Swimming World Presents – Q&A with U.S. Olympic Open Water Coach Catherine Kase

Swimming World June 2021 -Q&A with U.S. Olympic Open Water Coach Catherine Kase - By Michael J. Stott

U.S. Olympic Open Water Team Head Coach Catherine Kase [PHOTO BY MIKE LEWIS, USA SWIMMING]

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Q&A with U.S. Olympic Open Water Coach Catherine Kase

By Michael J. Stott

A distance swimmer herself, Catherine Kase has found her calling as a college and well-respected open water coach. Her first USA Swimming assignment began in 2005. In Tokyo, she will direct American swimmers for the third time as head Olympic open water coach.

In addition to her coaching responsibilities over the years, Catherine Kase serves as chair of the USA Swimming Open Water Steering Committee and is a member of the FINA Coaches Committee. In 2020, she was the recipient of USA Swimming’s Women in Swimming Award.

CREDENTIALS
• University of North Carolina, B.A., elementary education, 2000
• Associate head coach, University of Southern California, 2008-20
• Head open water coach, U.S. Olympic team, 2016, 2021
• Head open water coach, Tunisian Olympic team, 2012
• Head open water coach, U.S. World Championship team, 2009, 2013, 2015 (team winner), 2019; assistant open water coach, 2005, 2006, 2008
• Head open water coach, U.S. Pan Pacific Championship team, 2006, 2014
• Head open water coach, U.S. Pan American Games team, 2007, 2011
• Assistant coach, University of North Carolina, 2005-08
• Assistant coach, Cape Carteret (N.C.) Currents, 2003-05
• Head/assistant coach, Meridian
(Miss.) Swim Association, 2002-03
• Head coach, South Run Winter Swim League (Fairfax, Va.), 2002

Q. SWIMMING WORLD: How did you get your start in the aquatic life?
A. COACH CATHERINE (VOGT) KASE: I started in Clearwater, Fla. at age 10 after riding horses and running track. Swimming was measurable, and I remember enjoying my friends on the team. When I was 13, my coach, Rico Maschino, told me I was a distance swimmer. Even though I was not very good, I enjoyed the attention!

SW: Who were your early influences?
CK: My junior and senior year in high school, I swam with Randy Erlenbach at the North Carolina Aquatic Club in Chapel Hill. I lived and went to school 90 minutes away in Pinehurst. My mother drove me to daily practice, allowing me to train, swim competitively and aspire to be the best I could be. The team was very welcoming, and I loved the training and repetition. After college, Randy helped me get into a coaching mindset.

SW: You were a scorer for UNC at the ACC Championships in the 1650.
CK: My college roommates made fun of me because I loved practice and all things swimming. During my junior and senior years, I stayed after college practice and coached the little NCAC kids and summer league—that was fun! I am a much better coach than I was a swimmer.

SW: You have terrific relationships and trust with your athletes. How have you cultivated those bonds?
CK: At UNC, I majored in education and psychology—so, for me, coaching is all about relationships. The Carolina family taught me how important it is to connect with people, and I saw firsthand incredible coaches and leaders at UNC.

I just look at the pool as my classroom, and I think about each individual, what motivates them, what their goals are, and I try to understand who each swimmer is as a person. That better informs me how I can challenge, communicate and understand what they are trying to achieve.

The fun part is watching the journey. The process is different for everyone, but done right, it can be a mutually beneficial investment for coach and athlete.

To read our full Q&A with coach Catherine Kase,
Click here to download the full June 2021 Issue of Swimming World Magazine

Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach whose Collegiate School (Richmond, Va.) teams won nine state high school championships. A member of that school’s Athletic Hall of Fame, he is also a recipient of NISCA’s Outstanding Service Award.

[PHOTO CREDIT: TAYLOR BRIEN]

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Swimming World June 2021 Issue

FEATURES

12 | U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS PREVIEW
by David Rieder
The fastest swimmers in the United States will be putting their hopes and dreams on the line at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Swimming, June 13-20, in Omaha, Neb. If realized, they’ll have the opportunity to perform next month on the world’s grandest stage: the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

22 | A NATURAL LEADER
by John Lohn
Still producing elite-level performances, Nathan Adrian, now 32 and pursuing his fourth Olympic Games, has the opportunity to further his already lofty reputation. And whenever his days in the sport come to an end, Adrian will be viewed for his excellence in the sport as an athlete, teammate and ambassador.

25 | NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: QUALITY & QUANTITY
by Andy Ross
That’s the same winning formula that Indian River’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have been using for nearly a half-century at the NJCAA Championships. The Pioneer men now have won 47 straight team titles; the women, 39—and 43 of the past 47.

26 | TAKEOFF TO TOKYO: A FORGOTTEN STAR
by John Lohn
By all measures, Don Schollander is a legend in the sport, a Hall of Fame talent who was unrivaled in his heyday. Yet, his impact has been lost to a combination of unfortunate timing and modern-day fascination.

29 | DOMINANCE AND PARITY ON DISPLAY IN TOKYO
by Dan D’Addona
While the U.S. women have dominated international water polo since 2015—winning their second straight Olympics in 2016 plus three World Championships in 2015-17-19—a different men’s champion has emerged at each of the last three major international competitions—Serbia (2016 Olympics), Croatia (2017 Worlds) and Italy (2019 Worlds).

30 | ISHOF: REMEMBERING THE KALILI BROTHERS—90 YEARS AGO
by Bruce Wigo
As kids who preferred to dive for coins rather than race in a swimming pool, brothers Maiola and Manuella Kalili from Hawaii would eventually become national champions and Olympic silver medalists in 1932.

33 | NUTRITION: HOW MANY CALORIES SHOULD I EAT?
by Dawn Weatherwax
As long course, Olympics and endurance events get underway, a common question is: “How much do I need to eat?” This is a loaded question—one in which the author will try to simplify.

35 | MENTAL PREP: BEFORE THE BEEP WITH AMY BILQUIST
by Shoshanna Rutemiller

COACHING

38 | SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: MAXIMIZING SWIMMING VELOCITY (Part 2)—STROKE CYCLE PHASES
by Rod Havriluk
Swimmers typically decrease non-propulsive time to decrease stroke time, increase stroke rate and swim faster. Research shows that a further decrease in the non-propulsive time is possible and should produce further performance improvement.

40 | A COACHES’ GUIDE TO ENERGY SYSTEMS
by Michael J. Stott
In the first of two parts, Swimming World explores the concept of energy systems and how coaches can use them to maximize athlete development and performance.

42 | SPECIAL SETS: KATIE LEDECKY—RUN-UP TO RIO 2016
by Michael J. Stott
With this month’s Olympic Swimming Trials now upon us, Swimming World takes a back-to-the-future approach to revisit some training done by superstar Katie Ledecky prior to the 2016 U.S. team qualifying meet.

44 | Q&A WITH COACH CATHERINE KASE
by Michael J. Stott

45 | HOW THEY TRAIN HALEY ANDERSON
by Michael J. Stott

TRAINING

037 | DRYSIDE TRAINING: TRAINING AMY BILQUIST
by J.R. Rosania

JUNIOR SWIMMER

47 | UP & COMERS: KEELAN COTTER
by Shoshanna Rutemiller

COLUMNS

08 | A VOICE FOR THE SPORT

11 | DID YOU KNOW: ABOUT BUSTER CRABBE?

48 | GUTTERTALK

49 | PARTING SHOT

Swimming World is now partnered with the International Swimming Hall of Fame. To find out more, visit us at ishof.org

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