Swimming World Presents “Lessons with the Legends: Soichi Sakamoto”

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Lessons with the Legends: Soichi Sakamoto

Sponsored by Dolfin Swimwear

Swimming World continues a series in which top coaches share some of the secrets of their success. The December issue of Swimming World Magazine highlights the many accomplishments of Coach Soichi Sakamoto.

Unappreciated, undaunted, underfunded and unmatched, Soichi Sakamoto turned international swimming on its ear. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, he resurrected Hawaiian swimming, producing world-class swimmers whose first pool was a Hawaiian sugarcane irrigation ditch that was eight feet wide by four feet deep!

A musically-inclined science teacher at Pu’unene School on Maui, Sakamoto was an abysmal aquanaut himself, but a determined, often obsessed man who was driven by dreams for others more than himself.

Throughout his storied career, the intrepid teacher coached and mentored a number of Olympic and national champions. His Olympians included Bill Smith, Thelma Kalama, Evelyn Kawamoto, Bumpy Jones, Richard Cleveland, Ford Konno, Yoshi Oyakawa, Bill Woolsey, Fujiko Katsutani, Sonny Tanabe and George Onekea.

To learn more about the life and times of Soichi Sakamoto, check out the December 2018 issue of Swimming World Magazine, available now!

Swimming World subscribers can download this issue in the Swimming World Vault

Dec 2018 Cover

[PHOTO BY LAPRESSE/ PROVIDED BY ARENA]

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FEATURES

016 2018 SWIMMERS OF THE YEAR
by Annie Grevers, David Rieder and Dan D’Addona
World: Katie Ledecky (Female American)
& Adam Peaty (Male European)
Female European: Sarah Sjostrom
Male American: Chase Kalisz
Pacific Rim: Cate Campbell & Sun Yang
African: Tatjana Schoenmaker & Chad le Clos

024 5 BEST WOMEN’S & 6 BEST MEN’S PERFORMANCES OF 2018
by David Rieder
This year’s list of the top 11 performances features world records, second-fastest performances in history and textile bests. The swims come primarily from the year’s biggest regional meets—the European Championships, Pan Pacific Championships and Asian Games.

COACHING

009 SPECIAL SETS: WISCONSIN KICK TEST SETS
by Michael J. Stott

010 LESSONS WITH THE LEGENDS: SOICHI SAKAMATO
by Michael J. Stott

014 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPTIMAL MODEL FOR TECHNIQUE: PART 4—BASE OF SUPPORT
by Rod Havriluk
Body size and shape, body rotation and head position as well as motion need to be controlled for optimizing swimming technique. All of these factors help to minimize resistance, but also help to make a stable “base of support” to maximize propulsion.

038 VERTICAL KICKING: THE SIXTH STROKE?
by Michael J. Stott

041 Q&A WITH COACH BRIAN SCHRADER
by Michael J. Stott

042 HOW THEY TRAIN: KYLE ROBROCK
by Michael J. Stott

TRAINING

028 DRYSIDE TRAINING: STROKE AND DISTANCE STRENGTH SERIES—STARTS AND TURNS
by J.R. Rosania

JUNIOR SWIMMER

045 UP & COMERS: CLARK KENT APUADA
by “Lois Lane” (aka Taylor Brien)

COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT
013 BEYOND THE YARDS
029 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
044 DADS ON DECK
046 HASTY HIGH POINTERS
047 GUTTER TALK
048 PARTING SHOT

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Jack Beachboard
Jack Beachboard
5 years ago

Shawn Cowper Daniels

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cynthia curran
cynthia curran
5 years ago

The three year swim club.

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