group teams run their Masters programs as revenue enhancement to help defray the costs of their primary programs. I find that these are the programs who often put very young, barely trained coaches on deck, usually with a practice on a white board. Not a great environment for successful swimming. If these young coaches had a head coach who wanted to develop coaches he'd mentor these youngsters so they could be involved and productive. Our club seems to be very different from Ken's group, they're always asking for stroke help, or Open Water strategies, or new breaststroke drills. We do a Back to the Basics Clinic Series monthly on one stroke, with a limit of 12 sign ups. We did one this past Saturday and had 18 participants and two volunteer helpers from the team. I don't know how we got those other six participants, but we never cancel for lack of interest. Since you mentioned names, and George was looking for recommendations I though I'd give you my list of Great masters Coaches I have Swum With . . . Starting with Mike C from your list, he's awesome, everyone should do at least one Collins practice in a lifetime, you'll never be the same. You can often find Mike on deck at the USMS Convention! Gerry at UCLA is as good on deck as he is in the water. I'm really lucky 'cause I get to swim with Walnut Creek Masters every day so Kerry O' is my coach, so's Mike Heany and Deb Santos Kerry's right hands. My list continues with Emmett Hines in Houston (H2oustonswims.org) you don't even need to be in his practices, you can feel his dedication to coaching just by reading his articles, check the web site. Bob Bruce at Central Oregon Masters learned at the feet of Doc Councilman, need I say more. There's Mel Goldstein at Indy, Stu Marvin at Ft Lauderdale, Ed Gendreau and Dave Grilli in New Hampshire, and many many more. Find a good coach, if you don't have one in your program, make some noise about it. If you have a coach, help them out by being a model swimmer. Listen, practice with a purpose, and share your goals with your coach. Remember it's a two way street. And if all else fails, become a Coach! BTW Smith, all is forgiven, if you should find yourself in Oakland you're welcome to drop in again, I'll share my breaststroke drills with ya! :woot:

Ken, I understand yet on the other hand I have seen success stories that lead me to believe that given a "taste" of what it is like to have an outstanding coach/team masters swimmers will indeed pay more for the experience. I'll give a few examples: - Brophy Masters; Mark Rankin can manage a workout like few coaches I have ever seen. Even with 3 different groups and at times 50+ swimmers he manages the send off's, calls times, gives people a hard time for slacking (me) and most important he starts almost every workout with something as simple as an update on things like upcoming meets, acknowledges swimmers who just competed, talks about open water swims, they have monthly socials, on & on. - Utah Masters; great group...love Priscilla! -Nova; Michael does an outstanding job and it shows at meets when they ramp up. - I would make an attempt to catch a workout with Tiffany at Boulder Masters anytime she was on deck...highly technical, up on current training/drills. - Jerry at UCLA masters....I have no idea how he stays so motivated with all the workouts he manages - Although I have not worked out with Walnut Creek when Kerry is on deck I have trained there and its exceptional - Brian with the Manatee's who I no longer get to swim with but had some great workouts There are good coaches out there, there are marginal coaches out there....my concern is that good coaches often take masters for granted and that marginal coaches get hired in the first place. Thanks for the kind words Paul, if I had known you liked abuse during practice I would have thrown you in with Carlos F. (proud to say he's one of ours). I know some of the coaches you mention and have been fortunate to swim in some of their practices. I'd like to add that there are lots of great Masters Coaches out there. I've met many over my term as President of the Masters Acquatic Coaches Assn. from all corners of the country and some from out of it! Most are highly motivated, and working everyday to get better. I've met some of the un motivated types too, and my feeling is they should not be there. Many age group teams run their Masters programs as revenue enhancement to help defray the costs of their primary programs. I find that these are the programs who often put very young, barely trained coaches on deck, usually with a practice on a white board. Not a great environment for successful swimming. If these young coaches had a head coach who wanted to develop coaches he'd mentor these youngsters so they could be involved and productive. Our club seems to be very different from Ken's group, they're always asking for stroke help, or Open Water strategies, or new breaststroke drills. We do a Back to the Basics Clinic Series monthly on one stroke, with a limit of 12 sign ups. We did one this past Saturday and had 18 participants and two volunteer helpers from the team. I don't know how we got those other six participants, but we never cancel for lack of interest. Since you mentioned names, and George was looking for recommendations I though I'd give you my list of Great masters Coaches I have Swum With . . . Starting with Mike C from your list, he's awesome, everyone should do at least one Collins practice in a lifetime, you'll never be the same. You can often find Mike on deck at the USMS Convention! Gerry at UCLA is as good on deck as he is in the water. I'm really lucky 'cause I get to swim with Walnut Creek Masters every day so Kerry O' is my coach, so's Mike Heany and Deb Santos Kerry's right hands. My list continues with Emmett Hines in Houston (H2oustonswims.org) you don't even need to be in his practices, you can feel his dedication to coaching just by reading his articles, check the web site. Bob Bruce at Central Oregon Masters learned at the feet of Doc Councilman, need I say more. There's Mel Goldstein at Indy, Stu Marvin at Ft Lauderdale, Ed Gendreau and Dave Grilli in New Hampshire, and many many more. Find a good coach, if you don't have one in your program, make some noise about it. If you have a coach, help them out by being a model swimmer. Listen, practice with a purpose, and share your goals with your coach. Remember it's a two way street. And if all else fails, become a Coach! BTW Smith, all is forgiven, if you should find yourself in Oakland you're welcome to drop in again, I'll share my breaststroke drills with ya! :woot: