King Swimming
To King Swimming Clients
From Kathleen Kinsey
Date Wednesday March 5, 2025
Subject: Information
KING SWIMMING CAPS have arrived. I will always have an extra on hand for lessons. They are for sale for $10 each.
King’s monthly concept
Technique
Quote: “If you do not have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over”? John Wooden, legendary UCLA basketball coach
I had the pleasure of learning from swimming technique legend, Russell Mark. I studied his ASCA (American Swimming Coaches Association) Level II stroke school in early January. Russell taught the trends in world swimming technique. I have been incorporating all that he taught me in January and February this year. Russell Mark is the premier stroke analytics expert world wide. He has studied trends in swimming from the late 1960’s American athletes through present day.
BONUS CONCEPT: Passion
Three weeks ago, I had the pleasure of flying to Austin, TX to see my oldest daughter, Greta. Greta coaches for Waterloo Swimming in Cedar Park, TX. Waterloo swimming has over 450 swimmers. Greta and I agreed that coaches that think the sport is ONLY about swimming don’t really understand what it’s like to mentor children.
Many of you know Coach Greta. She was a Marlins coach for over 3 years. Coach Greta and I worked with the Marlins through covid. Most did not know that Greta volunteered her time with the Marlins during the crazy covid lockdown days.
There was no school, no swim practice, no in-person church, no real schedule for anyone outside the home. Greta and I came up with the idea of Zoom dryland. Every day, we invited all swimmers on the team to join us for a 30-40 minute virtual workout. One of us did the exercises with beginner, intermediate and advanced levels and the other one of us, watched the movements on the iPad and corrected swimmers. We made the best of a trying situation and have enjoyed watching yesterday’s Zoom athletes become today’s successful athletes in and out of the pool.
Greta and I already knew that coaching children was not just about swimming. We know if is about life. Every child or adult will swim their last race one day. What will they take away from the sport? The lessons learned have much to do with the culture of the coaches and the team children are part of.
The best cultures in youth sports embody the following; teamwork, accountability, enrichment, sense of belonging and pride, adding value, accomplishment, love for hard work and satisfaction.
Additionally, a healthy team culture will also teach; responsibility (care for facilities), respect (for teammates, volunteers), love for the team, love for the sport and the all important life lessons of timeliness, hard work, gratitude and goal setting just to name a few.
These events are life - they are why passion matters every day!
Greta had a child in her group who recently had a parent survive cancer. The parent told Coach Greta that swim practice was the shining part of that child’s day and she would have been lost without Coach Greta during that trying time.
9 years ago I was coaching a swimmer who had an undiagnosed heart condition. He fainted at the end of practice. Ian was 11 years old at the time. He collapsed into the pool, I calmly pulled him out and started chest compressions. The lifeguard and another coach took over and I managed the scene with his mother and the 6 swim groups changing practices at the time.
Ian died twice that day - had he been anywhere but a pool deck with competent coaches and guards, he would not be alive today.
Ian went on to have a full recovery because he never had any time without oxygen to his brain. Yesterday was Ian’s 23rd birthday. I write to his parents every year. He is graduating from Sac State in May and hopes to work in the gaming industry.
Lessons and club services
Lessons are going well for all King Swimming athletes. We have incorporated new drills and the use of tempo trainers to help with underwater speed and stroke rates.
Remember EVERY King Swimming athlete has agreed to a minimum of 3 dolphin kicks off all WALLS (of course, not breaststroke). A few King athletes are committing to 4 dolphin kicks off each wall - what is your number?
DO you know a rec or high school club that will benefit from a King Swimming service? Let us know and will will work with you to contact that team.
Journals - all King swimmers are keeping swim journals. Use your Dartfish videos to make notes after lessons.
IMPORTANT NEWS AND SCHEDULING
March 13 - no afternoon lessons. Friday lessons will be an option March 14th. Please request to move your 13th lesson to Friday that week
Dartfish videos - Some King athletes have old and a LOT of Dartfish videos. I will be deleting old videos soon. If you wish to have access to the old videos, please download them soon
KING SWIMMING CAPS have arrived. I will always have an extra on hand for lessons. They are for sale for $10 each.
Sincerely,
King Swimming
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