[ PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK ]
SELLING PROCESS TO SWIMMERS (Part 2)
BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
In 1993, psychologist Anders Ericsson wrote that greatness wasn’t born, but grown. Fifteen years later, author Malcolm Gladwell suggested that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a skill or field. Known by the term, “process,” swim coaches use that learning curve to improve the performance of their swimmers. Last month, Swimming World detailed how age group and high school coaches use process to improve the performance of their charges. This month, three veteran college coaches share their thoughts on this crucial aspect of swim training.
ONE ON ONE
Since taking over as the head men’s and women’s coach at Denison University in the fall of 1987, Gregg Parini has garnered six NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving team titles, 16 runner-up finishes, and has been named CSCAA’s NCAA-III Coach of the Year 11 times. How he’s earned those accolades is a testament to his commitment to his athletes. “When we talk about investing in the process, we’re really talking about investing in relationships: a relationship with the sport...the training...the coach...with teammates. If those relationships are going to be healthy and productive, it starts with a strong foundation of trust,” says Parini. “If your athletes don’t trust the people implementing and involved in the process—coaches, trainers, teammates—investment is marginalized. “Think about it. Who will invest his or her total self into an untrustworthy relationship or process? Too often a lack of trust in the process is the root of underperformance. Developing trust demands the coach invest time and energy beyond simply applying the X’s and O’s of training and competition by spending time getting to know the athlete. What’s the athlete’s history with the sport...with coaches...with teammates? And how do these histories impact the athlete’s interaction with the sport...the team culture...the coach...and the teammate now? “Peak performance,” he says, “demands that we establish a team culture deserving of our athletes’ trust—all of which begins with establishing healthy relationships with our athletes. Two examples... #1. “I dismissed a sophomore swimmer from the team for violating team rules. It was a particularly difficult situation where the swimmer’s history impacted his swimming, academics and health. After a year away and having received professional help, he approached me about being reinstated. I told him that he would be allowed to return and could remain with the team under the following conditions: “He meet and apologize to the coaching staff; he meet and CONTINUED ON 18 >>
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FEBRUARY 2021
SWIMMINGWORLD.COM
