A great deal of getting good in your sport rests upon what you do in and out of the pool — this is quite obvious! You can can't reach your swimming dreams unless you “pay your physical dues.” Hard work, sacrifice and suffering are necessities in turning your dreams into a reality.

But let me state the obvious here: You can't become a champion in a vacuum. You need the consistent guidance of a good coach. In this month's blog, I'd like to address some of the key characteristics of a good coach.

Probably the most important quality of a great coach is that they create a safe environment for all of their swimmers to learn, excel and fail. What does this really mean? This safety is a direct result of the relationship that they create with you and every one of your teammates.

Good coaches treat you with respect. They listen to each swimmer and try to understand exactly where that swimmer is coming from. They build you up rather than tearing you down. They do not use fear and threats as a motivator. They are honest in their dealings with you and “walk the talk.” That is, they practice what they preach! They don't just tell you what to do and what it takes to become a champion. They model it on a daily basis and their actions are congruent with their words!

Good coaches care about their swimmers first as individuals and second as athletes.
They are appropriately interested in their athletes' lives beyond the pool. They make you, as the swimmer, feel like they genuinely care about your emotional wellbeing because they actually do!

Good coaches challenge you and regularly push you outside of your comfort zone.
They will not tolerate half-hearted, unmotivated efforts and will directly call you on those knowing that you can do better.  They help you believe that you can always do more than you think you can and then push you in that direction.

Good coaches teach you the value of taking risks, going for it and failing
They understand that this is a critical life skill that will always lead you to success in every aspect of your life. Towards this end, when you fail, they do NOT embarrass or shame you! They do not yell at you! Instead, they help you find the things that you might have done wrong and then teach you how to correct those mistakes for the next time you compete!

Good coaches are always fair!
They do not play the “favorites” game. They do not have double standards where some swimmers are treated specially while others are either ignored or picked on. Foremost with this is that they do not base the attention that they give you solely on how fast you go in the pool. And related to this, good coaches are there for you when you start to struggle! If you've hit a plateau, have gotten injured and have to take time away from training or just seem to be in a performance slump, these coaches never let you drop off of their radar. In fact, they are even more present when you seem to be going through a hard time!  

Good coaches regularly get in the habit of catching you doing things right!
They are never stingy with their praise and when you do get a compliment from them, you know it's real.  This is because good coaches are also honest with you and provide you with the critical negative feedback you need in order to take your swimming to the next level.

Good coaches also understand the value of fun and enjoyment
In this sport, especially if you want to get to the highest levels, it is important to have fun and get enjoyment out of what you are doing. To this end, good coaches have learned to skillfully balance the fun with the seriousness needed to become a champion. They are never so serious with you that your fun leaves your swimming.

It is all of these characteristics built into their relationship with you that helps you not only feel safe with these kinds of coaches, but super motivated to “run through walls” for them.

If you have a dream in the pool and are motivated to do whatever it takes to pursue it, then you deserve to swim for this kind of a coach!