ASCA Newsletter American Coaches Association 2014 edition | issue 11

In This Issue:

Swimming Mourns the / 04 Passing of Coaching Legend by Craig Lord

Peter Daland Who / 06 Coached Swimming Champions is Dead at 93 by Frank Litsky

Pathways in Leadership / 08 - Coach Peter Malone by Annie Stein

“A Lifetime of Lessons / 21 Learned” by

A Note on Coaching Legend Peter Daland’s Passing By: Timothy Welsh

Peter Daland has passed away. The rest of us, without being wiser to grow up now. Just like that and just that quickly and all together (Peter was wise) are older now. on this one day, we have to grow up. Our father-figure is gone. It is now our time, and now our turn, to take on the responsibility and the In the real world, we are sometimes told that a part of us is still a accountability that comes from losing yet another of our great older child as long as at least one of our parents is alive. It makes sense. and wiser leaders. As of today, we can no longer be Peter’s disciples. Mom is always Mom, and Dad is always Dad. As of today, we have to be Peter’s successors.

In the world of swimming coaches, Peter Daland was at-least a father- Peter would want it that way, of course. He spent at least the last figure, and in many cases, including mine, much more than a father- half of his life teaching, and preparing, and leading us — constantly figure to and for many of us. Peter’s passing means that we all have pointing out the way and the path that he thought we ought to be

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 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: Vice-Presidents: Jim Tierney, Steve Morsilli Members: Don Heidary, Ira Klein, Matthew Kredich. Michael Lawrence, David Marsh, Amy Montgomery, Tim Murphy, Kathleen Klein Prindle, Bill Wadley, Chuck Warner Executive Committee: Jennifer Gibson, Tim Welsh

ASCA Staff Executive Director and Editor John Leonard Clinics and Job Services Guy Edson SwimAmericaTM Sponsors International director Duffy Dillon administrations Judie Doggett Finance Kim Cavo Bookkeeping & Sales Lenora Hayes Membership Services Melanie Wigren Certification Kim Witherington Technical Services and WSCA Matt Hooper Web & media Director: Mary Malka PUBLISHING: Devan Martin SwimAmericaTM & ALTST Julie Nitti General Counsel Richard J. Foster

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2 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 On the Cover

A Note on Peter Daland’s Passing

walking. And like all good fathers, he was right more often than not. Peter had a ear and a passion for the “big issues;” and he had an unusually clear sense, earned from years and years of hard experience, for the “right direction” to follow in “tackling” them (“tackling” being a word chosen carefully to reflect Peter’s passion for college football, which often led to his watching three or more football games on a single Saturday).

Thank you, Peter. Thank you for the years of training, and the passion with which you trained us. Rooming with Peter on the road was like job-shadowing the Master. So thorough and so constant was his instruction that it was not unusual for Peter to be speaking on a topic as he fell asleep, and to wake up in the morning picking up where he left off the night before. It was that way for me on several occasions. History of Olympic Swimming shows. You mentioned your on-deck coaching Thank you, Peter, for teaching and training kept us focused on the big picture…not only successes… but we all know how long all of us, whether we knew you or not and in USA Swimming, but also and always with the list of those accomplishments is… at whatever our level of coaching. You made World Swimming. You taught us before it and we know too how much you valued us more professional. You checked on our became obvious that the swimming world is and thought of yourself and called dress code, wearing a coat and tie yourself a flat world, world wide…. yourself a coach. In remembering you, into your 80’s, and remarking when you saw we will want to celebrate and emulate You advocated for coach leadership and us whether we passed dress code inspection your on-deck coaching achievements. We coach representation and a coach voice at that day. Why? Because it make us more have so much to thank you for, Peter. professional. Thank you. every level of world swimming from local LSCs to FINA…and you led the first FINA When our parents pass away, we “step up” You made us value being prompt and Coaches’ Commission, not to mention being as adults into the shoes they have prepared punctual and on time (“tickey tockey goes the first coach of the World Swimming us to fill. Such is our job and our challenge the clockey” is reported to be what you said Coaches Assn. Every coach in the world now in the swimming world. Our lasting to your swimmers to remind them to be on thanks you for that. time). And punctual you were at every event tribute to you will be to upgrade our we can remember. In fact, if you were ever On the issues of drugs and “suits” and coaching, to upgrade our professionalism, late for anything, I hope you were late for every other major issue at home and around and to upgrade our involvement and our St. Peter. We needed every day with you the world, you taught us that every decision commitment to the issues that make our that we had. is a political decision and that we needed to sport better throughout the US and around learn and be in a position to “do” politics if the world. You made us more prepared. In the paper we wanted to speak up for the “right” issues and ink era, you filled our Swimming Worlds Thank you, Peter. May you Rest in Peace. and to influence decisions regarding them. and Junior Swimmer magazines (which you You have earned it. helped to start and keep going) with the Going on and on would be easy. Timothy Welsh is. the current head coach of the data of names, and times, and events… In recent years, you seldom and… you remembered them too, as your Notre Dame swim team

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 3 “Swimming Mourns the Passing of United States Coaching Legend Peter Daland”

By Craig Lord, Swimvortex.com

One of the all-time swim coaching legends, and the international swimming community Daland began in New York City graduating Peter Daland, passed away today. He died at 93 have unfortunately lost one of our sport’s most from Swarthmore in 1948 and got his first having endured Alzheimer’s in the past year. iconic figures.” coaching job at Rose Valley, PA, where he won 8 straight Suburban League titles (1947-55). He If there be men whose lifelong commitment Jim Wood, former president of USA Swimming, founded and was first coach of the Philadelphia was worthy of FINA’s highest honour, Daland summed up the feelings of many with the Suburban Swim Club and served as an assistant would surely be up the front in the queue. following tribute: to Bob Kiphuth at Yale before deciding to take His place in the pantheon is assured by a “RIP Coach Daland. Great coach. Great friend. Horace Greeley’s advice and head west in 1956 treasury of success stories, most notably at the And an even better person. Thank you coach as coach of USC and the Athletic height of occasions when he led the United from all of your swimming family” Club. In 1958, he returned to Yale with 5 USC States 1964 Olympic women’s team to triumph Freshmen and won the National AAU Team In the USA, Daland is a University of Southern with six gold and the 1972 Olympic men’s team Title from the New Haven Swim Club. California legend. His coaching career spanned to victory, at the helm of a nine-title almost a half century. His place in the International Swimming Hall achievement with his famous seven golds. of Fame was assured a long time ago but his When Daland, who served a President of the Daland played a key role in persuading Spitz to presence there is not confined to a plinth: World Swimming Coaches Association, retired stick with his program and take to his blocks generations of aquatic achievers who have from coaching in April 1992 after 35 years at been recognised include in the shadow of their in the 100m freestyle in Munich. He coached a USC, he had 93 NCAA individual and relay citations the name Peter Daland among those galaxy of stars on a personal level, including titles to his credit. His personal charges won who recommended them for honour. , Dave Wharton, Mike O’Brien, seven gold and two silver medals at the 1976 ’s Murray Rose, , Joe and alone. A Towering Contribution , and Bruce and . With eight NCAA Team Titles to his name “He looks and sounds more like a tweedy Ivy “Coach Peter Daland was, without question, and 14 AAU Men’s Team Titles to his credit, League philosophy professor,” The Los Angeles a giant in the sport of swimming. The life Daland was the 1962 ASCA “Coach of the Times once wrote, “and he’d just as soon the he led, the many he positively impacted and Year”, the 1976 National Collegiate & Scholastic spotlight never found him.” the contributions he made are unmatched,” Swimming Trophy recipient. and the 1975 said USA Swimming Executive Director recipient of the AAU Swimming Award. Daland was born in New York City on April Chuck Wielgus. 12, 1921. Raised in suburban Philadelphia, When he was inducted into the International Daland’s father, Eliot, was an aircraft and “Coach Daland carried himself in a manner that Swimming Hall of Fame, the citation read: “He helicopter engineer. Like father, like son, at 90 brought respect from everyone he met and for is the only coach to have won all three major Daland the father was still developing a type of every institution he represented, including USA national team championships”, including 2 hovercraft; at 90 Daland the son was celebrating Swimming. The American swimming family National AAU Women’s (LAAC) crowns. his birthday in the company of leading figures

4 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 and friends in the world swim community and college swimming strong, and if we can keep His favorite moment in swimming, he recalled throughout his 80s was still a constant presence the age-group program churning out future as his daughter Leslie’s win in the 800 freestyle at events around the world, one of his roles that Olympians, and if we can keep promising at the Goodwill Games in Moscow in 1986. of expert and keen observer of events around youngsters in the sport — if, if, if — the the world. In his so-called ‘retirement’, he United States will remain the world’s strongest Daland was a gentleman, a swimming scholar, a remained the eyes and ears of USA Swimming. swimming nation.” keen observer, a man full of tales from the road that provided insight to moments we thought During World War II, Daland served in the In his “retirement” years, Daland was a WSCA we knew about, complete with a reminder to “do Army Signal Corps. After the war, he studied leader and fierce critic of doping and what the right thing” and “let those who say they run at in Pennsylvania. At he saw as the tolerance of it by FINA. In the swimming know how we feel about the sport college, he ran and took part in long jump, 1990s, he was to be found arm in arm with other that belongs to us”. while serving as captain of a swim team that he outspoken coaches, swimmers and media as would also coach twice a week. His take on his made a mockery of the sport by tacking There were a couple of occasions on which own athletic prowess in water: “I was not a good off whee the GDR had left off. For Daland, that I had the privilege of spending hours in his swimmer – you have to have a feel for water and link was heart-felt: he led an American team company talking over breakfast that spilled into what I could do was see who had just that.” to victory over the GDR and USSR at a tri- mid-morning coffee. With Daland, it always felt meet inn 1971 – and then watched as the world as though the conversation ended too early. He After graduating in 1948, he worked fora short turned on performance-enhancement. always had another gem up his sleeve. And what while at a medical books publisher and spent he was good at, too, was motivating others to his spare time coaching a swimming club not Daland was a man who could persuade, who recognise their skills and talents and honour far from Philadelphia. It was from 1950 to could make an athlete believe. When Spitz them. He often said: 1954 that the passion took off and tipped into looked set to buckle under the pressure of excellence learned in the best of company: he expectation in Munich in 1972 after a string “Competitive swimming is preparation for life.” was an assistant swimming coach at Yale under of gold medals, Daland stepped in. Years later, Daland was a kind man, too. One of my most- Robert J. H. Kiphuth, USA Olympic coach at the Daland told me: prized possessions is a note Daland wrote 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1948 Games and known in a signed copy of one of his books. I won’t as “The Father of land training for swimmers”. “He thought there was a strong chance that he’s repeat it here but it speaks to the simplicity and Kiphuth’s “wind sprints” innovation was lose the 100m [free] to Jerry [Heidenreich, US directness of the messages he wanted to get developed by Australians into interval training. teammate] and he didn’t want a silver to soil a whole lot of gold. Sherm [Chavoor, Spitz’s across for the betterment of swimming and the In 1952, Daland and Kiputh co-founded personal coach] told him he’d be seen a ‘chicken’ potential in unlocking the very best in all of us. Swimming World Magazine. After that is he pulled out. He was still unsure but I told The book, his Olympic History of swimming grounding, Daland began 16 years of coaching him that he was in the shape of his life, this Part 1, was penned with the help of Dr Phil at the Los Angeles Athletic Club in 1956. The was his moment, there was nothing he couldn’t Whitten and two others I have had the privilege U.S.C. job he took was part-time until 1972. do and that he’d regret it forever if he didn’t of working with, the late Nick Thierry and the honour what he was there to do.” “I saw it as a fascinating thing, college late Cecil Colwin, whose last interview with swimming,” Daland once told me. “Yale had a “He didn’t look at his best to me. But that wasn’t Daland you can read here. great team, terrific kids, fine students. I thought the point. I told him that I’d never seen him I first became aware of Daland at seven when to myself ‘This is the world in which I’d like to looking so good. I told him how great he was my father told me about his achievements. I met spend my life’.” and what a golden opportunity he had. He swam him in my teens – and I interviewed him several it [100m] and he won. That’s how you had to times later in life as a journalist. He was a man USC offered Daland $600 a year to coach kinds talk to Mark sometimes to get him to do what who greeted you as if each meeting was just a in a pool so archaic it was known as “The day after the last time you met. Dungeon”. Done deal. Respect was part of the we knew he could do.” equation when Daland dealt with his swimmers. Reflecting on his career in a chat we had in 2006, Daland always maintained: “The best people in Daland said: “I still feel the losses more than the world are in swimming.” One of them no “He saw a very clear line of distinction between longer is though his impact and his memory will anything. They hurt and they live with you. the coach and the swimmers,” Naber, the four- live on long into the future. time Olympic gold medallist of 1976, once I never looked back and thought ‘wasn’t that told the LA Times. “In fact, a reporter once great’; more its been a case of thinking what we Daland is survived by his wife, Ingrid, whom asked him why his team never threw him in could’a done better. The things that grate are he married in 1964; two sons from a previous marriage, George and Roger; a son, Peter Jr., the water after it won a national championship, the recruits you never got, the kids who should and two daughters, Bonnie and Leslie, from his as other teams did with their coaches, and his have stood on an Olympic podium but never second marriage. He leaves eight grandchildren. response was, ‘I wouldn’t hear of it.’ What this made the team. I always felt those things badly. accomplished was, it kept us in great regard “The coach is there to unlock every possibility Condolences to his family from SwimVortex for him and it brought the swimmers closer and this author, to whom Daland was a mentor, in the swimmer. When someone falls short, together as a team.” a friend and a font of wisdom. How we will you fall short with them. Those things are miss him. Twenty years on from Munich 1972, in the well behind me and nowadays, the thing I love year of his retirement from college swimming, most is to see talent rise up – and the thing Daland could be found championing the cause that hurts most is the poor governance of Craig Lord is the editor of Swimvortex.com. in the The New York Times: “If we can keep world swimming.”

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 5 Peter Daland, Who Coached Swimming Champions is Dead at 93 By Frank Litsky, New York Times Magazine

Source: http://cstv.collegesports.com/mt5.2/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=4&tag=Peter%20Daland&limit=20

Peter Daland, who moved from Yale to the titles in the annual National Collegiate in 1964 and men in 1972. When he retired University of Southern Californiain the Athletic Association championships. Only in 1992, his U.S.C. team was still in the top 1950s and became one of the world’s most Mike Peppe, who coached at Ohio State 10 nationally. successful swimming coaches, guiding the from 1931 to 1963, won more team titles: Trojan men’s team to national titles while In addition, he founded Swimming World, 11. producing 62 Olympians, died on Monday which was originally a newsletter and is now the sport’s major magazine. in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He was 93. Daland’s teams produced at least one gold The cause was Alzheimer’s disease, U.S.C. medalist in every Olympics during his “He was to swimming what John Wooden said. tenure; 20 of his teams were unbeaten in was to basketball,” the former Olympian dual meets; and he was voted the national swimmer said in a statement Daland coached the Trojans from 1958 to coach of the year six times. He also coached issued by U.S.C., where he was one of four 1992 as they won nine team and 93 individual the United States Olympic teams for women brothers to compete for Daland. “He proved

6 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 to be the bridge between the sport’s pioneer Daland championed his sport. He bemoaned coaches and today’s modern-era coaches.” N.C.A.A. reductions in athletic scholarships, staffs and training programs that led several Daland could look out of place in a colleges to drop swimming. In 1992, he sport notable for its sinewy, long-limbed wrote in The New York Times, “If we can competitors. He was stocky and not very keep college swimming strong, and if we tall, and he often wore a jacket and tie at can keep the age-group program churning meets as he paced the sides of steamy pools. out future Olympians, and if we can keep “He looks and sounds more like a tweedy promising youngsters in the sport — if, if, if Ivy League philosophy professor,” The Los — the United States will remain the world’s Angeles Times once wrote, “and he’d just as strongest swimming nation.” soon the spotlight never found him.” In retirement, he conducted swimming His swimmers — among them other clinics and helped organize the World Olympians like Murray Rose, John Naber, Swimming Coaches Association, which Jon Henricks, , , led the fight against drug use in the sport Mike O’Brien and Jeff Float — became and prompted the International Swimming mirrors of their coach: dignified, well Federation to send drug-testing teams into dressed, serious about their studies. They China, a major offender. called him Coach or Peter, never Pete. Other teams, after winning a championship, might He is survived by his wife, Ingrid, whom throw their coach in the pool. The Trojans he married in 1964; two sons from a knew better. previous marriage, George and Roger; a son, Peter Jr., and two daughters, Bonnie Daland was born in New York City on and Leslie, from his second marriage; and April 12, 1921, and grew up in suburban eight grandchildren. Philadelphia. His father was an aircraft and helicopter engineer who at 90 was still Daland was inducted into the International developing a type of hovercraft. Swimming Hall of Fame, the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of During World War II, Daland served in Fame and the U.S.C. Athletic Hall of Fame. the Army Signal Corps. He then studied at The pool of U.S.C.’s new Uytengsu Aquatics Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where Center bears his name. he was a mediocre athlete whose major achievements came in track and field — a Daland was modest about his achievements 4-minute-50-second mile and a 20-foot long and said he preferred not to look back. jump. He was also captain of the swimming “I never looked at it like, ‘These are all the team and coached it two days a week, but he great things I’ve done,’ “ he told Splash said he was not a good swimmer, either. magazine in 2002. “What you do remember After graduating in 1948, he worked for a are the grievous losses. That keeps you from publisher of medical books while coaching thinking too much about the past, because a swimming club near Philadelphia. From you remember the ones that got away in 1950 to 1954, he was an assistant swimming recruiting. Or ones who didn’t make it coach at Yale under the legendary coach onto the Olympic team when they should Robert J. H. Kiphuth. have. Or the team that lost the N.C.A.A. championship when it should have won. Or Daland moved west in 1956 and began a the bad training you gave to someone that 16-year stint coaching the Los Angeles led to a bad result.” Athletic Club team. The U.S.C. job he took was part-time, and he did not care much for He added, “The dissatisfaction from those his campus office in the mimeograph room things fade as things go on, and you get of an old gymnasium, or for the outdated more involved in the present.” pool the Trojans used for practice. It was not until 1972 that the coaching job Frank Litsky is the sport columnist for the New became full-time. York Times.

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 7 Pathways to Leadership Coach Peter Malone, Profiled

By Coach Annie Stein , ASCA Fellow 2013

Building the Playground Peter Malone “If you’re not willing to take charge of building your own playground, you’re not going to have any place to play,” - Coach Peter Kennedy to Peter Malone, 1968

8 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 June 28, 2012 – Kansas City, Kansas. Peter Beginnings: Introduction to As an athlete, Peter began noticing issues Malone watches intently as the last of his Swimming and Ron Ballatore facing the swimming community in Toledo, Kansas City Blazers protégé compete back in particular the lack of facilities and the to back in the Olympic Trials Finals. Bobby Growing up in a large family, the pool was control local private clubs had over the Bollier finishes third in the 200 Butterfly, a natural place for Peter Malone and his five opportunities for young people to swim missing the US Team by less than half a siblings (two sisters and three brothers), year round. If you were not a member of second. Minutes later, Shannon Vreeland’s to spend their days. The Malone children one of Toledo’s exclusive men’s clubs or were often dropped off at the pool during Olympic Dream becomes a reality. She country clubs, opportunities to swim year- the summer months at Highland Meadows finishes fifth in the 200 Freestyle, qualifying round were few. for London. The next morning, Kevin Country club while their mother, an avid Webster completes his own Olympic Dream, golfer hit the links. In the winter months, By the completion of his junior year at finishing top-16 in the preliminaries and they were granted access to the Toledo Club, St. Francis de Sales, Peter had become earning a semi-finals swim. one of Toledo, Ohio’s most exclusive men’s independent, and began to take even more clubs through their Uncle Bill, a Lieutenant responsibility for his future. Coach Ballatore Peter Malone is not a man that looks back. Colonel in the United States Army. While gave him his first coaching job: working He is constantly moving forward, reaching stationed overseas, Peter’s Uncle assisted in with the summer team at Lincolnshire for the next goal. However, that two- rebuilding Korea following the end of the Country Club and doing “grunt work”, day sequence in Omaha brought cause for Korean War. Peter’s Father was stricken by keeping the pool in tip-top shape. While reflection. It was a “wow moment.” While polio as a teenager, and swimming was an he was not paid to coach, Peter used the thousands of American Coaches spend their activity that, relentless in his determination opportunity to observe Coach Ballatore entire careers working to get one swimmer not to live handicapped, he could participate both on and off the pool deck. into the finals or to even qualify for Olympic in for exercise. Trials, Peter Malone had at least one finalist Throughout his senior year of high school, Days at the downtown Toledo Club sparked from 1980 until 2012. Kansas has never been Peter continued to work for Coach Ballatore, Peter, and he was soon engrossed in year- considered a swimming hotbed, yet Peter in the pool as an athlete, and out of the pool round competitive swimming. However, Malone’s Kansas City Blazers produced six at Lincolnshire Country Club. He gained family priorities dictated that he take Olympians, including three Gold Medalists, increased responsibility relatively quickly, complete ownership and responsibility of his and several American Record Holders. taking complete control of the summer team, extracurricular activity. Peter took public while continuing with the tasks that allowed transit to and from practices and worked As the Blazer’s successes grew, other Coach Ballatore to focus on coaching his odd jobs to cover his swimming expenses. coaches wanted to know how Peter built newly established club team Lesser Toledo School, family, and household chores were a club, in an area not known for swimming Aquatic Club. Coach Ballatore had started his all prioritized before swimming. Provided talent that consistently placed swimmers in own year round club team after being let go these were all taken care of, swimming was Championship Meet Finals and on National at the Toledo Club. The club name “Lesser possible if Peter took responsibility for the Toledo” was a not so subtle poke at the Teams. His response was simple. The activity himself. Self-reliance and personal exclusive men’s clubs in town, often referred successes of his athletes were never about accountability became strong themes in his Peter Malone as a coach. His athletes owned life; themes that would continue to appear to as “Greater Toledo”. their own journeys. Peter saw himself as a and feature prominently throughout his Working for Coach Ballatore, Peter continued facilitator, opening doors for young people to future career. Peter began developing a to learn about taking responsibility for his pursue their dreams. belief in the power of sports in the life of young people, using his own experience in own destiny and program. However, he also In 2003, Peter Malone was named by USA swimming as proof. began to see his mentor run into problems. Swimming as one the 25 most influential While Ron Ballatore was a tremendous on people in the organization’s history. It was Through swimming at the Toledo Club, deck coach, and dedicated to his athletes, one of the most special honors of Peter’s Peter was introduced to Coach Ron Ballatore. Peter watched his mentor struggle to manage career, and a testament to his dedication Peter and several of his club swimming the business side and parent dynamic of his to creating opportunities for swimmers friends convinced Coach Ballatore that they program. Coach Ballatore could be abrasive, nation-wide, just as he had done for his own could form a high school swim team at their and did not have the business savvy to form swimmers in Kansas City. school, St. Francis de Sales. Despite the lack alliances. Even though Coach Ballatore’s of a permanent facility, a team was formed, For years, Peter Malone has championed the opinions and ideas were often right, Peter the very first swim team at the school. The stories of his swimmers, content to work in watched him shove his message down the the background, but his own story has never team practiced wherever and whenever throats of parents and other important had the spotlight. How do you build a club they could, which at times meant late hours entities. This ultimately led to Coach in the heart of the Mid-West that produces and odd locations. Despite the challenges, Ballatore’s exit from Toledo, as he was asked Olympians in three straight Games and under Coach Ballatore’s tutelage, the St. to leave before the start of the 1967-1968 become one of the most influential people in Francis team became an Ohio high school school year. Though an outstanding on- the history of American Swimming? That powerhouse, capturing the Ohio High School deck coach, Coach Ballatore was in constant story deserves to be told. State Championships in Peter’s senior year. conflict with the club parents, and was unable

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 9 Pathways to Leadership - Peter Malone Profiled (Continued) to manage or resolve those differences. This 1974). Graduating in six years with a degree increasingly challenging situation was a was a major lesson in leadership development in financial management and supplementing roadblock in Peter’s ability to control the for Peter, stressing the importance of with a degree in education with teaching destiny of his own program. managing off-deck responsibilities. credentials, Peter figured he would teach and GTAC continued to improve, and by 1975 Early Coaching Years 1967 - 1975 coach, as was the norm for coaches at the time. He became the very first male teacher had become the second most successful team in the state of Ohio, second only to Coach Peter Kennedy entered in 1967 as the at the local all-girls private school in Toledo. the national powerhouse Cincinnati Pepsi new Head Coach at St. Francis de Sales and However, despite collecting only minimal Marlins. However, working in a difficult the Toledo Club. A former swimmer under coaching pay until 1971, the Greater Toledo environment, Peter began to look around for the great Bob Kiphuth at Yale and assistant Aquatic Club was taking up increasing a new opportunity. Opportunity knocked in coach under Peter Daland at USC, Kennedy amounts of Peter’s time and energy. He was the spring of 1975, with the chance to start a was intensely focused as a coach, businessman, running the age group program, as well as new team in Kansas City, Kansas. and educator, and believed strongly in assisting Peter Kennedy with both the High presenting a professional image. Along School Team and Senior Team. By 1973, Getting Involved: 1968 - 1975 with their on-deck coaching responsibilities, Peter realized that it was impossible to devote During his years coaching in Toledo, Peter Kennedy and Malone worked tirelessly to the necessary time and energy to teaching and coaching simultaneously. was surrounded with influential leaders not build a permanent aquatic facility at St. only in swimming, but the whole of amateur Francis de Sales. While working to get the GTAC was thriving, qualifying their first sports. Through Ted Stickles, Peter spent pool built at St. Francis, Coach Kennedy told swimmer for the Team time with Doc Counsilman, sending quite a Peter, “If you’re not willing to take charge in 1971, and Peter was quickly developing a few of his own swimmers to the University of building your own playground, you’re not reputation as a stellar coach on the pool deck. of Indiana. He also got to know Ohio State going to have any place to play,” a sentiment When Peter Kennedy eventually moved Buckeyes football coach Woody Hayes, the that reinforced Peter’s already strong belief on that same year, former world record best friend of GTAC’s board president. in accountability and self – reliance. holder and Indiana University Hoosier Ted Interacting with Coach Hayes, Peter picked Stickles assumed the Head Coaching job at The combination of Coach Ballatore’s out up on the great success of football coaches in St. Frances de Sales and Greater Toledo of the pool struggles in Toledo and Coach determining the destiny of their own sport. Aquatic Club. With Stickles’ arrival, Peter Kennedy’s business acumen highlighted The coaches were governing and controlling assumed more authority over the club the importance of involvement off the the direction of football. Peter felt was that program. Though Stickles was Head Coach pool deck. Peter learned these lessons lacking in swimming, a sport still largely in name, he had little interest in working well. When approaching bankers and local controlled by volunteers, with little coach with the club team, and served as more of businesses for support in the St. Francis involvement. While football’s Coach – a figurehead. This allowed Peter to garner pool project, credibility was paramount. Leaders were building their own playground, more power, working with both the age Swim Coaches, Peter felt, were still playing It was important that Peter maintained a group and senior programs, and continue to on someone else’s. professional image and that he had done learn and develop as a leader. Stickles left his homework. Presenting as an authority for the Head Coaching position at Louisiana Perhaps most influential were two and being the most prepared person in any State University for the 1972- 1973 school neighborhood friends, Joe Scalzo and Dick situation was key, particularly as a young year, and Peter was offered the vacated head Torio, who at the time were officers at the man in his early twenties. high school coaching position. However, National Amateur Athletic Union. At their In 1968, Peter was still coaching for free as feeling unable to commit to teaching, urging, Peter began attending AAU meetings an assistant at St. Frances de Sales, and for coaching club, and coaching high school at in 1968. Scalzo and Torio encouraged him to minimal wages at what was now known as his desired level, he turned the offer down. become involved in AAU politics, starting in Greater Toledo Aquatic Club (GTAC). He He then quit his teaching job to devote more water polo. Though Peter was not passionate worked three additional jobs: working as time to the Greater Toledo Aquatic Club. about water polo, it was an easy sport to become politically involved. He began a janitor, a bar back, and at a local grocery There was immediate tension between Peter attending the AAU convention in 1969, and store, putting himself through college and the new high school coach at St. Francis by age 21 was the Vice President of the at the University of Toledo, and once de Sales. His swimmers were torn between AAU in Northwest Ohio. Once his voice was again demonstrating his strong sense of two coaches at the same facility. The new established, it was an easy, natural transition personal accountability. Peter’s primary facility at St. Francis de Sales, completed for income came from the grocery store, and the 1970 – 1971 school year, housed both from water polo to swimming committees. during the summer months, his work with the high school team and Greater Toledo By the passing of the Amateur Sports Act summer club teams (first, the summer team Aquatic Club. While Ted Stickles had in 1978 and subsequent separation from at Lincolnshire Country Club, and later at wanted Peter to continue assisting with the the AAU/birth of USA Swimming in 1979, the Inverness Club, where he would run High School Team, the new coach did not, Peter was firmly entrenched as a leader in the the summer aquatics program from 1970 – which upset many of the swimmers. The swimming world.

10 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 11 12 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 Pathways to Leadership: Peter Malone (Continued)

Local Impact: 1975 - 1982 contrast, Peter had a National vision. Upon marketing his ideas rather than dictating as he signing his contract with the Blazers, Peter had observed Coach Ballatore struggle with In the spring of 1975, Peter left Toledo, the negotiated that the club would pay for him years before. He studied his environment, city he had lived his entire life to become the to continue attendance at both the annual understanding that different constituents Head Coach of the newly formed Kansas City AAU convention and Nationals, regardless from different areas would have different Blazers, a job he had previously turned down of whether he had any athletes eligible values and desires. The needs of coaches and 2 or 3 times before finally accepting. He to compete. He felt that it was extremely clubs in the more rural areas were entirely interviewed for the job for a final time during important he attend these events in order to different to those of coaches in the more the 1975 Spring Nationals in Cincinnati. keep at the forefront of what was going on metropolitan areas. His professionalism, After driving his team to the meet, he flew preparedness, and consistent thought for the both politically and athletically in the sport, to Kansas City, interviewing over night, and athletes first eventually softened resistance, as he built the Kansas City Blazers program returning in time for afternoon workout the which ultimately led to an improved situation and opened up new dreams. following day. While the pool opportunities for the entire LSC. in Kansas City were spartan, there was great conversation. Interestingly enough it wasn’t the swimming people who ultimately convinced Peter to come on board, but the “...He felt coaches needed to set the direction school board and Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department. They presented of their sport in order to give their athletes the an incredibly enticing picture of multiple best opportunity to reach for their dreams.” entities working together to provide kids with the opportunity to pursue their dreams. It was a quite literal opportunity for Peter to build and maintain his own playground, with full support from local The third challenge Peter initially There were several issues that Peter sought governance. Peter accepted the job and encountered was a Missouri Valley LSC to address right off the bat: the running of then went home and informed his wife they Leadership dominated by volunteers. Peter swim meets, the relationship between year would be moving to Kansas. found that the majority of coaches in the area round and summer swimming, and support had little to do or no interest in determining When Peter arrived in Kansas City in 1975, for national level competition. At the time, the direction or destiny of their sport, and he encountered immediate challenges. The swim meets in the Missouri Valley LSC were exclusively concerned with their Missouri Valley LSC had won the bid to host were run essentially for profit only. Peter personal coaching responsibilities. Peter the 1975 Summer National Championships, challenged the LSC to set-up meets based on immediately immersed himself in changing however, the Kansas City Pool scheduled what would provide the most opportunity for attitudes. He felt coaches needed to set the to host the Meet did not meet national the swimmers rather than making money. Of direction of their sport in order to give their specifications. Rather than lose the Meet, particular concern was the Missouri Valley athletes the best opportunity to reach for and prestige that came with it, the Meet was Championship Meet. At the time, the Meet their dreams. As Coach Kennedy had told moved to a facility in Wyandotte County that was limited to “A” Swimmer only, of which Peter in 1968, “If you’re not willing to take had two side by side 50 meter pools, but no there weren’t very many. The meet was both charge of building your own playground, parking lots. It was surrounded by hillside. small (maybe 100 kids), and not particularly you’re not going to have any place to play,” The LSC planned to take the hillside out, and competitive beyond a few superstars. The build parking lots, under the premise that the Initially, Peter encountered resistance. majority of the swimmers in the LSC did not Meet would make enough money to pay off Despite his experience in AAU politics, he have a championship meet in which they were the development project, and swimming in was a newcomer, and coaches and volunteers qualified to compete. the area, specifically Wyandotte Swim Club, were less than excited to hear what he would be the beneficiary of the upgraded Peter steered the Missouri Valley had to say about what had long been the facility. In reality, the construction put them Championship Meet away from A, B, C status quo. In their minds, he was coming in a $250,000 hole that Missouri Valley time standards, pushing for a Division I/ in from big Ohio Swimming, (at the time Swimming was expected to pay off by 1980, Division II format that would both ensure a swimming Mecca and national power,) to a short five year time frame. two competitive meets that would succeed tell them what to do and how to do it. Just financially and allow a larger number of In challenge number two, Peter found his new 25 years old, Peter’s age also presented an swimmers to gain championship experience. locale to be myopically focused, concerned obstacle, as older, more seasoned coaches Initially, the Blazers were a smaller team, first and foremost with the vast summer and volunteers were put off by the young and it would have been easy for Peter to league swimming programs. A big draw to and opinionated newcomer. keep the Championship Meet as is in order host the Summer Nationals was to strengthen to compete with the larger clubs. However, their summer league teams. National However, Peter’s business school classes came sighting the bigger picture, he insisted on level swimming was an afterthought. In in handy. He was extremely conscious of

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 13 Pathways to Leadership: Peter Malone (Continued) changes, trusting in his athletes to rise to the new standard. Peter’s national vision, “...Rather than look at the summer league insistence on taking responsibility, and desire for coaches to control the destiny of system as an adversary, Peter tried to figure the sport resulted in a win/win situation for out how it could be an asset to year round the entire LSC, despite initial inconvenience club swimming. Meticulously studying his for his own program. environment, Peter found summer swimming to The tension between local summer leagues be a vital part of Kansas City’s sports culture. “ and high school swimming and year round swimming was a more complicated issue. The local summer leagues utilized the rules would create a better situation for the two of the country. Eight zone directors would used by the High School programs. Summer entities to work together rather than against be named (2 from each of the 4 zones). swimming was a vehicle to become a better one another. Peter effectively opened the Each zone would have one layman and one high school swimmer, and in some cases, even vision of the local summer programs, while coach representative as their zone directors, vice versa. Summer league practices would simultaneously enlarging the playground a concept born out of the battle to engage begin just after Christmas to prepare for the for all swimmers in the area, a win/win for more coaches in USA Swimming’s leadership, season. By rule, swimmers competing for a everyone involved, especially the athletes. a concept Peter endorsed whole heartedly. summer league team and/or a high school Peter’s vision became national when Missouri Always a proponent of self-reliance, could not simultaneously swim for a year Valley was the first LSC in the United States Peter believed that the zones should have round club team. to include summer programs in this manner. autonomy to govern themselves as much as possible. Once the structure was in place, it Rather than look at the summer league When Peter arrived, the Missouri Valley was the responsibility of each Zone, and its system as an adversary, Peter tried to figure LSC had been virtually non-existent on a LSC members to determine how they would out how it could be an asset to year round national level. There was very little support function, based upon their demographics. club swimming. Meticulously studying his for athletes or coaches with the desire to Once the framework was in place, Peter was environment, Peter found summer swimming compete beyond a local or regional level. named Central Zone Director, along with to be a vital part of Kansas City’s sports In order to provide support for swimming Audrey Birklid from Minnesota in 1982, his culture. Summer league swimming had, and at a higher level and assist in paying off first official national leadership position with continues to have a rich tradition. Kansas the debt from the 1975 summer nationals, USA Swimming. City Blazers alum Bobby Bollier, for example, Peter proposed a change in the allocation a future All-American at Stanford continued of meet fees for swim meets. A $5.00 Developing a Program: to compete for a summer league team all the entry fee, separate from the event fees was Kansas City Blazers way through his senior year in high school established. A percentage would go towards in 2008, an Olympic year. That summer, paying off the debt, 5% would go towards On the pool deck, Peter was surprised to Bollier finaled in two events and swam 100 sending Missouri Valley representatives to find upon his arrival, in 1975, a group of % lifetime best times at the United States the annual AAU convention, and 10% would high level senior swimmers were waiting Olympic Trials, the only high school male to go towards a national travel fund, aiding for him, ready to train. Attracted by his earn a top-8 finish. and supporting swimmers who qualified for reputation at Greater Toledo Aquatic Club, swimmers ranging from regional to national Working with the summer leagues and national level competition. Missouri Valley level had switched clubs to join the evolving high schools, Peter was relentless in trying was one of the first LSC’s to implement the Kansas City Blazers. to change the rules to allow athletes to separate entry fee at their meets, a practice continue swimming with their clubs while which is now common nationwide. While Though he never considered himself to also competing for a summer team or high bringing more, (often disagreeing), voices to be a “coaching genius,” Peter was good school team. It was a long, hard process that, the AAU Convention was not necessarily in at maximizing his resources and while while not perfect in its conclusion, created a Peter’s personal best interest, again thinking often known for his old school approach to situation better than what Peter encountered big picture, he found it was more important training, he was extremely creative in finding upon his arrival in 1975. Swimmers were that the area have a larger presence and ways to facilitate his athlete’s success. When able to compete in the summer months for voice nationally. designing a dryland program for his senior their summer AAU team, as well as their swimmers, Peter looked to disgruntled gym year-round USA team, using a closed league As a leader at the forefront of governance in teachers. At the time, physical education system that fell within USA Swimming the Missouri Valley LSC and Region VIII, programs were being redesigned, with more rules. Missouri Valley began offering Peter was selected as part of the task force and more introduction of activities such as summer clubs year-round USA Swimming handling the formation of USA Swimming square dancing and group parachute play, club memberships at a reduced rate, only Zones in 1982. The zone concept was formed and less good old fashioned exercise. With charging what was paid directly to USA out of the necessity to have leadership many teachers frustrated with the changes, Swimming, with the idea being that inclusion representation from all geographic regions Peter sensed an opportunity, bringing the

14 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 teachers in to run his dry land program. He as a member of both the 400 Freestyle and year (up to the date of publishing). Likewise, gave the teachers one simple directive, “send 400 Medley Relays. since 1978, the Blazers have been dominant them to me sweaty.” Before long, the teachers at the Region VIII Sectional Championships, Peter viewed every swimming group at the had set up circuit stations, and as promised, with their limited defeats coming at the Kansas City Blazers as equally important. the kids came back to the pool sweaty; a win hands of the University of Missouri college When out of town for governance purposes, for the swimmers and teachers alike. team, and several top-notch programs from he had hourly employees run practices for his the Ozark LSC. The Blazers have had a top- Peter continued throughout his career to senior elite group rather than move one of 8 finalist at every United States Olympic seek out and surround his athletes with his higher level age group coaches. It was Trials since 1980. the brightest professionals in their fields. too important for his age group swimmers He did not feel the need to be “the guy” in to have the complete attention of their Preparation for the1984 Olympic Trials and every aspect, rather he was the conductor coaches. Additionally, it helped to build Games proved to be a water-shed moment of his orchestra. He brought sports a strong sense of accountability and self- in Peter’s career that would forever alter reliance amongst his senior level swimmers, psychologists, nutritionists, personal his perspective on coaching and leadership. a trait that was highly important in their trainers, and coaches of other sports Kansas City Blazer Debbie Risen was success as athletes, and in Peter’s ability to in order to provide his athletes with as expected to challenge for a spot on the balance his on-deck duties while accepting much opportunity as possible. In the American Olympic Team in both the 100 and the challenge of working at the forefront of lead up to the 1996 Olympic Trials and 200 Backstrokes. In preparation for the Trials, USA Swimming’s leadership. Olympic Games, Catherine Fox spent two Peter and Debbie planned for her to graduate years, from 1994 to 1996 training with Under Peter’s leadership, the Kansas from high school a semester early, in the a national level gymnastics program in City Blazers quickly rose to prominence winter of 1983, in order to devote the spring order to help with her agility, flexibility, both locally and nationally. Despite small and summer to training without distraction. and overall athleticism. Always interested numbers in the first 10 years (the Blazers However, Debbie shared with Peter that in finding ways to maximize his resources, she planned to enroll early in January of Peter observed gymnasts train following were one of the biggest clubs in the 1984 at the University of Texas, where she the 1988 Olympics. He immediately country by Peter’s retirement in 2010); the would be swimming for the Longhorns and recognized the benefit it could bring to his Blazers captured the Missouri Valley LSC Coach . Peter was distraught, athletes. Catherine’s swim training was Championship in 1978, beginning a period imploring Debbie to delay her college plans amended to accommodate her gymnastics of unprecedented dominance. Since their until the following fall, after the Olympics. training and vice versa. She went on to 1978 title, the Blazers have won at least one He was convinced changing her training so win two Gold Medals at the 1996 Olympics championship (winter or summer) every

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 15 Pathways to Leadership: Peter Malone (Continued) close to the Olympic Trials was a mistake. at the Olympics, there was still a job to Chairman, amongst other various roles, Peter Debbie would not relent, finally telling be done. The swimmers selected for the continued to do everything in his power to him, “Pete, this is not your swimming.” She Olympic Team were representing not only lead Missouri Valley swimming forward. enrolled at Texas, and went on to a prolific themselves, but their country, their home He pushed local time standards faster, as NCAA career, capturing multiple individual clubs, and all of the swimmers in the he had done with the national standards, in titles and All-American citations. She did United States with Olympic dreams. hopes of bringing the level of the LSC up not, however, make the 1984 Olympic Team, on the national scene, promoting standards finishing 3rd at the trials in both the 100 and In 2012, Kansas City Blazer Shannon for swimmers to rise up to. Leading up to 200 backstrokes. At the Games, her time Vreeland made the United States Olympic the 2004 Olympic Trials, he insisted on from the trials would have been good enough to earn medals. Peter came out of that experience determined to mold self-reliant athletes. Debbie was right, it was not his “... Peter was able to more effectively lead and swimming. He was the facilitator to help his athletes achieve their dreams, Olympic Gold, harmoniously work with a range of people. As college admission, and personal excellence. a result, he played a highly valuable role within National Impact: 1983 - 2010 the American Swim Coaches Association.” Peter’s growing role in USA Swimming’s leadership allowed his athletes plenty of opportunity to develop more and more self reliance. While still serving as Central Zone Director (a position he held from 1982 Team as a member of the 4 x 200 meter running the Region VIII Spring Sectionals – 1986 and again from 1991 – 1995), Peter freestyle relay, placing 5th at the Olympic as a long course meet in the 2003 and 2004 transitioned into the role that ultimately Trials. Though Peter had retired 2 years (and later 2007 and 2008), giving swimmers defined his impact on the sport of swimming. earlier and was not in attendance at the Meet, as many opportunities as possible to secure Peter worked with Murray Stephens and Jim he received a phone call from his former Olympic Trials qualifying times. He worked Wood on the Time Standards Committee, swimmer saying, “Coach, I just want you to to determine the Missouri Valley LSC’s before taking over as Time Standards know that I’ve already started training for master schedule eighteen months in advance, Chairman when Jim Wood stepped down as London. I practiced with the open water kids in order to allow teams ample planning time 1983.Time standards are the driving force in today.” Shannon still had the 100 Freestyle to as they planned their year. Many found swimming. They set bench marks for athletes swim later in the meet, but with less chance this particular plan to be overkill, and upon and determine the competitive level of meets. of qualifying in that event, she told Peter, Peter’s retirement, the LSC made a switch Peter was focused on taking subjectivity out “I have a job to do, to be ready for London.” back to a later bid process. They immediately of the time standards equation, looking as Shannon Vreeland went on to win a gold found the change to create chaos, and the he always did for governance and control. medal in London. Swimming a lifetime best following year went back to planning well in He used formulas to determine the exact in the preliminary heats, she earned a spot advance, as Peter had always recommended. standards based upon the level and size of on the finals squad that captured gold. This Nationally, Peter’s role as Time Standards competition desired. This would create businesslike approach was a trademark of Chairman fed into additional leadership roles frustration in his swimmers when annual Peter’s swimmers. It was no coincidence that and responsibilities in swimming’s political standards would come out faster than the each of the Kansas City Blazers Olympians, landscape. He was part of USA Swimming’s year prior. More than anything, he wanted Nadia Krüger, , Janie Wagstaff, Olympic International Division beginning the United States to maintain dominance Catherine Fox, Scott Goldblatt, and Shannon in 1984, all the way up until 2010, the US in international swimming, and if that Vreeland improved on their qualifying swims National Rules Committee from 1985 – 1990, meant one of his swimmers lost a national and those competing individually all earned and the US National Steering Committee cut they previously had, they would simply second swims at the Games (be it top-16 (a subset of the Olympic International work harder to make the new standard. He or top-8). Fox, Wagstaff, Goldblatt, and Division in charge of overseeing all national had the utmost confidence in his athletes Vreeland all earned medals, including 5 golds. team affairs) from 1992 – 2010. As the US to do just that. Peter imparted on both his Peter’s business-like approach and grander Senior Development Committee Chairman swimmers and USA Swimming alike that vision were contagious and easily identified from 2004 – 2010 (a continuation of his role time standards were designed as stepping in the attitude and approach of his athletes. stones, or benchmarks, rather than ending as Time Standards Chairman, as the Time points. Obtaining a time standard was not Managing the time commitments of his Standards Committee was rolled into the an end in itself, but rather an invitation to national responsibilities with USA Swimming Senior Development Committee as a part of compete at the next level. and obvious success on the pool deck, Peter USA Swimming’s structural reorganization), continued to lead the Missouri Valley LSC. Peter continued to lead and guide USA Peter did not even consider qualifying for Serving as Missouri Valley Swimming Swimming all the way up to his retirement. the Olympic Team to be a reward. Once Time Standards Chairman and Scheduling

16 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 Adapting to the Challenge for top athletes competing to make the team. Political Contention: 1996 - 2000 However, others on the task force felt the As a coach, Peter strived to prepare his meet should be larger, creating energy and Until the lead up to the 2000 Olympics, athletes for “what is.” Between the start the most exciting meet in United States Peter’s role as National Time Standards of his time in Kansas City in 1975 and Swimming, with the hope that younger Chairman was relatively smooth sailing. retirement in 2010, the United States participants and spectators would catch the There were the standard arguments Olympic Trials expanded from a four day to Olympic bug, fostering USA Swimming’s regarding the size of meets. However, an eight day meet. This required changes next generation of stars. Each was a valid, they paled in comparison to the political in training, and preparation of the racing though opposing argument. challenge that would mark Peter’s tenure culture. Peter planned fastidiously, as he between 1996 and 2004. The 1992 and always did, mapping out everything for At the time, USA Swimming had created a 1996 United States Olympic Trials were each of his athletes down to the optimum separate meet for 2009 World Championship held in the spring, several months prior number of desired racing days each year. Team qualifications. There was the to the Olympic Games. Although this was Adaptability was just as important for Nationals/US Open Meet in August, and highly successful, when determining the his athletes. This meant finding ways to then a World Championship Trials Meet; date for the 2000 Trials, a case was made succeed under any circumstances. a small, elite meet with highly stringent for a later Meet. While an early Meet time standards held in early July. Without increased Olympic preparation time, a later In 1988, Kansas City Blazer Mark Dean the typical number of swimmers, both Meet allowed for the selection of a Team qualified for the United States Olympic Team meets lacked energy, particularly during the which was competing at the highest level headed to Seoul, South Korea. The team preliminary sessions. at the right time. College coaches were camp happened to coincide with the Blazers particularly adamant about moving the preparation for the 1988 Missouri Valley After a combination of observing both meets, Trials closer to the Olympic Games. They LSC Championship meet. Peter sent Mark to and doing his homework, Peter’s stance on felt college swimmers, particularly men, the camp on his own, confident in his ability the size of Olympic Trials shifted, realizing were at a disadvantage. Conference Meets, to adapt to the environment and new coaches. that more swimmers were needed to achieve Mark called him during camp, informing NCAA Championships, and Olympic Trials the excitement and energy levels worthy of were all packed closely together, creating Peter that he was one of the only coaches not the fastest, most important American meet of a difficult situation for swimmers and in attendance. Peter replied that Mark knew each quadrennial. While by many accounts, coaches to navigate. what he needed to do. He imparted on his the 2012 Olympic Trials was probably too athletes that he wanted them to be as good of large, the entire process exemplified Peter’s Peter, recognizing that international a coach as he was, and when they were able willingness to do his due diligence, adapt in swimming was becoming more competitive, to do that, they had their best shot at peak his opinions and work with others to achieve was firm in his belief that it was in American performance. He would not be getting in the the greater good. Swimming’s best interest to select their water to swim for them. He had athletes to Team early. In the midst of political battle, prepare for the LSC Championships and a Through his work year in and year out Richard Quick and were club to run. He was also spending a good with USA Swimming, Peter continued astute, gathering prominent club coaches and deal of time raising money to ensure Mark’s to maximize his resources by developing framing the argument for a later Olympic family would make it to watch him compete long standing, trusting relationships with Trials to focus on the young swimmers in Seoul. Mark would be more than fine many of the volunteers throughout the that could potentially qualify for the Meet without him in camp. He was in fact fine, sport. He viewed laymen as an asset, and between March and July rather than waiting finishing 9th in the 200 Meter Butterfly, took responsibility to educate them about another four years. For Peter, this was a swimming a personal best. Peter stressed the wet side of the sport, while seeking to non-issue, as he was fully committed to long his belief in personal accountability and self- understand their needs and intentions. In reliance, and his athlete responded. doing so, Peter was able to more effectively range planning. When his own swimmer, lead and harmoniously work with a range Shannon Vreeland just missed Olympic Politically, while known as highly of people. As a result, he played a highly Trials qualifying times in four or five events opinionated and passionate, Peter was valuable role within the American Swim (each by no more than a half second), he used also eager to understand other’s views. He Coaches Association. A member of the the 2008 US Open as her Olympic Trials, always did his homework and always knew ASCA Board of Directors from 1991 – 1994 and began preparations for 2012. However, the facts. He could be swayed in another and 1995 – 2006, and the Vice President the group supporting a later Olympic Team direction when encountered with valid, from 1998 – 2001, Peter often served as a selection grew to include age group coaches substantiated argument. When outvoted, conduit between the coaches of ASCA and who were not as patient in regards to long his full support was immediately behind volunteers/staff at USA Swimming. He term planning. While National Team whichever idea was voted upon. was effectively able to juggle multiple hats, Director Dennis Pursley personally felt that filling in wherever needed, and working earlier Selection produced ideal results, he When tasked to determine the ideal size alongside coaches, volunteers, and staff politically chose to back the group of power for the 2012 United States Olympic Trials, alike. It was a valuable role in the years coaches pushing for the later Meet. While at Peter was of the belief that it should be a prior to the creation of USA Swimming’s the time Peter did not feel it was necessarily smaller, elite meet to ensure ideal conditions Technical Vice President Position. the best decision, he was confident that the

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 17 Pathways to Leadership - Peter Malone Profiled (Continued) intent was to produce the best American was responsible for creating the new time returned home to finish any USA Swimming Olympic Team possible, and put his full standards. In order to make the meet as business and return phone calls (sometimes support behind the new plan. successful as possible, without displacing which numbered as many as 40 in an a large chunk of swimmers, Peter created evening), usually finishing and getting to Simultaneously, governance was engaged in new time standards for the Senior National bed around midnight. He was a workaholic, debate regarding the lack of representation Championships, including the introduction working long hours until the days tasks were of young swimmers at the elite levels of of 18 & Under Qualifying standards. He complete. Peter’s work ethic was necessary American Swimming. It was argued that set time standards in order to include in order to effectively balance multiple part of the problem was the structure of the approximately 1200 – 1500 swimmers in each responsibilities. The ultimate preparation Junior Nationals Meets. At the time, Junior meet, hoping to provide as much opportunity that was so important in Peter’s ability to Nationals was divided into three venues, as possible for swimmers to reach toward lead was achieved through relentless work Juniors West, Northeast, and Southeast. their personal dreams. and sacrificed personal time. Peter was in charge of determining time standards for the meets, an arduous process, Managing Responsibilities Accolades and Retirement as there were multiple moving parts to Peter was the recipient of many accolades take into consideration including numbers, Peter’s extensive leadership role, both within throughout his career, including coaching demographics of different regions of the the Missouri Valley LSC, and nationally, positions on multiple national teams, status country, and competitive quality. Swimmers with USA Swimming took time away from as an advisory coach on the 1988, 1992, 1996, could not swim events at Junior Nationals the pool deck. However, he made it clear to and 2004 Olympic Teams, and induction into in which they already qualified for the his athletes that his leadership commitment the American Swimming Coaches Association Senior National Meet. Most coaches (i.e. was vital in creating the best opportunities Hall of Fame in 2009. However, there are more than 50%) did not feel they could get for them in the long run. Ultimately, it all two honors that stuck out as the most special their swimmers to nationals, and as a result, came back to Peter Kennedy’s words when he and humbling of his life. The first was sold Juniors as a national level meet their was a young coach in Toledo. “If you’re not the USA Swimming Award he received in swimmers could realistically aspire to. In willing to take charge of building your own that sense, Peter agreed that there was an playground, you’re not going to have any 2001. The USA Swimming Award honors issue, but was wary of restructuring the place to play.” He felt that he had no right contributions to the sport of swimming as a Meet in a way that would relegate the 3000 to ask for his athletes to fully commit to their whole. Peter is one of very few coaches to swimmers competing at the Junior Level to dreams if he was not willing to do the same. have received the award, a testament to his “local” competition. tireless commitment to creating the best With demands on his time coming from environment possible and giving American several different directions (coaching, In 2000, Mark Schubert and Richard Quick swimmers the greatest opportunity to running the Kansas City Blazers, and brought a proposal to the floor that would succeed. The second was his inclusion in extensive governance leadership roles), condense the Junior Nationals back into one USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Peter’s life was regimented and planning was meet, with no upper limit time standard. Weilgus’s published list of 25 most influential Peter was opposed to the proposal, paramount. His day would begin with a wake people in the history of USA Swimming. He apprehensive about the elimination of such up often as early as 3:00 AM. Practices were was also included in a similar list published a large number of swimmers. Schubert and written a week or two in advance. Though he of the most influential people in Kansas City Quick felt that it would be “survival of the did not always follow each workout exactly Sports. Listed amongst college coaches, and fittest,” something that Peter acknowledged as written, creating a plan was key and Peter professional executives, the honor was proof might be true in California or on the East stayed at the pool after morning practice positive of the opportunities he had helped Coast, but that in smaller, less competitive until the workouts he intended to write were areas of the country, swimmers would complete. As his children entered grade create and an affirmation of his vision when simply move to a different sport. He was school, he rushed home and dropped them he got into coaching the first place; to use concerned that the new format would create off for school, often spending time sitting in swimming as a vehicle to change the lives of a ladder that swimmers and coaches would the car finishing workouts. Once in his home young people. find too steep to realistically climb. While office, Peter’s USA Swimming Leadership Peter Malone retired from professional Peter did not feel that the current three role was the first priority. Understanding that swim coaching in 2010, sighting the desire meet format was killing the development of he was working primarily with volunteers to commit his time to his family, which young American Swimmers, if the vote went who handled their USA Swimming business in the opposite direction, he was determined either at the beginning or end of their day, now included grandchildren. Since his to make the new format a winner. Peter made himself available at the time in retirement, the Kansas City Blazers have which it would be convenient for them. The continued to dominate the Missouri Valley Peter argued his point vociferously with the middle of the day was dedicated to running LSC, and maintain a strong national presence, Steering Committee, Olympic International the Kansas City Blazers, making sure to keep building upon the framework created by Organizational Committee, and Senior time in the evening for working with Blazers Peter’s 35 years as Leader. Committee, but USA Swimming ultimately volunteers (again, understanding that was voted to consolidate Junior Nationals into the time that would be most convenient for Annie Stein is a part of the 2013 ASCA one meet beginning in 2001. Peter, again, them). Following evening practice, Peter Fellows class.

18 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 19 20 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 Counsilman Memorial Lecture 2012 A Lifetime of Lessons Learned By: Bill Sweetenham, presented at the 2012 ASCA World Clinic

Introduction by Tim Welsh

The Counsilman Lecture Series: Thanks Doc, you were a great common about these titles is that they challenge the status quo: do teacher. We continue to love your legacy. better, do more, work hard, work harder than that, achieve more, overcome obstacles, achieve success. They’re all in the same theme Our speaker tonight, 30 years younger than Dr. Counsilman, but and they’re all built on great organization, great effort, great drive, all still a man in the tradition and a coach who admires hard work, who leading to great success. admires achieving success through hard work. Wherever Coach Sweetenham goes, hard work follows and so do result. He has been I will give you some of his numbers as well: 3, 5, 7, 9, 9, 2003. speaking to us here at the ASCA World Clinic since 1987. That is a 3 is the number of countries for which he has been the head Olympic 25-year period over which he has continued to come back to the World coach: his own Australia, of course, Hong Kong, and most recently— Clinic to teach us things we need to know about our sport. He told through the 2008 Olympic Games—he was a head coach in Great me I could lie as much as I wanted, but these are not lies, these are Britain. true things. Like Dr. Counsilman, he is a great teacher and he teaches • 5: He has been to 5 Olympic Games as a head coach. all over the world. Let me share with you some of the topics that he • 7: he has been to ASCA 7 times in 25 years. has spoken to us about. He has spoken about distance swimming; • 9 is a number of World Championships for which he has been he has spoken about young distance swimmers; he has spoken about the head coach. winning workouts; about un-complicating skills and un-complicating • 9 is also the number of the world record holders he has coached. coaching—not to make them easy, to make them un-complicated. He • In 2003 his own book Championship Swim Training came out. has talked about the psychology of a workout; he has talked about It is about championship training and championship preparation changing and challenging sport and culture. His website says, he and championship excellence. has a lecture called caterpillar to butterfly. All of these lecturers are So, coach, for your years of service and education and teaching, available from the ASCA website for $0.99 each. For $11.88, when we might say, as you say in your country, “Good on you, Coach.” he finishes his twelfth lecture tonight, you can get one heck of an Welcome back to ASCA. education in coaching swimming. If you look at these titles, what’s

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 21 A Lifetime of Lessons Learned (Continued)

[Sweetenham begins] that we should all learn from, and we should Much to the delight of many of my friends, strive to achieve winning partnerships with he came up with the name Bill Sweetenham. Firstly, I thank Tim for those kind words. our athletes as we move forward. It’s not When I first moved to Brisbane, one of Also I thank John Leonard and ASCA for the always easy; it’s a tension filled situation. my friends—who had more funding than I invite to come here and talk to you guys. I did—was going to university. So I asked if hope that I can honor with my delivery the So, guys, I’m going to start my lecture. I I could come to university one day with him, memory of Doc Counsilman. As a young grew up in the country part of Australia, a when he came down from Mount Isa to live coach I grew up reading and seeking Doc place called Mount Isa, out in the boonies; in Brisbane. And I went to university with out for input and learning and transferring and it had a hole similar in the ground to him, and I soon realized that no one checked his great experience through to my own the Grand Canyon: it was a mining industry. at the door: whether you were registered coaching. Also I congratulate United I grew up in poverty, I grew up in mining, or whether you weren't, there were no States on a great Olympic Games, and the and it was a tough environment. I knew checks on whether you were enrolled or not tremendous set of results that everybody what I wanted to do and where I wanted to enrolled, and the professors delivering the from the United States should feel extremely go very quickly in life, and I pursued that lectures didn't seem to care. proud of. I sat in on a debate with coaches dream. Growing up in poverty didn't allow in Savannah recently at a conference; and the me to seek the education that I needed to Three years later, I done full course hours in debate was: who is the greatest swimmer of coach. So I took Mount Isa to #3 team in psychology, biology—I don’t know why— all time. There were many nominations; but the country, in Australia, from the Outback. and physiology. I’d been smart enough not for me, unquestionably, not only the greatest I was appointed to coach in Brisbane. But I to sit the annual exams, but brave enough on swimmer of all time but the greatest athlete soon realized that my education wasn't what the final year to make an appointment with of all time, has to be . I don't I wanted, and wasn't what I needed, to move the professor to see what could happen. I think it can be questioned, but there were forward in coaching. made the appointment to go and see him. I many other views put forward in the debate walked in, and he said, “Bill, I know who you and I just can't see how anyone can debate this Last year, I hadn’t told anyone, but last year are. I know you're not enrolled, and no, you subject. But , Ian Thorpe… the story was told by a retiring dean of the can’t sit the exam.” So I didn't get to warm- many came up. But the winning partnership University in Queensland. He was asked the-chair-up very much; he answered all my between Michael and is one who was the best student he ever failed. questions without me asking any. But he said:

22 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 23 A Lifetime of Lessons Learned (Continued)

best people that are around you. When I finished with British Swimming, I went home to Australia with the intent of retiring. I'd been in a very good business—with 17 swim schools in Australia and 3 childcare centers and a couple of gyms—which we sold; and the need for work and self-funding were removed. So I went home and decided that I’d go into retirement and have a nice time in retirement. And my wife took me to see a movie called Atonement: three-and- a-half hours of the most boring film that was ever screened. After thirty minutes of Atonement, I realized that the movies and retirement were not for me. I went outside, told my wife I’d be outside and in three hours Photo of Bill Sweetenham. when the movie finishes I’ll be having a coffee Source: dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-479609/Tough-guy-Sweetenham- (or two or three or four). While I was out heads-home.html there I thought when was the last movie that I went to see at the theater, and it came up “Look, if you're willing to wait a week after to their home computer without going that 27 years ago I went to see Bette Midler everybody else has sat the exams, I will let out and getting their hands dirty. So, my in The Rose. I’ve decided that in 27 more years I will go and see another film. So that’ll you sit the exams, give you a mark, and then advice is: go and find what you don't know. give me something to work on. realize that you’re not enrolled and have to Know what you know, know what you don't fail you.” Which is what happened. I was know, and then find someone who knows Anyway what happened was while I sitting what you don't know and get close to them fortunate enough to top all three courses, and there thinking about why I don't like movies so they can help you. he gave me great advice. He said, “Bill, the and retirement is not a good thing, I thought: reason that you topped the courses is that you A lifetime of lessons learned. I’m going to what do I want to do? So there was a travel came to university to learn; everybody else take you through a quick journey of how my agent just down the road, so I went and asked came to pass.” I’m sure that helped me. life evolved and how my education as a coach the girl—the travel agent—to Google the ten-fastest roller coaster rides in the world. Anyway three years later, I still didn't have moved forward. Juan Fangio, great Formula And then I booked an around-the-world the education that I wanted and I had to 1 driver: “Never believe you are the best, but always believe you can be the best.” ticket stopping at those destinations, so that look for a free ride. So there's a thing called I could do the ten fastest roller coaster rides a Churchill Scholarship, which would allow (And I suggest the buzzer is not working in the world. [It] confirmed in my children’s me to study in the United States for one year [to advance the slides]. The idiot-proof mind that I was loopy. I thought, well, I’ve with some significant support in terms of system is no match for the system-proof got a make that a tax deduction. So then I funding. I went and applied. There were idiot. [laughter] My wife always says looked at the locations, and I said I want to five levels of entry; you have to go 5 through that behind my name in brackets should be visit ten visionary leaders at those locations. different levels; and the last level, you have the words computer virus—I can usually So I did an around-the-world tour. (Mic to do a synopsis of how this was going to bugger-up systems pretty quickly. It’s not alright? And just as I started this long story. help Australian people—which I spent a lot me, thank god.) [laughter] I was trying to stretch it out.) of time on. I went to the interview; there So away, the end of the story was I did the The reason I wore a bow tie tonight is were five people on the panel and the chair ten fastest roller coaster rides in the world, [because] the first time I met Doc, he had of the panel was the professor. Who said, I visited ten visionary leaders, and it was a a bow tie on. So I thought I’d honor his “Bill, great to see you again. You don’t need tremendous opportunity—I can't wait to do presence by wearing a bow tie. I’ve spent the your synopsis; I know who you are, I know it again. It was fantastic, and it certainly last two hours looking in the mirror, trying how you study. You’ve got your Churchill beats movies and certainly beats retirement. to tie it accurately. My wife's out looking at Scholarship.” I came to United States and So the journey begins. the Grand Canyon and wasn't here to do it for spent a year working with Nort Thornton me. (And I have to find something to fill-in and , and and (I can put a mic in both hands, you hear me time while we try to get the slides organized). ; which was a tremendous double—that’s a nightmare for ya.) opportunity for me to develop as a coach Coaches, when you have someone like Doc Great coaches, I believe, have to be great and as a character and as a person. And to set standards for you and an education teachers. If you can't teach, chances are you I find it difficult today to see coaches who process that’s going to take you through can't coach. My passion in life is teaching, it aren't willing to do that, and they expect experience and knowledge, take the is not coaching and it is not swimming. My experience and education to be delivered opportunity to learn from absolutely the passion is teaching.

24 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 A family affair. This [on screen] is a young family that I first taught to swim in Mount Isa. Excellence in life produces excellence in sport. If you think the other way, then it “There is no right way or wrong way, will be very difficult for you. Excellence in life has its opportunity to present excellence success is conviction to your way.” in sport; excellence in sport very rarely delivers excellence in life. That was a young family that I taught to swim: three Rhodes Scholars in that family; the father of that family, Kevin Rosengreen, was Father of the Year for Australia. A tremendous family. If the answer to two of those three is right, of the athletes that I coached who didn’t And you can see in the background a set of then you’ve done a pretty good job. If you make it through—accidents took them. pulleys and weights there. That pool was got one out of three right, chances are you’ve built totally out of equipment from Mount Those two people you can see there are done a pretty lousy job. So, quality teaching Isa Mines that I stole. Everything had both in the Guinness Book of Records at 4 from the beginning: we taught children to “MIM” on it; I told them it was “Made in years old swimming a 200 medley. Within a swim from face-in-the-water to 50-meters- Mexico”. The whole pool—ended up with a month of that photograph being taken, both legally-approved-swimming in six weeks; roof over it, a good heating plant that was were taken by fire in their homes in separate stolen from a boiler at Mount Isa Mines—it they learned every afternoon. accidents. I learnt then, and made a decision, still sits there; it’s still in existence in Mount that every young person that I taught I Isa Mines. I build it without any knowledge Sell the product and the brand name. Make would honor and respect their talent, and of building a facility. If there is ever a sure your brand name is superior to any of would have a commitment to develop their nuclear war, it will be a great place to go your opposition. Invincible in attitude and full potential, because some people don't get and hide: it will never move, that pool. superior in skill. The six Ps: plan, prepare, the opportunity to take their talent forward. present, perform, produce and produce again. Needs create desires, and desires create Those two people were very special to me, Rehearse and research: always look for a new motives; motives create drives, which create and they I drive my coaching and teaching behaviors and create winning. You have to method and a new way of doing things. forward every day. People say, Bill’s hard ass. understand that and you have to have winning Well, the reason I’m a hard ass is because I That [slide] was my first team. You can see from the beginning. You teach winning at a see talent taken away like that, where it’s not the pool now has a roof over it, also stolen very early age. You have to teach winning at allowed to grow to full-term; and then I see from Mount Isa Mines. The reason it was a very young age, and you have to teach self- people who waste talent. I have no tolerance stolen from Mount Isa Mines: when I taught belief. So, teaching swimming is not enough. for people who waste talent: coaches or in Mount Isa, one of the families I taught swimmers—it’s too precious. In the water there, the guy in the left is were the Rafter family, of tennis fame. Dad myself—you can see I haven't aged at all, was the chief accountant at Mount Isa Build invincible teams with superior still look very similar. This was teaching in Mines. I did accountancy as a young person, skills: Make sure that when you go to a Mount Isa. And I challenge all coaches and as a penalty from my father; the day I passed meet, coaches can look at your swimmers all teachers: you have to make a choice. You my accountancy exams, I resigned, and I’ve and say: “I bet that's a Bill Sweetenham have to have quality learn-to-swim. You can never done it since. I found accountancy swimmer,” because they have superior either teach swimming, which is a very nice to be very unchallenging and boring. And skills and superior attitude. safety device prevents drowning and is very built a pretty good swim team that went on Convert nerves into excitement: It has to good and worthwhile. Or, if you're in high- to do a great job. be taught at a young age. Make sure you performance, you can produce swimmers. teach the athlete to have emotional energy Make a choice: teach swimming or produce Julie breaks a record: 40%-60% of all plans in the back-end of Finals, in preference to swimmers. They are very different things. can change and you must be flexible. Talent the front-half of Heats [Prelims]. That's is the most precious commodity, in respect the biggest fault in Olympic success: athletes Quality teaching, quality self-belief from the of personal growth. There's no such thing use emotional energy in the front-half of the very young age. as an untalented athlete or an untalented Heats instead of the back-half of the Final. person: everybody has talent. Honor and It has to be taught young; it can’t be taught When you teach, always respect character and attitude. Everyone has later in life. talent; there is no such thing as untalented. Judge and evaluate performance as a coach This little girl [Julie] was in the Guinness ask three questions: by the development improvement and Book of Records at 4 years-of-age, swimming achievement of the least-talented swimmer 1. Did the child have fun? a 200 [individual] medley, legally approved. in your team. Don't judge by the most- Athletes have one life, coaches have many. talented athlete in the team; chances are they 2. Did they learn something new? You have to make sure you get it right for would have swam well regardless of whether the young, talented athlete. Appreciate every you were the coach or not. The journey-in- 3. Do they want to come back? moment and every person. That's in honor process must have an outcome and a reward.

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 25 A Lifetime of Lessons Learned (Continued)

We hear everybody talk about process, and culture. Make sure your athletes have self- acquisition. Don’t try to learn another skill some people just get totally wrapped-up in pride through vivid visualization: they see if you haven't perfected the skill that was last the process and forget the outcome. Creates themselves as winners and they respect taught. Too many people have a tool kit of failure and it created failure for many teams themselves as winners. (Once again that half-taught skills. at this Olympics, because they worked in the was one of the great teams that I worked now and didn't appreciate that the outcome with as a young coach.) Growth of the team. The team must grow has to be there and be honored as well. ahead of the highest-achieving athlete. If you have a great athlete, you must make Support and recognize performance; 3 AT, 2 BELOW, 1 ABOVE: sure your team growth is in advance of criticize and redirect the fault. My role as a your highest-achieving athlete. Champion coach is to make the journey as difficult and athletes are not normal nor are they average, as challenging as possible, but to ensure • 3 at: My philosophy has always been: and you should never expect them to be the athlete reaches the end. I don't want enter the athlete in three competitions normal or average. I asked Don Gambril, the athlete’s journey to be easy and soft; at their level of competence. And they great American coach, great world coach, for that's a recipe for failure and it hurts the have an open mind then because they’re some advice once. He said: Love the girls and challenge the boys. He was correct. Have athlete at the final hurdle. If you've done running in the top three, where you can great training partners; and these training everything for them… I go to see coaches coach the person and direct the skills. partners will enhance potential, share success and programs where the coach fills a drink So coach the person, train the event, and and dilute the lows. bottle: I cannot get away from that program redirect the skills. quick enough, I want to run from the • 2 below, where it’s easy to win, but Make sure you prepare and perform above program. Coaches wiping bums, blowing ask the athlete to make mistakes: go the facility you compete and training in. The noses, filling drink bottles: it’s a recipe out too hard/too easy and learn by better the facility, the higher the expectation for failure. Make the athlete independent, making mistakes. of performance. If you’re Welsh Rugby— make them stand on their own two feet, and and I do a lot of work with Welsh Rugby— make them make decisions. • 1 above: is where you put the athlete in they have to train above the level of the an unwinnable situation and ask them to stadium they’re going to compete in. If There is no right way or wrong way, success win, but you don't tell them how to do you're a British swimmer, you should have is conviction to your way. Individual sports it. You say, you decide and you work out expected to perform above the level of the have to build teams. Vern Gambetta gave how you are going to win the event. I'm facility that was built for the Olympics. That me a skill; he said: Skills, rank them S1 to not going to help you and I'm not going should be the mandate of your preparation. S10; Fitness, F1 to F10; and Attitude, A1 to tell you, but the facts are you’ve got Great training partners enhance potential. to A10. Ask your athletes to measure and to make the Final and you’ve got to get The girl on the right is Wickham; the girl self-apprise where they fit. Are their skills, onto the podium and you rank-16 in the go on the left is Monique Rodahl. Monique S1 to S10, their fitness, F1 to F10, and meet. Work out how you’re going to was a world-class 400 IM swimmer and their attitude, A1 to A10. Have them rank get there, and don’t come to me for help. 200 backstroke swimmer, and she was the themselves where they sit. But when they do it, whatever they do, training partner with Tracey Wickham. She you put your arm around them, or you Composed, flawless, unemotional, clinical and swam exceptionally well also. precision-based execution in Heats provides pat them on the back, and say: “That’s success in Finals. Mistakes made in Heats great. You did a great job, Fantastic.” Winning partnerships. This is the key usually results in failure in Finals. You prepare them to go into battle ingredient for world-level success. The coach against unbeatable odds and feel good observes what the athlete cannot see, and the If you look at that photo in the top-right- about that challenge. athlete feels what the coach can’t. So you have hand corner, the short guy in the back to have a partnership. The athlete’s trust in Every athlete is an experience of one; no two with the scruffy hair is one of the world's the coach and the coach’s unconditional faith are the same. (You can see this is way back leading coaches today: it’s Michael Bohl— in the athlete, creates winning partnerships. in the early days.) All of those athletes are who arguably is probably the best coach in If you don't have that, you can't succeed. athletes I coached. We individualize their Australia. I was able to coach Michael for a starting skills. We allow them to experiment The first Olympics I went to was 1976. I long period of time as a young athlete and he and practice different starting positions. finished the Olympics in a shock wave. And I went on to be a great coach. In the middle Educate and apply the ability that each athlete asked myself what were the Olympics about, of the field, you'll find a string of girls there, has the ability to chase, they have the ability and it was very obvious. The Olympics behind the first two rows. All of those girls to fight when they get level, and they have are about the presence of abnormal and made it on to the National Team; they were the ability to lead and take the lead, and then the absence of normal; there is nothing all national-level swimmers. Great team. they have the ability to defend that lead and normal about the Olympics. The facts are: then win. If you don't teach that at young the Olympic event is asking the athletes to Participation groups develop focus squads, age, you can’t be taught it later on in life. and focus squads develop delivery teams. deliver a well-rehearsed, normal performance You have to build groups into squads and You have to have a continuous campaign in an extraordinary point in time at an squads into delivery teams. Develop a and performance audit every six months. exceptional situation. It’s not about asking “winning is the only considered option” Always have skill perfection ahead of skill for an exceptional performance; it has to be

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2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 27 A Lifetime of Lessons Learned (Continued)

them. So, make sure that you understand the difference.

Superior skills, invincible attitude, and “Whether its your personal error or someone winning teams. Eyes, ears and physical: make sure you observe, you listen, and you watch. else’s, you pay the price. Whether it is your Talent is genetic, skills are taught. Skills are taught, learned, rehearsed and coached. You winning the point of difference or someone can be the least-talented swimmer, but you can be the best-skilled. Skills are not genetic; else’s the team must share the credit.” skills are taught, rehearsed and researched— it’s about coaching. -Michael Schumacher “Whether it is your personal error or someone else's, you pay the price. Whether it is your winning the point of difference or someone else's, the team must share the credit.” Does anyone recognize that quote? It was given to me by Michael Schumacher; a a normal, well-rehearsed performance. If is the cancer of achievement. If it's done in very important quote. we watch—and I don’t know whether the training, it can be done in competition, and in coach is here—but it was very easy to see any conditions. If you have an athlete ranked Physical, mental and emotional stress are that , over the Grand Prixs 7th-14th obviously their challenge to make it exactly the same stress on the body. The in America, practiced and rehearsed the through to the Final is much more difficult recovery from emotional, physical, and 30-minute time interval that she was going [than] if you have an athlete ranked 1st-4th. mental stress is exactly the same. People to have to deliver at the Olympics between think that physical stress is the only one that If you want to predict Olympic performances, winning two gold medals. It didn't happen requires recovery. In every lecture I hear it’s very easy—and totally reliable. Look by chance or luck; it happened because of about recovery, they talk about the physical at the average ranking of each athlete on strategy and preparation. recovery: it is the least important. The most the team, and then do an average of the important recovery is mental and emotional. Performing under pressure does not exist athletes on the team and see where they sit for winners—there is no such thing as in the world stage and you will know what Employ the 70% rule: look like a champion as performing under pressure. The strategy is your outcome is. America went into these well as being a champion. (10 out of these 12 to remove pressure; take pressure away and Olympics with twelve #1-ranked athletes. athletes were medalists, and we did not count make sure you’ve got good coping strategies. They were always going to be the #1 team, heat swims in relays.) (Girl on the right there is Ajuni Singh from because the average ranking was 5th— Singapore, who was the training partner they’re within three to four rankings of what My advantage in preparing athletes is that for . Both great world-level their team objective was. Other countries I knew, and know, poverty and adversity. athletes. Rather than have Michelle Ford went in, some countries went in hoping to be Long-term athlete development programs and Tracey train together, we had training 3rd or 4th of the Olympics and the average should be long-term attitude development partners for them and only put them ranking of their team was between 16th and programs. More important. together infrequently.) 18th; never a chance, was never going to Make sure that you have world-class coaching happen. 70% of your team have to be within and performance in all aspects hourly/daily/ Coaches. Coaching is accelerating rate of two rankings of what your desired outcome weekly in preference to club-level coaching change; being able to have accelerated rate of from a team performances is. change as a coach. The greatest tool that you and performance. We see at the Olympics have as a coach is to ensure that you can learn Make sure you can deliver Heats, Semifinals, coaches: come-in from different countries and faster than your opposition—that's what and Final; and make sure that your athletes continue to try to deliver club-level coaching coaching is about: learning faster than your own the finish. It must be practiced at on the international stage. And failure is opposition. If you can do that, then what will training and rehearsed on a daily basis. guaranteed. It’s the coaches that go to happen is you'll have a rate-of-change that can the Olympics and take back and deliver Males and females are extremely different. happen faster than your opposition. Training international coaching on an hourly/ While I was in London I worked with a is from the neck down, and coaching is from daily basis at a club-level that are the the neck up. So avoid strategies of applying guy called Vincent Walsh who was the lead winning coaches. the same training protocols to genetically- professor of brain research in the United Kingdom, and next week I will work with Appreciate the heart and mind of the gifted athletes to less-gifted athletes; that will athlete, and applaud the sponsor. Have great John Medina who is the lead brain research kill athletes very quickly. knowledge of the product. Gather your professor in United States. And they will forces and harness your strengths, if you Attack versus defend attitude. You’ve got tell you very clearly that men and women want to win against the tide. to have an athlete and teach them the ability very, very different in how they adjust and to attack, rather than defend. Compromise how they adapt and how you have to coach Be a champion; look like a champion.

28 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 Important quote: “Character will always have talent, but talent doesn't always have character”. I spent several hours with Gregg Troy today and we talked about this. If you “...Coaching will always be an art; and had to choose between talent and character, always pick character. You can upgrade talent the addition of critical sport science is with skill, but you can't upgrade character. only valued, and certainly most valuable, In adversity it's better to be hungry and poor, rather than comfortable and complacent. when it makes the coach a better artist.” Train the best with the best for 12 weeks annually. Make sure you have intense training, head-to-head 12 weeks annually. Have an open mind and applaud loyalty. have frequency of exposure to perfection, Does today really matter? (The guy on the (One of the girls that came out and trained the greater your athlete will perform. left, is a guy called Judge Ellicott: the best with me in Canberra, was a girl named Uncompromised attitude and skill politician we had in Australia that I’ve ever Annemarie Verstappen, world champion in execution in-preference to volume. met. And the guy on the right was the the 200 freestyle.) assistant coach with a coach I work with, Complete technical knowledge is a given Bill Nelson.) Visionary leadership is a today. Anything you want to know Learn from your great athletes. It's about lonely journey. You cannot live a perfect day technically, you push a button on a computer doing in the training pool what you hope to without doing something for somebody who and you’ve got the answer. Why do we teach do in competition. But once the athlete has will never say thank you. I owe the politician kids mathematics these days? Waste of time; done it in competition, take that and put it on the left a great thank you: while everybody it’s not required, they can do it on a computer waffled-around in Australia talking about back in the training pool. Very important. or a calculator. Totally useless to the athlete, Once your athlete has won at the World- building sports facilities; this guy wasn’t to the student. Why math still exists in the Minister for Sport, he was the Minister level, take that competition performance and schools, I don’t know. Why spelling? Our for Territories. He said, “Bill, we’re going put it back into the training pool. education system hasn't moved forward; to build the facility.” And work started the hopefully our coaching will. I know Noemi Zaharia lives in United very next day. No government approval, he just went ahead and did it, and faced the States now, and Noemi came out and trained Coach the person, train the event, develop consequences afterwards. Everybody that with me—tremendous athlete, 400m gold and redirect the skills. It’s not about plays sport in Australia owes the man on the medalists and a World champion (if you’re 10,000 hours; it’s about individual intent left a deal of gratitude. hear Noemi, hi and it would be great to see for consistent, optimal performance. It you again). And Jens-Peter Berndt, who might take 10,000 hours, but that’s not Systems are boundary fences. Systems do not was an East German athlete who defected what it's about. It’s coming to the training produce results. Every government agency and Mark Schubert sent him out to train pool everyday, or the training environment, I work with, and I see, they talk systems. at the AIS. So it was interesting to have with the intent to learn and to learn faster Systems are boundary fences to herd cattle. that situation. than your opposition. Winning partnerships, people, create success. Performance models and people deliver; Fully-integrated, multidimensional programs: Make sure you surround yourself with good boundary fences and systems have never The guy on the pool deck, there, is a guy and best people. Good is not enough; best is produced anything and will never produce called David Pyne. This was the early days not enough. You have to have the best people anything in the near future. around you, and they have to be good people. of sport science at the AIS. We used to call him Lactate Larry. David would take lactates If you want to fail in anything that you do in The rules of coaching and training: on lampposts, grandstands, spectators that life, form a committee. If you want to create progressive overload, specificity of stimulus, happen to be standing around, grandmothers failure, form a committee. Guaranteed: self- variation and flexibility, and repeatable who had come to watch their kids swim, anyone interest, consensus, waffle. Nothing works excellence—that's what coaching is about. at all. He was lactate-happy. We learned a lot with committees. Everyday progressive overload; overload through that process, and we wasted a lot. No room for comfort zones... complacency what you've done before. Make sure Coaching will always be an art; and the while plateauing. Take risks, dare to be specificity of stimulus relative to what you addition of critical sport science is only different, take the un-trodden path. When is want in competition. Have variation and valued, and certainly most valuable, when it the last time that you did something for the flexibility. And anything that’s done in the makes the coach a better artist. Employ the first time? Guys, ask yourself that question. excellent category, repeat it. person and the character, develop and build (Doc Counsilman: this was 1976. I was the skills. Never employ the skills and try It's about committed conviction to working with him—you can see I haven’t to develop the character. Employ the person; frequency of exposure. Better to train aged at all—I’m the one on the right.) I asked 10 times a week and do less, than 6 times develop the skills. Surround yourself with Doc for some advice. He said: “Bill, know a week and do a lot. The more often you best and good people. what you know, know what you don’t know,

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 29 30 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 A Lifetime of Lessons Learned (Continued) and know someone who does.” Learn from Fortunately, they spilled the beans, but Make sure that you develop a front-half speed the best. In sprinting and preparation, warm- decided to go and live in China. gap for sprinting, and a back-end endurance up and prepare the muscles; do not warm-up capacity for distance events. Athletic talent There is no such thing as fair or equal. Be and prepare the energy systems. Warm- is a great investment, but make sure they're wary of misinformation. Develop a personal up and prepare the muscle and the brain in on your side. preference to the energy system. I’ve worked winning point of difference, and have a return athletes harder than anyone else in the world; on the investment. Don't ever do anything (The athlete riding on the deck there is a I've never had a shoulder injury in any athlete unless there’s a return on investment. guy called Robert Gleria, who I coached to that I've trained, because of the advice Doc Counsilman gave me. Listen to those who profess to know little but have done it all, and ignore the rest. “...Individual horizons, team success. Identify the percieved

Guys, you see the cap that Doc weaknesses of the team and make that your individual is wearing there? [picture] Well, when we parted company, strength. You’ll soon have the most important link in Doc gave me that cap. And I the chain, and the team will enjoy minimal weakness” still have it [puts the cap on; applause]: tattered, torn, worn, beaten up, dogs chewed it, I’ve run over in the car. But I’ve kept it. Anyone who gives you advice, it is like being given a gift. Doc gave me great advice Building and coaching diverse teams: I swim 1:46 way back in 1986. He won the and he gave me this hat as a gift; and I’ve kept spent four years in Hong Kong. This . That year I took it and honored it ever since. So, Doc: thank [picture] relay team won their first ever him on the tour of Italy, he was arrested by you very much. silver medal at the Asian Games. And the the police. He had dual passports; I didn't girl on a far left won the first-ever silver know it. He was offered a chance to swim Attitude is everything. The experience medal at Asian Games. for Italy to get out of national service. And and knowledge of the coach must the bastard beat us in Olympic Games the always be in advance of the talent of the Relay performances, the essential ingredient: following year, swimming for Italy. So, individual and team. That’s your job to be make sure your slowest four can maintain make sure you know if they’ve got two knowledgeable, ahead. the same position for qualifying in the final passports. [laughter] as your fastest four. Many-a-coach has When I was in Britain, through a mutual Measure the measurable; record the friend, I was able to meet several times a guy learnt harshly that cost. In the Olympic recordable. In sprinting, develop the speed- called Angelo Dundee. Angelo died at the year, Swimming is not the only thing, but gap efficiency at the front-end to improve start of this year, age 92 or 91. I flew from performance must be the most important the back-end. You’re working the muscles in Australia to Britain, arrived at six o'clock in thing. And performance without pressure, the brain. For 200-up and 1500-down, hold the morning, went to his funeral, and caught but performance in taught finishes. the front-half and improve the back-end, the flight back-home that night—was such and work energy systems—pretty simple. my respect for this man. Angelo Dundee was “Good athletes know what great athletes Negative split, and never get passed in the the man who coached Muhammad Ali; he don’t. Good athletes and good coaches coached many Australia boxers. I rang him last 50 in training and in competition. commit to competition; great athletes and about three years ago, and said Angelo, I need (Once again, easily recognizable, my youthful a couple of quotes for a book. He said: “Bill, coaches commit to winning.” That’s a quote thank god you only need two, because that’s from Frank Dick. good looks which I’ve maintained over these all I’ve got.” Pretty good advice, but: “Never- years. That's me on the left; Tracey Wickham It’s not about experience; it’s about winning ever accept second in anything you had in the middle.) the capability and capacity to win.” Great experience. Great minds don't always Senior athletes prepare speed to the future advice: “Never fight unless your preparation think alike, but they get the job done. It's and endurance to the past. If you want a has been superior, regardless of any talent about a winning experience. How many simple thing to work on and play with: if you differentials.” Don't rely on superior talent performances does it take to achieve a result? want to work speed to the future, try getting to win; rely on preparation. So, great quotes An athlete can deliver a great performance your athletes to swim 60% of race distance from Angelo Dundee. but not get a result, because someone was at 60% of goal-speed. And do it heat in Have an open mind and think laterally. better prepared, more talented, more rested. the morning; semifinal in the afternoon, and final the next afternoon. 60% of race (Guy on the left is Harold Kunneman, the girl (The guy on the left is me, the guy on the distance at 60% of goal speed. If you want on the right is Helga Pfiffer: masterminds middle is Dennis Pursley, and the guy on to practice endurance, try practicing 125% of the East German drug program.) I was the right is Gennadi Touretski: all three of race distance at 115% of extrapolated in a situation I could offer them citizenship previous head coaches of the Australian race speed. Do the last one several times in Australia, if they spilled the beans. Institute of Sport.) and the first one only once.

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 31 A Lifetime of Lessons Learned (Continued)

Celebrate, recognize and explore success. Ensure everyone feels part of success. “...Teach winning, leadership, and decision-making. If you (It’s Tracy Wickham’s first world record.) teach decision-making, you can become a leader and a

Individual horizons, team winner. If you do it the other way around, it can’t happen.” success. Identify the perceived weaknesses of the team and make that your individual strength. You'll soon have not a stamp of achievement. Young coaches wanted to return. Went and saw him. He the most important link in make the mistake: I’ve got 20 qualifiers for the chain, and the team will enjoy minimal said, “You can return. But I’ve got a man that the National Championships—who gives weakness. Team growth and individual works for the underground has a thalidomide a shit? You’ve got 20 people who aren’t growth: Ask each person on your team to child who has a foot where his knee should going to make the competition too big. It's identify the perceived weakness in the team, be and a knee halfway up his thigh. If he where you do; you’ve got to make top-8 or and then say: I'm going to make that my can swim one length of the pool, referee top-4 or top-6 or top-12. Making standard personal strength. Each athlete will see it approved, at the end of the school holidays, times is the minimal standard to manage differently, they keep it to themselves, and you get to come home. If he can't, you don’t.” the size of the competition; it’s not a stamp soon you'll have a team without weakness. This young boy responded extremely well to of achievement. Grow your strengths and grow team bribery; I had no knowledge of teaching. I weaknesses. Manage emotion; handle distractions, and learned to teach very quickly, and at the end maintain focus in every competition you go of the school holidays, I got to come home. No exit strategy: are you are in it for into. Not everything new is good, and not long haul? I learned that a trophy cabinet is of little use. everything old is bad. I’ve won many awards for coaching, and I’ve (That’s the British team at the FINA World When I was young ,16, I came home drunk. won many awards for sport, both Football, Championships in Japan.) My father belted me. We had nothing, we Rugby League/Rugby Union and Swimming. Be predatory in opportunity, focused in the were in poverty; he worked in the mines. I I’m only keep one beat-up, old trophy in now with a vision to the future. Make sure the waited outside the next morning. When he my trophy cabinet—that's it. It will tell, vision to the future is in the document. Seize came out, I hit him with a pilling off the fence if you read it, “runner-up in the under-12 the moment; stay true to your conviction. as he come out to go to work. I put 17 stitches competition.” My father told me when I Optional to join, compulsory to attend, no in his head. He got up, dusted himself off, got runner-up that I was a failure. I made a went to work, claimed worker’s compo. And part-time participation. Run where others decision never to be runner-up in anything about two weeks later, we were sitting at the dare to walk, have great self-belief and ever again and I kept the trophy. And it’s the dinner table; he said, “We’ve got a score to conviction, know no boundaries and perform only trophy I’ve ever kept, to remind me what settle.” We went outside and he beat the crap above potential, and manage chaos. an asshole my father was. So I only have one out of me again. I decided there and then trophy in the cabinet, and I coach winning, (That team swam extremely well in the first that I wanted to leave home. I told him; I and I want to get the job done; and every World Championships I was in Britain [for].) said, “I want to leave home. You can’t stand time I see that, it reminds me. me. I can’t stand you.” He said: “Think about Always have an A plan and a B plan. it.” I said: “I’ve thought it: I want to leave Teach winning, leadership, and decision- Implement the B plan and move-up to the A home.” He said: “There are three conditions: making. If you teach decision-making, you plan; don’t implement the A plan and have to 1) you don’t come back; 2) if you do want to can become a leader and a winner. If you do move-down to a B plan. It’s a much better come back, there’ll be a huge penalty; and 3) it the other way round, it can’t happen. feeling to have a B plan and then upgrade it you have to come and visit you mother every to the A plan, than to do the opposite. Sunday night for dinner and come sober.” In 1983, the first skins costume was developed Think outside the box: it’s not what you do, So, I went and packed everything come out at the AIS; that [picture] is it. Luckily, my it's how you think. Take risks. Set a path that and my father was standing against the door. assistant coach kept it in her freezer. It was others who want to follow; don’t follow. I said: “You said, I could leave.” He said, made out of polystyrene. We developed it “You can. But everything you’re wearing, in ‘83 to use in the ’84 Olympics. Speedo (The coach on the left there is Zhao Min, who everything you’ve packed up, I paid for; they wouldn't allow us to use it, and all those plans worked at the Australia at Institute of Sport belong to me. Because you’re my son, I don’t were canceled. Luckily, the assistant coach and was convicted for cheating.) want you to go empty-handed, you can have kept in a freezer, and I’ve been able to keep it It’s not the size of the team, it’s the quality the underpants you’re wearing and I’m going since then. A very ordinary costume, but it within it. Recognize and applaud character. to give you $20.” Much to my mates delight, had a flotation device in it with the material. that were waiting for me, he walked me to the I researched a flume in Tasmania where they Qualifying times are a minimal standard car with $20 and my underpants on. I lived tested torpedoes for the Navy and fishing designed to manage the competition and are in my mate’s garage for year, and decided I nets and fishing boats. I went down to the

32 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 11 flume to test this costume, and many others were ranked top-3 in the world in 2008— the left, is a mentor to me in the business like it. And while I was there, the Navy was quicker than what we thought. The girls on world; works for Heidrick & Struggles. there practicing with torpedoes. And they the right: [Rebecca] Adlington, was put on Michael Bohl coached Robyn—the girl had this oil that they put on the torpedoes, a the 2004 training camps as a training partner beside me—when she came to Australia. slick that got them to go through the water for Rebecca Cook; and Kerri-Anne Payne was Susie’s married to Tim. And quite a very very quickly. Innovative and creative. I also put on for Rebecca Cook—they weren’t close-knit group that work together even part of the Olympic team. And they learnt thought, “Well, if I soak these costumes in today. So they are important friends to from that experience and performed very this slick, the athletes will move through me, and very great corporate athletes and well: both those girls won medals, and gold the water very quickly.” Because we’d read sporting entrepreneurs. metals, at the Olympics. We had the world's the story about how the East Germans at first offshore training concept, in the offshore Some of the unwritten ground rules for that stage were painting their costumes centre in Southport [Australia]. We had international coaching: on—they actually painted the costume onto a group of boys do their last two years of the body. So, I soaked all these costumes in school there. Both produced outstanding • Family first. Put your family first. the slick the Navy gave me, big tubs of it. results for Britain. And we experimented that afternoon with • Coach and teach everyday with the the athletes. And it worked extremely well; “Life is what our thoughts make us.” Think enthusiasm that it’s your first day of except at about nine o’clock that night I had about that quote. Pretty modern-day coaching, not your last day. quote; it was from Marcus Aurelius, many to rush eleven of them to hospital where centuries ago. all the skin had peeled off their body from • Know the heart and mind of the athlete, staff, opposition, and competition. where they had these costumes on. The slick Lord help me do the better right than the had burnt the skin off their body. So, lateral Competition are the people you’re easier wrong. If you go to West Point going to come up and compete against. thinking has limits. academy in the United States, that is the Opposition are the people within your (Anyway, there [on the slide] are the things sign that’ll meet you on the door. A pretty own team that are trying to bring that you read there that I felt that I’ve been important sign. you down. Be as ruthless as you like visionary in my development over the years.) in removing them; don’t tolerate or I do some volunteer work for repatriation accept them. The world's best talent identification and of troops in Britain, in Cyprus. Commander development model. This was the program Rich Harris, permanent joint-headquarters • It’s not what you know, but it's how you put in place in Britain. The program that staff in UK, told me: “Bill, self-belief in think. was put in place was to identify initially winning before the battle is the reason female talent. Neils Bouws from West why they’re returned safe. Knowing you’re • Maximum time at task. Germany sat on one side of the pool, Peter the best prepared will keep you alive.” It • Skill perfection always before skill Freney sat on the other. They had their art applies to sport. to identify athletes that they felt were great acquisition. talents, and then the next morning it was (The coaches standing around me there at the • Build teams with the athletes and staff measured—everything that was measurable Rome World Championships, 12 of my ex- you coach and mentor are identifiable was measured. Then cross checked. Anyone swimmers were on-staff of that team. It was due to superior skill and attitudes. that was on both lists—and the coaches a pretty good feeling to know that 12 of you couldn't compare, we had an independent swimmers were on the staff of the Australian • Learn from the best, and set a path person compare—we then selected them to World Championships team.) where others will want to follow. Don’t go on a high altitude camp. It had nothing follow. to do with high altitude: it was to remove Corporate model integration with them from their parent’s clutches and put performance model. Personal friends, • Win every day. Get up every morning them in an environment that was foreign to corporate athletes and sporting with the attitude that you’re going to them, challenging and different. We went to entrepreneurs. I’ve been lucky, that since win every day. La Loma, where Jack Roach was coaching at 1976 I’ve had an Olympic medal winner that that stage. The athletes went for six weeks. I’ve worked with in every Olympics since • Make all those who work with you These girls were 14 years-of-age when they feel special, enthused, appreciated and then. Chances are 2016 that will come to went. We took three schoolteachers and valued, without pampering or indulging. an end. Guy on the left there [photo] is three managers. They did school every day, cooked their own meals, and trained at Tim Ford who I coached Commonwealth • Systems do not deliver; athletes and altitude. And we train very hard. Those medals in the 1500 and 400. The young man people do. girls (on the left hand side of the screen) beside him is Michael Bohl, who I coached came back and swam the U.S. Open at San and now coaches at the very highest level. • Create models with great flexibility Antonio, and all did lifetime bests. And three Susie Baumer, I coached to Commonwealth and ones that will deliver under all times in the following year, we took them Games gold medal and an Olympic medal, in circumstances. into China—to the worst places I could find the middle. Robyn Lamsam, the girl beside • “Compromise” is the cancer for in China—to expose them to difficulties and me, I coached to first-ever Hong Kong silver achievement. Train at and coach above. challenge. And, of course, 9 of those girls medal. And today, Timmy Ford, the man on

2014 EDITION 11 | ASCA NEWSLETTER 33 A Lifetime of Lessons Learned (Continued)

Unwritten Ground Rules for International Coaching

Family first. Put your family first. Coach and teach everyday with the enthusiasm that

it’s your first day of coaching, not your last day. Know the heart and mind of the athlete, staff,

opposition, and competition. It’s not what you know, but it’s how you think. Maximum

time at task. Skill perfection always before skill acquisition. Build teams with the athletes

and staff you coach and mentor. Learn from the best, and set a path where others will want

to follow. Don’t follow. Win every day. get up every morning with the attitude that you’re going

to win. Make all those who work with you feel special, enthused, appreciated and valued.

Systems do not deliver, athletes and people do. Create models with great flexibility

and ones that will deliver under all circumstances. Compromise is the cancer for

achievement. Train and coach above. One or two great athletes does not make a great coach.

• One or two great athletes, does not make t-across represents capacity and capability. The cycle continues: great organizations a great coach. Formula 1 cars do not Don’t put the horizontal part in first; you and with great visionary thinking very come off an assembly line. have to have the knowledge, experience, and rarely, if ever, repeat the same cycle. It’s education that goes in. The apostrophe-t always different. Education is learning and We had a scheme in Britain where athletes represent the difference between can and learning is change. The organization and the who could do 10 chin-ups 10 times in 10 can’t; and also represents the depth and leadership must be well-aware of where it is minutes would get a t-shirt with “ ‘t ” on it. breadth of your capability and capacity and going and what the future looks like in order In all teams: knowledge to win. to stay ahead of the field in competition. They have a market advantage on the field. • 20% are can do people in “can’t do” The cycle starts again: the girl on the left What will the Olympic champion of 2020 situations. People will refute that, but [of photo] is an Olympic silver medalist I look like? Have you thought about it? it’s the fact. coached in the 200 butterfly; Commonwealth Have you planned it? Do you have people champion in 200 butterfly. And I work preparing for it. • 40% can do, if the leadership with her daughter today, who is one of the organization and management is good, champion paddlers in Australian Canoeing. If you ever run a 2024 coaching clinic, but they will ask will I win?. The first The learn-to-swim the cycle continues. make sure you invite me; because I think that's where we should be working and 20% will say I can win, the next 40% will A lifetime of lessons learned, valued, ask will I win? looking forward to today. That’s what I applauded, and appreciated. I always tell want. Mercedes Benz’s vision for the future. the athletes: I will never be your best • And the last 40% are can’t do people in Formula 1 cars, like great athletes and great friend, but I will always be your greatest “can-do” situations and they ask: why coaches, do not come off in assembly line. supporter. Make sure there is a line between am I here? friend and supporter. And... that’s all folks. Champions know the difference; winners live All the names there [slide], and I see Ron the difference. Make sure you understand McKeon in the audience, are people that Bill Sweetenham is a competitive swimming the ‘t. When you do an apostrophe-t, the I coached who are now coaching. They coach. He was the National Performance Director vertical is written first and that represents honored my time with them by taking-up a for British Swimming until 2007. Sweetenham your knowledge, experience, education. The coaching profession, so I appreciate that. has worked directly with more than 40 Olympians.

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