Masters coaches, learning bad habits?

As a masters coach, I appreciate being able to communicate with adult athletes and working together to find the best technique option for their strengths, ability level and goals. I thought Glenn Mills at GoSwim.tv had great question of the week posts that also address this issue. www.goswim.tv/.../swimming-question-of-the-week---august-4-2010.html Posted by Glenn Mills on Aug 04, 2010 09:43AM "Been doing a lot of teaching lately, and working with tons of swimmers. Getting swimmers from all over the world and watching what they're taught (or not taught) on a daily basis, I started to wonder about the next two questions. While this isn't meant as an indictment of anyone, because both parties ultimately have a lot of responsibility, it's just that sometimes, one way or another, too much credit is given or taken by one side." Question 1) Can a poor swimmer improve with a poor coach? Question 2) Can a great swimmer thrive with a poor coach? "I know we all want to play nice, and try to pretend there are no "poor coaches" out there, but having been in the sport for more than 40 years, I can tell you... there are many. I'll give my definition of a poor coach: Lazy, uneducated, and unmotivated to learn. In every profession, these people exist, so let's not kid ourselves into thinking that just because someone is giving kids sets, that they're really involved. The initial point of this question was fairly simple... to understand that there ARE poor coaches, and that poor swimmers will have to go outside the boundaries of their coach to learn how to improve. It's something I encourage every swimmer I work with to achieve.... study your own stroke SO much, that eventually, NOBODY can tell you something about what you're doing that you don't already know. This includes great coaches. As far as great swimmers thriving under a poor coach? Absolutely. What is a "great swimmer"? Don't think about this just in terms of how fast someone is, think of it as someone who has reached their physiological potential. I think that's absolutely great, and as I tell my own swimmers again... a monkey can write the practice... a committed athlete will get something out of it. Not taking anything away from coaches, just making sure we all understand that ultimately, the responsibility for performance lies in the swimmers hands. If they're motivated, they can overcome a non-perfect situation." And Part 2 the next week: www.goswim.tv/.../swimming-question-of-the-week---august-11-2010.html Question 1) Can a poor swimmer become great with a great coach? Question 2) Can a great swimmer thrive with a great coach? "How come nobody wants to comment on the questions about the "great coach" compared to the comments about the poor coach? :) My take on part 1. A coach can NOT create a great swimmer. Depending on your definition of a "great swimmer", the coach CAN inspire the swimmer to reach their potential both technically and physiologically... but can a great coach take anyone off the street, even if they're extremely motivated, and put them on the Olympic Team? Doubtful. There is still some innate skills that some people have, that others won't be able to get. Does this mean if you're not born with those skills, you should just give up? Absolutely NOT. Again, reaching your potential is the toughest journey of all, and just because someone doesn't become world famous, or break world records, doesn't stop them from becoming great in my book. So... #1 was really to see how we all determine what "great" is. For the second part, there are SO many issues involved at the top levels of the sport, and if you look at the top swimmers, and top coaches, you now are dealing with very successful people. People who are incredibly driven, and who generally don't accept much less than the ultimate effort and sacrifice. Because of this, also understand that there is much stress and tension that come with being the best. Unless the "great" coach and "great" swimmer understand that they're both after the same thing... conflict can bring them both down. It's only wine and roses when everything works... and it takes sometimes months, or years to get to that point. On that road, striving for the ultimate in anything (reaching your potential), there is much struggle for the hope that that ONE day... it all comes together. It's a total balancing act until that day, and sometimes a very fragile relationship. Basically... the tough part about greatness working with greatness is sometimes people that are too much alike don't always fit together. In other words... it's NEVER easy. :) "

As a masters coach, I appreciate being able to communicate with adult athletes and working together to find the best technique option for their strengths, ability level and goals. I thought Glenn Mills at GoSwim.tv had great question of the week posts that also address this issue. www.goswim.tv/.../swimming-question-of-the-week---august-4-2010.html Posted by Glenn Mills on Aug 04, 2010 09:43AM "Been doing a lot of teaching lately, and working with tons of swimmers. Getting swimmers from all over the world and watching what they're taught (or not taught) on a daily basis, I started to wonder about the next two questions. While this isn't meant as an indictment of anyone, because both parties ultimately have a lot of responsibility, it's just that sometimes, one way or another, too much credit is given or taken by one side." Question 1) Can a poor swimmer improve with a poor coach? Question 2) Can a great swimmer thrive with a poor coach? "I know we all want to play nice, and try to pretend there are no "poor coaches" out there, but having been in the sport for more than 40 years, I can tell you... there are many. I'll give my definition of a poor coach: Lazy, uneducated, and unmotivated to learn. In every profession, these people exist, so let's not kid ourselves into thinking that just because someone is giving kids sets, that they're really involved. The initial point of this question was fairly simple... to understand that there ARE poor coaches, and that poor swimmers will have to go outside the boundaries of their coach to learn how to improve. It's something I encourage every swimmer I work with to achieve.... study your own stroke SO much, that eventually, NOBODY can tell you something about what you're doing that you don't already know. This includes great coaches. As far as great swimmers thriving under a poor coach? Absolutely. What is a "great swimmer"? Don't think about this just in terms of how fast someone is, think of it as someone who has reached their physiological potential. I think that's absolutely great, and as I tell my own swimmers again... a monkey can write the practice... a committed athlete will get something out of it. Not taking anything away from coaches, just making sure we all understand that ultimately, the responsibility for performance lies in the swimmers hands. If they're motivated, they can overcome a non-perfect situation." And Part 2 the next week: www.goswim.tv/.../swimming-question-of-the-week---august-11-2010.html Question 1) Can a poor swimmer become great with a great coach? Question 2) Can a great swimmer thrive with a great coach? "How come nobody wants to comment on the questions about the "great coach" compared to the comments about the poor coach? :) My take on part 1. A coach can NOT create a great swimmer. Depending on your definition of a "great swimmer", the coach CAN inspire the swimmer to reach their potential both technically and physiologically... but can a great coach take anyone off the street, even if they're extremely motivated, and put them on the Olympic Team? Doubtful. There is still some innate skills that some people have, that others won't be able to get. Does this mean if you're not born with those skills, you should just give up? Absolutely NOT. Again, reaching your potential is the toughest journey of all, and just because someone doesn't become world famous, or break world records, doesn't stop them from becoming great in my book. So... #1 was really to see how we all determine what "great" is. For the second part, there are SO many issues involved at the top levels of the sport, and if you look at the top swimmers, and top coaches, you now are dealing with very successful people. People who are incredibly driven, and who generally don't accept much less than the ultimate effort and sacrifice. Because of this, also understand that there is much stress and tension that come with being the best. Unless the "great" coach and "great" swimmer understand that they're both after the same thing... conflict can bring them both down. It's only wine and roses when everything works... and it takes sometimes months, or years to get to that point. On that road, striving for the ultimate in anything (reaching your potential), there is much struggle for the hope that that ONE day... it all comes together. It's a total balancing act until that day, and sometimes a very fragile relationship. Basically... the tough part about greatness working with greatness is sometimes people that are too much alike don't always fit together. In other words... it's NEVER easy. :) "