I've been swimming with two masters club for the past year and I feel a bit left out in the dust with one of the clubs I am in.
The first club is fine because we pay the annual pool fee and that's it ($238 bucks). So, the coach we have during the training session volunteers his time to coach us from time to time. I respect that and I don't expect much since I don't pay for his coaching anyway.
However, in the evening... I swim with a different masters club, which their instructors are composed of coaches and students from a varsity team (2 - 3 people per session). This club, I pay for pool and coaching fees. However, all they do is pretty much stand there and chat up with each other and never really focus on me to improve on my strokes. They can tell I am a beginner... and I see no motivation from them to coach me at all. It ticks me off because I am paying for their coaching and sometimes they say nothing to me for the entire session. What's up with that? I can tell they have favorites... and I feel like I am left in the dust to improve on my own, which I need help on.
Anyways... I am getting off topic here... I would like to know what makes a good masters coach, because I don't feel comfortable spending my money on people who are utterly useless.
Please advise.
Parents
Former Member
I'm willing to bet these kids are intimidated. They probably do not understand what the goals are for each individual.
Some people don't want advice, some do. Some people only want to swim distance freestyle and they complain if they aren't doing that and some people complain because the want to sprint. A lot couldn't care less...they just want a good workout and some social time. A lot of masters swimmers are a total pain in the neck and not very coachable. They already know what they want to do and they want you to do that. (I used to coach a lot of masters swimmers.)
I think the best masters coaches are the ones who focus solely on masters. they are not kids who still swim. they are professionals who swim and compete themselves. they understand the goals and objectives of the masters swimmers.
These people are hard to find because there is no money being offered. Which is a shame because there is money to be made. In a reasonably populated area a good coach can grow a pretty big masters program.
My advice to the original poster is to tell the coaches what your goals are and ask them if they can help you achieve these goals.
I'm willing to bet these kids are intimidated. They probably do not understand what the goals are for each individual.
Some people don't want advice, some do. Some people only want to swim distance freestyle and they complain if they aren't doing that and some people complain because the want to sprint. A lot couldn't care less...they just want a good workout and some social time. A lot of masters swimmers are a total pain in the neck and not very coachable. They already know what they want to do and they want you to do that. (I used to coach a lot of masters swimmers.)
I think the best masters coaches are the ones who focus solely on masters. they are not kids who still swim. they are professionals who swim and compete themselves. they understand the goals and objectives of the masters swimmers.
These people are hard to find because there is no money being offered. Which is a shame because there is money to be made. In a reasonably populated area a good coach can grow a pretty big masters program.
My advice to the original poster is to tell the coaches what your goals are and ask them if they can help you achieve these goals.
