Talking to Your Athlete At A Swim Meet

By John Leonard, ASCA, April 20, 2011 Our purpose today…

• What is the difference between the coach in practice and the coach in a swim meet? • What are the key skills in each case? • How much overlap? • What differences? • How can the Coach best help the athlete at a swim meet? (key question of the day.) Does One Style Fit All? Clearly you need to work within your own personality. • It won’t help anyone to have a “new Coach” at the meet. • You need to be consistent. • AND, you need to recognize that your athletes are all different people and… • NEED DIFFERENT THINGS AT A MEET TO SUCCEED! Start with Basics..do you know what you look like at a swim meet?

George Haines If You Don’t…

• VIDEO. • Yourself. • In repose. • In action. • In conversation. • Not many of us will be happy when we review this. Do you want to see what others see, or…? How You Communicate with athletes is …

Verbal Non-verbal • The words we SAY • Facial expression. • The WAY we say them. • Body language. • How athletes HEAR them. (or • Movement language. here them) • Can your athletes focus in the “here and now”. ? • Who’s watching? • in conversation • Other athletes. with an athlete. • The Child’s Parent In conversation with an athlete. Others. Conversation.

The Challenge..what else are you Where do you stand? doing? • Side by side – implications. • Watching others race. • Face to Face – Implications. • Taking splits. • Mixture – how to use. • Cheering? • Telling others on the way to the block what to remember.

• You’re busier than a one arm paper hanger. The “Package”

• Information you deliver: “standard” • BEFORE THE RACE…. • What to do. • How to do it. • Express confidence, give permission to go fast. • Tell or Ask. • Age/ Age Groupers – 8 to 13/14

• I tell, I don’t ask. • Set up by several weeks of discussion. • REMINDERS, not new information. • Focus on one key word/thought. • Define the one rabbit you are chasing and have them repeat it back to you. Older athletes 13/14 through Masters… • Collaborative effort. • Ask questions and “suggest”. • Many times, primary purpose is to remind of reasons to be confident/aggressive. • You MUST know your athlete. • Music is a key. Extremes…

In the pool communication Comfortable chat…. The Post-Race Talk

Younger • Sandwich • What did you do well? • What were you trying to do? (test case.) • What you can do better. • How to get faster. • What did you LEARN from this swim? • WHAT NEXT? Older Athletes…

• What went well? • What needs improvement? • Did you catch your one rabbit? • How to get faster. • More questions to elicit an intellectual response. • WHAT NEXT? Listening Skills..

• Try to listen with heart as well as ears. • ASK QUESTIONS…Probe, go deeper… • And? And? And? And? • “what else did you think about during the swim?” (thinking…during the swim?) • What did you learn about yourself in that? • Listen to HOW they describe the race…”I think, I saw, I felt, etc. tells you…? POST MEET CONVERSATIONS!

• Review to get closure. • Key Questions • Review to get technical • What was your BEST info to “stick”. Race? Why? • Review for emotional • What was your worst reasons… race,? Why? • What was your most • WELL WORTH THE TIME memorable moment of IT TAKES. the meet? Why? Contrasts

James “Doc” Counsilman , Other Conversational Considerations.

• 1. Emotion - who needs to pump up, who needs to calm down? • Intellect – the role of analysis versus role of emotion and “cheerleading”. • Attention Seeking Behavior. • Philosophical interface with “talk” • Checking for retention…all ages. Conversational Considerations..con’t

• 2. age groupers. • What you say versus what they hear. • Prep WELL before meet. Then right before meet. Then right after meet…it’s endless! • Communicate with parents as well as children….John’s standard speech to parents. • “so you know what we are doing…” Considerations…

• 3. Words mean something. • Careful what words you use. • Danger of extravagant praise. • End with giving hope and high expectations. • Get good at “reframing” situations. • Get good at “refocusing” distracted children for good or bad reasons….. • It’s all about “the future” and GIVING HOPE. The Greatest..when it comes to talking with Athletes…. And a very close second… Hope you Enjoyed It!

• All the Best, • John Leonard • [email protected] • 800-356-2722.

• Questions anytime…I’m here to help. JL