What We Learned

As we embark on a new training season we reflect upon what went right and what didn’t last season.

We have a fairly comprehensive list on both sides of the ledger and those lists rather accurately describe what we learned. These of course will become woven into the day to day fabric of how we approach our coaching and how our athletes approach their swimming.

What we do know is this:

A swimmer and or a coach must take responsibility for his/her actions. Failure to do so puts one in the role of victim. Victims never improve; not ever.

We all work better individually when we are united in a common purpose. The team does help hold the individual to higher standards in a very supportive nurturing way. When someone is out of touch with the group both that person and the group suffer. 

Contributors always win; takers always lose. Get rid of takers; add contributors.

It is impossible to predict the future. At the same time it is possible to predict outcomes rather accurately based upon the familiar input = output equation. More work, more attention to detail, more connection to group goals as well as individual goals = more rewards, more benefits reaped and more engaged group dynamics.

Faster does not mean better. Faster means less elapsed time. Better means a whole host of qualities some of which may be faster.

What does your list look like? What will you keep; what will you toss out?