Step it up coaches!

I do think that Master's can be initimidating for some of the younger coaches. Last fall we had a couple of UofI swimmers coach, and they were very withdrawn at first. It took us conveying to them our needs, and then they were quite good. Alas, my time has been limited, so I had to stop doing those workouts in January, so not sure how it has gone since then.

Many teams have swimmers with a wide range of abilities. My experience is that coaches naturally focus on the swimmers who need the most help. When I want help I ask for it and have never been turned down, though it is nice when coaches notice something and just tell me about it. Skip

Yikes! This thread is depressing me! Eight years ago, I started coaching a masters group. I had just become a mother, had stopped working, and wanted to do some kind of work. One of my friends asked me to coach a masters group at the local Y. I agreed and have been doing it on a volunteer basis since mid-2000. For a few years, it was the only "job" I had, so I devoted a great deal of energy to it. I swam in college albeit DIV III, so I can't say that I am as much an "expert" as others might be, but I try to be very attentive to stroke technique and teach the group drills. I've even videotaped from time to time. I attended the Auburn Masters Swim Clinic in 2001 and learned state-of-the art stroke drills from David Marsh and Rowdy to bring back to the class. After I attended the clinic, I sent other masters swimmers in the other years to pick up any new drills and come back to the class to share. When we aren't doing drills, we are getting in timed swims and interval/ speed work. Regardless of whether folks are going to meets, I even got my triathletes doing our 4,000 yard practices. I do have different levels, some folks do the 4,000 yard stuff, others do 2000. Many of my swimmers are new to masters but I've gotten many to become better swimmers and have gotten some to swim in meets. One of my swimmers could only swim a half length of the pool when she started and ended up being able to do a half-ironman triathlon. Another swimmer of mine just recently did his first meet at age 60! My goal is to help people develop a love for swimming and competing in swimming whatever their age, background, or level of swimming. I know there are plenty of passionate masters swim coaches out there so my best advice is to be selective and pick a team with a coach that really cares!

After having to swim outdoors last summer and trying to get ready for LC Nationals in 87-90 degree water I searched out the kids team in town that was swimming in the evenings at a COLD indoor pool. They had an extra lane available and the coach even put together workouts for us (myself and another competitive masters swimmer). I liked the workouts so much and had such great results at Nat's that I made the switch permenantly. It is great to actually get coaching now, drills are designed to work on the things I need to work on. My kick was nonexistant. Now I can do a 200 with a kick the whole time. My sprints have finally dropped where they had been stagnant for 3 years. Coaching really makes such a difference. My first masters coach was in the pool with us most of the time so he just provided a workout for us. My second one was ok but had kind of lost his motivation for a while. I usually will give tips to the newer swimmers when they ask for it. Current coach knows the goals of all his swimmers who are serious about reaching them. He challenges us and there are times I have to wear fins to keep up to the kids. This week he is giving me workouts for my taper while he is at Junior Nationals this week with 3 of our kids. He asked me to provide my schedule of events, travel times and he will provide my warmups and warmdowns as well. This is just good coaching! I am looking forward to seeing the major time drops again at Nationals this year. I really like being back in the type of team environment I remember from back when I was a kid. It makes me feel young again. Who says 46 is old....

We have our coach who is involved with the kids team but he is not the head coach. He writes up the workouts and will help with strokes which has been good. I've just helped from the pool on the nights he's not there, but I actually do enjoy coaching from deck, esp. if folks are receptive. It just happened there was no guard there when I was going to coach from the water, but after 4 others arrived I was leery about not being on deck "guarding" so I got out and started to do some stroke analysis--ok I don't know a great deal but I can tell if someone is crossing over and fishtailing etc, so I gave tips /drill to work on that--the groups said they enjoyed that analysis. I'll even say stuff to others in the lanes while I'm swimming; not b/c I think I know best but maybe I can help with somehthing easy like "think forwards not up" on fly. I can't swim fly either but I can share the tips at least. I always say, I'm not trying to embarrass or be critical in a negative way, and least with a truthfull positive like "Your kick is so strong, if you can get the arms," or "You are strong enough to do 200 fly, I've seen you, but if you can go forwards more not up, you might go faster easier..." I think the fact that they know I compete (or try to ) gives me some cred for helping out, and I don't care if they do or don't try it. I guess some masters coaches may feel a little gun shy etc. with being demanding with adults especially in a fledgling group. Sadly the Y board, kids coaching team and parent lobby are not too interested in having masters secure any time at the Y, so masters will be ending in Sep. Even 1 night a week in with the kids would be beneficial. That said there are a few coaches that are helping triathletes and the like one is an Olympic trialist from the 50's--I've changed my stoke totally and love the new one he showed us. He has years of swim wisdom and can put it into 2 or 3 words that connect with me as a swimmer so I get exactly what he means. I'm going to try to at least catch up with him in the non-coaches season. He great and tells me to "just keep asking me questions!"

Sadly I think that this is most often not because the coach doesn't know how to coach...but rather they tend to be burned out and/or simply don't think most masters care about being coached. Perhaps most masters coaches are stuck in the rut you posited on the other thread? Perhaps they are focused on getting the yardage in on the "right" short rest intervals so everyone can get a "workout?" Quite a few people on my team compete -- in meets, OW events and triathlons -- so our coach is aware we care. We do get some well thought out, innovative workouts. I know some have had great experiences working out with USA teams. I think that's fabulous, but personally I wouldn't want to even if I could. I enjoy working out with people who are more my age with masters aches and pains. And if we're all chatting about our next meet or event, so much the better.

Most master coaches live in the past. They have not kept up with technique changes. Then the head coach slips some kid in as a coach who he/she coached with incorrect technique. A lot of master coaches refer to workout plans that someone else has posted on the internet for sale or free. The going rate is $29.99 for the ready made workout plans. Now they just have to copy a workout and hand everyone the workout planned by someone else. A lot of the master coaches do not coach, - they do know how to copy workouts from someone elses little plan book. Some don't even write them out they just copy and paste from a PDF. Some are OK, I guess I have yet to meet one. I may get lucky in two of weeks and meet a couple in Oregon at the masters meet. If you are ever in the area, swim with Tom Healey who coaches Auburn Masters. I doubt you will be disappointed.

Gee, George, how many different masters teams have you practiced with in the US?

great thread. the club i swim with has quite a variety of swimmers with different goals. most will "modify" the coaches workout to their liking; some will only swim freestyle, some will never lose the pull buoy. my observation is that swimmers who were the more succcessful collegiate of the group are also the least likely to take any technique instruction even if the years have left them looking like Quasimodo in the pool. It pays for all folks to be open-minded. Skip Kenney has no competitive swimming background. Guess the swimmers on his team are able to get over the fact that he did not swim in college or the Olympic Trials.

my observation is that swimmers who were the more succcessful collegiate of the group are also the least likely to take any technique instruction even if the years have left them looking like Quasimodo in the pool. Know it alls!