ASCA Newsletter American Swimming Coaches Association 2013 Edition | Issue 6

ASCA Newsletter American Swimming Coaches Association 2013 edition | issue 6

10 selected as the 2013

Kim Seaman ASCA Fellows

Dana Kirk

Stuart Jefferies Annie Stein Chris Van Slooten

Brian Thomas

Joey Sementelli

Jackie Norgren

Amy Montgomery

In This Issue:

The Power of Habit / 05 Tweet Me Your Questions / 06 Sport Specialization at a Young Age / 16 Ozzie Quevedo The Capacity to Perform / 18 Too Many Kids Today are Soft / 24

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 1 ASCA Newsletter Official ASCA Sponsors Published for the American Swimming Coaches Association by the American Swimming Coaches Council for Sport Development.

Board of Directors President Richard Shoulberg Vice-Presidents Steve Morsilli, Jim Tierney Members Jack Bauerle, Don Heidary, Ira Klein, Matthew Kredich, David Marsh, Tim Murphy, Eddie Reese, Gregg Troy, Bill Wadley, Chuck Warner Executive Committee Jennifer Gibson, Tim Welsh

ASCA Staff Executive Director and Editor John Leonard Clinics and Job Services Guy Edson Finance and Sales Gail Morgan SwimAmericaTM Sponsors Membership Services Melanie Wigren Certification Kim Witherington Technical Services and WSCA Matt Hooper Webmaster Hiley Schulte Publications Director Mary Malka SwimAmericaTM and ALTST Lori Klatt, Julie Nitti Volunteer Proofreader Buddy Baarcke [email protected] General Counsel Richard J. Foster

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A Publication of the American Swimming Coaches Council for Sport Development, American Swimming Magazine (ISSN: 0747-6000) is published by the American Swimming Coaches Association. Membership/subscription price is $70.00 per year (US). International $100.00. Disseminating swimming knowledge to swimming coaches since 1958. Postmaster: Send address changes to: American Swimming Coaches Association 5101 NW 21st Avenue, Suite 200 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 (954) 563-4930 I Toll Free: 1(800) 356-2722 I Fax: (954) 563-9813 swimmingcoach.org I [email protected]

2 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 On the Cover

The ASCA Fellows program is a swimmers ages 4-18. mentoring program for swimming coaches designed to foster the future Joey Sementelli coach-leaders of our sport. The Palo Alto Stanford program annually takes a select group Aquatics, California Before becoming Head Age of coaches and pairs them with mentor Group Coach with PASA, coaches to work on a year-long project. coached with the Shawmut For the 2013 class, their project Aquatic Club, a premiere goal is to research a rationale and team in New England. a manual of how coaches become Was the lead coach for the Senior Development leaders in our sport. Program, and an assistant By looking at the historical paths with the Age Group teams some of our great coaches took to and Senior/National Group. reach their leadership positions, and by examining the historical reasons, Amy Montgomery the rationale, and the major issues Fallbrook Associated Swim that have led coaches into positions Team, California of leadership and power in swimming, Novice Coach with F.A.S.T., a year-round Swimming program at Rutgers University, the class will use their research to competitive aquatic program offering and served as an assistant coach for the identify leadership roles and the coaching to athletes of all abilities: novice men’s and women’s swimming and diving roads that lead to them. to national qualifiers. F.A.S.T. is a chartered program at the University of Connecticut. member of USA Swimming, the San Diego Also served as Head Coach and Director The American Swimming Coaches Imperial Local Swim Commitee (LSC), USA of Swimming Operations for The University Association is proud to announce Waterpolo, USA Diving and AAU Diving. Aquatic Club in Storrs, CT from ‘05 to ‘09. the 2013 Fellows class, composed of these coaches: Annie Stein Ozzie Quevedo De Anza Cupertino Aquatics, California NTC Aquatics, Florida Stuart Jefferies Age Group Swim Coach with the DACA Member of the Venezuelan National Island Aquatics, Hawaii Competitive Program. Has coached Swimming Team from ‘87-’04 who ASCA Level 3 Assistant Coach, swimmers to elite levels, both locally and represented Venezuela in the 2000 Age Group, Senior and Masters on the national stage and has guided Sydney Olympic Games. Began coaching swimmers. Former Assistant Coach athletes to Far Western Championship titles career as a volunteer assistant coach at for Team Hawaii at Western Zone and high point distinctions, Western Zone Auburn University and Auburn Aquatics Championships in ‘10 and ‘11. Championship titles, Pacific Swimming from the late 90′s until ‘04. Has worked and Records, and National Age Group individual developed NCAA Champions, Olympians Kim Seaman and relay top-10 rankings. and World Champions as well as Age Stingrays Swimming, Georgia Group National Ranked swimmers and Lead Swim Coach, with years of Jackie Norgren Junior/Senior Nationals qualifiers. experience as a Swim Coach for Western Kentucky Aquatics, Kentucky various summer league, school, and Aquatics Graduate Assistant who works Chris Van Slooten USA club teams in the Atlanta area. exclusively with the age group team. Has Fork Union Military Academy, Virginia coached swimming for the past six years and Joined FUMA in July ‘11 as Head Swim Dana Kirk is currently pursuing a masters degree in Coach. Coached the Covenant School in Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics, California Recreation and Sports Administration. Charlottesville, and Holmes High School in Former competition swimmer, San Antonio. Has led three high school boys Olympian and Pan American Games Brian Thomas conference titles; finished in State Top Ten medalist. Founded PASA-DKS, an Western Kentucky University, Kentucky in ‘95, ‘96, ‘97, and has successfully led a affiliate of Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics. Assistant coach for the Western Kentucky personal business providing individual and The team has grown to over 150 college team. Volunteered with the Women’s group swim instruction.

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 3 4 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 The Power of Habit

By Coach Don Swartz

Charles Duhigg has written a potentially small advantage,” one Cornell professor swimming as the summer unfolds. powerful book about “The Power of Habit.” wrote in 1984. “Once a small win has been Thanks to Theresa for recommending it. We accomplished, forces are set in motion that Note that we have the breaststrokers and wish we could say we have finished it… not favor another small win.” IM’ers do breaststroke kick. They must yet and have understood everything read finish each kick completely streamlined. so far… not yet. Perhaps when late August Duhigg writes, “Small wins fuel It is a chore to do it correctly, like most rolls around and we have more time. transformative changes by leveraging tiny things. We think the small win here is the advantages into patterns that convince ability to drive the kick at the end of the pull One of the discussions centers on people that bigger achievements are through, when they have held their breath “keystone” habits. He writes, “Keystone within reach.” for nearly six seconds and would love to habits offer what is known within academic grab some air prematurely. literature as ‘small wins.’ They help As a coach, that is exactly what our other habits to flourish by creating new profession is about: convincing our But not all of these small wins necessarily structures, and they establish cultures swimmers that bigger achievements predict a logical outcome. Karl Weick is where change becomes contagious.” are within reach. So, how do we do that a prominent organizational psychologist. exactly? Pick something small. Do that He writes, “Small wins do not combine in We think being able to change is huge one small thing really well; then move a neat, nonlinear, serial form, with each when talking about making progress in on from there. Pick something that has step being a demonstrable step closer to life and competitive swimming. Without multiple impacts so that more than one some predetermined goal. More common change everything stays the same – or good “next thing” can happen. is the circumstance where small wins are worse, is subject to the direction of the scattered like miniature experiments that “wind” blowing in your life. We’ve had some success having our test implicit theories about resistance and swimmers do vertical dolphin-kicking Duhigg discusses the impact that Bob opportunity and uncover both resources holding a small weight plate. We’re using Bowman had on Michael Phelps when he and barriers that were invisible before the 7.5 and 10 pound plates. We do 3 sets of changed a few “core routines” and that the situation was stirred up.” 10 every two minutes, maybe 5-6 rounds. other more significant things fell into place. The first two sets, they hold the plate on Human growth, it seems to us, is shaped He goes on to say, “Small wins are their chest. The 3rd set, they hold it over by change. No change, no growth. Pick exactly what they sound like, and are a their head (much heavier that way). We something “small” that you can do, and huge part of how keystone habits create have several kids who can actually keep then commit to doing it until it is a new widespread changes. A huge body of their chin at the surface on the 3rd set. habit. Then you no longer have to think research has shown that small wins about it. It, the new behavior, has become It is our ideas that they are learning how to have enormous power and influence you. Then move on from there. hold their breath while dolphin-kicking – a disproportionate to the accomplishments small win – while simultaneously learning of the victories themselves.” See you at the pool. Hold your breath, or how to kick faster – another small win. dolphin-kick… or do both at the same time! “Small wins are a steady application of a We will expect to see this move into their Or finish your stroke, every time. Do it!

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 5 tweet Me Your Questions World Clinic Presentation, 2012, Las Vegas

By Coach David Salo

Turn on your cell phones! Here’s my not making the team in the breaststroke, train at the same time but they do not train Twitter account – go ahead and Twitter and to get her back up for the 50 and 100 together, which is kind of an interesting me questions and I will put them up on the freestyle, which she ended up winning scenario if you will. They come at it very screen. I will answer them as they come in both events. That event is a lot more differently, Rebecca is an aerobic engine, up. My goal is to answer the questions that competitive than the breaststroke events she is not a great trainer but I know that she are pertinent to what you want to hear. I in the international arena. She fell short is working very hard. You cannot tell that have been coaching for about 34 years, as of individual medaling but she medaled Rebecca is putting up world-class efforts in a club coach, college coach, and anything on the relays. What is interesting about her training, because she in not a superior I can do to help you be better is my goal. Efimova, who is from Russia, the Russian trainer, although I know she is training So I am going to go ahead and start out Federation called me up about a year very hard, if that makes sense. She will with these questions that are coming in. and a half ago and said look, Efimova do IM work, she will do breaststroke work, They are coming up fast, interesting. said she might quit swimming all together but you don’t watch and go “oh my God I she is not very happy would I take on the cannot believe that is why she is so good.” Question: Any examples of specific responsibility of coaching Yuliya. I said Hardy has learned to be a really good; top training variations for your three female yeah, go ahead and send her over, we notch thoroughbred swimmer in training, breaststrokers Sony vs. Efimova vs. Hardy, have some breaststrokers. and everything she does is really fast. and or males Kitajima vs. Shanteau? She wasn’t always that way, but over Yuliya is interesting in that I have been the last four or five years everything she Answer: Like I have told a lot of people, watching her compete for the past four or does is at really high intensity levels, I have had a lot of experience with five years, and she is the one person that I very high race pace. You can watch her breaststroke swimmers, and this year was am most worried about in the terms of her and go “oh my God that is why”, she is no different than they have been. We had skill level and possibly beating Rebecca always really fast in practice. We have to a number of breaststrokers, our biggest, I’ll Soni, especially in the 200 breaststroke. sometimes just tone her down, because take the fault for that I guess, Hardy was Yuliya literally has three different techniques she gets too fast, get her rate going too good throughout the year in breaststroke, through the course of the entire 200 high. There are periodic times that we her freestyle was pretty good, but at breaststroke, Rebecca has one technique have to pull that back and control the Olympic Trials we did not account for and one speed, and she maintains that rates, and be a little more cognizant of Breeja Larsen to come up and have such a speed regardless of the distance that she that. Yuliya just goes through and does great 100 breast, so Hardy missed making goes. So Rebecca’s 100 breaststroke to her thing; she is kind of a cross between the Olympic Team in the breaststroke. I 200 breaststroke is a lot tighter than almost Rebecca and Hardy. So in essence think that my best coaching job this year anybody else in the world, because she those three train very different, I don’t put was to get Hardy off the disappointment of has one flow. Hardy, Yuliya, and Rebecca, them against each other very often.

6 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 There was a time this summer we were doing a set of 50s long course from a dive, the plan was to go 4x50s, I didn’t tell the kids which heat to go in, and there were about 45 athletes that we were training at “How much do I push, and how little do the time, and these three women got up I back off? It’s a constant balance of how together with a couple of other women that much is too much and how much is too I have that are also pretty good. They are running a heat back and forth, and after little. the third heat, it was getting so intense with ” the women and so intense with the men, Kosuke Kitajima, Eric Shanteau, John Chris, and Mika Alexandrov, that I just said stop, no more, we are going to kill each other, if we keep letting this go on. So after 3x50s I hope they do not do the math so quickly to some drill things, and then I will turn it into we stopped them and let them loosen down think oh wait he is leaving me out, there is just laying on the water flat and not really - it was getting that intense. Because the always that concern. One reason I like the doing anything, just lay there. women train so differently, they just don’t dynamic of having international athletes in My intent might be for 5 minutes, and there have the circumstance of training together my program, is that I do not have to worry have been times that I have done that for that often. My job as a coach is to manage about these three women are not going to forty-five minutes, and they just lay there. everything that they’re doing, keeping an take all the spots on the American team. It is warm enough that they are not getting eye on what they’re doing, making sure the Two of them will, hopefully, which they did. cold, by the end of that practice they are stroke technique is right. Yuliya is a different person all together, she is not that kind of competition in house, saying that was what we needed. I think There are a lot of similar things they do in that you are concerned about when you that’s what happens over time in your practice, but about half of the practice they get to the Olympic Trials and you are trying coaching, that I get the recipe and the X’s are very different; Rebecca will be doing to satisfy three people, where there are and the O’s, and I have got to get so much a lot more 400 IM work with our IMers, only two spots. So it is a really interesting work done, and you start to become more Jess will do a lot more sprint work with the dynamic with those athletes. of an artist and what your craft is coaching sprint group, assist work and stretch cord athletes. You start to look at that and go work, those kinds of things to keep her on Question: How do you coach an athlete, “today is not the day to do this.” I tell this the thoroughbred pattern. Eric Shanteau, who due to fatigue is swimming poorly at story a lot because some of you have never when he came out to swim for me, there practice? been to my talk, but there is a practice was a lot of his mind set of I am going to when I was coaching club, it was a Friday, Answer: I had this conversation with a come out and train with Kosuke Kitajima, and a lot of times Fridays in club will be couple of coaches earlier, that I think what the best breaststroker in the world. He more fun practices. I come in one day, I am good at, is recognizing the dynamic has been very consistent. He was a little and it is a Friday afternoon, and the kids properties that dictate performance, more deflated because Kosuke is not a great are like “oh we are going to go play soccer” than it is the X’s and O’s of training itself. trainer, he is a great technician, but he is and I said, no there are some things I want I never add up the yardage, I don’t worry not a phenomenal trainer. Eric was a little to get done, we are going to get right in, if about that; I concentrate more on the disappointed, that the best in the world is we get it done quick enough we can get out technique and the intensity of the work. I not the best trainer in the world. So it was of here early, but I want to get some work generally work out 2 hours generally an my job to elevate Kosuka’s game because done in the pool. They said no we want to hour and a half, depending on the way Eric was always on, he was always working play soccer, lets go play ultimate Frisbee, workouts are going. If workouts are great hard and focused, maybe a little too serious. and I said no, we are not going to do that, and going really well and going another 20 So there is a very interesting dynamic. and they kept begging me, and I said let get minutes isn’t going to make a difference, When I went into 2008 and 2012, I had a going lets not play around. I am tightening then workout is over. I will say, “you guys large collection of breaststroke swimmers, the lane lines, and I get up and there are have done a great job, go ahead do a long and we kind of talked about trying to take the kids and they had stacked a pyramid of loosen down and get out of here.” But I every spot on the Olympic Team in the diet coke cans, in this huge stack, and they think what I am also good at is recognizing breaststroke events. are waiting for me to say ok lets go play. I that what I wanted to do today, even though said I really appreciate the effort, but we are When we are talking about women, there I do not write it down, is not necessarily going to get in, and they are like dangit. I are literally four spots; I am hoping they are what we need to do today. There are times go back to tightening lane lines, and in the not doing the math because there are sixty we will go through practice, and it is going corner of my mind I think I cant wait to have of them. I don’t say specifically Rebecca pretty well but it is not perfect, it is not the one of those diet cokes. you get this one and Jess you take this one same kind of intensity, and I will take them and Cary you get this one, or whatever it is. over to our diving tank, which is about 87or So I get up from tightening the lane lines 88 degrees, and I will start out with doing and the kids have all dispersed to the locker

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 7 “The best way out is always through.” –Robert Frost

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8 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 Tweet Me Your Questions (Continued) rooms to go get ready and I turn around and all the cans of coke are gone. I was pissed on one hand, but on the other I was like well they are right they made an effort to bring out these coke cans thinking they were going to play a game. So I went to the vending machine to find out that they had taken them all out of the vending machine, which I found kind of funny. So to in answer of that question, I think that that is one of those things you need to develop as a coach, an intuitive sense of when it is time to kind of back off, and when it is time to push a little harder, and that is kind of what you are always doing. How much do I push, and how little do I back off. It is like balancing on a fence and you are walking along the fence. It’s a constant balance of how much is too much and how much is too little. There is no perfect recipe for that because nobody can tell you it takes two hours and 27 minutes everyday at high tell you that I can be 50 meters away from We have to find a way to get to be more intensity or low intensity, and that is going them doing something with their stroke, efficient when they are not swimming so to create this performance that you want. and I will catch it out of the corner of my that all the propulsion from the stroke is eye and will yell at one of my athletes about moving them forward. I am extending and There is no recipe for that. I am on the side their technique. I have a breaststroker out turn the arm or elbows out to set up the out of 2 hours, and I think that is a pretty good of Sergio Lopez’s program that some of sweep. A couple of people were asking me amount of time, and we are pretty intense his technique is a little off from what I think about the in sweep and timing, I do a drill for every practice. I cannot tell you if that is it should be. He would be down with the that I saw a Japanese swimmer do maybe too much, or too little. I don’t worry about short sprinters working with the buckets, I about 10 years ago. It involves taking a how far we go, so I don’t add it up. I can’t will see him doing something and I will yell pull buoy and putting it between your legs compare what we did today, to what we down to him “turn your hands”, because I to force the kick to be kind of narrow, your did a year ago, but I can tell you that day see this, I hate it, and I see it all the time. head is up, your back is flat, it is called a one is like day 40 like day 50 and day 64, quick kick drill because the kick is driving they are always basically the same, I don’t If I see an athlete do that, I stop practice the timing of the arm stroke. As they drive pattern things out. This is just the way I do and I make them extend so their palms the kick full speed, literally they are bringing things. When I come to conferences and I or elbows are rolling out to set that line. it up and recovering, fully, extending very talk about our program, this is my program So anytime I see the little finger down quickly and the arms have to time with it. So and this is what I am comfortable with; you and the palm is going down this way I your arms are going forward on the kicks’ have to find your own way. If I can give am stopping them and correcting them, full extension. It really works the timing of you nothing else but the other side of the I don’t like hands going down I want the the arms with the legs, because it focuses extreme at least you can know, one way hands turning out to set the out sweep. So on keeping the back flat in the recovery, works and the other way works, and if both I am really a stickler about details about and it also works on getting a good high of the sides of the spectrum work I will breaststroke. Breaststrokers get yelled at elbow position on the in-sweep. find myself here in the middle, and that is the most. They are the ones who catch A lot of people ask how wide the arms okay. That is part of my message: look it my flak more than anyone else. I think should by, I say I don’t know that, I correct works for a 50 it works for a 10k and you it is such a technical stroke, and as I said breaststroke by my analogy of a fence. You find yourself where it is comfortable, and be earlier in my talk, someone like Kosuke kind of have to balance between what is really comfortable with that. Kitajima is so much more efficient doing too wide, what is too narrow, and what is something so simple as getting into his Question: Breaststroke recovery palms just right. So that is how I work on stroke line quickly, that if that is the difference down, what about the in sweep hand structure: looking where you are and fine between him and Eric Shanteau who positioning? tuning to the best it could be for that particular cannot do that as well, someone who is a person. Remember, in breaststroke, you Answer: I am such a stickler about little bit down the line like a junior national can go to the Olympic Games and watch breaststroke technique, and my kids will champion, they are worse at that.

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 9 Tweet Me Your Questions (Continued)

the final heat for the 100m and 200m breaststroke and you will see eight I am energized by coaching, I love to train, different ways of swimming. When you “ have Yuliya Efimova in that heat you have I love coaching everyday. another two additional ways of swimming, ” because she literally has three different techniques in swimming breaststroke. If you go back to the NBC telecast and and Friday morning and we will coach that fulfilled, and a little bit energized from the you watch the 200 Breaststroke, you see very specifically. My long sprinters come in whole process. Now I am not sure how much that, she has a lot of wave action in there, on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I split that time you spend coaching one on one, I think she has kind of a flat action in there, and with my staff and what we do with them in the what I said a little bit ago is that I will give she has a third one that I cannot really morning. In the afternoon I am in there from 100%, if a kid wants to stay after practice describe. It’s not that I don’t want to, I am 2:00-4:00. My post-grads come in there after and work on technique then I make myself still trying to figure her out. the college kids are done in the morning, so available. Generally speaking I am usually for two hours I run them. Their workout is the first one on the deck and the last one off Question: Do you follow Coach Troy’s a little bit like what we did with the morning the deck, and try to make myself available to advice in taking a three-day weekend session, but not very often, I like to constantly my athletes, and whatever their needs are. once a month? change up the workout, so it is never quite the same workout. I can have back-to-back Question: What is your honest opinion Answer: No. What I did this year, workouts and they will all be very different, but on the aerobic base on the prepubescent everyone says “oh you must be that’s just how I operate. So I’m energized by swimmers, and will lack of it hurt long term. exhausted from London,” and honestly it being on the deck and being with my athletes. was a working vacation. It was not a paid I caution my post-grad athletes that they Answer: I find this discussion interesting. working vacation, it was just a working are not my priority, they don’t pay the bills. Those that have followed my career in vacation. We all volunteer our time to The University of Southern California pays swimming know that back in the early 80’s be on the USA Coaching staff, which I my bills and so my priority is to the college I was writing articles for Swimming World would do again in a heartbeat, but it was a team, but at the same time it makes my post- magazine talking about the “distance myth.” working vacation. My food was prepared grads a little bit better, because they’re not as It created a lot of controversy and debate, for me in the camps. It was awesome food needy and don’t burden me with things that most of it centered around Coach Salo so I didn’t have to worry about that. My they would otherwise if I had all my attention having nobody of significance coming out of laundry was done for me, the sheets were on them. They’re a lot more respectful of swimming. I don’t believe in the aerobic base changed every other day, I got to go watch my time because they know I have other as we come to the clinics and hear about, I swimming. It was great, I don’t know why responsibilities, so it makes for a pretty good believe in an efficiency base. I think if you can anyone is exhausted from that. I had a relationship. For 2 hours a day at every become more efficient at the technique you great time. What I did differently this time practice, I am 100% behind them, creating an are doing, all else comes into play. If you think when I came back is I only went to every environment for them to be as good as they becoming more efficient means swimming other day for about two weeks. I usually can be, giving them my time. 10,000 meters per session, then that is great, don’t take three day weekends off, I don’t be really efficient at that, perfect stroke, good have a lot of distractions like my assistant My assistant coaches do a great job of picking streamline, good walls. The mechanism of coaches do. They’re all young and have up the pieces of the puzzle that are important energy metabolism, comes from the cellular babies under the age of two or three, so for the college team in terms of paperwork level, it does not come from heart rate. We a lot of times I will pick up slack for them, and creating a schedule for groups to come constantly think the heart rate has to be at a let them have three days off if they need in. They allow me to do what I think I do best, certain level, but it’s the metabolic system and it. Personally, I don’t need the time, I get and that is be on the deck, and put 100% into it has to be challenged for there to be change home and have yard work that I need to it. I never get tired from workouts, workouts in what’s going on in the body for you to get do, which means working, so I just don’t just energize me. If you are running workout performance. In terms of aerobic base, I do do anything. Do you need to take three and halfway through practice you are bored, not talk about aerobic base. days? You need to decide. I‘m energized that is your fault. I do everything I can to by coaching, I love to train, I love coaching make it interesting for me; truth be told I could We do not spend the first couple months of everyday. Some people ask me how I care less about my athletes, I want to be my college program working on trying to get balance my time, you can’t do that and entertained. I’m just kidding, relax! No, I really them back to work. We only go about an do it well. I think I can, I run my college believe if I’m enjoying the practices during hour per session, and it’s fast and intense. kids in the weight room in the morning that process of training, then I think they’ll be Technique is really good, they look better with part of my staff, they come out for more engaged, I think they get more out of it this week than they do the first week. I am about 30 minutes on Monday Wednesday and will walk away from practices exhausted, not a big aerobic base kind of guy. Now, I

10 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 11 12 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 Tweet Me Your Questions (Continued)

always tell people this in terms of my career mechanism, that is when I really think you weighted but not beyond 60% of a maximum in club swimming, some of the best athletes struggle with that. That is my opinion about load. So that is how I look at dry land. Our that I have coached, and maybe they have a aerobic base training. What’s your opinion dry land program at USC is every morning natural aerobic base beyond anybody else’s, about aerobic base, and will it hurt them in for almost everyone. Monday, Wednesday, but Amanda Beard is still swimming. As a the long run? Like I said, some of the best and Friday are usually in the weight room for twelve year old she was doing nothing. She athletes I have had the opportunity to coach, an hour and fifteen minutes. It is changing would do 5 practices a week on average, all of them still swim except for Aaron who is this year because we have a new coach and it was mostly technique. Aaron Piersol retired, and he retired on his own terms. who is more in line with my way of thinking was doing nothing until he turned 13 in terms which is more of the movement. Then of heavy training. He was doing a lot of 25s Question: How does your dry land training they go for about 35 minutes into the pool. and a lot of 100 IM’s in practice, 2 hours a tie into your overall philosophy of training? My system works in the sense of weight day, 5 maybe 6 days a week. Jason Lezak, training is really good, but the carryover Answer: I think that is a very good question, he was doing better 4 years after I left to go might be miniscule to swimming or anything if you go back to Jason as my example, Jason to USC, and he was coaching himself. Some else, it is really good for lifting weights. The and I could barely stand each other through of that had to do with body types, but mostly carryover on the other hand, since it is his high school years, and he will tell you the it had to do with his appreciation of how very nonspecific to swimming, needs to be same thing. When he went away to college weights and diet affected his performance, bridged by getting into the water soon after as UC Santa Barbara, our relationship and things I think he goy smarter at. He weight sessions so you can apply the forces changed dramatically. He would call me and didn’t have an aerobic-based mentality when of change that are happening in the weight say, “Dave, I have been kicked off the team he was swimming. When he was thinking room. We will come over after the weight again.” “What do you mean you have been about quitting swimming - which is when I room for about 35 minutes and we might kicked off the team again?” He would say he got to Irvine, when he was 15 - I said, “We do resistance work, 25s resistance swims was so tired of the workouts. Its so long and are not doing 100,000 yards this week for on a stretch cord, or assist swims on the boring, but he didn’t like my workouts. Well Christmas Training, we’re going to go 5,000 cords trying to get the strength gains you that changed when he got to college, now he maybe 6,000, whatever it might be.” Mike are getting from the weight room and apply liked my workouts. He would ask if I would Kavak is still swimming; he is a product of it immediately to swimming. send him some workouts, so I did. He would my age group program. get back on the team, and then a few months On Tuesdays and Thursdays we will do The age group program at Irvine was always later get kicked off again for missing practice, 45 minutes of a spin class, some of that is about technique and repetition. When they so I would send him some more practices. caloric expenditure because college kids got into the senior group it started to be about But when he was getting kicked off the team, are notorious for putting on weight that is training, but the training was about intensity for whatever reason, usually about practices not needed. Rather than telling them that combined with technique, drills and having and training, he always comes to practice - they need to lose weight, I tell them that we fun with it, and not worrying about developing he just doesn’t like to train. I learned a lot are going to do a spin class for 45 minutes. an aerobic base. Again this goes back to about coaching sprint athletes like Jason It also gets the team together, they are what I said before about going to either end because of his mentality. He always would having fun, playing loud music, then we of the spectrum and you will be successful. come to practice but he hated to train. I had to will go 45 minutes of a general core work. Aaron Pierson made his first Junior National find a way to train him to be better. But when This will include medicine balls, stretch time in the 800, but he wasn’t training for the he was kicked out of the team in college, he cords, plyometrics, Pilates, yoga, kind of a 800, he was training to be really efficient and would go to the weight room, and he would mixture of all these things. This last year fast. Was he training for the 800, no, he was pound heavy weights. He got huge. When I have had breaststrokers do something a not doing repeat 800s. Did he keep getting he came back after college, we changed little different in the gym; they began using faster in college? As I was listening to Eddie that, we had a strength coach working with these discs on the floor that you can slide Reese talk earlier today about aerobic base him, that was more in line with my way of on. I have them do an exercise where before they hit puberty, my assumption thinking in terms of swimming. Less load, they would get on all fours and have their based on that is Aaron didn’t hit puberty until more specificity, the rate of movement was hands on the disc, they would have to do he was a junior in college, which might be critical, more so than heavy loads. That was a breaststroke kick like for 15-20 meters. It true. He was a pretty scrawny guy through a real transition for Jason, to go from heavy was really cool, and some of the kids got high school, and he kept getting better, but lifting and heavy load to more specificity of really good at it, so we would do some he didn’t have the traditional sense of an movement with lighter weight loads. things like that, that are very specific to aerobic base. I just think technique is so breaststroke movement. It was also very Weight loads would come down to about 40- important. Technique and efficiency are good for core strength and things like that. 60% of maximum, and staying at that zone more important than training. Training you That is what we do in our weight room and and working more specific movements. I can do late in your career, I think once you resistance type work through the course of am a big believer in speed of movement, lose technique, which is a nervous system the week with our college kids. The other

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 13 Tweet Me Your Questions (Continued)

good thing about coaching college, which anyone who coaches college can attest to this, is keeping the kids busy in the morning at 6 o’clock really affects their play time at ..I was coming to these events and night, so they know if they have to be at “ practice at 5:45 in the morning they are not had people telling me what I had to do, going to stay out late during the week. I think this has helped control some of the but the majority of you are coaching social behaviors in the college environment. developmental kids, and the majority of us

Question: This question pertains to the speaking are not doing that. 4x50s from earlier, and why we cut it off. ” Answer: We cut them off because it was getting too intense, we didn’t know where it was going to go. They were racing, but split and the last 75 is full speed. Then I of swims like that. I would tell them I want they were all getting frustrated over things would remind Ous, in preparation in 2009 the 200s descend 1-5 but I still want the last like someone got off the blocks a little faster for the World Championships, that he would 50 of each one of those 200s full speed, than they did, or someone threw in an extra be racing Biederman out of Germany, who then there will be drill specifics to the 2x75 dolphin kick. It was a tenuous situation that comes back in 25, and Yang Sun, who and 2x50 or whatever would follow that. I felt needed to be pulled back because I is also coming back in 25, and he would did not want them to end up beating each brush me off. He got beat in the 400 and My kids have to get used to that. They other up in the locker room. So that is what 800 free because of that, and I would go don’t get into a groove, there is no 20x200 that meant. I try to do that with my athletes, back to him and say see, all those times I where you get into and finally on the last not put them against each other too often. would tell you to come back really fast and 5 you are in a groove and get going. I do One thing, I have a combined swimming you weren’t doing that, and you got beat. not coach that way. I’m not a groove type program at USC, and what we purposely coach. If we are going short course, we do is have the women backstrokers So I try to personalize training sometimes might do a set 5x 2x150 plus 4x75, the and butterflyers train against our male with kids like that. That might be the 150s first one 3rd gear really focus on breaststrokers. Both are trying to go 51 or 8,6,4,2, with 30 seconds rest, I don’t want technique breathing pattern and breakout 52 seconds for 100 yards. Those groups my interval to drive the performance, so off the walls, on the second one 3rd gear are not tenuous or confrontational. The rather than say it is on a set interval I will 4th gear 5th gear by 50 but you need to guys do it in good spirit, and the women say 30 seconds rest then you go into the hold a specific time related to what they will brag how they beat the guys. It’s pretty 3x50s. The 3x50s in this example would be race at. The 4x75s after that might be race fun. Rather than putting all the women on 40/50/60, and I want those really fast, I pace, easy, race pace, race pace, then butterflyers against each other which could want it race pace, race tempo, finish with a take an extra 30 seconds rest between get nasty, a combined environment gives flip turn on the first two, finish with a hand rounds. I’m constantly trying to break them the flexibility in their training and they touch on the last one. That would be a set things up instead of getting into a groove. compete against good people. that you might say is a distance set. Question: (audience speaker) If I did Question: Describe a distance set/practice. What I don’t do are sets like 4x800s, my math correctly, the set you described 10x500s, 20x200s, I don’t do that. If I want is about 2,600 yards, I was under the Answer: We actually have what we call a 200 done it is going to interchanged with impression that you need to do a set long sprinter middle sprinter and short a 200 plus 2x75s plus 2x25s five times upwards of 4,000 yards. sprinter, and what we mean by that is a long through. I do more descending with my sprinter is someone that swims the mile, post-grads and college kids than I ever Answer: If you were to do a heart 400IM, or is a really good trainer that isn’t did when I was coaching club. When I rate monitor, if that is your measure of swimming the mile. A set that the extremist was coaching club in Irvine, kids were just metabolic rate, I bet you will find that the 10K swimmers, Ous Mellouli and Haley growing up through the program. I would average heart rate on my athletes is higher Anderson, might do is something like an say 200 pace plus 5x50s full speed and than the average on most kids training in 800, 3x50s, 600, 3x50s, 400, 3x50s, 200, 25 no breath full speed. But when I got a traditional model. In terms of aerobic 3x50s, now that’s a pretty lengthy set. That into college and post-grad you would say I base, I look at it as aerobic power. My might be the last hour of their workout, but want the 200 pace best time +5, they would athletes are sitting on the wall, on a set now I think the detail is what is important. laugh at me, they couldn’t do that. Because like that, and they have 20 seconds rest The 8,6,4,2 is on 30 seconds rest, negative of that, I tend to do more descends, instead between 75s, but the metabolism does not

14 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 stop. Those of you that run, if you go out would give international results? der Burgh came out and said that he running pretty strong and hard for about did all those dolphin kicks underwater, an hour, your heart rate stays elevated for Answer: There are coaches that do a it’s demeaning to the sport. I don’t know upwards of an hour then it begins to drop hybrid of everything we all do. That is if he should have been disqualified or down to the resting level. The same thing why you came here, you came to gamble, not, I think he should have just kept his applies in swimming, you will go a burst drink, get away from your team, whatever mouth shut, unless he was trying to make all out of 75, you have engaged 100% you came here for you will leave with changes to the sport. of all the muscle fibers, not just the slow something. You take away from all of these twitch, but all the twitches, and you have opportunities and turn it into something that Question: What is the most sport science engaged the metabolic system and all of becomes yours. Quit giving me credit. It’s initiative that you have bought into? those muscle fibers, and then you are on okay, you can go home and steal it. I have Answer: If you want to consider the wall for 15 seconds, your heart rate coaches that come up to me - and I’m videotaping sports science. Coaches are does not start resting immediately. flattered by this - who say, “We do these sets that we call Salo’s.” Take ownership getting better at understanding technique So the metabolic pathways are running at of it, it is yours. Once you go on the deck, and what works, and now that we have 100 miles per hour even though you are and you do your thing with the athletes, videotape capabilities, to do underwater sitting on the wall. So you have to ask they buy into it, they will be great. I get videotaping, and then immediately apply yourself, is 20x25 all out with 15 seconds more compliments from coaches coming it, I think that is the one component my rest in between each 25, more effective up and saying they listened to one of my program is lacking. than a single 500? I venture to guess, if talks and implemented a lot of the things Question: Why do you think it is so nothing it is comparable, but I think it is you do, and the kids swim great and are difficult for opposing concepts like yours to more efficient. When you go out to race, having a good time. That is my job, if I be expressed in our profession. you are racing. What is more comparable can influence you to do something a little to a 500 20x25 on 15 seconds rest or a bit better and your kids love it, that is Answer: Here is the way our sport straight 500 that is going to be followed what this is all about. works, if you have the Olympic Champion by another 500. I think of my 2 hour you have all the answers, if you have all Do you allow coaches to come workout in the sense we are elevating Question: the answers you will be invited to speak shadow you during practice? our metabolic system at a very high level, for ASCA. I think that is the way you we are engaging the pathways for lactate should do it, but you might think that Answer: Not all of you at once, that would metabolism, which I think is very important be a little messy. Coaches will call and ask something might work better. I was like for recovery after a race, we are buffering if they can come by, and you are more everyone else here, I was an aerobic capacity at the cellular level, that is really than welcome to come by. Just email me base Nazi. My first team, we would have engaged when you are doing sprint training so I know that you may be doing that. I to get to 9,000 yards whether they liked rather than long, sustained swimming. I can tell you what our schedule is like so it or not. I was coming to these events am trying to engage all of those things at you can come in. Now, if you want to send and had people telling what I had to do, race specific versus training to be ready to your kids to my summer camp, we have but the majority of you are coaching train for the next day. camp opportunities in the summer, usually developmental kids, and the majority of in June. We invite coaches if they want to us speaking are not doing that. Question: Will you demonstrate the V-Sit scull? be our counselors to come in voluntarily, and shadow me then. I have a couple evening sessions with the coaches to Answer: V-sit scull is a great drill for Coach Salo is the long-time former Head answer all of their questions. your team. Little kids love that stuff. They Coach of the Novaquatics Swim Team will hate you, but then will start to love it. and founding Head Coach of the Soka Question: How often do you work with What you are doing when you are doing University Swim Team. Dave is a 3-time resistance? a drill like this, you are working on the USA Olympic Coach (‘00, ‘04, ‘12) and small muscles within the forearms and the Answer: I work with resistance quite a bit. has also been a member of the USA hands, you are working on a skill that is We have about 8 power towers, we use Coaching Staff for Goodwill Games, important on all your strokes. It is working parachutes and stretch cords a lot. Pan American Games and served as on abdominal strength and flexibility. I the Head Coach of the 2005 USA World like stuff like that because you can yell at Question: Do you agree or disagree with Championship Men’s Team and 2007 them, I am not a negative coach, yelling underwater judging at the Olympics? USA Pan American Games Men’s Team. instruction or things that are funny. Dave also served as Head Coach of the Answer: I guess I am for that, I think there victorious USA Men’s team which beat Question: Do you think a hybrid of your are some things that you can see better the Australian National team in the 2005 program, and someone like Bob Bowman’s under water. I think when Cameron van Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool.

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 15 Sport Specialization at a Young Age: Is Swimming Different?

By Dr. Rod Havriluk, Ph.D.

In a recent ASCA Newsletter article, • Correction of errors, and swimming. Humans cannot rely on innate Brylinsky (2013) presented pros and cons • A sufficient number of repetitions. movement patterns to achieve an expert about sport specialization at an early age. skill level in swimming. Swimming skills In addressing the topic, she covered a It should be noted that the sufficient must be learned and the age at which an number of important points related to number of repetitions must incorporate athlete specializes must be considered. optimizing practice in sports. One purpose the other strategies to optimize the of this article is to highlight and expand learning situation. Most land-based ball sports require on these points. A second purpose is to movement skills in many directions using present information on this topic that is The above strategies apply to instruction varying amounts of range of motion at specific to swimming. of all sport skills. Brylinsky made the each joint. Practice for a secondary sport case that with quality practice “optimal may even train an athlete in a select skill performance is still possible with a better than the primary sport. For example, Quality Practice diversified sport introduction.” There is practice anticipating and reacting to an Brylinsky began her commentary by certainly no argument with the fact that opposing player in basketball may help explaining that early specialization can young athletes (including swimmers) develop similar skills for football. Swimming, lead to burnout, overuse injuries, and stand to benefit from a variety of sport however, requires repetition of the same misidentification of talent. She also made experiences. When the goal is to achieve effective movement sequence on every the point that “many of the negative an expert skill level, however, the stroke cycle. Swimming strokes are consequences of early sport specialization difference between swimming and other generally not even remotely replicated in may be avoided with appropriate coaching sports must also be taken into account. other sports, and certainly not in the water. and sport skill instruction.” She cited the work of Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch- Aquatic vs. Terrestrial Sports Growth and Development Römer (‘93) in explaining that “training quality was equal to quantity in importance.” The most obvious difference between In addition to the performance The specific instructional strategies swimming and other sports is the environment, there are also biological necessary to ensure quality or “deliberate” performance environment. Most sports are factors (like flexibility) that can influence (a la Ericsson) practice include: land-based, while swimming is performed the age of specialization. For example, in the water. Natural human movements an effective arm recovery in freestyle and • A task that is well-defined, (like running, jumping, and throwing) butterfly utilizes the full range of motion • A difficulty level that is appropriate for that are applicable to most land-based at the shoulder joint. A young swimmer each individual, sports are ineffective in the water. While who learns to use this range can retain it diversification offers practice on similar as he/she grows. However, swimmers will • Drills that stimulate performance, skills under different sport conditions, not naturally use their full range of motion • Feedback that is informative, these skills are counterproductive for without considerable quality practice.

16 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 In contrast, swimmers who wait until the sport participation. For example, practice the direction of Dr. John M. Cooper teenage years to specialize may already on jumping skills in volleyball can help (“the father of modern biomechanics”). have a reduced range of motion at the develop swimming starts and push-offs. While at Indiana, he also studied shoulder, making it far more difficult to Sports that provide visual feedback with under the legendary Dr. James “Doc” master technique elements like the arm mirrors (like dance, martial arts, and Counsilman. Rod coached swimming recovery in free and fly. In addition, gymnastics) can improve overall body at all levels – from age group to NCAA young teenagers who have not yet awareness and control. Other sports can Division I. He is a long-time member specialized may not be very competitive. offer varied strength training opportunities. of the American Alliance of Health, Less competitive swimmers often have However, most of the skills specific to Physical Education, Recreation, and fewer opportunities as far as training swimming are very different from other Dance; the American College of Sports time, contact with more skilled coaches, sport skills. Mastery of these skills requires Medicine; and ASCA coach. and access to advanced technology. many repetitions using learning strategies A delay in specialization can present designed to provide quality practice. A References substantial obstacles to ever achieving program that optimizes the quality of Brylinsky, J. (2013). Practice makes perfect expert level skills. instruction can offer the advantages of and other myths in the sports specialization specialization at an early age without the debate. ASCA Newsletter, 2013(4), 16019. negative consequences. Conclusion Ericsson, K.A., R.T., & Tesch-Römer, C. This article is not intended to discourage (1993). The role of deliberate practice in swimmers from participating in other Dr. Rod Havriluk is the President of the acquisition of expert performance. sports. On the contrary, many swimming Swimming Technology Research. He Psychological Review, 100(3), 363-406. skills can be improved with diversified specialized in biomechanics under

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ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 17 The Capacity to Perform A Baccalaureate Address, 2011 - Kenyon College

By Coach Jim Steen, Kenyon College Head Men’s Swimming Coach

Seniors, I’m so glad it’s finally stopped raining But, before I begin, I want to clear up some Coaches, at their best, are provocateurs. and has turned into a beautiful day today. I’ve misconceptions about what it means to Fundamentals of the game are important, been concerned that this might be the most be coached, and I subsequently want to but a greater concern is challenging outdoor fun you’ve had all week. defineperformance from my perspective. someone to decide what it is they want to do, and why, and how one is going to get I want to thank President Nugent, members About a year after President Nugent from point A to B without losing oneself in of the faculty and administration, and arrived at the College we had an the process. When a deep bond of trust especially the Class of 2011 and families opportunity to have lunch together at the and understanding is established between and friends, for inviting me to address you Kenyon Inn. At the time she remarked to a coach and an athlete as a result of time on this very special occasion. me that she had noticed that some of the shared, then four simple words hold great coaches at the College were among our meaning and inspiration for that athlete and When President Nugent notified me of best teachers. Of course, I was flattered serve as a call to action: you can do better! this honor — and after I had thought about by her compliment, but I had never I’ve noticed this same dynamic with our best it for a few weeks — it occurred to me that really envisioned myself as a teacher. I teachers and their students. the best I could presume to offer you were responded, in turn, to President Nugent simple observations drawn from my own that I had noticed in my nearly thirty years experiences. While hardly the wisdom of the at Kenyon that many of our teachers My Sport Profile ages, this has occasionally resulted in certain were among our best coaches! I may use a few ‘sports metaphors’ in opportunities and successes for those with coaching you today but do not presume whom I have had the privilege of working. Now, this was certainly not a case of me I know any more about sports than any of having a low opinion of teachers and a you. This discussion will not devolve into President Nugent has often drawn attention high opinion of coaches. I can assure you, how you can run faster, throw farther, train to the idea that my time at the College has I don’t. But it was a recognition of what I better, or, G-d forbid, swim more efficiently. been marked by young men and women had consistently come to expect from our who have wanted to be on my team. To the best teaching faculty. They provoke. They Truth be told, I’m not much of an athlete extent that this is true — and for me to even inspire. They demand. They challenge myself. I have very little interest in — or be standing here before you today — I can their students to get out of their comfort knowledge of — sports, and even less only assume one thing: zone, move away from their sclerotic interest in sports cultures. I don’t watch and narrow view of the world, and take SportsCenter. I’m not a fan of professional .... at some level you want to be coached! a chance on believing they might have teams of any sort. I couldn’t tell you what more to offer than they think they do. a triple-double is, how a 2-3 zone defense Teaching / Coaching Imparting a body of knowledge was less works, or what constitutes off-sides in soccer. So, in a few minutes we’re going to have a central to the process of learning than A few years ago I was invited by the Buckeye short coaching session. imbuing a sense of self-discovery. football staff to join them on the sidelines for

18 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 the annual Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. Much to the disappointment of my friends, I politely declined. It’s a standing joke in my family that a day of fishing in the morning, a round of golf in the afternoon, and a baseball game at night would be a form of punishment for me.

It’s fair to say I know a little bit about the mechanics and the energetics of swimming, but, let’s face it, as a game it’s pretty simple. One performs in a contained environment, making one’s way up and down a clearly marked, unimaginative path countless times with the sole objective of arriving in time and in a good position. What makes this challenging is the fact that one negotiates this path while carrying a veritable panoply of emotions, expectations, and desired outcomes — all of which change from day to day, month to month, and year to year.

Come to think of it, this is not too different from your life on the Hill. You’ve been in a contained environment, making your way up, simply doing what’s expected and periods of time and effort if one is serious up and down a clearly marked path, always fulfilling requirements. For me, one’s about changing one’s capacity to perform. hoping to arrive in time and in a good place, capacity to perform is a factor of time A few years ago I had an individual on and you have negotiated this path in a variety and effort, incentive and circumstance, my team who was quite talented and of different states. Sometimes you were with all the thought and action that went had the capacity to work extremely hard, threatened by how unprepared you were for into the performance evaluated by how albeit intermittently. He had aspirations what lay ahead. Other times you were totally successfully it was mastered. of competing against the very best in the captivated by the beauty and serenity of country, any division. Over the summer, the moment, fully committed to the purpose And make no mistake, mastery is what while on an extended trip with friends, of where you were going. The point is, like we’re talking about here. The pathway he wrote me wanting to know what he swimming, this is a place that has tested you, to mastery has many different twists and needed to do to achieve at a higher level. inspired you, brought you down and lifted you turns, but there are two characteristics I replied as follows: up, and ultimately, hopefully, challenged you that are fundamental to the rhythm of in your own capacity to perform. mastery — discipline and risk. It’s hard “A momentary flurry of intensity over to imagine anyone being successful a relatively short period of time, while at anything without some measure of Performance challenging and sometimes beneficial, unrelenting effort, practice, or study. I I may not be into sports in general, but I am pales in comparison to the day-in-and- find it equally hard to believe that anyone totally captivated by performance and what day-out consistency needed in order to could scale the heights of greatness it means to perform at the highest possible move to the next level. If you truly want without taking a chance on attempting level. I’m fascinated by individuals who do to be the best and ‘create’ something something new and risking failure. I things well, very well, in any arena. As a worthwhile, you have to train like the best. know both sets of circumstances have consequence, I’m drawn to great matchups And the best do not necessarily train been true in my world. in sports that I don’t fully understand, in harder than we do. But they DO train more awe of honors presentations that leave me Malcolm Gladwell in his New York Times consistently over longer periods of time.” scratching my head, and humbled by any bestseller Outliers puts “The Magic number of recitals, exhibitions, concerts, and Number of Greatness” at 10,000 hours — Now this may sound ‘Gladwellian’ to you, performances that all promise something of the amount of time it takes to perform really and certainly I’m of the persuasion that the value being put to the test. well at anything. That’s six hours a day, ability to perform at higher levels is a choice six days a week for six years. Gladwell’s in part determined by one’s commitment to The types of performance that interest me theory is based on the idea that one’s putting in the necessary time and effort, the most are those actions, deeds, and capacity to perform successfully at the but it doesn’t explain all success. I’m not thoughts that can be measured or evaluated highest level is a choice, not a birthright. necessarily convinced that six hours a and compared to a standard, a standard of day, six days a week, for six years, with excellence. We’re not talking about the day- No doubt, many of us at this institution see no breaks, is the absolute best formula for in-and-day-out routine of merely showing the value, if not the necessity, of sustained improving everyone’s capacity to perform.

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 19 Capacity to Perform (Continued)

Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip, in a recent essay in the Wall Street Journal entitled “How to Get a Real Education” offers some catchy but insightful lessons on how to be successful in entrepreneurship. But in my experience his key points carry great value for what it takes to get better in virtually any area. Three lessons in particular stand out.

Adams first talks about the importance of “combining skills,” suggesting it’s unlikely most people will develop a “world-class skill” in any one area but that it’s not that difficult to learn how to do fairly well ina few different areas. Adams reveals, “I succeeded as a cartoonist with negligible art talent, some basic writing skills, an ordinary sense of humor, and a bit of experience in the business world. The Dilbert comic is a combination of all four skills. The world has plenty of better artists, smarter writers, funnier humorists, and more experienced As far as developing one’s capacity to definitely not interactive. Like generations business people. The rare part is that each perform is concerned, let us agree that a of Kenyon swimmers, all you have to do of those modest skills is collected in one concentration of effort over some period is sit there and take it! Decide for yourself person. That’s how value is created.” of time is absolutely essential, as is the if anything makes sense or if you have a necessity of balancing one’s performance better way of looking at things. Adams further discusses the idea of expectations with one’s inherent ability and “failing forward,” which, in my mind, is not the reality of one’s life. I have three coaching points I want to make only invaluable from a career perspective, with you today, and they all relate to one’s but also absolutely essential from a Dr. Joel Stager, director of the Human capacity to perform. Before I begin, however, performance perspective. According to Performance Lab at Indiana University, in allow me the one convention of this business the author, “If you’re taking risks, and you his 30 years of lab research has observed that I fully embrace, for reasons that aren’t probably should, you can find yourself the following: “There are commonly only necessarily related to sports. (Steen failing 90 percent of the time. The trick two responses when people walk into the replaces academic cap with baseball cap.) (and, parents, you’ll love this!) is to get paid lab for their aerobic capacity to be tested. OK, thanks. I’m ready to go! while you’re doing the failing, and to use the One group asks, ‘How long do I have to experience to gain skills that will be useful run?’ and the other group asks, ‘Who has Attitude later. I failed at my first career in banking. I the highest value you’ve ever recorded?’ So, how’s your attitude? failed at my second career with the phone I’ll let you guess which group consists company. But you’d be surprised at how of the elite performers!” In summarizing Probably pretty good today. What’s not to many of the skills I learned in those careers performance capacity, I find myself be good? You’ve successfully made it from can be applied to almost any field, including agreeing with Dr. Stager when he says, point A to point B and tomorrow you’ll have cartooning. Students should be taught that “We are not all born equal, but perhaps all the necessary credentials to prove it! failure is a process, not an obstacle.” it is more about doing the most with what you were born with than letting what you What’s your attitude going to be like on Best of all is the lesson Adams offers on weren’t born with limit your performance.” Monday? Or next month? Or next fall? I’m “attracting luck”, a point on which I believe sure some of you have jobs lined up, many I’ve built an entire career. Adams suggests, of you are off to graduate school, a few of “You can’t manage luck directly, but you can Coaching Session you will be traveling, and still others are manage your career in a way that makes it OK. We’re ready for our coaching uncertain about what you’re going to be easier for luck to find you. To succeed, first session. This is a little larger team than I doing in the next few weeks, let alone the you must do something. And if that doesn’t am used to, but let’s give it a shot. I’m not next few years. From my point of view that’s work, which can be 90 percent of the time, going to ask you get up and move around OK, because regardless of what you’re doing do something else. Luck finds the doers.” or stand up and cheer. This session is next week or next year, things will change

20 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 and, in some cases, things will change the necessary adjustment in your attitude. manner at any level, in any arena, is dramatically. What’s most important in The worst position to be in is not slightly improbable at best, irrelevant at worst. this whole process, however, is attitude. off course, and it’s doubtful that any of you are deliberately going to head due You may have the talent to excel. You may Back in the mid-90s I had a big, strapping south. The worst position to be in is a have the intelligence to excel. You may sprinter on my team, with a big booming belief by you, or those around you, that have the work ethic and competitiveness voice, who won a couple of NCAA titles you couldn’t possibly do any better than to excel. But the real question is: do you in the 50-yard freestyle. Fortunately, you’re currently doing! have the imagination and creativity to everybody on the team liked this guy, continuously ‘reframe’ your reality so it is because when anyone was having a consistent with your highest aspirations? difficult practice, or a bad meet, or an awful Imagination Imagination fuels perspective and day in class, or a problem with coach, his OK. We’ve pretty much redefined attitude perspective puts one in touch with the comment was always the same, “Hey, as it relates to performance. Let’s take a bigger picture. The bigger picture, in turn, man, it’s all about attitude!” No doubt, an look at your capacity to prepare. allows for more possibilities and more individual of lesser stature offering the ideas. Performing at one’s best begins same admonition over and over again How is your work ethic? with the creation and expression of an would have been persecuted! Even though idea — nothing more, nothing less. Is it helping you or hurting you in your this guy wasn’t the hardest worker on the capacity to perform? During your time on team, or the most talented, no one ever Do you have the imagination to the Hill did you give it your best? Or did doubted the direction he was going. see yourself doing something truly you avoid putting in the time and effort exceptional? Certainly it’s difficult to And that’s what’s important to remember necessary to fully take advantage of your sustain a leap of the imagination that isn’t, about attitude. It’s not whether it’s good opportunities? in part, grounded in the knowledge and or bad, but does it define your direction? appreciation of one’s inherent abilities. But Regardless of how you performed at If the best path in getting from point A to it’s been my experience that people greatly Kenyon, we can all agree — whether point B is due north, I’ve had very few under value their capacity to perform and, we subscribe to the 10,000-hour rule or individuals on my team who have made as a result, their capacity to achieve. not — that a sustained period of focused the serious choice to head south! People attention and applied effort is absolutely usually fall short because they’re a degree Imagination can be improved. Committing essential in getting better at anything that or two off in attitude and, over time and the best of yourself to any worthwhile really matters. And, yet, hard work, in my distance that can put you in a place far endeavor requires that you do so. By experience, is not the sole determinant of away from where you would like to be. attaching your efforts to whatever it is you one’s capacity to achieve. In fact, one’s choose to do in a way that stimulates your You may have honestly assessed what sense of what can be accomplished in imagination, you enhance your capacity constitutes a journey in the right direction, any endeavor — what is truly possible — to perform at any level. To quote no less but if you’re not performing the way you is often compromised by too much hard a ‘performer’ than Albert Einstein on this want to perform don’t look at what you’re work and too little imagination. All work subject, “Logic will get you from A to B. doing, look at your attitude. and no play may make Jack a dull boy, Imagination will take you everywhere.” but all work and no imagination will most On my team, when I challenge someone’s definitely make Jack an under-performer. attitude — and I love doing that — it’s not Of this I’m absolutely convinced! Threats vs. Challenges an attack on their character. It’s a belief in My final coaching point of the day: It’s their ability to get back on course. It’s been my experience that the hardest my contention that in any given moment workers are not always the most prolific one lives one’s life in one of two ways, What you have made of your life today performers. The correlation between either under a threat or for a challenge. In is a result of the attitude you established grinding it out, day in and day out, and the performing when it counts, it’s one or the for yourself when you came to this place capacity to perform at transcendent levels other, under a threat or for a challenge. in the fall of 2007. Your life in the future does not always appear to be direct. In If, as Einstein says, “Imagination will take will be the result of the attitude you set discussing this with my fellow coaches on you everywhere,” then living your life for yourself when you leave this hallowed the faculty over the years, I’ve picked up on under a threat will take you nowhere. ground. If you’re fortunate to have people similar sentiments. The student who puts in your life like you’ve had here at Kenyon in the work is not always the student who Perceived threats, often resulting in fear, — people you trust, people who know is the most creative and engaged in their invariably compromise our capacity to and appreciate you well enough to look thinking. If you have a limited imagination perform in the manner we most desire. you in the eye and remind you that you — a limited concept of what’s possible And there are all sorts of perceived threats can do better, listen to them and make — then performing in a truly exceptional that ultimately reduce us in stature,

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 21 Capacity to Perform (Continued)

making us feel small, insignificant, and qualities we talked about earlier that good news is your attitude, imagination, powerless. There is the threat of failure. are fundamental to one’s capacity to and ability to see challenges where The threat of not measuring up. The perform — discipline and risk — and previously you saw only threats has threat of pain. The threat of humiliation. then you need to know how and where been sharpened significantly during The threat of illness or injury. The threat to apply these qualities most effectively your time at Kenyon. of not being appreciated or valued. The in reframing threats into challenges. threat of being exposed for who we are. Discipline and risk, when applied directly David Brooks, in a recent New York Times The threat of not being understood. And to living one’s life for the challenge, have column, suggests that high performing the list goes on and on. a way of offsetting the threats that tend individuals “Begin with two beliefs: to compromise our capacity to perform. 1. The future can be better than the It’s so easy to live one’s life threatened present, and by the outcome we fear that we deaden Ask and answer the following questions: our senses to the process, content to 2. I have the power to make it so.” ▶▶ Do you have the capacity to see the merely occupy time and space, satisfied challenge in any situation in which you with a half-life of sorts. We go through the When you leave the Hill this weekend feel threatened? motions, occasionally wake up, look for accept the challenge of starting over, our shadow, and quickly scurry back into ▶▶ Do you have the discipline to prepare attempt to perform well in some capacity, our den of predictability. Sound familiar? for and stay focused on the challenge? and, if you are successful in becoming a somebody at something (and many of And yet it is possible to reframe our threats ▶▶ Are you willing to risk predictability in you will), I would offer you the following into challenges and get a much better pursuit of the challenge? advice Jon Stewart gave his audience at return on our performance investment a show in Columbus a few weeks ago: with little more time and effort involved. In If the challenge itself becomes your doing so, you first have to wake up. You truth in any endeavor, can you really be “Be proud of who you are, but have to be among the living! A conscious threatened? Risk waking up to see your don’t wield it as a club.” decision needs to be made that you’re not world for what it truly is — a playing field going to allow the same threats to keep of limitless challenges designed for your Thank you very much for inviting me to undermining your performance. personal edification and enlightenment. speak to you today. That being the case, and it is, what Second, you have to be honest with threat, if any, awaits you? Only one. Not yourself, recognizing and acknowledging Coach Jim Steen directed the Kenyon men’s playing the game. team to 29 of its record 31 consecutive that which most threatens you. It has to NCAA national championships, and be disclosed to someone you trust. It Conclusion guided the Ladies to 21 of their 23 national can’t continue to remain a secret. titles. Steen has won more NCAA national Herein concludes our coaching session, championships (50) than any other coach Third, you need to cultivate the two but on Monday you start a new game. The in any NCAA sport.

22 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 23 Too Many Kids Today are SoFT By Jim Vermeulen, Syracuse Post Standard

This essay by Jim Vermeulen, an upstate New York teacher and coach, was published February 22 in the Syracuse Post-Standard; this condensed version is reprinted with permission from The American Enterprise magazine.

As my high school track and cross-country coaching seasons accumulate, so too, unfortunately, do my number of “lost runners.”

These are kids who will never know how good they could have been as competitors, because they didn’t stick it out long enough or never trained hard enough to realize their potential. Each year, more of them make my long Who- WE have taught children the value of ease Some of my lost runners were disappointed Might-Have-Been list. over effort. Kickin’ back, hanging out, and to learn that our sport was not all adrenaline chillin’ are now considered purposeful rushes and flowing along “free as the wind.” Some of them quit running after the activities. This is a society where parents They discovered running could be hard – just first sweltering days of late summer drive their kids 400 yards to school. Our plain hard – and that it didn’t always feel good. practices. Others quietly disappeared cultural preoccupation with ease is intense, amid the cold March rains. Some despite Nike ads to the contrary. We have twisted the relationship between took their leave, amazingly, with “feeling good” and performing. Where the only weeks remaining in a winter Kids also have been taught to value gradual acquisition of skills and the mastery of schedule. Others stuck out a season participation over performance. Once, a sport’s fundamentals once provided a sense of running the long miles but never performing well in a sport was the of accomplishment that allowed athletes to feel returned the following year. goal in most athletics, and disciplined good about themselves, now we seem to think practice was the means. Now, for many, that athletics must start with good feelings. They said they were injured. They participating is the ultimate aim. said they were too busy with other In this weird reversal, kids must be “having fun” in commitments. They said they were In track, we say there is a difference order to learn a game, and stick with it. A coach’s told by family, doctors, or friends between running a race and racing. One demands or criticisms supposedly destroy an not to punish themselves. They requires Woody Allen’s directive: just athlete’s “interest,” or damage his or her fragile said running was just no fun. showing up. The other means you have “self-esteem,” and therefore must be muted. sweated and sacrificed to be in a position In truth, I’ve come to believe, most of to give it your all in a few moments of TOO MANY parents want their kids to them just found the sport’s demands excellence. What is too often lost today excel without any pain or failure. Coaches too stiff. The challenge of “doing is the invaluable experience of attempting who demand high levels of discipline and something hard” has grown less and something “in depth,” where commitment, dedication from their athletes frequently are less attractive to kids today. discipline, and sacrifice are required. criticized for asking too much. Often their only

24 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2013 EDITION 6 defense is a winning program. compete with, or dilute, a young runner’s like myself, will recall other athletes who, commitments to their sport. if not Olympics bound, might still have Many people believe that today’s athletes achieved individual greatness — had they are superior to any previous, by dint Ed Bowes, cross-country coach at Bishop tried. It is those lost athletes that haunt us. of improved training and better sports Loughlin High School in Brooklyn and As much as anything, we wanted them to technology. You can’t, however, make that organizer of the Manhattan Invitational understand that doing something hard — case with schoolboy runners. XC Meet, is more blunt. Noting the and sacrificing to do it well — is always a dwindling number of runners competing winning proposition. In the sport of running, the clock is coldly at a high level, he says simply: “Too many objective. In a commentary a couple of kids today are soft.” Jim Vermeulen is a teacher and Track/ years ago, Marc Bloom, editor of the cross- Cross-Country Head Coach in the West country magazine Harrier, compared My own experience with lost runners Genesee School District of New York, different generations of schoolboy distance tells me that many kids do not now which advances boys/girls runners to the runners, and offered these facts: appreciate what it means to struggle at State Championships of XC, Indoor Track an endeavor, to put their heads down and Outdoor Track almost every running ▶▶ Only three high-school boys have ever and, with the encouraging support of season. He edited the book “Mountain broken 4:00 in the mile. The first was parents, relatives, and friends, achieve Journeys: Stories of Climbers and Their Jim Ryun in 1965. The last was Marty something meaningful. Climbs” (Overlook Press, 1989). Liquori in 1967. I’m afraid my lost runners may never ▶▶ Of the 30 fastest boys’ two-mile performances, none has come close in learn The Secret. The Secret can never be taught; it can only be “discovered” by the past decade. Jim Vermeulen is a teacher and the athlete willing to make sacrifices and Track/Cross-Country Head Coach in ▶▶ Legendary American middle distance take chances. The Secret is this: there is the West Genesee School District of runner Steve Prefontaine ran an inner pride, quiet joy, and personal victory New York, which advances boys/girls 8:41.5 record two-mile in 1969. Only in any struggle. A corny, old-fashioned runners to the State Championships two runners have since exceeded that, concept perhaps, but one that has always both in the 1970s. produced champions. And not just ones of XC, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track who stand on winners’ podiums. almost every running season. He Bloom went on to suggest that various edited the book “Mountain Journeys: social circumstances (family breakdown, This fall, only a few scholastic coaches Stories of Climbers and Their Climbs” mass-media enticements; etc.) now may bemoan lost Olympians. Many more, (Overlook Press, 1989).

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