37 Thoughts of a First-Year College Coach

Photo Courtesy: Kristin Walker

By Cathleen Pruden, Swimming World Staff Writer

From Division I to II to III to the NAIA, college swimming looks very different across the country. Same goes for college coaching.

In my first year as an assistant college swim coach, it feels as though I’ve spent the last eight months in the school of coaching. There was a lot of learning. There was a lot of doing. There was a lot of fun.

While every assistant coach’s experiences are different, with the conclusion of my first season, here are a few thoughts of a first-year college coach.

August

There are so many sports here. I will never learn what all of these people coach.

Whelp, I definitely look just as much like a freshman as I do like a college graduate. Don’t ask me where the library is. I only know how to get to the pool.

I remember when I moved into college. What a wonderful time! So many memories!

I’m sitting here telling a recruit about training trip when I haven’t even coached a practice yet.

September

I remember my first day of classes! What a wonderful time! Wait, am I going to spend from now until eternity just comparing everything to my own experiences as a student-athlete?

Who knew recruiting was such an intricate process?

I was probably the worst recruit. I was awkward and shy and had no questions and could not decide what I liked and did not know what I wanted.

Wow! Why did nobody teach me that drill when I was swimming?

October

If I’m getting jealous listening to somebody else talk about their goals, it’s time for me to swim again.

Ah, swimming is hard. 1500 is enough.

Ha, midterms. I do not miss school.

Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr / Swimming Australia Ltd.

Seventeen years of swimming and now standing on deck and I still can’t add up a set’s yardage.

Ugh, if only somebody would have taught me that when I was swimming!

November

I don’t actually know how to watch a swim practice. There is so much going on. Where do I look? How do I know who to pay attention to?

Hy-Tek? Meet Manager? What do we click? How does a meet lineup come to be?

Wow, Thanksgiving is so fun when you’re not trying to travel and visit family and find somebody to take you to a random pool.

That’s another great drill! Why did nobody ever teach me that when I was swimming?

December

Wait, how many dinners are there on training trip? How many accommodating, reasonably-priced take out restaurants am I supposed to find?

Gah, why has every high school junior in the country decided that this is the week to fill out the Prospective Student form?

Ohh, I always hated that set (but in a “I was really glad I did it afterwards” kind of way)! We should have the team do it!

We leave for Florida in two days and I still only have two dinners planned.

training-trip-deerfield-beach-florida-outside-outdoor-pool

Photo Courtesy: Cathleen Pruden

What’s a clever training trip Instagram caption that ten other teams haven’t already also used?

January

Swimming in the rain was a lot better than standing in the rain.

I miss swimming enough to justify eating eight meals in one day.

The best practices are the ones where there are four different sets going on yet somehow I know exactly where everybody is, what time they just went, and what interval they’re on.

Weird, training trip number five didn’t make me nearly as sore as the first four.

They’re all freaking out about how soon conference meet is. That was me a year ago. But, somehow now as a coach I am confident that they’ve put in great work and they’ll swim well. How do you help an athlete cultivate that confidence?

Somebody give me one more year of eligibility because I’d be such a smarter swimmer now.

February

Turns out there’s a lot of unexpected details involved in hosting a conference meet. To-do lists are our friend.

I wish everybody could take a deep breath. As much as it feels like it, you will not be defined by your performance at this swim meet.

I freak out a lot less about being sick when I’m not the one racing.

Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien

Is it possible to be nervous before your best event, even when you’re the one standing on deck? Because my heart is racing and I’m nauseous.

I would be a way more patient swimmer now.

March

I’m not even swimming and I still love taper! Practice was so short that I’m home and it’s still light out! This is awesome!

Packing for Nationals is a lot easier when you don’t need your lucky 400 IM socks and towel.

But, I would still give anything to be the one racing. Letting go is hard.

I’m going to bed sad on a Sunday night because for the first time in months, there’s no practice to coach tomorrow.

All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.

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Rose Hollinshead

7 years ago

Nice job, Coach Cathleen!

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Cathleen Pruden

7 years ago

Reply to Rose Hollinshead

Thank you Ms. Hollinshead!

Mike White

7 years ago

Jason Schroeder