To succeed in the sport of swimming you need to have passion. There is an inner drive which becomes hardwired into the swimmer at a young age. It is this passion for being one's best, and competing against others to see who is the best that keeps that passion going. The need to see oneself improve. That is why as a coach, I am strive to constantly give praise to any form of improvement I see in my swimmers. Now, if something needs to be fixed, then the swimmer needs to know, and I will work with them. But to keep the experience of being at swim practice and the environment of the pool fun and enjoyable, there must be an element of fun to keep things positive. Younger swimmers are excited: they love getting in the pool and just swimming. How do we keep hold of that child-like enjoyment when the swimmers get older, and the sets become long, and the training becomes more grueling? We must constantly remind the swimmers why they are there at the pool. As they get older, their goals become more advanced and detailed, so coaches use the goals of the swimmer to keep them motivated. Also, the coaches create an environment that will supply the swimmer with the passion they need to come back the next day.
As coaches, we can't manufacture the passion within a swimmer. We instill it when they are young, then we create an environment where (hopefully) that passion and drive to become faster becomes instilled in the swimmer naturally. We remind them of their goals, but don't beat them into their head. When swimmers are with their friends and teammates, having a good time working through a set, or just goofing around, the experience and environment are ideal for personal growth. When a coach tries to hard to control the swimmers by force feeding them goals they think they should have, and unattainable expectations, the swimmers become discouraged and frustrated. Just as the swimmers adapt to the sets and the practices, the coach must adapt to the swimmers. Often I find myself going into a practice with a set in my head, a goal or two for practice in mind, and have to change that set because the swimmers are not in a coachable mood, and not responding to my efforts. I will still find way to accomplish my own goal for them, but in a way where the swimmers are being more successful, and understanding the goal better. I can't tell my swimmers to stop feeling like crud and expect them to magically go from a negative attitude to a positive attitude. The best I can do is alter my approach, and invite them see beyond the negatives.
When a swimmer becomes frustrated with practice, how do we help bring them back in, and see the big picture? We remind them that they are special. They have worked hard, and pushed themselves to a point where turning back and giving up would be detrimental to their development. We find ways of helping them find that passion they need to perform well, even when they're frustrated with themselves.
To succeed as a swimmer, and as a coach, there must be an element of passion for the sport. That deep longing for success, to achieve goals, to set new standards, to accomplish some feat, all that desire is built from an early age, and developed by swimmers, coaches, teammates, and family working together for the overall success of the swimmer. So coaches: Keep up the energy! Keep it fun! Be honest and sincere with your swimmers! Swimmers: Be open and engaged! Don't let yourselves get dragged down by frustration! Remember why you are there in the water! That passion will lead to great performances.
