Scouting for the right coach is a lot like Tom Hanks’ famous line from Forest Gump, “…like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” Even when you find rave reviews from people you trust, the personalities between you and that coach need to align enough to work together effectively. What may be a perfect match for one swimmer may not work for another.

Finding a coach like David Marsh or Gregg Troy is hard to do. After all, longevity, winning, and a stellar reputation is a tall order. It takes a special person to coach competitive swimming on such a high level.

Great coaches are consistently good at what they do and motivate swimmers to perform at an elite level. They coach each swimmer in a unique way, providing swimmers with the personalized care they need to exceed. They care about their athletes in the pool and their success in life. However, tracking down these kinds of people can be a daunting task.

What qualities are most important in choosing a competitive swimming guru?

Highly Trained

Motivating

Effective Communication Skills

Honest

Empathetic

Values Safety

If you’re looking for the best competitive swim coach, you have some work to do. You deserve to practice in a sustainable positive environment. So, spend time learning about your options and who might be a good fit for you. If you’re passionate about swimming, you should have an accurate picture of the person with whom you’ll be spending countless hours pushing yourself to your limits.

Talk to people– Hear what people have to say about their experiences. There’s nothing better than firsthand accounts from swimmers that have trained with a coach. Reputation is what people remember.

Google– See what pops up in a simple Google search; you may find information that impacts your decision. Take your potential coaches’ names and dive into any niche blogs you can find that may give you more insight.

Social Media– It has almost become standard practice for employers to check out a potential employee’s social media. So why wouldn’t you do the same due diligence when looking for your potential coach? Look at their personal social pages and the pages of the teams they coach.

Finding a coach who comes with a well-curated pedigree will certainly influence your competitive swimming journey. Their coaching tree and participation as an athlete can shed light on your decision.

Try to imagine yourself being led by the coaches you are considering. Are they known to give constructive criticism? Do they regularly show empathy to their athletes and staff? Are they mindful of the way they communicate with others? Or conversely, are they really hard on the swimmers they teach? Do they shout verbal abuse to get the blood pumping?

When making your final decision, you need to understand the kind of training you personally respond best to. Are you the sort that excels with compassion or tough love? That’s why you do the research. A coach’s style that worked wonders for someone else may have an adverse effect on you.

Becoming a winner takes discipline. Dedication and perseverance are key ingredients to becoming successful at anything. However, having a mentor who can inspire the people around them is the special sauce.

In swimming training, it’s not the pool we conquer but ourselves. Coaches that can light the fire inside you and continually stoke it is one of the most important pieces when making a commitment to yourself and a team.