fitter and faster coaches corner by Mike Murray

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The Fitter & Faster Director of High Performance, Dr. Josh White joins Mike Murray on this week’s edition of Coaches Corner to discuss our newest offering: College Prep Camps!

From his early days as a promising age group and senior swimmer for Texas GOLD to his collegiate career at Arizona State University, Kyle Sockwell’s journey is a testament to his dedication and passion for swimming. However, these are just the beginning of his story, as he has now become the most prominent figure in the social media world of swimming.

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Perhaps one of the most innovative minds in the swimming world, Herbie Behm has helped Coach Bob Bowman lead the Arizona State Swimming Program to unprecedented success in the past few years. Herbie joins host Mike Murray for an in-depth conversation about his philosophy on training, innovation in the sprint program at ASU, and using data to track athlete progress. Under Behm's direction, the Sun Devils sprinters have made substantial progress, which included top-five finishes nationally in both the Men's 400 and 800 free relay this year. The Sun Devil Men's team also set new program records this season in the 50, 100, and 200 free races, amongst a handful of other events. "Herbie is one of the great young minds in coaching today," head coach Bob Bowman said. "His data-driven approach has elevated our program in countless ways and he is most deserving of this promotion. He has a bright future ahead in Tempe." Behm has been with the Sun Devils since 2018 after serving as the assistant sprints coach at the University of Utah for two seasons. During his tenure in Salt Lake, Behm led a group of more than 20 student-athletes in their daily training programs while assisting and working with each individual's technique, training strategies, and post-race analysis. Under Behm's tutelage, 20 student-athletes set school records in just two seasons. Before arriving in Salt Lake, Behm served on the staff in Arizona at the Phoenix Swim Club. There, Behm developed a strong background in stroke technique and the ability to develop and enhance the skills of all ages and competitive backgrounds. Aside from competitive skills, Behm also brings a wealth of knowledge in developing long-term student-athlete development at various skill levels. At Utah, Behm also coached a 2018 Pac-12 Champion and an All-American in the 200 medley relay. One of his student-athletes also swam the fastest 50-yard backstroke in the nation in the 2017-18 season. Bringing experience from the national circuit, Behm has also served as a coach on the USA and Puerto Rican National Team. Behm swam at Arizona State from 2010-13. Excelling in the classroom as well, Behm was a three-time scholar-athlete award winner and graduated with his degree in Psychology while minoring in Communications. As a Sun Devil, Behm was a part of the foursome to set the school record in the 400 medley relay.

Coach Michael Kinross moved to Las Vegas in September 2016 to begin working for the Sandpipers of Nevada. He hails from the Chicago Area where he was born and raised in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Josh White is the High-Performance Manager for Fitter & Faster Swim Camps. In this newly created position, Coach White will be leading the production of Specialty Swim Camps and other educational opportunities for competitive swimmers and coaches. During his tenure at the University of Michigan, White coached two NCAA champions in Connor Jaeger (2013: 500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle; 2014: 1,650-yard freestyle) and Felix Auböck (2019: 1,650-yard freestyle). At the 2020 Big Ten Championships, White's swimmers held 13 'A' final spots in the distance events (1-2-3-8 in 500 FR, 1-2-4-6 in 1650 FR, 1-2-3-6-8 in 400 IM) and won the 800-yard freestyle relay. Beyond the NCAA, Michigan distance swimmers have achieved great international success, led by Jaeger, a two-time U.S. Olympian and 2016 Olympic silver medalist in the 1,500-meter freestyle. In this episode of Coaches Corner, Mike & Josh discuss the use of the color system for training your athletes, what they mean, how to best communicate energy systems, and why he believes it has been a huge cornerstone for his success in coaching!

Irvine Novaquatics has produced many champions throughout their storied history, due in large part to their unique staff. This week Rod Hansen, the 2023 Age Group Coach of the year, joins me on #coachescorner!

Coach Joe Finke is a top 10 finalist for the ASCA and Fitter & Faster Coach of the Year award! Coach Finke has been coaching with St. Petersburg Aquatics since 2014 and is an ASCA Level 1 coach. He has twelve plus years as USA Swimming Official and is certified as a Deck Referee and also is a member of the SPA Board of Directors responsible for USA Swimming programs. Joe is a graduate of Purdue University and Stetson University College of Law, is married to Jeanne and has three children that have all been Olympic Trial level swimmers; Summer, Autumn, and Olympic Gold Medalist, Bobby!

In addition to his coaching achievements, Coach Andy Beggs is also a published author, with several articles on swimming and coaching appearing in various publications. His expertise has also led to interviews with multiple swimming media outlets. Beggs has developed a large social media following in the swimming community, which has resulted in numerous partnerships with some of the industry’s leading swimming brands.

Jennifer (VanAssen) Brunelli MS, RD, LDN is a 7-time All American swimmer and Hall of Fame athlete who attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with degrees in Marketing and Management. Jennifer has worked on nutrition education, meal planning, body composition assessments, eating disorders, food intolerances and allergies, corporate wellness, performance kitchen design, supplement analysis, etc.

Paul Donovan recently led the Jersey Wahoo’s to enormous success at the 2022 USA Swimming Jr. National Championships, where two Wahoo’s athletes, Henry McFadden & Maddie Waggoner raced to elite-level performances. Paul share’s his unique journey, and why he believes that both patience & positivity are critical factors for long-term success in the sport.

Abbie Fish has extensive experience in the sport. Abbie started Swim Like A. Fish in 2019 after 25 years of success in competitive swimming and 10+ years and counting of elite swim coaching. During her swimming career, Abbie tried out for the Olympics, was a 6x Olympic Trial Qualifier, SEC Finalist, NCAA Qualifier, and 2x USA Junior National Champion. On top of that, Abbie started coaching as they were in graduate school and still training. It was a natural transition for them from being the one in the water to the one on the pool deck. In this episode, Abbie talks about the moments that shaped her philosophical approach to coaching, why the coach/athlete dynamic is so critical for success, and what she learned from her mentors. Abbie is a University of Georgia “Double Dawg” – where they swam and graduated with their M.S. and B.S. degrees in Exercise Science. Abbie is a big swimming nerd at heart, and loves everything when it comes to stroke mechanics, underwater video, and swimming technique.

Coming Soon!Jennifer (VanAssen) Brunelli MS, RD, LDN is a 7-time All American swimmer and Hall of Fame athlete who attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with degrees in Marketing and Management. Jennifer has worked on nutrition education, meal planning, body composition assessments, eating disorders, food intolerances and allergies, corporate wellness, performance kitchen design, supplement analysis, etc. She has worked with a wide range of clientele including age group, masters, and professional athletes, along with collegiate and professional teams. Jennifer is the owner of RDpro, LLC, a nutrition consulting business in the Charlotte area that she opened in July 2011. She worked with the Carolina Panthers for 7 seasons as the sports dietitian working directly with the players. Jennifer is also the sports dietitian in her sixth season for the NASCAR team. Jennifer joins host Mike Murray to discuss basic nutrition for swimmers, as well as debunking some diet myths! Jennifer loves the opportunity to help young females gain confidence through knowledge. She is part of the first ever Gatorade Women's Advisory Board alongside female athletes and impactors such as Abby Wambach (NWSL), Sarah Spain (ESPN), Candace Parker (WNBA), etc. Jennifer is the sports nutritionist for LEAD, a female Olympian run business that stands to help young female athletes gain leadership skills and confidence in and out of their sport. LEAD provides female athlete education modules student athletes can learn from. Jennifer is a nutrition spokesperson and wellness resource with numerous corporations and media outlets. In 2016, she received a BOB award by Charlotte magazine for the Best Dietitian in Charlotte. Jennifer was chosen as part of the Whistle Sports and NFL campaign ‘Unstoppable,’ sharing stories of significant influencers on pro athletes.

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Dani Korman and Abby Brethauer were teammates at Kenyon College and won National Championships together! Since that time both women have gone on to have incredible success in the coaching ranks. While making significant impacts on the places they have coached, their experiences have been much more about cultivating meaningful relationships with the people they work with, the athletes they coach, and enjoying the process of development. Dani is now the Associate Head Women’s Coach at Cal Berkley, and Abby is the Assistant Men’s Coach at Princeton University.

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NC State's Associate Head Coach Brian Barnes has extensive experience working with a variety of programs throughout his successful career in the swimming community. Over the past 2-decades, Barnes has led his athletes to a multitude of conference titles, NCAA All-American honors, and even American Record performances. Brian's unique journey through the sport afforded him the opportunity to work with legendary coaches along the way, including Richard Quick, David Marsh, Tim Welsh, Dan Ross and a young Brett Hawke! In this week's episode of the @Fitter and Faster Swim Camps Coaches Corner, Barnes talks about the intricate process of building a strong, successful team culture, where it begins by cultivating meaningful relationships with athletes, coaches, and key staff members. The discussion also centers on a philosophy of "belief," and how to inspire teams to understand the power of believing in what you're collectively capable of accomplishing, no matter the challenge.

Chris Everett is the Head Coach of Mercury Swimming, located in the Southern Tier of New York State, made up of mostly-rural, agriculturally based communities. Throughout the last 5 years, Chris has led athletes to success at Junior Nationals, Senior Nationals, and Olympic Trials!

TJ Day is the Head Coach of STAR Swimming in Buffalo, NY. Day has been coaching at all levels for over 15 years, and most recently spent 4 years as the assistant swim coach at Carmel Swim Club in Carmel, Indiana. There, he coached for the High Performance and 11-12 squad as well as the boys Senior High School Team. Before his time in Carmel, Coach Day spent 10 years as the Head Coach of Boilermaker Aquatics in West Lafayette, Indiana. From 2003-2007, he served as a volunteer Assistant Coach at Purdue University. In 2006, Day voted by his peers the Indiana Swimming Senior Coach of the Year. He has also served on the staff of many Indiana Swimming camps, and been on multiple trips to the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado. In addition, Day was on the staff of numerous Team Indiana Zone and Mid-States Quad Teams. This week Mike and TJ explore what it means to teach with a passion for developmental excellence, while creating an atmosphere where every detail matters during practice. We also discuss strategies for long-term, senior level success. Don't miss this week's Coaches Corner!

John Carroll is the Head Coach of Blue Wave Aquatics in South Jersey; is arguably one of the best club coaches in USA Swimming History. Over the past four and half decades, He has coached an American Record Holder, two USA Olympians, and 38 USA Olympic-trial qualifiers spanning 1988-2016. John's swimmers have been selected to compete internationally at Pan-Pacific Championships, Pan-American Championships, World University Games, World Junior Championships, and NCSA All-Star teams. He has coached National and Junior National Champions and had countless swimmers achieve NCAA Division 1 All-American status. He has helped many swimmers reach their dream of competing in Power 5 Conference schools and has watched them grow into World Class citizens. This episode of Coaches Corner, John joins host Mike Murray for a conversation about why training toughness is a critical aspect of development for age group swimmers. John is a lifetime member of USA Swimming and a lifetime member of ASCA, a Level 5 certified Coach. He is the current president of NCSA board of directors. He has been involved in Middle Atlantic Swimming on the Board/Committee level for over 30 years; he is currently the Travel Chair.

Ellen Johnston has been developing highly successful swimmers over the past three and a half decades. During that time she has worked with the Westport YMCA Water-Rat Swim Team, faithfully serving the club in multiple capacities before becoming the Head Coach in 2011. In 2015, Ellen received the Larry Lyons YMCA National Coach of the Year Award, the highest recognition for YMCA coaches. She has twice been Connecticut Senior Coach of the Year and was nominated for the honor in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In this episode of the Fitter & Faster Coaches Corner, Coach Johnston shares her insights, experience, and advice regarding long-term, sustained success. The discussion covers all aspects of running a high-level, performance based team, including a deep-dive on senior swimming. This is an episode that young coaches won't want to miss!

Emmett Walling is the Head Coach & Aquatic Director at the Peddie School, an independent, private school in Hightsown, NJ. In this episode of Coaches Corner, Emmett and host Mike Murray discuss what it’s like working at Peddie, where the expectations for success in both the classroom and the pool are extraordinarily high!

Will Bernhardt is the Head Coach & Aquatic Director at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Will’s life in coaching is one of the most versatile, interesting, and robust experiences in the profession.

Coach Mo talks about building a culture of achievement

Josh Runkle is the Head Coach & Aquatic Director of New Trier High School Boy’s Varsity Swimming, in the Greater Chicago area. In this episode of the Fitter & Faster Coaches Corner, Josh discusses some of the things that have led his program to unprecedented success, culminating in both individual & team state titles.

Head Coach of the Westchester Aquatic Club, Carle Fierro has worked with every level of competitive swimming. Carle has coached Over 100 National Age Group Ranked athletes, Including 16 Number 1 National Age Group Swimmers!

Emily Melina is the Head Coach of the Lake Oswego Swim Club in Oregon. Over the past several years Coach Melina has tirelessly worked in governance at both the LSC & USA Swimming House of Delegates, as well as continued the development of the highly successful Lake Oswego program. Emily has led athletes to USA Swimming national rankings, Olympic Trials, World Top 100 designations and numerous top 10 team finishes at the Speedo Sectional, Futures and Far Western Championships.In this episode, Emily and host Mike Murray discuss the latest USA Swimming House of Delegates proposals as they relate to Coaches, as well as jump into the future for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, highlighting why representation is so critical for the growth of the sport as a whole.Emily talks about her experiences working with and swimming for some of the greatest coaches in history, including Cyndi Gallagher, Greg Meehan, and Jay Brenner. Don't miss this fantastic episode!

Coach Davidson talks about his commitment to speed and power while maintaining a strong aerobic base, and how his training got Hunter Armstrong to the Olympic Games.

CEO of the American Swim Coaches Association, Jennifer LaMont, explains her passion for helping coaches excel. She also touches on the upcoming ASCA World Clinic coming up in Orlando this September.

Coach Mike dives deep into the 2021 Olympic games and asks 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, Tyler Clary, for some of his insights on these exciting races we have coming up!

Coach Ira Klein gives some great insight into everyone being able to train AND compete in the IM events. He even dives into some of his different training methods and sets that have given him a lot of success.

Coach Lanzo talks about the importance of club coaching for USA Swimming and the journey of taking Kieren Smith to the Olympics

Coach Clemmer dives deep into his upbringing in the coaching world. Ranging from learn to swim programs, all the way up to Olympic Swimmers. He talks about the importance of IM and distance based training

Abi Liu talks about her journey of growing up in China, and how that has impacted her career as a coach and building relationships in the United States

Atiba explains the importance of having core strength and overall body mobility to enhance the athleticism of a swimmer. These dryland exercises help with acquiring "free speed".

Legendary Coach, Jack Roach, dives deep into the art of coaching and how having a passion for the sport can truly excel your success.

On this special edition episode, Mike brings on Wolfpack Elite Pro Swimmers: Coleman Stewart, Aly Tetzloff, and Makayla Sargent. They dive deep into what life is truly like as a pro swimmer.

Coach Salo talks about the methods to his success and the future of the ISL

Elite Clinician, Atiba Wade, talks about developing athleticism in swimmers through dryland workouts

Coach Ingram tells the story of his journey up Mt. Everest and the many lessons he learned along the way.

Bobby talks about taking on the role of Head Coach at UNC Wilmington and his creative way of thinking when writing a practice

Coach Matt talks about his methods of instilling team culture into a high-level collegiate program.

Scott talks about the excitement of coaching high school athletes at the pristine Albany Academy

Austin talks about going from a collegiate athlete for the Texas Longhorns, to a part-time assistant coach and unattached athlete complete at the highest level

Coach Arckey talks about his journey as a young age group swimmer to being the head coach of an elite swim club.

Coach Plane explains his journey as a division two head coach at Iowa Central

Vern takes a different approach into the swimming world and talks about the key strength and conditioning components

Coach Richardson dives deep into his journey as head coach at the University of Michigan

Dana talks about how to develop female athletes, both at the age-group level and the national level

Paris talks about what it takes to successfully build a team brand

Coach Koleber talks about his journey of building Nitro Swim Club from the ground up to the powerhouse it is today.

Both Dave and Jennifer talk about their journey of being coaches together

Ash covers how to balance being a full-time club coach and a family man

McGee Moody talks about some of the real "behind the scenes" struggles of coaching, specifically in the collegiate setting.

Hall of Fame Coach, David Marsh, and his assistant, Javi Sossa, take an in-depth view on some of their favorite sets.