Tips for a Swim Coach

Swimming is a popular recreational sport in more temperate climates. It's also a popular choice for adults seeking a good workout without the impact that running can have on their joints. A good swimming coach can meet the needs of both a competitive swim program as well as any adults seeking input on their swim stroke.

Balance Technique and Fitness

Swimming is a sport that requires significant technical finesse to swim all four strokes properly. Add in dives and turns and coaches have a great deal of technique to cover with their swimmers. However, focusing exclusively on mastering technical elements of butterfly and the best way to dive and turn limits a swimmer's ability. Fitness is fundamental to this sport. While many swimmers focus on sprint lengths of 25, 50, 100 or 200 yards, all swimmers need endurance training to help them maintain good aerobic conditioning. Make sure to balance your technique focus with some basic fitness goals when putting together your workout schedule.

Keep Current

Many swimmers were taught a particular style of swimming, such as flat swimming, or a particular method of hand entry for free style, such as thumb-in-first. However, current swim methods differ from these styles. If you've been taught that streamline swimming with minimal body roll is the way to go, check the current research and make sure that you understand the advantage of body roll and bilateral breathing. In sum, be open to changes in the sport as new styles and techniques are tested and proven in the global swimming community.

Be Flexible

Not all swimmers' bodies are the same, and not all swimmers swim the same way in a stroke. This isn't necessarily incorrect. Swimming, as noted above, is an ever-evolving sport. Don't believe that one method, for example, eyes down during freestyle, is the only method that works for your entire team. Give your swimmers some options and let them experiment to find the one that works best for their stroke and psyche.

Focus on the Positive

The Positive Coaching Alliance, an organization dedicated to youth sports and positive coaching, notes that "coaches can have a lifelong positive impact on young athletes." By focusing on ensuring a swimmer not only becomes better at swimming a particular stroke, but also at being a good teammate, coaches can help develop a positive environment for all swimmers.