I know that everyone who reads this blog doesn't get the ASCA Newsletter, but I wanted to give my thoughts on some that were in these articles.
(Article Headline: Be an Optimistic Without Being a Fool) My favorite was Heidi Halvorson's article. This article really could be for anyone. She talks about how there are so many motivational and self-improvement people and books out there have said that all you have to do is believe in yourself and be optimistic, and it will come easily. She argues that it is true that to succeed you need to be optimistic about yourself and to believe yourself, but the journey is not going to be easy.
The road is going to be hard and there are going to be obstacles in the way. It is the reason why staying optimistic and believing in yourself is hard. From my own personal journey, where I used to just cruise by and always felt like I'd get things done without effort, but then I slipped, and I didn't get by. I learned a lot, and I had to train myself and create a new mentality that, Yes, I can be successful, but now I understand that it takes hard work and persistence to achieve it.
(Article Headline: Mapping A Young Coaches Education) I read the Headline, and I was really curious to read this one. I had no guidance when I was a young coach, but I also started coaching with no intentions on coaching very long. I was a little upset until I re-read the headline, and the word Education stood out a little more. I think that this article does provide a road map on what coaches should do get educated.
I think that the biggest thing new coaches need to know is how others have started in this position. I started off with very little instruction, but parents fell in love with how much I wanted to make the kids to swim properly. They noticed that I was very attentive and worked out solutions in my head on the spot to react to what I wanted to fix. I started off making less than $100 a month, but loved it, and it became a great learning experience. No money could buy what I learned those first few years. I watched Rhonda coach, and I watched as parents could tell that she wasn't covering stroke flaws, but just training these young swimmers. I watched my dad coach, as it seemed like he wasn't paying attention, but the next thing you knew he was stopping someone on the wall, and talking to them. I watched Phil have his normal group talks and how he said things so that you wanted to achieve what he was trying to sell. I listened to An and Rich from Clovis talked to their swimmers at meets and they critiqued, but always had there swimmers leave with a smile. I watched my brother as he went into one of his animated talks with an athlete about specific movements. I watched my mother coach young kids and come up with games not for the purpose of a game, but to actually teach a specific skill through a game. I remember going to college meets and watched the races and the warm-ups. Race I looked for commonalities in the different strokes and looked to see what drills swimmers did in the warm-ups. I observed Nicole demand of young kids a structure to how to do specific things at a practice, as she was used to establishing habits in her kindergarten classes she taught.
Road map for young coach. Don't worry about how much you get paid in the beginning. Find out if coaching swimming is something you love, and if you get paid very little you'll know if you love it or not. Watch everyone around you. Ease drop on other coaches at swim meets. Observe swimmers of your own, and those who aren't yours. Look to see if there are more duties you can do for your team to learn the dry side of our profession. Study like crazy, as John Leonard points out in his article as well.
(Top ten Teachers Article) One thing, I loved what Carlile resonded with:
Lesson 6: Innovate
Winning means being unique
Winning means doing it different
No one pays for "Cover Bands"
Creativity wins, Copying Kills
(This makes me think about what Phil said about how he learned from my father on what it took to make a national level athlete, and how it really opened a whole new thinking to him.)
One more thought on regards to Mick Nelson's article. I really liked this one. I think it puts a viewpoint of someone from a small club. I wish I did some of this stuff more. The idea of training practices with other teams to be able to see how others coach. The idea of making a hometown training camp with local coaches over the winter break that included the different coaches running different practices, and also providing classroom breakout sessions with the different coaches for the athletes.
I think the only part I find hard now, is the attending the ASCA World's Clinic. I wish I could because I love to listen to others at clinics, but with a team that doesn't have coaches to cover groups all the time, it is hard to explain to a parent board that you are going to like them to pay for a clinic where I will also be missing practices. I hope to be able to to go next year, but we'll have to wait and see.
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