{"id":641142,"date":"2026-04-08T09:22:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:22:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=641142"},"modified":"2026-04-08T09:25:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:25:55","slug":"coaching-has-gotten-more-complicated-it-doesnt-have-to-stay-that-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/coaching-has-gotten-more-complicated-it-doesnt-have-to-stay-that-way\/","title":{"rendered":"Coaching Has Gotten More Complicated; It Doesn\u2019t Have to Stay That Way"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Hardest Part of Coaching Starts After Practice Ends.<\/h3>\n

Part I of a Three-Part Series on the Future of Swim Coaching Software.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this first article, we look at why more coaches are rethinking the patchwork of tools they use every day.\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to be stuck behind a computer doing something that should take 10 minutes but ends up taking two hours.
\nI want every minute possible on the pool deck.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Eric Anderson<\/i><\/b>
\n<\/i><\/b>Olympic Coach & MAKO Co-Founder<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing every swim coach wants more of, it\u2019s time. <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Time on the pool deck. <\/span>
\n<\/span>Time with athletes. <\/span>
\n<\/span>Time thinking about performance instead of spreadsheets.<\/span><\/p>\n

For years, most programs have relied on a patchwork system: one tool for communication, another for attendance, a separate video platform, and spreadsheets for tracking volume and load. Most of those systems were adapted for swimming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A few coaches decided to make a new app that kills lost time.<\/span><\/p>\n

MAKO was built differently. It combines planning, video analysis, wellness, and performance context into one swim-specific ecosystem so coaches can spend less time managing tools and more time coaching. The app features an athlete side for sharing video, feedback and Journaling:<\/p>\n

\"\"

MAKO makes coaching easier from every angle<\/p><\/div>\n

Built by Coaches, for Coaches<\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n

Rather than asking coaches to change the way they work, MAKO was designed around the language, rhythms, and realities of competitive swimming. Coaches use their own terminology, their own zones, and their own structure. The system adapts to them.<\/p>\n

That matters because one of the biggest barriers to adopting any new tool is the fear that it will add work instead of reduce it.<\/p>\n

As Eric explains, \u201cMost tools are built for generalization. We built this specifically for swimming. If it doesn\u2019t serve the swim coach, we won’t build it.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

One Ecosystem Instead of Five Platforms<\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need five logins anymore. You need one. Everything is connected.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mark Stoops<\/b>
\n<\/b>MAKO, Sales & Marketing Director\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

At its core, MAKO brings together four performance pillars into one connected environment:<\/span><\/p>\n