Coach Scott Vulkers introduces himself, emphasizing the importance of coaching beyond technique, focusing on character building, mentorship, and motivation.

Introduction to Coaching Philosophy and Role

Vulkers discusses the importance of believing in athletes and shares his journey from a beginner coach to a state director, illustrating personal anecdotes of swimmers overcoming challenges.

Belief in Athletes' Potential and Personal Coaching Journey

The discussion shifts to training methodologies, emphasizing the balance between technique, motivation, physical conditioning, and the significance of speed for competitive swimmers.

Training Methodologies and Importance of Speed

The coach reflects on challenges faced in coaching and the need for perseverance, followed by an open Q&A session for coaches to seek advice and share experiences.

Overcoming Obstacles in Coaching and Q&A Session

Discussion on swimmers' body composition, weight, body fat percentages, and the significance of nutrition and recovery for performance.

Athlete Body Composition and Nutrition

Overview of different coaching levels and personal experiences, with advice on how coaches can help athletes develop their skills and strengths over time.

Coaching Levels and Building Athletes' Potential

Explaining how to assess swimmers' performance through a mathematical approach and discussing world record times and performance metrics for junior athletes.

Measuring Athlete Progress and World Record Analysis

Guidance on structuring training programs after tapering, gym training for young swimmers, and injury prevention with an emphasis on proper technique.

Training Program Post-Taper and Strength Conditioning

Discussion on the appropriate age for starting gym training, its benefits, and strategies for maximizing speed training in limited pool environments.

Gym Training for All Ages and Speed Development

Methods for determining swimmer types (sprint or distance) and techniques for keeping swimmers focused and motivated leading up to competitions.

Identifying Swimmer Types and Motivating Swimmers

Strategies for managing team dynamics and maintaining discipline among athletes, along with developing standardized coaching programs for swimmers in the Philippines.

Handling Conflict in Teams and Building Coaching Programs

Expressions of gratitude and closing statements from the seminar participants.

Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments

# Coaching Insights from Scott Vulkers: A Journey of Passion and Perseverance

## Celebrating Coaches

In this edition of our newsletter, we spotlight the incredible journey of coaches in the swimming world, as shared by the esteemed **Scott Vulkers**, a 10-time World Championship gold medalist and two-time Olympic gold medal-winning coach.

### The Heart and Soul Behind Every Swimmer's Journey

Coaching transcends teaching strokes or improving lap times; it’s about:

- **Shaping Character**: Instilling discipline and fostering a lifelong love for the sport.
- **Building Resilience**: Teaching swimmers to fight through exhaustion and setbacks.
- **Nurturing Confidence**: Empowering athletes to believe in themselves.

Your unwavering dedication as a coach not only creates champions in the pool but also shapes the characters of the athletes you mentor.

## Embracing Challenges and Pushing Boundaries

Vulkers emphasizes the importance of embracing challenges, stating that every obstacle is an opportunity for growth. Here are key takeaways:

- **Continuous Improvement**: Keep experimenting with new techniques and foster a culture of growth.
- **Belief in Potential**: Every athlete has untapped potential, and improvement can manifest in unexpected ways.
- **Dream Big**: Encourage swimmers to dream of the Olympics or other high aspirations, as anything is possible with the right mindset and preparation.

## Inspiring Stories of Triumph

Vulkers shares inspiring stories that highlight the power of belief and perseverance:

- **Amanda Beard**: After seven years without a personal best, she won gold and equaled the world record at the World Championships.
- **A Brazilian Swimmer's Journey**: A boy, determined to make the Olympic team, trained without pay and faced significant competition. Despite setbacks, he achieved remarkable success at the Olympic trials, showcasing the strength of belief and hard work.

### The Power of Persistence

Vulkers recounts his own journey from a young coach to leading successful teams, illustrating that persistence is key:

- **Samantha Riley's Journey**: From a challenging start to breaking world records, her story exemplifies the importance of perseverance and strategic coaching.
- **Training Methodologies**: Emphasizing the need for a well-structured training plan that adapts to the athlete's level and goals.

## The Role of a Coach

As a coach, you wear many hats:

- **Mentor and Role Model**: Guiding athletes through their journeys, both in sport and life.
- **Strategist and Psychologist**: Understanding the intricacies of technique and the mental aspects of performance.
- **Motivator and Supporter**: Keeping athletes driven and focused on their goals.

### Key Components of Effective Coaching

1. **Technical Knowledge**: Understanding the intricacies of swimming techniques.
2. **Training Methodology**: Developing a structured approach to training.
3. **Motivation and Desire**: Instilling a passion for the sport in athletes.
4. **Persistence**: Recognizing that improvement takes time and effort.

## Engaging with Coaches Worldwide

Vulkers invites coaches from around the world to share their experiences and challenges. The conversation is open, and he encourages questions to foster a collaborative learning environment.

### The Importance of Nutrition and Recovery

Vulkers stresses that nutrition and recovery are crucial components of an athlete's training regimen. Here are some insights:

- **Nutrition**: Successful athletes often have simple diets, focusing on whole foods rather than complicated meal plans. For example, champions like Samantha Riley and Susie O'Neill thrived on a straightforward diet of meat and vegetables.
- **Recovery**: Proper recovery allows athletes to be ready for their next training session. Coaches should educate young swimmers about what to eat before competitions to optimize performance.

### Individuality in Athletes

Every athlete is unique, and their physical attributes can vary widely. Vulkers points out:

- **Body Composition**: Swimmers like Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe had different body types and weights, yet both excelled at their events. It’s essential to focus on performance rather than appearance.
- **Mental Toughness**: The ability to handle pressure and maintain focus is often more critical than physical attributes.

## Training Strategies for High Performance

In discussing training methodologies, Vulkers highlights the importance of maintaining energy systems, especially leading up to major competitions:

- **Post-Taper Training**: After a taper period, coaches should reintroduce training gradually, focusing on stimulating energy systems without overtraining.
- **Maintaining Speed and Power**: Incorporate speed work, such as 15-meter sprints, and power exercises, ensuring athletes remain sharp and ready for competition.
- **Strength and Conditioning**: For younger athletes, a balanced gym routine should include bodyweight exercises and technique-focused lifting, with an emphasis on proper form to prevent injuries.

### Motivating Athletes Through Tough Periods

Vulkers also shares strategies for motivating swimmers during challenging training periods:

- **Emotional Engagement**: Connect with athletes on an emotional level to help them visualize success and rekindle their motivation.
- **Setting Boundaries**: Establish clear expectations and consequences to foster a positive team environment and address conflicts effectively.

## Final Thoughts

As we continue to navigate the world of swimming coaching, remember that:

- **Anything is Possible**: With the right mindset and dedication, dreams can become reality.
- **Learn and Adapt**: Every experience, whether success or failure, is an opportunity to grow.

Let’s continue to inspire our athletes, push boundaries, and create waves of success that ripple through generations!

---

Stay tuned for more insights and stories in our next edition!

"Unlocking Success: Coaching Insights from Scott Vulkers"

- Coach Scott Vulkers, a decorated swimming coach, emphasizes the importance of coaching beyond just technique.
- Celebrates the role of coaches in shaping character, discipline, and a love for swimming.
- Encourages coaches to embrace challenges and foster continuous improvement.
- Shares inspiring stories of athletes overcoming obstacles and achieving greatness.
- Highlights the necessity of belief—both in athletes and in the possibility of their dreams.
- Stresses the significance of mentorship and the lasting impact coaches have on swimmers' lives.
- Concludes with the message that dreams are the starting point for success in swimming.

- The speaker's coaching journey began at age 19 as a learn-to-swim teacher and assistant coach.
- Progressed to Queensland state director of swimming coaching in 1988.
- Coached swimmers like Samantha Riley and Susie O'Neill, achieving notable records and Olympic success.
- Emphasizes the importance of perseverance and questioning limitations in coaching.
- Highlights the significance of setting achievable goals and pushing athletes to their potential.
- Shares anecdotes about coaching techniques and the importance of motivation and adaptability.
- Describes the multifaceted role of a coach as a strategist, mentor, and motivator. 
- Stresses the need for a strong understanding of technique in coaching.

- Importance of understanding swimming technique; ability to discuss it in-depth indicates knowledge.
- Training methodology is crucial; focus on capacity first, then power.
- Motivation and perseverance are key for athlete development; improvement takes time.
- Comprehensive training should cover all energy systems: ATP, aerobic, anaerobic, and speed.
- Speed is the most critical factor in performance outcomes.
- Aerobic training is still necessary, but not solely based on endurance.
- Strength training is important; success is not solely dependent on physical attributes.
- Coaches play a significant role in athlete success; adaptability and overcoming obstacles are essential.
- Open to questions for further understanding of coaching challenges.

- The speaker discusses the physical attributes and training of elite swimmers, emphasizing lean body mass and flexibility.
- Highlights the importance of endurance training for multi-event swimmers like Michael Phelps.
- Compares Phelps to other swimmers like Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett, noting their different body types and performance capabilities.
- Stresses that performance and mental toughness are more critical than body weight.
- Mentions the role of nutrition and recovery in training, recommending experienced guidance in these areas.
- Addresses the coaching levels of participants and their athletes.
- Encourages strength training for older age groups to enhance performance.
- Offers advice for coaches working with young and competitive swimmers.

- Coaches should be passionate and committed to continuous education.
- Focus on developing both strengths and weaknesses of athletes.
- Building confidence, technique, and strength takes time; success is gradual.
- Encourage a healthy diet and understand different metabolic needs for genders.
- Coaches must stay ahead of their athletes in knowledge; if not, they should refer athletes to other coaches.
- Sharing knowledge among coaches enhances overall performance and results.
- Developing a strong junior swimming program with solid techniques is crucial for long-term success.

- Competitiveness enhances coaching outcomes quickly.
- Sharing knowledge is essential; many coaches are reluctant to do so.
- Effective coaching involves active engagement, not just delivering programs.
- Coaches should avoid being "statue coaches" and stay dynamic.
- Passion drives success in coaching.
- A mathematical formula can assess swimmer performance and potential improvement.
- Coaches should analyze swimmers' times to identify areas for enhancement.

- Swimmer performance analysis: Expected times vs. actual times for 200m.
- Example of Samantha Riley's records to illustrate performance metrics.
- Formula for assessing junior swimmers: double best 50m time, add 4 seconds for 100m; double 200m time, add 8-10 seconds.
- Importance of maintaining energy systems during training, especially after tapering.
- Recommended training structure: gradual increase in intensity, focus on speed and endurance.
- Strength and conditioning in the gym: age-appropriate training, emphasizing technique over heavy lifting.
- Gym activities can include bodyweight exercises and should be introduced at a young age (around 12 years).
- Caution against overloading joints in young athletes; focus on gradual strength development.

- Coach Scott Vulkers emphasizes coaching beyond technique, focusing on character, discipline, and love for swimming.
- Highlights the role of belief, mentorship, and the lasting impact coaches have on athletes.
- Shares inspiring stories of overcoming obstacles and achieving greatness.
- Discusses the importance of perseverance, goal-setting, and adaptability in coaching.
- Stresses the need for a strong understanding of technique and comprehensive training methodologies.
- Emphasizes the significance of speed, strength training, nutrition, and recovery in athlete success.
- Encourages continuous education and knowledge sharing among coaches for better performance.
- Advocates for developing strong junior programs and engaging coaching styles.
- Provides performance analysis techniques and training structures for swimmers.
- Cautions against overloading young athletes while promoting gradual strength development.

- Training includes various exercises (chin-ups, sit-ups, etc.) for strength and flexibility.
- Strongest and best-trained athletes typically win races.
- Historical context: Kieran Perkins trained in a 17-meter pool, achieving success despite limited facilities.
- Emphasis on sprint training for speed development, regardless of pool size.
- Distinction between sprinters and distance swimmers based on jumping ability.
- Motivation techniques for athletes include understanding personal challenges and emotional states.
- Importance of positive reinforcement and emotional connection in coaching.
- Belief that "burnout" is a misnomer; issues stem from emotional demotivation.
- Conflict management within teams requires clear boundaries and consequences for behavior.
- Need for regulatory oversight in coaching programs in the Philippines to identify and develop talent.

- Coach Dennis will lead the development of a standardized program for Filipino swimmers and coaches.
- Coach Scott Valkers is thanked for his contributions and opportunity to collaborate.
- Coaches express excitement about future visits and seminars.
- Communication details exchanged for further coordination.
- Acknowledgment of various coaching organizations and their leaders.
- Emphasis on unity and continuous learning in swimming.

- Training involves exercises for strength and flexibility.
- Success in races is linked to athlete training quality.
- Kieran Perkins succeeded despite training in a small pool.
- Sprint training is crucial for speed, regardless of pool size.
- Sprinters differ from distance swimmers in jumping ability.
- Motivation techniques focus on personal challenges and emotions.
- Positive reinforcement and emotional connection are vital in coaching.
- "Burnout" is seen as emotional demotivation rather than fatigue.
- Clear boundaries are essential for conflict management in teams.
- Regulatory oversight is needed in Philippine coaching programs.
- Coach Dennis will standardize training for Filipino swimmers and coaches.
- Coach Scott Valkers is recognized for his contributions.
- Coaches are eager for future seminars and visits.
- Communication for coordination has been established.
- Acknowledgment of various coaching organizations and leaders.
- Emphasis on unity and ongoing learning in swimming.

We have a World Championship, 10 times World Championship gold medal and Producer of great Swimmers and two-time gold medal in Olympics none other than coach Scott Vulkers

Thank you for having me I'm not sure who I'm speaking to or how many coaches from different countries around the world, but we're all involved in swimming and it's all pretty much 1 big family.

I don't know what level we're talking to, so I want to make sure this afternoon is casual so we can look at whatever might help you as a person, as a coach, in your endeavours to get better.

If you don't understand something, please speak.

I don't know whether you get the opportunity, you can just ask a question at any time, I'm happy with that.

I thought I'd just start by just sharing with you these few paragraphs.

Today I want to take a moment to celebrate you, the heart and soul behind every swimmer's journey.

Coaching is not just about teaching strokes or improving lap times.

It's about shaping character, instilling discipline and fostering a lifelong love for the sport.

Each day you step onto the pool deck with unwavering dedication, ready to guide, inspire and push our athletes to their fullest potential.

Your impact reaches far beyond the lanes of the pool.

You teach resilience when a swimmer fights through exhaustion, perseverance when they confront a setback, and confidence when they achieve their personal best.

Remember, it is your belief in them that fuels their belief in themselves.

Your words of encouragement, the strategies you develop and the support you provide, all of these elements we've together to create champions.

Embrace the challenges that come your way knowing that every obstacle is an opportunity to grow stronger both for you and for your swimmers.

Keep pushing boundaries, experimenting with new techniques, and fostering culture of continuous improvement.

The victories, both big and small, are testaments to your hard work and commitment.

You are more than coaches, you are mentors, role models and heroes.

Thank you for your relentless passion, for your tireless effort and for your countless hours you invest in shaping the future.

The legacy you build is etched in the achievements and the characters of every swimmer you come in touch with.

Let's continue to dive deep, swim strong, reach for the stars.

Together we can create waves of success that ripple through the generations.

It's just a few words that I found as appropriate to being a coach.

It's not just about turning up, doing what suits us, doing what we think may just be right just because.

It's about understanding the people that you have in front of you and trying to get the potential that they have in them brought out.

Now a lot of athletes don't appear to have that much potential, but I can tell you from past experience that improvement comes in various different ways and different times of an athlete's career.

It's amazing what can happen when someone is motivated and pushed to the to the limit that they can bring out the best that they had to offer.

I've seen many athletes do unbelievable performances that were physically thought not to be possible.

We've seen people carried to the pool to swim 1500 metres at world championships to come second in their personal life, in their lifetime best time for 1500 meters.

Something I didn't believe would have been possible.

I've seen people get out of a sick bed to swim at world championships and gain medals.

I've seen people come back from mishap, injury, fight their way back.

1 great swimmer from America that taught me a lot was Amanda Baird who came as a 14-year-old came second at the Olympics in, I think it was in Atlanta, I believe it was.

She then did not do a personal best time in that 200 meter breaststroke for 7 years.

7 years of fighting to try and improve her lifetime best.

And on that 1 day, 7 years later, when she achieved her next personal best time, she also won the gold medal at world championships and broke and equaled the world record at the time.

So there are many things that are possible that we can underestimate that we don't think it's possible but we need to believe and what we push our athletes to achieve we have the first thing we have to understand is that anything is possible.

If a swimmer says, I want to go to the Olympics and you look at them and say, I don't think that's really possible.

Anything can happen, but you need to put yourself into a position to allow it to happen, to make it to happen, or the way, the pathway that's going to open up for you to get it there.

1 of my last last occasions when I found this is I had a boy in Brazil that wanted to come and train with me in my team and in Brazil they all get paid to swim.

He was willing to come and train with me for no money because he got kicked out of his team called Pinheiros before the Olympics.

So he came to train with me said I want to make the Olympic team.

Now if you know Brazilian swimming, 50 freestyle is the golden event of Brazil swimming.

You have in front of him Bruno Fartus and Cesar Cielo apart from all the other people that were in front of him.

Now he believed that strongly that he could do it.

I went on the journey with him to try and make it happen.

We needed to be ready for that 1 moment when the Olympic trials came around and we had to make sure that he was at his best and that it didn't matter what the other swam, he had to be better than what they could do.

And everything went against the swimmers that night at the Olympic trials.

Cielo was in lane 4, Bruno Fratis is in lane 5, and I think my boy was in 3, I believe, or maybe even 2.

And just before they blew the whistle, the lights went down in the Olympic Stadium and the total electricity shut off for the stadium.

So they had to go back away from behind the blocks and come back.

And then we talked about this being a, a world championship title fight.

Then it's about being ready and being focused on the next job at hand, which was to be calm and in control, ready for the next competition race, which was 45 minutes later when the lights came back on.

And then that race, they blew the whistle, they stood on the blocks, and we'd worked our way to this point when that race went ahead and at the touch on the wall there was Bruno Fratis in something like 21.81 and then my boy 21.84 and then Cesar Cielo in 21.92.

So to beat Noc Seas' yellow out of the Olympic games for his home games was a very special moment to me.

It made me very excited and obviously made the swimmer very excited.

I believe it's what we do as coaches that makes a difference to the people along the way.

That boy went on to swim, kept swimming, he went to the Olympics, he came ninth at the Olympics, just missed the final.

But a great achievement for a not so special swimmer, a very strong, explosive swimmer, but nothing special.

But he had a dream, he had a passion, and a desire to achieve, and he went ahead and did that.

Was a great moment, probably 1 of the greatest moments of my coaching career, which sounds funny behind world records and Olympic gold medals, but it was a very, very special moment to achieve that at that time.

But first you have to dream or have a dream.

You have a dream as a coach or they have a dream as a swimmer.

And I remember as a young boy, I think I was 19 when I started.

I became, my old coach called me up and said, do I wanna become a learn to swim teacher?

So I went back in and became a learner swim teacher and a toilet cleaner, pool cleaner and everything else you could do.

I started at the very bottom of the ladder of swimming.

I started off as a learning swim teacher and a very, very junior assistant coach.

I worked my way up from there through to very good junior levels.

Then I became, in 1988, the Queensland state director of swimming coaching.

At the Valley Pool, where I had a very good team, started to build a very good team.

Samantha Riley then broke the world record in 1994 in Rome for the 100 breaststroke.

And Susie O'Neill then came over in 1995 and she then won Olympic gold in 96 and broke the world record in the 200 butterfly in 1999 before the 2000, might have even been 2000 Olympic trials, not quite sure, But she went on and she actually got beaten in the 200 butterfly at the Olympics, but won the 200 freestyle.

Now, that is a very interesting story of how, as coaches, we're put into positions.

Before the 99 trials, she said to me, I don't want to swim the 200 freestyle anymore.

Cause she'd done many, many times of 2 double 0.0, 2 double 0.1, 2 double 0.1, et cetera, et cetera, for many years.

And so I said, OK, if you break the Commonwealth record, which was 159.6 at the time, much slower than they go today, then you don't have to do it anymore.

So she went out in that competition and went 159.1.

And I said, well, now you're world class.

So I tricked her into keeping on doing the event.

And then she went to the next competition and went 158.1.

And then following to the Olympic trials, it went 157.3.

And then she went on to the Olympic Games and won the Olympic gold medal in the event she didn't want to swim.

And lost the 200 butterfly, the ones you really wanted the most.

But you don't always get what you want, but you've got to keep on trying, keep on stepping forward.

So Then I gave up, I stopped coaching then in 2000 after the Olympics.

And then I was state director of coaching, head coach of Australian swimming for the world in 2003.

Went to, I went to Brazil in 2012 for 5 years, 4 years, 4 or 5 years, close to it, and took the team there, ended up getting 5 people on the Olympic team from our team, might have even been more than that in the whole team, but it made the Brazilian Olympic team.

So things are possible when you set your mind to it and you plan it out.

You can achieve it and you can believe it, then You can achieve it in the future.

But I guess we have to keep asking ourselves, well, how?

What do we need to step from where we are today to be better tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after?

What do we need in place for us to be able to achieve something better than what we already have?

Keep questioning the way you can do it and how you can move forward.

I don't care if it's 10-year-old swimmers.

They all have the same dreams, They all have the same aspirations.

And I really believe that a champion that was is far better than a champion that never was.

So our job is to do the best we can with what people we have in front of us.

And that's why it's important not to just think about Olympics, if that's not your level.

I've been to where my Olympics at stages of my career were the 6 to nine-year-olds in Brisbane in a championship called the mini championships.

And then we'd move up to the state championships.

And you might know a crazy coach named Dean Boxel.

You'll see in the world of swimming at the moment.

I had Dean Boxel as a swimmer from 9 years of age to 16.

He was always that crazy but he was a state gold medalist and he did important things.

Interesting story with Dean 1 day is the night before the mini championships were on he used to do a two-beat kick freestyle.

So the night before I said I want to teach you six-beat kick freestyle And we just changed it to 6 beat kick the night before and the next day went on to win that gold medal in the Freestyle event using the new new stroke and technique which he still has today So 1 important lesson is there is that don't be scared to try things to have a go to look into What could possibly make them better than what they are whether it's motivation physiological psychological Just just passion.

You've got to be they've got to They've got to be driven but you as a coach has to be driven as well to help them along the way.

When we get them to the blocks is when we want them to have no fear.

We have to teach them as coaches to to project themselves in the to the levels of greatness through not being scared to put out to have a go to fail.

Don't be scared to fail because you can fail many times before you succeed.

But it's knowing as a coach, what is a person capable of at that time and then pushing them to the level, to the limit.

There's a good story I have with Samantha Riley.

On a birthday, I'd always give a birthday present of time trial.

So this day, Samantha Riley's birthday, I don't know, about 2000 and no, not 2000, 1991 or 2002, in her birthday.

And I said, okay, it's your birthday, your time trial, 100 breaststroke, you have to beat 111.00 for it to count.

And that's what I thought she could do on that day.

I think she had a best time of 1.9 something at the time.

So she stood up and had a go and she went 11108.

So you'll always have be better the second time you do it.

And then she got back up the second time and she went 111.01.

I said that's very good so close but you just didn't quite make it so you have to have a third attempt.

So she got up for a third attempt and we talked about it and put it together and she went 110.8 on the third attempt and then I said happy birthday you made it.

So the moral of the story is 1 is that me as a coach didn't give something that I didn't really believe could be done.

Then it's about pushing to a level that they can, if they achieve it, then they know they've achieved something very good and not allowing them to fail and run away, but pushing back against it and then the feeling of success after achieving something worthwhile in that training session.

So we've got to get to a time that we're, as a coach, what do we do?

I believe they're a strategist, they're a mentor, they're almost a parent, they're a psychologist, physiologist, physiotherapist.

They're all of these things, a motivational person, a disciplinarian, a friend, a confidant, all of these things rolled into 1 is what we are.

And it's our job to plan the way forward to help them achieve what they can do.

So the things we do need, we need a great understanding of technique.

You can ask yourself, could you stand up and give a one-hour talk on swimming freestyle.

If you could stand and do a one-hour talk on the technique of executing great freestyle then you'll know the stroke very well.

If you can only talk on it for 2 minutes then maybe you need a little bit more knowledge and education.

But it's very important to know your techniques.

It's very important to have a training methodology, depending on what style of method you believe in.

Mine now, these days, is the capacity versus power model, Where we train the capacity, then we train the power, and we get, as we head in different phases, and head towards the competition.

But obviously that doesn't become all totally relevant to really young children.

So, but you have to know how you're going to break up your training.

You don't want me to go to the next link yet, Dennis, do you?

If we're caught, then we proceed to the second thing.

So Having your training methodology, whatever you believe in or what you have been taught, because I really believe we only know what we know after we have been taught something.

Then you have your desire, your motivation, your motivation to assist, your motivation to maintain their motivation, what maintains your motivation, what pushes you, then what can you say and do that pushes the athletes to the next level.

The desire you push into it and the perseverance.

Susie O'Neill came to me in 1995 being third in the world, third in the Olympics, third in the world I think it was at that time, with a 209, done 209 for 200 butterfly and she was either going to retire from swimming or change coaches.

So in the end she changed coaches and it took me, best part of 5 years, 5 years to get her to drop from 209 to the world record of 205.8 or whatever it was.

So at that level, 4 seconds faster still took 4 or 5 years.

So it's perseverance, understanding, knowledge, refinement of technique, refinement of training techniques, passion, keeping going, keeping the drive going.

But we can't expect everything to be just gets better easily.

So we come back to some of the things that I believe we really need apart from planning.

Planning only comes once we know what our structure is going to be, what our weekly cycle is going to be, what our plan for the next, say, 14 weeks and then the plan for the whole year.

So it depends if you do that stuff, it depends on the level of your athletes.

Don't be scared by that if you don't do it.

It's about learning and growing as you go along after that.

Comes back to some of the things that I believe in.

I think we need, your body and performance works on energy systems.

We need all of the energy systems covered in our training, in our levels.

We have aerobic 1, 2, and 3 and we move into the anaerobic threshold area.

VO 2 max area or the and the we have others areas that we call anaerobic capacity and then we have then we go into the speed area right at the top of the ladder.

To me, the most important thing in sport for these days is speed.

Is governed by What outright speed can your athletes travel at for 10 metres or 15 metres?

That's what's going to govern the outcome.

It's not going to be if they can do 10 100s on 1 minute 30.

What governs unless you're a 1, 500-metre swimmer?

But even a 1, 500-metre swimmer is governed by speed.

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