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WHO WAS YOUR INSPIRATION IN STARTING A CAREER IN COACHING?

BY ANDY ROSS

STEVE MELLOR

Associate Head Coach, LSU

[PHOTO BY LSU ATHLETICS] I came to help my team a couple of times in the weeks after my athletic career was done when I had shoulder surgery, so I would help with a stopwatch in my good hand and just incorporate feedback when I felt it was necessary. Athletes responded to me, they gave me a feeling in return of “buy in” and “excitement” from the insight I provided, so I would say that it was the swimmers themselves who inspired me to consider coaching.

Once I was in the profession, I looked back on my time in England under the guidance of Sean Kelly and the way he prioritized building a relationship with his athletes, knowing them in ways at times better than they knew themselves. This became my priority once I felt I had a couple of years of experience under my belt of experimenting with training methods that worked best, so I started to insist upon getting to know my athletes from their ambitions and weaknesses, to their favorite things in life and the things they fear most.

Sean was always a great example to me of what it meant to put an athlete’s experience first, and I want to believe I have been able to incorporate this influence of his within my coaching.

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TRACY SLUSSER Women’s Associate Head Coach, Stanford

[PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK] I can’t think of any one coach in particular who inspired me to pursue a career in coaching. It was definitely a combination of all the coaches I have had in all different sports. I would say I was inspired to coach by the relationship and the impact that coaches can have on young people.

I grew up playing basketball, swimming and running track. My coaches had such a big impact on me during that time. They taught me about working hard, working together and how important believing in yourself is to all of it. I attribute so much of those foundational skills to the guidance and leadership of great coaches. That is where my inspiration comes from.

If we as coaches can use our platform of sport/swimming to foster these skills in our athletes, we have helped set them up for success far beyond their years in the pool!

DAVID MARSH Head Coach, Team Elite (San Diego, Calif.)

[PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK] Tim Shead was my coach in 10th, 11th and 12th grade. Tim finished at the University of Pennsylvania and came back to coach the Miami Dade Stingrays club team, and he was there every summer when I went back home. He was young, vibrant and having a good time and had creative ways of coaching. He was probably one of my main inspirations.

My mentor was Richard Quick...and still to this day even from heaven. I have been very fortunate to have a number of coaches. There hasn’t been one that has done everything for me. Pat Toner was my first high school coach and made a culture so fun that it made me want to be on the team for the fun element as much as the competitive element.

JOSH CHRISTENSEN Head Coach, Indiana State

[PHOTO BY INDIANA STATE ATHLETICS] Mark Taylor (club), Brad Hering (club) and Pat O’Neil (high school) were three of several coaches who had a big impact on me as an athlete. The common factor among the three was the time and effort they put into the relationships with their athletes. That meant a lot to me, and it definitely influences who I am as a coach today.

Once I started coaching, Ryan Killackey and Steve Schaffer each taught me a tremendous amount and also gave me so many opportunities as a very young coach. I’m beyond thankful to have worked under each of them. 