You Can't Out Talent

This was the talk to the group tonight:

As I was growing as a coach, I spent a lot of time talking with my father and Phil a lot. Here is one of those things that picked up from Phil. His basic message was this: I'd rather have a group of hard working swimmers with little talent, than a group of swimmers with a lot of talent who didn't know how to work. The more I coach, the more I see this concept be so real.

I told the group, "You can't out talent the other swimmers. The only thing you can do is out work them." As a swimmer you have no control over your talent (sure the Talent Code gives a way you can develop ability, but natural talent a swimmer has no control over.) It is the work ethic that separates swimmers from one another. Sure, you get those few who are able to succeed for no real reason at all, but the odds are that you aren't that person. Early on swimmers develop fundamentals, and then the years between 11 - 16 are going to set the table for the work ethic that is developed. When work ethic is created during this time with well developed fundamentals, then as a age-group coach you have set your swimmer up for future success.

Does this have to be monitored though, yes. Too much too soon can be detrimental to a swimmer, and their path in the sport. So, a group that still reinforces fundamentals, but also takes the time to challenge the swimmers is what is great for this period of their development. You don't need to push, push, push, but intermix the push with some easier drills and skills like things. It is not easy to do though, the balance between developing work ethic, and going to far with developing that ethic. Coaches have different ways of going about it, and we all try things from season to season. It also helps that no year is the same within a group which allows interest to stay for those who are in a group for 2 to 3 years.

In the end, it is those who work for it that achieve success (whatever that may be for the swimmer). Talent takes you to certain point, and if it has come easy up to that point, then it is hard to accept that you haven't worked hard to achieve what you have, and the idea of working harder is very difficult. The idea of working hard should be a theme of their effort. Not that they need a harder practice, but work harder with the practice that is given to them. If a swimmer becomes the best in an area, they need to look for faster competition, so they have a reason to push harder. Growing up, this is why RCA came to SoCal so much, was to find the swimmers that were the fastest, and realize what we were striving to achieve. Not to be content with being the best in our little area. Coaches often look for a way to make a super star swimmer lose, so that they can keep that motivation, and understand that they still have a lot of work in front of them.

Remember, don't rely on talent, because it is the work ethic that will take a swimmer to their potential.