So,
Do you remember those times you were in the middle of a death set and you would look up and see Craig, Andy, or Brooke talking on the benches? Yeah I do too. Well now I am one of those coaches.
This year I am an assistant coach of the Chapman Panthers Women's Varsity Team. Yes, I did date one of my swimmers the past year. Has it come back to bite me in the ass? You bet. But that is neither here nor there (although her and her friends have tried to get me fired multiple times).
Anyway, the point of the post is to offer a former swimmer's view of what it is like to be a coach:
Firstly, it is a lot more fun to be out on deck shooting the shit with your peers than in the water doing a super hard set. For example today I gave two people a "training effect" practice that pushed them almost to puking. I was encouraging, but at the same time thought how awesome it was that I did not have to swim.
I will say though, it is really hard being a coach, especially when some of the seniors are only a couple years younger than I am. You want to help everyone, but at the same time it is a women's team and we all know the challenges that are associated with those. It is like a drama-fest every time I walk on to the pool deck. It has taken awhile, but I think people are actually starting to think I know what I am doing.
As a coach you still have to get up for mornings, and taking after our own goddess assistant I like to do the circuit with the group.
All in all it has been a very interesting start to the season. It has taken a lot of adjusting, especially in the social aspect. Rather than going to party with the team you just go and go out with your other friends. Its a little weird and I'm still getting used to it.
Any who, that's all I have so far. I will say this though and it is the best advice CJ ever gave me.
"Be a person first and a coach second"
