“Coaches give so much of themselves, and we are not doing nearly enough to support them.” I completely agree with this sentiment and appreciate the points you’ve raised in your article. Given your experience as a program owner, I’m curious about the specific measures you implemented to support your coaching staff. For instance: You mention the importance of creating support groups for coaches. Did you establish such groups within your organization? If so, how were they structured, and what impact did they have on the coaching staff?Could you share how often you engaged in one-on-one or group discussions with your coaches to tackle these issues? How did you ensure that your coaching staff had access to the necessary tools, training, and support to excel in their roles?
Understanding how these strategies were implemented in your program would provide valuable insights into effective support systems for coaches. It’s easy to outline what should be done, but true insight comes from real-world experience. If these steps weren’t actively implemented, how can we trust that these solutions truly support coaches in the way they need?
Jeremy, I really appreciate your comment and the challenge here! My response would be multi-faceted and could easily be 2,000 words. let me work on summarizing it and I will post that concise response soon. But I wanted to quickly acknowledge your points and show my appreciation for you bringing it forward.
Jeremy, one of the biggest learnings from my team was that you cannot force anyone to take part in a program like this, they have to want it for themselves. We started with workshops for coaches on topics not usually discussed at this level, like conscious leadership. I wish I could have received more buy-in, especially from the full-time staff, but it just didn't happen. I switched my focus to the parents and ran a series of online events aimed at increasing education and offering a place for them to come together a talk away from the pool. I would also run weekly meetings for the full-time staff and the head coaches of each site were tasked with convening the coaches under them 1-on-1 and in monthly full staff meetings. I provided them with ideas and budget allocations to follow their vision. In some ways this worked and in some ways it did not. I've personally been part of a mastermind (not swimming related) for six years now and part of the leadership of it for the last two. I've felt the impact of the community and have seen the impact it has had on others. I believe a mastermind program can work for swim coaches, provided the coach wants to be a part of it and is willing to do the work. It doesn't matter what type of mastermind you are a part of, it you just (figuratively) put the membership on a shelf and expect it to be transformative, you are going to be unhappy with the results. Because this would be so new/different for swim coaches, a fair amount of enrollment will need to happen so a coach knows what to expect before committing to the program.
Nice article Matt. This rings true to a large extent.
I have $.02 to chip in.
I fully agree as to the old-school nature of the clinics. Some new parts are needed with an overhaul. I've got plans and will address them soon. I was so jazzed about Eastern States, Central States and ISHOF opportunities, but ownership switched again. Ugh.
The best peer network I experienced in the sport was among Lincolnland Conference, back in the day. We worked at it. It was a golden time. Mick & Sue, Al Ledgin, Tony Young, Kevin DeForrest, Ken L from SUSA. (and our PAWW coaches). I don't think it is around any more. A conference framework is needed in more situations.
Great assistant coaches are also valuable. I loved coaching with two others (Mike & Bonny) when we all had kids on the team too.
Furthermore, as to the communication efforts, hope you listen / watch my podcast and its substack. Rauterkus.SubStack.com. Heavy Or Not.
Lastly for now -- the focus on USA Swimming coaches is far too narrow. This might even present a fatal flaw.
Once upon a time I was a high school coach and went to a LSC Coaches Meeting and got tossed out. I just tried to attend and hadn't even raised a comment. I've been kicked out of better places, but there are plenty of people of sports and aquatics that should be INCLUDED. College coaches, varsity coaches, masters coaches, aquatic directors, swim instructors, recreation leaders, camp organizers and a bunch of retired and idle people have to be in the mix in these "master minds."
Mark, I hear you on the need to address a lot of things about the broader coaching profession. I would encourage everyone to read and subscribe to Kevin Pierce's Substack "The Leadership Launchpad" as he comes from the perspective of a high school and summer league coach (while also being a former USA Swimming coach, YMCA Coach, and a current swimming parent and teacher).
This article is the first in a series I am writing addressing a lot of things I see in USA Swimming, hence the focus on USA Swimming coaches. The mastermind program I envision would be best run through and offered to coaches in individual LSCs, but could easily be replicated for high school federations, the YMCA, NCAA, etc.
Get out and get a group together. Don’t wait. The group of coaches in my circle have been through hell together. We also make it through every time. Gotta drop the ego and just let em know when things aren’t going well. Someone in the group has been there to some degree and having this helps. We have also done incredible things and have had each other to both high five and bring us back to the ground.
John, thank you very much for reading and your reply. You've had (and continue to have) a great career. Do you have any thoughts on how it would have gone without the coaches in your circle?
I appreciate that you shared this as I have been having similar conversations with my fellow deck coach recently. ASCA has their Mentor program, but it’s just scratching the surface.
I personally think one of the biggest failures of USA Swimming, when it comes to coaches, was the inability to get their own mentoring program off of the ground. Plus a mentoring program, if the intention is to keep the mentoring 1-on-1, is limited by the number of mentors you have available. I help to lead a mastermind group outside of swimming, and I think the way that is set up could be replicated for swim coaches which would include larger group sessions, breakout groups during those larger sessions, and smaller group interactions with the same people on a regular basis.
“Coaches give so much of themselves, and we are not doing nearly enough to support them.” I completely agree with this sentiment and appreciate the points you’ve raised in your article. Given your experience as a program owner, I’m curious about the specific measures you implemented to support your coaching staff. For instance: You mention the importance of creating support groups for coaches. Did you establish such groups within your organization? If so, how were they structured, and what impact did they have on the coaching staff?Could you share how often you engaged in one-on-one or group discussions with your coaches to tackle these issues? How did you ensure that your coaching staff had access to the necessary tools, training, and support to excel in their roles?
Understanding how these strategies were implemented in your program would provide valuable insights into effective support systems for coaches. It’s easy to outline what should be done, but true insight comes from real-world experience. If these steps weren’t actively implemented, how can we trust that these solutions truly support coaches in the way they need?
Jeremy, I really appreciate your comment and the challenge here! My response would be multi-faceted and could easily be 2,000 words. let me work on summarizing it and I will post that concise response soon. But I wanted to quickly acknowledge your points and show my appreciation for you bringing it forward.
Jeremy, one of the biggest learnings from my team was that you cannot force anyone to take part in a program like this, they have to want it for themselves. We started with workshops for coaches on topics not usually discussed at this level, like conscious leadership. I wish I could have received more buy-in, especially from the full-time staff, but it just didn't happen. I switched my focus to the parents and ran a series of online events aimed at increasing education and offering a place for them to come together a talk away from the pool. I would also run weekly meetings for the full-time staff and the head coaches of each site were tasked with convening the coaches under them 1-on-1 and in monthly full staff meetings. I provided them with ideas and budget allocations to follow their vision. In some ways this worked and in some ways it did not. I've personally been part of a mastermind (not swimming related) for six years now and part of the leadership of it for the last two. I've felt the impact of the community and have seen the impact it has had on others. I believe a mastermind program can work for swim coaches, provided the coach wants to be a part of it and is willing to do the work. It doesn't matter what type of mastermind you are a part of, it you just (figuratively) put the membership on a shelf and expect it to be transformative, you are going to be unhappy with the results. Because this would be so new/different for swim coaches, a fair amount of enrollment will need to happen so a coach knows what to expect before committing to the program.
Nice article Matt. This rings true to a large extent.
I have $.02 to chip in.
I fully agree as to the old-school nature of the clinics. Some new parts are needed with an overhaul. I've got plans and will address them soon. I was so jazzed about Eastern States, Central States and ISHOF opportunities, but ownership switched again. Ugh.
The best peer network I experienced in the sport was among Lincolnland Conference, back in the day. We worked at it. It was a golden time. Mick & Sue, Al Ledgin, Tony Young, Kevin DeForrest, Ken L from SUSA. (and our PAWW coaches). I don't think it is around any more. A conference framework is needed in more situations.
Great assistant coaches are also valuable. I loved coaching with two others (Mike & Bonny) when we all had kids on the team too.
Furthermore, as to the communication efforts, hope you listen / watch my podcast and its substack. Rauterkus.SubStack.com. Heavy Or Not.
Lastly for now -- the focus on USA Swimming coaches is far too narrow. This might even present a fatal flaw.
Once upon a time I was a high school coach and went to a LSC Coaches Meeting and got tossed out. I just tried to attend and hadn't even raised a comment. I've been kicked out of better places, but there are plenty of people of sports and aquatics that should be INCLUDED. College coaches, varsity coaches, masters coaches, aquatic directors, swim instructors, recreation leaders, camp organizers and a bunch of retired and idle people have to be in the mix in these "master minds."
Mark, I hear you on the need to address a lot of things about the broader coaching profession. I would encourage everyone to read and subscribe to Kevin Pierce's Substack "The Leadership Launchpad" as he comes from the perspective of a high school and summer league coach (while also being a former USA Swimming coach, YMCA Coach, and a current swimming parent and teacher).
This article is the first in a series I am writing addressing a lot of things I see in USA Swimming, hence the focus on USA Swimming coaches. The mastermind program I envision would be best run through and offered to coaches in individual LSCs, but could easily be replicated for high school federations, the YMCA, NCAA, etc.
Kevin Pierce's Substack: https://kevinpierce.substack.com/
I know you follow him, Mark. I am posting this for others who see the comment and haven't had the chance to find Kevin's writing yet.
Kevin is thinker and pushing energy into big-time coach / communications. Plus, he coaches fast swimmers too!
Woops. Forgot the YMCA coaches. Some are not USA Coaches.
Plus there is a different world of AAU and summer coaches too.
We win by addition.
Get out and get a group together. Don’t wait. The group of coaches in my circle have been through hell together. We also make it through every time. Gotta drop the ego and just let em know when things aren’t going well. Someone in the group has been there to some degree and having this helps. We have also done incredible things and have had each other to both high five and bring us back to the ground.
Don’t wait. Start your circle.
John, thank you very much for reading and your reply. You've had (and continue to have) a great career. Do you have any thoughts on how it would have gone without the coaches in your circle?
I appreciate that you shared this as I have been having similar conversations with my fellow deck coach recently. ASCA has their Mentor program, but it’s just scratching the surface.
I personally think one of the biggest failures of USA Swimming, when it comes to coaches, was the inability to get their own mentoring program off of the ground. Plus a mentoring program, if the intention is to keep the mentoring 1-on-1, is limited by the number of mentors you have available. I help to lead a mastermind group outside of swimming, and I think the way that is set up could be replicated for swim coaches which would include larger group sessions, breakout groups during those larger sessions, and smaller group interactions with the same people on a regular basis.