Top 5 Tuesday Bonus: Successful Coaching Changes
There is all this talk about the end of the world when it comes to changing coaches. Like David said, it is the theme of the week for swimmers right now, but is it a new theme in the swimming community? Not only that, but is it really a reason to begin writing off the swimmers and their commitment to the sport and their future success? Certainly coaching changes have occurred before - AND have been successful, but lets take a look at swimmers who have made the switch and have still been able to continue or have greater success after their moves. Certainly the reasons for the recent coaching moves play an integral role in our dissection of each of the swimmers motivations and motivation, but bottom line is that sometimes a change is best. Without further ado - the top five most successful coaching changes.
5. Klete Keller to Jon Urbanchek - No one questioned this move as we applauded Jon Urbanchek for luring the immense talent that is Keller from the comforts of retirement and take him from a silver and bronze medal form in Sydney to gold and bronze form in Athens. The question on everyone’s mind now is will Keller’s move back Southern California to train with Dave Salo pay off?
4. Ian Thorpe to Tracey Menzies - Many will read this and scoff, but look at the facts - while his best swimming may have been behind him already, the change did not hurt his medal haul. With that in mind, a change in coaches might not have been the reason for his slower times in the pool. Thorpe still returned home from Athens with two gold, a silver, and a bronze medal to his name - not a bad haul for any swimmer.
3. Tie: Ian Crocker and Aaron Peirsol and Brendan Hansen to Eddie Reese - Now, normally I would not consider going to college a “coaching change,” but what these three swimmers have done is nothing short of remarkable. Peirsol snagged a silver medal in 2000, but his best swimming did not occur until he was under the tutelage of Mr. Reese in Austin. A multitude of world records, a couple of world championships, and three Olympic gold medals later, no one will argue that Eddie was a positive move in Peirsol rise to the top.
As with Peirsol, Crocker’s improvement once stepping foot on the pool deck in Austin was meteoric. Now, granted, Crocker had already brought home a gold medal from Sydney, but now he holds a gaggle of American records, a few world records, and a gold, silver and bronze medal from Athens. The only negative against Crocker? 1:49.48 at age 15 at the US Nationals in 1998 - where did that go Ian?
Then Brendan Hansen - finishing third at trials - twice… nothing gets harder than that, and while it may just have been Hansen’s motivation that drove him to greatness, Reese’s instruction did not hurt the cause. Currently holding three world records and a gold, silver and bronze Olympic medal is not half bad for the third piece of the “Texas Trio.”
2. Inge de Bruijn to Paul Bergen - Inge de Bruijn made her Olympic debut at the 1992 Olympics and finished eighth in the 100m and 4 x 100m freestyle events. But she did not compete at the 1996 Summer Olympics despite being able to if she wished - she ultimately was not motivated enough to swim. After the those games, she decided to go to the USA where she met Bergen, and the rest is history. Between 2000 and 2004, she claimed four gold, two silver and two bronze Olympic medals. Despite being “on and off” with Bergen, it was he who led Inge to all the medals and records she would gather through her career.
1. Team South Africa to Frank Busch - You cannot argue with the fact that the South African national team is coached by Frank Busch and housed at the University of Arizona. You also cannot argue about the success that each and every South African has had by training under Busch either. A gold medal and world record at the Athens Olympics sums this ranking up and then is supported by the incredible individual efforts of Roland Schoeman, Ryk Neethling, Lyndon Ferns, and Darian Townsend. Townsend made the right move to transfer to Arizona from Florida and Neethling may have breathed some life back into his career by moving back to Tucson.
Comment by robertnole7688
Posted on May 9th, 2007 at 02:09
natalie to mckeever?
Comment by Scott
Posted on May 9th, 2007 at 07:21
robertnole7688 - I thought about Natalie Coughlin to Terri McKeever, but alas, I only made the exception for swimmers who made coaching changes by going to college for the dynamic trio at Texas. Call it a bias, call it what you will, that is my reasoning. But Coughlin changed her career by going to Cal, no debating that. Without McKeever, Natalie may not be where she is today.
Comment by Afghan
Posted on May 9th, 2007 at 08:02
1:49.48 at age 15 at the US Nationals in 1998 - where did that go Ian?
Those American Record plaques in the 200 free are still sitting outside the pool i work at in portland maine… DIRTY! especially for the swimming/coaching enviroment here!!!
P.s. GARY HALL JR… –> Mike Bottom COME ON!!!
Comment by Scott
Posted on May 9th, 2007 at 08:30
Afghan - Gary Hall Jr. to Mike Bottom was a wonderful coaching move, but there are a number of reasons I left this one off of the list:
1) Look at what Gary did while he was at Texas under Eddie Reese. In his freshman year he went 19.63 and 42.99 at the 1994 Southwest Conference Championships - those are fast times. If and I emphasize if, Gary had stayed at Texas, I believe he would be just as good as he became. The only problem if he had stayed? I am not sure he would still be swimming
Why? I think that Mike Bottom allowed Gary to truly be himself and learn his own body and go from there. Which leads me into…
2) If moving to Bottom was a great move, then you have to say that becoming his own coach, in a sense, was a great coaching move. He has mastered the art of knowing what he needs and when he needs it.
So while the Gary changing to Mike Bottom was a great move, I think that Gary’s pure talent would have given him the the opportunity to become a GREAT swimmer.
Gary, what are your thoughts?
Comment by maly
Posted on May 9th, 2007 at 11:29
talking about changing coach, camilia potec the 2004 200 meters free is comming to train with philippe lucas in the canet according to l’equipe.
Comment by Robin
Posted on May 9th, 2007 at 12:52
Amanda Beard to Hugh Hefner…..
Comment by Hodori88
Posted on May 9th, 2007 at 15:40
“Amanda Beard to Hugh Hefner…..”
Mwahaha haaa haaaa!!!! Classic! But we’ve yet to see how much it does for her career!! Well…. Which career are we talking about?
Comment by Top 5 - Group Writing Project Day 3
Posted on May 10th, 2007 at 03:15
[…] Top 5 Tuesday Bonus: Successful Coaching Changes by Scott Goldblatt […]
Comment by Triathlete Dad
Posted on May 10th, 2007 at 06:19
Great site –found it through Problogger.
Comment by Lucas Says Laziness the Reason for Manaudou’s Departure - Timed Finals
Posted on May 10th, 2007 at 09:28
[…] way out means great things for the rest of the world’s distance swimmers. Maybe, much like Ian Thorpe did when he left Doug Frost for Tracey Menzies, she will focus on more on the 100 and 200. While many will question the move and the motives […]
Comment by Afghan
Posted on May 10th, 2007 at 09:34
I agree that Gary Hall jr. would have been sucessfull anywhere he went, but as far as i’m concerned it’s one of if not the greatest coach swimmer combo’s in sprint swimming. Also, I was just wondering if you are grouping the texas trio and Reese, couldn’t you group the enire country of South Africa and ASU Coaches
Comment by Scott
Posted on May 10th, 2007 at 09:35
Afghan - I did… it is number 1 on the list.
Comment by Afghan
Posted on May 10th, 2007 at 09:36
Swimming is south africa’s sport… well that and rugby… I think if you move south african rugby to Arizona they will also dominant.
Comment by usedtobefaster
Posted on June 17th, 2007 at 00:23
yea, i’m going to go ahead and say natalie –> mckeever is probably the BEST coaching move possible. terri saved natalie, she definately would NOT be swimming right now if she hadnt made the change, and what a pity that would be….
Comment by JJ
Posted on June 17th, 2007 at 10:17
I agree, Natalie says that straight out in her book. And the cool thing is, she saved McKeever as well, it’s all in the book, they both talk about it, and all have a happy ending. Great book “Golden Girl”
Comment by usedtobefaster
Posted on June 18th, 2007 at 11:25
yea, most definately a good read. i think i finished it the day i got it. but there were some people who did not appreciate her story about her club coach. she doesnt seem to be the kind of person who would go and make up/exaggerate storiesl, but i do wonder how much of it is true
Comment by JJ
Posted on June 18th, 2007 at 16:32
I’ll have to go back and look; she may have been a bit harsh/held a grudge. But if so, I took it with a grain of salt anyway; there are almsost always two sides to the story, and that goes for any kind of relationship be it romantic, business, coach/athlete, etc.
The author seemed to touch on Coughlin’s own quirks/shortcomings as well and the message I took away was that the match or chemistry was most important. Some kids may thrive under brutal yardage training, but she wasn’t one of them. Could she go faster with different training? Hard to say but had she not found McKeever she’d be gone anyway; so she found a way to stay in swimming, enjoy it and still win golds and set world records, while enjoying life outside swimming too. Good example of how to balance my life.
Comment by usedtobefaster
Posted on June 18th, 2007 at 18:37
i agree with you JJ, it was a really good book, and it gave some interesting insight into the kind of person that Natalie is (i paritcularly enjoyed the part about sharks and minnows). but the backlash from terrapin swimmers and parents was kind of rediculous, it got preeeettty ugly