ASCA Newsletter American Swimming Coaches Association 2014 edition | issue 9

Fitter and Faster Tour Sponsored ASCA Age Group Coach of the Year - Beth Winkowski In This Issue:

Trending Today / 09 Pathway to Leadership / 12 The Future of Work / 16 How Does Your Club Team Stack Up? / 18 Why Our Kids Quit Sport / 21

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 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: Gregg Troy Vice-Presidents: Jim Tierney, Steve Morsilli Members: Jack Bauerle, Don Heidary, Ira Klein, Matthew Kredich, David Marsh, Tim Murphy, Eddie Reese, Richard Shoulberg, Bill Wadley, Chuck Warner Executive Committee: Jennifer Gibson, Tim Welsh

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

The Newsletter for Professional Swimming Coaches

A Publication of the American Swimming Coaches Council for Sport Development, American Swimming Magazine (ISSN: 0747-6000) is published by the American Swimming Coaches Association. Membership/subscription price is $70.00 per year (US). International $120.00. Disseminating swimming knowledge to swimming coaches since 1958. Postmaster: Send address changes to:

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© 2014 American Swimming Coaches Association.

2 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 From the Cover

For more than forty years, the American national level with a new award called the Fitter national and international level.” Swimming Coaches Association has & Faster Swim Tour Age Group Coach of the ASCA CEO John Leonard says that this presented two major awards at its Year Award. award has been designed to highlight the Annual Awards Banquet at the ASCA Ten coaches will be named as ‘finalists’ for importance of great age group coaching World Clinic. They are among the most the award, and they, along with the eventual to future success in the sport in the United prestigious awards in coaching. winner, will be honored at the annual World States. This program will supersede the old The first award is the ASCA Coach Swim Clinic. The Fitter and Faster Swim Tour’s concept of having an Age Group Coach of of the Year. Presented since 1961, sponsorship will help fund the travel expenses the Year in each LSC. when famed Coach James “Doc” for all 10 finalists to the World Clinic, and it will “We’re excited about this new partnership, Counsilman was the first recipient, also provide a financial award to the eventual and it’s a natural fit,” Arluck concluded. the award recognizes the coach winner. “We believe that the award recognizes the who has contributed the most to the “We really believe in this award,” Fitter & Faster grass-roots level of American swimming; success of American Swimming in the Tour’s founder and director, David Arluck, an essential piece of the puzzle for why the International arena in that year. It is the said. “Our clinics are all about connecting the Americans have been the world’s dominant most widely revered award in the world success of our clinicians back to the habits, swim team for over a century. By presenting of swimming, given the prominence of skills and passion they developed at the this award at the ASCA World Clinic, we are American Swimming in the sport. age group level, and sharing what they have uniting Olympic, World Championship, and The second award given has been the learned with the next generation of athletes. national-level success of the Coach of the ASCA AGE GROUP Coach of the Year. Year Award with the significant achievement “That’s why we felt like this new ASCA Age This award has recognized fifty coaches of the Age Group Coach of the Year award. Group Coach of the Year award was a good each year, one from each of the United This is a natural step from what we do every fit for our organization. It recognizes the States’ Local Swimming Communities. day in our Fitter & Faster Tour clinics, where accomplishments of the age group coaches In 2014, this award is being upgraded we unite those international-level athletes who thrive on the opportunity to cultivate the through a partnership between ASCA with those who comprise the foundation of talent of swimmers of all ability levels, keep and the FITTER AND FASTER SWIM the sport: the age group swimmers.” swimmers in the sport, and lay the foundation TOUR. Ten Age Group Coaches will for athletes to achieve success at the collegiate, be recognized and determined at a

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 3 4 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 Age Group Coach of the Year (Continued)

top ten finalists

training regime, and good communication with WAVES and coaches the Junior squad. Winner- Beth Winkowski parents and athletes. She accomplishes all 2012 Illinois Swimming Age Group Coach of Dynamo Swim Club this while recognizing the athlete as a whole the Year, 2013 Illinois Swimming Age Group person who benefits from the permanent life Coach of the Year. Coach Fort has served on lessons learned by children who participate in several staffs for National and Zone Select organized athletics. Camps

Finalist- Allison Brol Finalist- Tom Himes Huntsville Swim Association North Baltimore Aquatic Club

Coach Beth began coaching at Dynamo in the fall of 2004. She is responsible for the Senior 2 swimmers as well as the development and direction of the Chamblee Staff. Prior to Dynamo she was the Head Coach for 12 years at Portland Aquatic Club in Portland, Oregon where Allison has coached for a summer swim team she began her professional coaching for the last eight years and as a head swim As Head Age Group Coach, Coach Himes career. Beth has coached state, sectional, coach and pool manager for the last four spent 17 years at NBAC, beginning in 1985, and zone champions at an individual and years. She was recently selected to coach the and during that time produced 11 consecutive team level. She also assisted several Southeastern Zone Team. Allison graduated American Swimming Coaches Association swimmers in earning National Top 16 high school from Culvers Girl Academy in Age Group National Team Championships. rankings, Junior and Senior National Culver, IN and has a Bachelor Degree in He has coached swimmers to 425 National qualifying times. Elementary Education from the University of Top 16 rankings, including 74 number one Indianapolis. rankings, 37 National Age Group Records Coach Beth’s coaching strengths and more than 350 Maryland State Records. include: detailed and analytic stroke Finalist- Heather Fort He was inducted into the Maryland Swimming instruction with an eye towards body WAVES Bloomington- Normal YMCA Hall of Fame in 2005. awareness, a creative and demanding Heather Fort is in her sixth year with the

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 5 Age Group Coach of the Year (Continued)

top ten finalists

Finalist - Robert Jenkyns Finalist- Jackson Leonard Finalist- Ruth Stocks Lake Country Phoenix Swim Club Gator Swim Club Tualatin Swim Club

Coach Bob is the Lake Country Swim Coach Stocks coached CYO swimming Team’s Head Age Group Coach and the for 6 years with Valley Swim Team. Began Business Manager, as well as being the lead Served as Head Manager for University of coaching with THSC in November 2006 coach for the Junior training group. Coach Florida Swimming and Diving 2010-2014. with the 10 & Under program. She has Bob is also the Head Boy’s Swim Coach Head Age Group Coach for Gator Swim helped develop the 10 Under program for Arrowhead HS and the Co-Head Girl’s Club, 2011-2014. Earned his BA in English from 13 state qualifiers in 2007 to 34 state Swim Coach along with his wife Kristen for (2013), M.Ed in Secondary English qualifiers in 2011. Hartford HS. His Arrowhead High School Instruction (2014) from the University of Men’s and Women’s teams have won the Florida. Coached a National Age Group Doug Wharam Wisconsin D1 State Championship title 10 Record Relay team at GSC in 2014. Nashville Aquatic Club times and was runner-up 8 times. Coach Doug enters his fifth season with Nashville Bob has been Wisconsin Interscholastic Finalist- Matt Pelletier Aquatic Club as Associate Head Coach Swimming Coaches Association “Coach of The FISH and Senior Coordinator. The Senior group the Year” five times. He was also selected While at American University, Coach Matt has developed dozens of winter Junior as Wisconsin’s Long Course Coach of the swam for all 4 years and was captain and National qualifiers, fourteen summer Junior Year in 2012. MVP of the men’s program during both National qualifiers, eight first time summer his Junior and Senior seasons. Coach Senior National qualifiers, seven 18&U Finalist- Rosemarie Lockie Matt has been coaching swimming since Olympic Trial qualifiers, placed seventeen Comets Swim Club he was 15, starting off with the High Point athletes on the Southeastern Zone Coach Lockie is a level 3 coach and has Sharks of the Strongsville Swim League in Championship team, and had numerous been involved in swimming for years, as his hometown outside of Cleveland, Ohio. USA Swimming Top 10 swims, including a swimmer, a parent, an official or as a During his summers with the team he multiple #1 rankings Coach Doug earned coach. Coach Lockie swam through the transformed them from a dormant club to a master’s degree in Sport Management end of high school in Zambia and South one of the top 3 teams in the league. from the State University of New York at Africa. She has 3 children, who also were Cortland in 2011, and is currently pursuing swimmers. Her youngest son, Travis, is his Doctorate in Sport Management also a coach.

6 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 7 8 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

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ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 9 Trending today... Some Very Common Mistakes by Swimming Parents... and Some Coaches By: John Leonard, American Swimming Coaches Association, 6/10/14

There are few “guarantees” in the sport of “failing.” in point of fact there is often No for real improvement. Worse, it implants swimming. One of them is that 98% of child failure at all, just Mother Nature reminding us a value system in the athlete’s mind that prodigies in our sport will come to nothing that “She RULES.” says “whatever will help me NOW is most as senior swimmers. (There is always an important.” Not hard to see the tiny leap from There is nothing worse for a youngster than exception or two.) This is because our age that to a drugs in sport culture. being seen as a “has been” by their parents group sport is quite mature... 60 plus year at age 14-18. It goes deep into the child’s Finally, the Internet is a wonderful thing. The history now. And over time, all the athletes psyche and provides the bulk of income to internet is an awful thing. Both are true. who set national age group records are psychologists whom they visit in later life. (and said in the very kindest way...) “genetic The problem with the internet and over- freaks.” They are what is known to coaches Thus the relative meaninglessness of Age zealous parents trying to learn more about and developmental experts, as “early Group Records, be their club records, LSC swimming via the internet, is that you can find maturers” or “early developers.” As such, Records, or National Records. Not only TONS of information. And information without they grow bigger, stronger, more coordinated, do they NOT predict future successes, context is tremendously dangerous. What the and in all athletic ways “better... earlier” than they may impede it. Why? Because the Olympic Champion Sprinter has to say about their more common young counterparts. As strongest enemy of Great is Good. When his training at age 28, IS NOT what is relevant a byword, the fact that your 12 year old has a child self-perceives themselves as or important for the 14-18 year old, much less a five o-clock shadow does not mean that “good”, they stop working on the technical the 10 year old athlete. In fact, it is completely he’s not still more interested in playing with aspects of the sport that they need to be destructive of what the young athlete should toy trucks than girls. Physical development superior. Hence we see prodigy children of be doing to prepare for success at age 28 if is notoriously out of sync with emotional and 12-16 , with fast times, and HORRENDOUS they are interested in still swimming at that intellectual development. strokes that will never physically hold age, peak performance levels. together when the child inevitably must One of the tragic aspects of our sport is that The New York Times a few months ago increase their training volume in order to it’s natural for the parent (who has seen one, carried a great article about the dangers of improve. two or three children, versus one, two or three internet information. They pointed out that a THOUSAND children for the coach...) to make The Technically proficient swimmer has famous person said “There is nothing more the assumption that early success predicts an no long term limits. The Technically precious than Freedom” What American Olympian Future. Nothing could be further deficient swimmer has nothing BUT limits. would argue with that? Well, the Times went from the truth. The fact is , there are very very on to point out that the speaker was Vladimir Parents looking for “more opportunities” very few really unusual people physically. Lenin, and his whole quote was “There is for their young swimmer to “break more How many LeBron James’s. Pele’s or Michael nothing more precious than Freedom... it records” completely miss the point of long Phelps’s are there in our population? Which is so precious that the state must ration it term development of athlete skill. The more means that later on that gawky, skinny, tiny out carefully, to no more than a few.” 12 year old who appears to be ten, will catch chasing of records, the less time for technical up with your early maturing child, and if the and base development. One of the most true Be careful about what you absorb from the normal pattern of growth asserts itself, it will sayings in our sport is that “THINGS TAKE internet. likely outgrow them later on, with a larger TIME.” Meaningful and lasting technical All the Best, and larger stature, albeit later in life... when improvements require months (sometimes they are reaching THEIR physical maturity. more) to “take hold.” First they must be John Leonard The inadequately educated parent, wrongly learned mindfully, then they must be learned assuming continual dominance by their child, well enough to be practiced mindlessly, and sometimes puts the poor early developer finally, displayed under competitive pressure in the “rock and a hard place” problem by and stress. None of that happens in days being “disappointed” that the child could not or weeks. Rushing from meet to meet continue to dominate their competitors and with an emphasis on “getting faster now” assume some lack of effort, heart, or other retards or worse, eliminates the opportunity

10 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 11 12 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 Book review: Brain rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School

Author: John Medina Reviewed by Jackson Leonard

Feeling sluggish? Do you have trouble walking, and running everywhere, we • Buffers against stress concentrating on tasks throughout the are designed to walk up to 12 miles per day? day. Because of this, aerobic exercise • Decreases the risk for heart disease, (even just 2-3 times per week) helps stroke and diabetes. Exercise is a key way to improve your show improvement in brain functions. quality of life, physically and mentally. Exercise acts as a metaphorical Miracle- Preliminary studies even show that Gro for brain development. At a more But, how does exercise improve the way with exercise in schools, when trained your brain works and how you think? scientific level, exercise stimulates the teachers “provided the physical creation of BDNF- a powerful growth John Medina’s Brain Rules: 12 Principles education [the] children actually did factor. BDNF “keeps [existing] neurons for Surviving and Thriving at Work, better on language, reading, and the young and healthy, and makes them Home, and School offers insight into basic battery of tests in school.” No more ready to connect with one another. the development and continued higher- one, from children sitting at school desks It also encourages neurogenesis- the functioning of our brains and bodies. to adults sitting at cubicles, is meant to creation of new cells,” as Wright states. Wright states, “A lifetime of exercise remain sedentary all day long. We crave Thus, the brain functions more smoothly, results in a sometimes astonishing movement! as a result of better functioning neurons elevation in cognitive performance, The benefits of exercise are endless, - thanks to exercise induced brain compared with those who are sedentary.” as aerobic activity creates change in all chemicals. In short, humans who are physically physiological areas. Exercise: active and move function better mentally With laboratories finding regular than those who do not move. • Helps build stronger bones and exercise (20-30 minutes, 2-3 times per muscles week) improves the problem solving So, how much exercise, and what kind areas of our brains, increases our fluid of exercise, do you need to improve • Stronger bones and muscles intelligence, maintains our memory brain functions and feel better? improve strength and balance capabilities, and drastically improves our physiological systems... we now NOT MUCH! The human body craves • Regulates your appetite know to improve, we have to move! movement. With our ancestors moving, • Improves your immune system

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 13 14 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 A Pathway to Leadership in Swimming ASCA FELLOWS project 2013

The American Swimming Coaches Analysis of the data was performed in small Step 3: Expanding Credibility Association (ASCA) Fellows Class of 2013 groups and the findings discussed with the The creditability of on-deck coaching was tasked with researching how a number collective via bi-weekly conference calls success develops in a straightforward of historically successful coaches also and regular email exchange. Consistent manner and is dependent on the coaches’ became prominent off-deck leaders. The feedback, in concert with evolution in the ability to train and cultivate their athletes. coaches studied were Forbes Carlile, peter composition of the small groups, improved While on-deck success often leads Daland, Pat Hogan, Doug Ingram, Robert the evaluation of information gathered. to increased influence in swimming Kiphuth, peter Malone, Jim Montrella, Mark governance at all levels, there are Schubert and Jim Wood numerous other factors and skills involved in establishing credibility off deck. The The target of the project was to chronicle Leadership Pathway studied coaches educated themselves on the evolution of these coaches as leaders. The research revealed several overarching the issues at hand. They networked and The findings were then used to identify a themes in each coach’s journey towards developed alliances with those who shared pathway to leadership and a set of traits governance in the sport of swimming. common goals, struggles and vision for that current and future coaches can use These themes can be considered steps on the future. They also sought to understand for inspiration and guidance to successfully the Pathway to Leadership. the needs and desires of their audience participate and progress in the governance and of those who would be impacted by Step 1: Mentors of our sport. The highlighted pathway their decisions. These coaches presented and traits are validated by the impact the Every coach studied had multiple mentors themselves professionally and learned coaches had on the sport. with a wide variety of skills and backgrounds quickly that compromise, without losing ranging from more experienced coaches, site of the greater vision, was an essential to peers, to leaders outside of swimming. component of making progress Methodology Regular observation and interaction with Step 4: Taking on Responsibility such mentors provided valuable insight Information was gathered in numerous in how to deal with success and failure After starting leadership at the local level ways, but the primary sources of information as well as access to opportunities and and building their on and off deck credibility, for most of the coaches studied were connections. the studied coaches moved to the interviews with coach, their colleagues, regional, national and international levels Step 2: Involvement swimmers and family. of governance. Expanded opportunities came with an increase in commitment When circumstances allowed, face-to- All of the coaches studied began their both personally and professionally. Their face interviews and video conferencing leadership careers locally. Their initial progression as leaders was enhanced both were found to be the most effective forms motivations for accepting the challenge by their success and the way in which they of information gathering, closely followed of leadership off the pool deck were wide ranging and included urging by peers or handled failure. In addition, many coaches by telephone interviews. The interview mentors, environmental and/or situational became mentors for other coaches, process spanned a nine-month period frustrations, and an innate feeling of solidifying their roles as leaders. and increased in detail as background responsibility. While many of the coaches knowledge became more comprehensive. were driven to create the best environment Secondary sources included the Swimming for their own swimmers to reach their Leadership Traits World Magazine archives, USA Swimming potential, a desire to impact the future of A comparison of the stories revealed and ASCA websites, as well as several the sport also provided strong motivation. several distinct leadership styles: intense other websites, periodicals, and books. Although none of these coaches initially planned to become politically involved, vs. easy-going, stubborn vs. pliable, and Research gained from these sources was they realized to affect change they needed forefront vs. behind the scenes, amongst corroborated by primary sources. to become engaged in the process. others. However, the comparison also

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 15 A Pathway to Leadership (Continued)

revealed that, in addition to taking similar pathways to leadership, the coaches also The stories of the coaches showed that they shared a number of personality traits: “ helped lay the foundations for what are now • “Double Vision” - The coaches kept one eye on the present and one on the USA Swimming’s core objectives future. They considered the impact that ” their decisions would have on the sport in the present as well as two to three The coaches in this study sought to build Protecting the Integrity of the Sport quadrennials in the future the sport from the ground up. They worked In addition to improving the sport through to increase participation in swimming • Organized - Although organizational these core objectives, the coaches by opening up opportunities to a wider methods differed, each coach adhered were instrumental in attacking ethical demographic. Examples include, integrating to a system that worked for them issues that challenged its integrity. At seasonal teams into USA Swimming and the national level, they implemented an • Prepared - Each of the coaches ensured developing comprehensive programs that athlete protection program that included they were educated about the facts include a progression from learn-to-swim comprehensive background checks for associated with the topic they were to competitive swimming. The coaches both coaches and volunteers. On the addressing were also instrumental in promoting club global scale, the coaches took up arms development through initiatives such as in the fight against doping and were • Action Oriented - The coaches seized USA Swimming’s National Club Excellence pivotal in banning the polyurethane opportunity when it was presented. Program. They had the courage to act even swimsuits the threatened to limit the when circumstances were difficult, and Promoting the Sport quality of competition. understood the importance of taking The group increased the visibility of the A Legacy for Future Leaders measured risk that moved them closer to sport in several ways for both the swimming their vision The results of the research show the community and the public. They established coaches had widely differing leadership • Accountable - The coaches followed Swimming World Magazine and introduced styles yet all took similar steps in their through on their commitments, backed international travel as a part of the coaching pathways to leadership. In addition, up their words with action and expected profession when such travel was difficult they shared a number of traits that were others to do the same and time consuming. These actions were a vital in navigating the successes and catalyst for worldwide exchanges of ideas failures of their journeys. The coaches • Resilient - All of the coaches faced and information in the swimming community. were not all contemporaries suggesting significant adversity in their journeys that The coaches also looked for ways to increase the recognized pathway is enduring. they attacked with passion and tenacity. public support of swimming. These included The traits are timeless and can be both Although outcomes weren’t always the introduction of fan-friendly activities learned and strengthened. Together, in their favor they were resilient and at swim meets and positioning the U.S. the pathway and traits provide valuable maintained pursuit of their vision. Olympic trials as an inspirational platform for tools for coaches who are aspiring to swimming excellence. lead. Impact on Swimming Achieving Competitive Success Lastly, the findings indicate that, to It could be argued that the largest single The coaches demonstrated that off-deck counter conventional wisdom, youth impact attributable to the coaches studied was leadership plays a significant role in on-deck is not a barrier to involvement in legitimizing coaching as a profession. This success, especially when the focus is on the leadership. Many of the coaches raised the standard of coaching and brought athletes. In order to provide swimmers with studied participated in governance at swimming into the public eye. Additionally, improved opportunity, the implemented data- the earliest stages of their careers. the stories of the coaches showed that they driven time standards, introduced balanced Stories of the leadership journey for helped lay the foundations for what are now meet schedules, reformatted championship each of the coaches researched will USA Swimming’s core objectives: building meets and established postgraduate training appear in future issues of American the base, promoting the sport and achieving centers. To improve the environment for the Swimming magazine. The hope is these competitive success. It is important to note National Team, they campaigned for the stories will provide coaches everywhere that the impacts listed below represent the objective selection of coaches, managers and with inspiration and guidance on how to coaches as a collective - not all coaches were officials for international travel, and pioneered successfully participate and progress in involved in each proposition. Olympic training camps fostering team unity. the governance of swimming. Building the Base

16 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 17 The future of work We’ve Been Thinking About Talent The Wrong Way All Along Practice doesn’t always make perfect, and you may not just be born with it. So where does true talent really come from?

By: Daniel Coyle This article is a rebuttal to Benedict Carey’s article in The New York Times “How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? Talent.”

Where does true talent come from, song. If it’s golf, focus on putting. measured by the hands of a clock or put in anyway? And what’s more important, a petri dish--it’s something that grows when genes or practice? STEP TWO: SEEK OUT SOMEONE a set of specific conditions are present. WHO’S REALLY GOOD AT THAT This scientific war rumbles on with the new PARTICULAR SKILL, AND STUDY TO PUT IT IN SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE, release of a meta-study in Psychological THEM. Really study them. Stare at their IT’S AN EMERGENT PROPERTY. Science (a study that analyzed 88 other performance, and analyze their technique Emergent properties happen when a set studies) concluding that practice time (YouTube is particularly useful for this). of things combine to create something far matters less than innate gifts. STEP THREE: PRACTICE THAT SKILL bigger and more powerful than the things Researchers like K. Anders Ericsson, INTENSELY FOR 15 MINUTES, TWICE themselves. Emergence is not the world of whose findings paved the way for the A DAY, FOR ONE MONTH. The key 2 + 2 = 4. It’s the world of 2 + 2 = 400. 10,000-Hour Rule--the basic premise word here is “intensely.” Place yourself on A good example is the weather. The is that it takes around 10,000 hours of the edge of your ability--the zone where weather is made up of a lot of different stuff practicing a task to become successful-- you make mistakes and fix them, which combining in unpredictable ways. Breezes have issued a rebuttal, making an equally psychologists refer to as “the sweet spot.” blow, clouds form, air currents collide, and, compelling case for the trans formative Make sure each practice session follows every so often, if the pattern is just right, a power of practice (and questioning the new the same pattern: Pick a target; reach tornado begins to form. study’s methodology). for it; evaluate the gap between your performance and the target. Repeat. When you look closely at the lives of talented Despite all the effort, or perhaps because people, you find numerous examples of of it, it seems as if the two camps in the The result of this experiment, I am willing tiny behavioral/motivational tornadoes. For nature/nurture debate are no longer to wager, is that you will pleasantly surprise example, how do you measure the effect listening to each other. As University of yourself. In one month, your skills in of Warren Buffett’s childhood paper route Pennsylvania psychologist Scott Barry this area will have been transformed. To on his steady temperament and business Kaufman told the New York Times, “This your friends and acquaintances you will skills? How do you calibrate the motivation is where we are, with people essentially appear moderately heroic. They will utter Keith Richards got while listening to blues talking past one another.” complimentary phrases like, “Wow, I had records? How do you measure the power no idea!” and “Where did that come from?” Given the apparent impasse, I’d like to of the bond between Tiger Woods and his suggest another approach to this question, Good question. Is it because you possess father, who coached him during his early starting with a simple two-step experiment. a special twist of DNA or because you years? logged a few more of those magical 10,000 The simple answer is, you don’t. Which is STEP ONE: PICK A SKILL YOU HAVE hours? ALWAYS WANTED TO POSSESS. Guitar, why science will always struggle with this sales, comedy, golf, public speaking. Don’t It’s neither. Just like the warring scientists, nature versus nurture question--because pick the whole thing--just one targeted we’ve been thinking about talent the wrong it’s not really nature versus nurture. It’s area. If it’s guitar, focus on one particular way. Talent is not something that can be nature times nurture, in a million tiny and

18 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 immeasurable ways. (The exception to this rule is the powerful influence of genes on raw athletic skills like speed and endurance; influence chiefly felt at the highest levels of ...it’s not really nature versus nurture. competition.) “ It’s nature times nurture, in a million tiny Science, however, has given us glimpses of these tornadoes in action. One of the and immeasurable ways most vivid is a talent-development study ” that might be called “The Girl Who Did a Month’s Worth of Practice in Five Minutes.” The research, by Dr. Gary McPherson and Dr. James Renwick of the University of New South Wales, Australia, focuses on Clarissa (a pseudonym), an average teenage clarinet player whose development her,” McPherson said. “Maybe it was spot on the edge of your ability, reaching was closely tracked for a dozen years. the teacher’s body language, or the fact and repeating? that the song was more appealing. Who During the study, researchers observed knows? But it made a difference. It was like 2: Engagement. Does this engage your Clarissa practicing two songs in a row. The she became a different person when she sense of identity--are you activated by a first was “The Blue Danube,” which she practiced that song.” vision of your future self being skilled at this played straight through in casual fashion, task? Do you have clear, compelling role barely attending to her mistakes, giving If we think of Clarissa’s moment using the models of who you want to become? minimal effort. Her learning, McPherson logic of “genetic gifts” or the 10,000-Hour 3: Purposefulness. Does the task directly calculated, was close to zero. Rule, it doesn’t make sense. But if we think of talent as an emergent process, it connect to the skill you want to build? Are makes perfect sense. Clarissa was lit up you working strategically on the skills that by a simple idea: “I can be that good.” She build competence? Then Clarissa played a second song, an struggled in specific and targeted ways that old jazz tune called “Golden Wedding.” 4: Strong, Direct, Immediate Feedback. maximized practice effectiveness. Those It’s as if she was transformed into another Can you sense when you’re making factors combined, and the result was a person. She played with intensity and mistakes and when you’re not? Can you storm of improvement. purpose. She keenly attended to each use those mistakes to guide you to better mistake and fixed it. She pushed herself What’s needed, then, is a language performance? to the edge of her ability again and again. to measure the quality of conditions: The larger point is that developing talent In the space of that song, McPherson and the emergent combination of effective is not a science experiment. It’s a growth Renwick calculated, Clarissa increased her strategies and motivation that spark process that requires an entrepreneurial learning rate by 10 times. In other words, improvement. And with that in mind, I’d like mind-set and vigilance to the kinds of Clarissa progressed more in five minutes to offer the REPS Gauge, which consists of motivational environments we’re creating than she would have in an entire month of four elements. for ourselves and for our kids. practicing the previous way.

As McPherson put it, “This is amazing stuff. Every time I watch this, I see new R stands for Reaching/Repeating. The most powerful thing we can do is not things, incredibly subtle, powerful things. E stands for Engagement. to measure genes or practice hours, but This is how a professional musician would to educate people about the principles of practice on Wednesday for a Saturday P stands for Purposefulness the growth process, and let them put those performance.” ideas to work at home, schools, and the S stands for Strong, Immediate Feedback. workplace. What motivated such a perfect storm? It The idea behind the REPS Gauge is turns out that a few days before, Clarissa --Daniel Coyle is best-selling author of simple: To develop talent, seek to create had seen her teacher perform this song, and The Talent Code, The Little Book of Talent, environments that contain these conditions, that experience had a huge impact on her. Lance Armstrong’s War, and Hardball: A and avoid those that don’t. Season in the Projects, and contributing “I came to see that the act of seeing him 1: Reaching and Repeating. Does the editor for Outside magazine. play that song lit up something within practice have you operating in the sweet

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 19 How Does Your Club Team Stack Up?

By John Leonard and George Block

I really like simple metrics. As long as they The numbers are more striking than ever. For the big clubs, the numbers work the are meaningful. The ones below appear to other way. If you have 236 swimmers, you meet that criteria. 1477 Junior qualifiers and 1365 Senior should be producing 2 “Junior or above” qualifiers totals to 2842 “Juniors and swimmers annually. If you have nearly 500 I started doing this sort of analysis in the higher” qualifiers. I’m using this, because kids in the water (472, to be exact), you early 1980’s. although age groups clubs initially should be producing 4 “Junior or above” produce the Senior qualifiers, then This year, Coach George Block and Larry swimmers each year. The giant 1000 predominantly get counted on Collegiate- Herr at USA Swimming did the work. We member clubs (944) have to produce 8 per Club teams. Dividing the 335,551 all toss around the word “excellence” year - just to be average. registrations by 2842, I get 118. So for pretty easily. The sad fact is, very few of every 118 swimmers a club has, that club us are even “average” when it comes to Of course, there are no such things as should be producing 1 “Junior or above” producing fast swimming. (and for all my “average” clubs. There are only those clubs qualifier every year - just to be average! friends who will say “but there is more to whose mission it is to get kids to Junior and Senior Nationals. These clubs - large and swimming than that…” I agree with you. A 59 person club should produce a small - produce far above “average” results, But it’s important to get a grasp on reality “Junior or above” swimmer every 2 years. while their peers in club size and facility when we look at the world of competitive A tiny 30 person club should produce a access produce far above average excuses. swimming. Competitive Swimming…… “Junior or above” swimmer once every 4 Racing, swimming fast. All the other good years - just to be average. things are exceedingly hard to measure. GEB The Rest, from Coach Block.

JL

20 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 Board of Directors

By: John Leonard

I am lucky enough to sit at a desk where Area Aquatics Association Boards) and most Less than Great Boards….: I receive brilliant ideas from many of the that still are not. For some reason, I flashed back best minds in our sport. Not long ago, I got to the ultimate committee, the Constitutional Are polite an email from one of the top three most Convention. Why was that so great, but clearly Little to no skin in the game. productive coaches in the world. Here it is: imperfect…(Slavery)? Not our “best and brightest” “If you want to fail at anything They were all passionate. They all had immense you do in life, form a committee. personal risk. They were all brilliant. They Politically correct. If you want to create a failure, fought like hell and drank like hell. They all had form a committee. Guarantee: agendas. Little Real Friendship. Self-interest, Consensus, Waffling. Hidden Agendas. Nothing works with committees.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was pretty much the same for all great So, is the problem committees, or how we Naturally, I forwarded this brilliant email to committees, but mostly missing in the less-than- build them? And should they be used at my friends. (Since I agreed with it whole- great committees. Great boards are intellectual all for minor issues? Tell your source “well heartedly, I knew it was “brilliant”. (come on sex…..Horrid boards….are….not….. done.” now, you all recognize tongue in cheek….) A contrast: I personally work for the finest Board in all Coach Block responded with the following Great Boards are: Passionate of Olympic Sport at the ASCA. It conforms wisdom: to each of George’s comments and “Who is this from? It’s….real. Involved personal and professional risk. always has. One Board Member passes on to another the culture of the Board. The Brilliant and accomplished. It made me reflect on committees that were Arguments are Fierce and Fun. And when great….(some ASCA Boards, some early Fought like hell for what they believed in. they are done, we are all friends. May all not for profit boards where everyone was Boards have this as their mantra a passionate volunteer, some of my Alamo Had agendas.

Summary of Improved Performances This table summarizes the combined men and women’s performaces of Australia and the U.S.A. at major events. It compares the percentage of swimmers who swam a faster time in their last swim of an individual event compared to last swim at their trials.

Year of Event Australia U.S.A. 2014 Commonwealth Games 29.1% N.A. 2013 Worlds 30.0% 63.5% 2012 Olympics 26.0% 59.6% 2008 Olympics 44.9% 51.9% 2004 Olympics 25.5% 38.5% 2000 Olympics 33.3% 53.8% 1996 Olympics 46.7% 46.0% 1992 Olympics 45.0% 34.6%

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 21 A conversation... By: Coach Don Swartz

We were having a conversation with So we have been asking them to stay focused that we have total control over: our training group last week about how in workouts on their technique. We encourage to get where they want to go. We them to be better swimmers at the end of the We control our attitude. had talked two weeks ago with them workout than they were at the beginning (see We control our reaction to how we deal with using the lines from John Leonard’s a recent blog about the 1% improvement from the things that happen to us. recent article about Real Limits on kids the British National Cycling Team). We even in swimming; “A swimmer with quality have them do swims where all they do is focus All the rest of teh stuff of life we have little technique has NO limits to their ultimate on one particular item. We do these swim as or no control over. So we asked them to performance. A swimmer with under- minutes rather than intervals/distances. For consider staying on point; work your attitude developed technique has nothing BUT example, do a 10 minute swim where all you and work how you handle things that go on limits. do is breath below the surface of the water. around you or to you. We start our stop watch and blow a whistle 10 This resonated with us since our minutes later. One thing we are figuring out - Easier said than done but it is a really good collective coaching philosophy revolves thanks to The Rise of Superman book - is that way to stay on point in one’s quest for around swimming well. We love fast all athletes in the flow are totally present. This is greatness and success. Our opinion is that as swimming; be certain about that. one of the ways we are working on it. coaches this is what we are doing; preparing But everytime we see REALLY fast people; young and old alike, for greatness swimming, from our gang or those on But we digress... so in this conversation this and success. other teams, we see technique carrying week with our training group we said to them the day. that there are only two things, in our opinion,

22 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 23 The Real Reason Why Our kids quit sport Parents need to keep their egos in check and allow kids to enjoy sport

By Kathleen Noonan

WHAT do you reckon is one of the became so out of hand and abusive. But when I first moved to Brisbane and main reasons most kids quit sport? realised actual grown-up men were standing I met a man in the butcher’s shop (where While you’re pondering, let’s absorb around at a party talking and obsessing over all good gossip happens) and he’s this stat from the US: Each year 20 that kind of thing, I had to check: “You are talking about his latest efforts coaching million children register for baseball, talking about your KIDS’ sport, aren’t you?” junior teams for his three kids - rugby, soccer, football, hockey and other league and hockey. This is an intelligent, When I was growing up, parents mostly didn’t competitive sports; about 70 per cent skilled, thoughtful junior coach out there really hang around. They dropped you and of those will quit by age 13. in the nice suburbs of Brisbane. went off to take care of the other 10 kids in the Also according to the National Alliance for family. Or did other grown-up things like earn “Every weekend I am called a f---wit and Sports, these kids will never play those sports a living, shop for groceries or go to the pub. even a c---, on the sideline, in a carpark again. Never. full of Mercedes and BMWs. Even in Mostly we played sport unwatched. The ref Pass another doughnut and plonk them front of their kids.” wasn’t screamed at and abused by hostile down at the computer screen until it’s time to parents. We played our sport for ourselves Parents. We’re just fantastic creatures, take them to hospital in a specially built and - basically for the fun of running around a aren’t we? We tell our kids how much we reinforced obese person’s ambulance. Never paddock with our mates. And it was bloody do for them, driving them everywhere for is an awfully long time. fantastic and enormously freeing. sport, buy all the gear so they look like While you are standing on the sidelines of mini-professionals - 10-year-olds in $300 Someone who has spent his life playing and the cricket/netball/hockey/rowing this morning boots and top-line $150 compression coaching sport and pondering how to retain before you drive off to another sideline on the gear “to reduce lactic acid and muscular young athletes in sport for life is Peter Gahan, other side of town, do you think your child will fatigue” - and what’s it all about really? head of player and coach development with be among the 30 per cent who stick at it? Australia Baseball, after years at Queensland If we’re honest, it’s ego. Not the kids’. Academy of Sport. I rang him to pick his brains The parents’ ego. Deep down, if we Well, going by research, if you are a yeller, about kids and sport (in a month of Bernard interrogate our motives, what starts probably not. Children hate mothers and Tomic’s father assault charges and Nudgee off as wanting our children to be active fathers behaving aggressively on the sideline College’s steroid scandal) and to ask: “Where and learn to love physical activity can of junior sports events, especially their own. has all the fun gone?” sometimes morph into something else. So, how’s that new barracking rule working for Fun needs to be at the very heart of sport, What’s all that hoopla about sons in you? You know the one where some sporting says Gahan. Even at the elite level, he says, the first XI and first XV stuff? Yes, it’s codes have introduced lollipops for parents to research now shows all athletes need a fun put in their mouths because their barracking admirable to strive to sporting excellence.

24 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 activity in their training session. He says “A lot of the research on childhood obesity Mum goes off about the netball umpire, countries must walk the fine line of wanting points at the fact that the kids are eating bitch, and your coach not giving you elite sportspeople while encouraging mass the same amount of calories as their enough playing time, cow. Yep, that car participation. fitter counterparts. They are just not ride home can be pure joy. moving. They are sitting in front of a TV or “Research looking at 8000 schoolchildren in If you can, try not to stuff up the car ride computer.” the UK revealed that the perceived lack of home, Gahan says. competency and ability stopped them from So, why do most kids quit sport? Well, The car ride home is when the kid just playing. They wanted to impress and look one of the main reasons, apart from the wants to quietly let the game sink in - good but they couldn’t, they gave up,” Gahan obvious ones - didn’t like the coach, not whether a win or a loss. says. enough time, too much pressure - is one parents don’t want to think about: The car They know if they’ve played well or badly. He says New Zealand has introduced a ride home. You don’t need to tell them. The car’s fundamental movement skills program in a pretty intense closed environment. primary school with a sports officer in those The car ride home after playing sport They can sense your every thought, schools to oversee the program. can be a game-changer. Whether you disappointment, anger, even a bit too are five or 16, the journey from ground to “It covers 14 basic skills including running, much pride. It’s all there, crowding in. home can be a non-stop parent teaching hopping, throwing - the basics that are age- Every sigh, every shrug is amplified. moment. specific from Year 1. From what I hear, New So, I ask, what do you say on the car ride Zealand is going to start kicking our arse at Whether you’ve played well or lousy, your home? the next Olympics because, with this program, dad can let you know what you should they will have a greater pool of athletes to have done. Gahan says: “What about, ‘geez, I love choose from coming through.” watching you play out there’?” Should have run when you should have He sees the obesity epidemic as entirely passed, should have kicked. From:http://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/ avoidable. parenting/the-real-reason-why-our-kids-quit- He becomes one of those shoulda- coulda- sport/story-fnihp1i6-1226645601355 woulda dads.

ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 25 26 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 ASCA NEWSLETTER | 2014 EDITION 10 27 NONPROFIT ORG. ASCA American Swimmingswimming Coaches AssociationCouncil for Ssport Ddevelopment U.S. POSTAGE Council51017KH$PHULFDQ6ZLPPLQJ&RDFKHV NWnW for 21st Ssport Ave., Ddevelopment Suitesuite 200 NONPROFITPAID ORG. American Swimming Coaches Council for Sport Development U.S. POSTAGE 5101Fort Lauderdale, NWnW 21st Ave., FL 33309Suitesuite 200 NEWNONPROFIT121352),725*U.S. BRUNSWICK, POSTAGE ORG. NJ 5101&RXQFLOIRU6SRUW'HYHORSPHQWAmerican NW 21stSwimming Ave., Suite Coaches 200530 Council for Sport Development PAID Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 U.S.863267$*(PERMIT PAIDPOSTAGE #1 Fort5101 Lauderdale, NW 21st Ave, FLFL 33309Suite33309 530 UNION,3$,' NJ 1:VW$YH6XLWH UNION,PAID3$,' NJ Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 NEW1(:%5816:,&.1-PERMIT BRUNSWICK, #298 NJ )RUW/DXGHUGDOH)/ PERMIT3(50,7 #1

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