So, coaches are getting some bad press in a couple of other threads, so I thought it might be interesting to talk about who has really impressed us as a coach (masters or open) and what it was about that coach that was so good. Ok, I'll go first.
A fellow named Archie Mckinnon was my first coach in age group, when I was 7-9yrs old & was flat out the best communicator I have ever seen. He let us know why we were doing what we were doing, what we were going to do & consulted us frequently as to what we wanted to get from our swimming (us individually, not the parents). Sounds out of a modern textbook, right? This was 1959-62 I've never had a coach since who came close to him, which had a great deal to do with me leaving swimming when I was fourteen.
Former Member
I firmly believe that Mike Lewellyn is one of the best coaches in the country. After swimming up through college-age, last year I returned to USA Swimming (not even USMS) and began swimming with the KC Blazers. They were a team I hated and feared as a child from all the horror stories I heard of outrageous practices and tough coaches. Since I swam short-course with them this past year, I have realized that Pete Malone and Mike Lewellyn aren't quite the assholes my buddies made them out to be. As a matter of fact, if I could go back to the first time I ever switched teams (right about the time I began to qualify for what was then Regions and Junior Nationals) I would have gone to the Blazers. I hope Mike realizes how he helped me grow as a swimmer even at the age I am now.
Gregg Troy FMSA in Ft. Myers then Bolles in Jacksonville and now UF in Gaineville FL.- I swam with him from 1970-1982(FMSA and followed him to Bolles)- I didn't follow him to UF I became a Hurricane at UM before he went to UF.
I almost went to UF because of Richard Quick.
I learned alot from Gregg that I still draw from today. Gregg was a great coach and mentor.
Former Member
E. Kane Waggoner....my High School coach in Southern California. He was one of those coaches that just about everybody liked, firm yet fair, always made you feel like you really mattered to the team!!
Former Member
Well, my favorite coach was Mrs Vanderpool. She taught me a good glide on my breaststroke kick. I image that I might have quit swimming sooner since I wasn't much of a freestyler as a kid and my butterfly had not developed yet. I was 12 years old,and Mrs Vanderpool entered you at slowed times as a kid at your first meet so you good win a hear ribbon as a kid in the novice meets.
Former Member
E. Kane Waggoner....my High School coach in Southern California. He was one of those coaches that just about everybody liked, firm yet fair, always made you feel like you really mattered to the team!!
E. Kane Waggoner was one of the formative figures in my life. He was tough, yes, but fair, and encouraged those who were willing to listen. He created a very good team out of some very average swimmers, and taught us to expect to win. When I graduated from high school, with two All American badges, he wrote in my annual, "life is about dealing with dissapointments. . . ." I asked him what he meant and he told me, "You could have been better." I took that as a compliment.
As I approach 60 years of age I know so many people who look back at Kane Waggoner as a teacher and a mentor, and none of us call him "Kane." He is Coach.
God Bless you, Coach.
Mike
My favorite coach would have to be my old age group coach Bob Burns at the Woodbridge Aquatic Club, but he has long since moved on to Choate Academy.
Former Member
Ya, Richard Quick. Coolest coach ever. Also made the best freestyle video I've seen, in my humble opinion. He also has the coolest name. The guy just rocks big time!
p.s. best masters coach is Kerry O'Brien of Walnut Creek Masters. Hands down. Yay Kerry!
Former Member
*** Porter, my high school coach at Redan High School from 1977-1980. He got the best out of his swimmers and was able to keep it real at the same time. In my senior year he let me get a little involved in the coaching end of the business, looking at woirkouts and setting meet lineups. He is probably the reason I'm coaching age group swimmers 27 years later. He did a lot to make swimming a life long passion for me. :applaud::applaud:
Former Member
For me, a tie between my best club coach Don Laster (now coaching down in the San Clemente, CA area, and my college coach, Nort Thornton. :bow: I had great success with each, though they were very different in their approaches...
Former Member
I don't know if he was my favorite but A. fish. He retired my senoir year in high school.
