“My dad trained me for these conversations. Strong eye contact, strong handshake. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. “ At 15, I’d collected a dozen pen pals around the country. They were women and men in their 40s and 50s, and they all wanted something from me. They wrote to me often, hoping to convince […]

This session is designed to improve the individual players within your defense and the defense as a unit. The practices cover key aspects such as pressuring techniques, cover and support positions and the shape of the defense in relation to the ball. WHAT THIS SESSION IS ABOUT The shape of the defense. Who is going […]

It can be difficult to watch as a parent, but patience and bags of encouragement and understanding is really important no matter how frustrated you may be feeling. “What are they doing?” “They look like Bambi on ice.” “I don’t understand, they could do that a few weeks ago.” “Why are we bothering, it looks […]

Sprinting helps this process along as it is not a lateral movement. When thinking movement mechanics and imagining what I’m talking about here, picture where your toes are when you’re skating forward. In the strength and conditioning world, it’s rare that you ever have “constants” in application. Meaning, you shouldn’t try to make all squares […]

When girls and young women see females in coaching roles they will more likely think about coaching as a legitimate and viable career and may aspire to become a coach.  Recently, a piece sharing the data on lack of women head swimming and diving coaches at the collegiate level was posted on swimswam.com. That data is part of […]

A common mistake is to lift your head upwards instead of turning it sideways to avoid the water for breath. This is actually counter-productive as it disrupts your body positioning and causes you to dip further into the water. MASTER YOUR SWIMMING TECHNIQUE: FRONT CRAWL The freestyle is not actually a stroke but a category […]

You choose to swim. It’s a voluntary activity whether you’re an age-group swimmer or a seasoned pro. The last 10 yards of her race, it was obvious she wasn’t going to win. For her, it’s kind of startling, considering how dominant she’s been in this event and how little she tends to lose. As she […]

If your mechanics are bad and you’re not performing, there’s little risk in making changes. Nowhere to go but up and all of that. It’s a pretty safe bet that “Turn, Turn, Turn” is the best-known songs by the 1960s folk-rock band The Byrds. It’s either that or “Mr. Tambourine Man,” but I personally think […]

Even after falling behind in the shootout, the English side kept its cool and won the shootout and the game. A less prepared team would likely have crumbled under the pressure. No matter who you’re rooting for, soccer’s quadrennial international showcase offers all the typical attractions of a major sporting event — manufactured personal narratives! Tepid rivalries! […]

Many people find there is something soothing and relaxing about being in the water — even when they are working out. Are you ready to make a big splash and take your workout into a pool or lake? Step, jump, or dive into our Beginner’s Guide to Swimming. Swimming is a great total body workout for all fitness […]