Reflections from Three Diverse Wave Makers
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
Release Date: 04/18/2025
School Sports Saved -- past position paper turned the tide of massive cuts
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
In episode #79 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, we break down a prior war with the Pittsburgh school‑district’s Superintendent of Schools. She had a proposal to slash $600 K in sports programs and the comprehensive counter‑proposal helped keep those programs alive. It wasn’t a victory, but it wasn’t a defeat. Coach Mark walks through the financial, strategic, and community arguments that turned a budget cut into a reform opportunity. The district’s cut list (high‑school swimming, tennis, golf; middle‑school volleyball, wrestling; all intramurals) and the $600 K savings...
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Level 1 Swim Secrets from Suriname and Coach Yash
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
Coach Yash Daryanani shares his Goldwater Sports coaching system, from philosophy to day‑to‑day session management. Learn the core principles that helped him build national teams and clinics. What you’ll learn in this episode, #78 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide: Coaching philosophy: discipline, patience, and individual attention as the foundation for swimmer development. Essential safety & pool‑management practices (pre‑session checks, shadowing, emergency preparedness). Setting clear parent‑coach boundaries and communication rules. Teaching fundamentals for...
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Steps along the pathway for a coach's wellness journey
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
Barry Healey cares about the coaching profession and aims to improve sports In this candid conversation, episode #77 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, coaches Barry Healey and Mark Rauterkus discuss the real‑world challenges of running a swim program. Wellness matters to those on the pool decks. Burnout to compliance…. They sharing practical tricks that actually work. Learn how small changes can protect coaches, calm parents, and boost program growth. What you’ll discover: The hidden costs of coach burnout and why many lack a support system. Proven strategies for managing young...
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Challenge Accepted: Filling the Big Data Void in Aquatics
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
Nicole's heavy lift. A vision for data collection for swimming instruction. Nicole Fairfield explains why the aquatic education field lacks solid research data and how her Joyful Waters curriculum craved that data. She aims to fill the research gap and is planting seeds for scientific validation for all types of aquatic developmental benchmarks. She also outlines the vision for a secure, comprehensive database to track developmental and adaptive outcomes. In this episode, #76, of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, you’ll hear from the ambitious instructor in Georgia and learn: Why current...
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This Polo Coach Cracked the Code to Athlete Growth (No Pool Needed)
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
The 30-Day System That’s Transforming Young Athletes – Here’s How “Everyone says hard work is the key… but what if that’s not enough? In this episode, we unpack a 30-day system that’s turning water polo players into unstoppable athletes — and it might just change how you train forever.” In this episode of Heavy Or Not, we dive deep into Coach Ron Usher’s 30-day growth system built for young water polo players but powerful for any athlete striving to improve. From mindset to skill development to daily habits, this episode unpacks the core principles behind real...
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400 IM - How Phelps and Marchand set records and insights from India's Coach Partha. Negative SPLIT
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
Unlock the secrets behind mastering the 400 IM with elite coach from India, Partha Pratim Majumdar. Learn the strategic, aerobic, and mental tools that power world‑record swims like Phelps and Marchand. In this video you’ll discover: Why the 400 IM is a strategic race, not just brute strength nor conditioning, and how the “lactate penalty” impacts performance. How to build a massive aerobic engine by focusing on long‑axis strokes (freestyle & backstroke). The “200‑meter rule” and why mastering each 200 -meter stroke guarantees a smoother 400 IM. Training methods...
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Rich Coach or Poor Coach -- Get a Learn To Swim Lesson Program and UCANSwim.org can help
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
“From Drowning Stats to Million‑Dollar Swim Schools: How Coaches Turn Pools into Profit (and Safety)‑First Empires” Swim Coaches Can Earn Six Figures by Adding Structured Lesson Sessions The Australian Success Secret: Integrated Lesson Programs Drive Performance and Profit In this episode, Steve Friederang breaks down why every swim coach should run a lesson program—and how it can become a serious revenue stream while boosting safety and recruitment. He shares real‑world numbers, proven strategies, and the pitfalls to watch out for. Why lesson programs are essential for...
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Negotiated Surrender - Vote‑of‑No‑Confidence for the Head Coach Highlights Team's end-of-season Banquet
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
Safety Dilemma and League Issues. Have mercy on the Foxes as they are sly! In episode #72 of Heavy or Not we break down the bizarre “vote‑of‑no‑confidence” resignation tactic of a Fox Chapel Area high‑school coach and its athletic department. Sure, there is a deeper safety and fairness crisis driving it. Plus, I’m certain some wire pullers are lurking like sly foxes do. We also explore the district’s league‑restructuring proposal and why athletic reform matters now more than ever. What you’ll learn: How a coach’s “negotiated surrender” forces parents to vote on his...
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How Insurance Gaps and Governance Failures Threaten Swim Coaches' Careers
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
How Insurance Gaps and Governance Failures Threaten Swim Coaches' Careers Uninsured. Unheard. Undervalued. Real challenges facing swim coaches are pondered. Why they’re left out of the decision‑making table, the insurance maze, and what’s needed to keep the sport of swimming (and others) thriving. Coach Barry Healey, BC, Canada, and Mark Rauterkus, International Swim Coaches Association in the USA, break down the roadblocks and propose concrete steps. Why coaches aren’t at the table with health and policy makers. The tangled insurance landscape (LEI, Lloyd’s, Marker, SwimBC,...
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Swimming's Geo Political $.02 - Tiny snip of a conversation with Jonty, Dennis and Mark
Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
Take a peek at Coach Jonty’s holistic approach to athlete development and the geopolitical factors shaping swimming. This clip highlights a few insights from Jonty Skinner’s recent WAFSU seminar. In this video you’ll learn: How Coach Jonty connects with kids and leverages holistic development. The genetic and regional patterns that produce world‑class runners and swimmers. South Africa’s historical impact on elite athletics and its modern swimming scene. Emerging swimming talent from Tunisia and broader African nations. Where to watch the full two‑hour seminar on...
info_outlineA heartfelt farewell of a dedicated water safety advocate, Bob Pratt.
Plus, we’ll explore insights from the world of competitive swimming.
This is NOT okay!
Join us as we uncover the challenges and triumphs faced by those committed to making a difference.
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Bob Pratt's emotional farewell and reflections on his water safety advocacy journey.
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The impact of organizational politics on rescue operations and public safety.
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The challenges of misinformation in the water safety community.
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Katinka Hosszu's journey and experiences came into focus on another podcast that should not be missed.
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Dr. Genedijus Sokolovas discusses the importance of aerobic development in young athletes. That sets the stage for talk about the expansion of the Olympic Swimming Events to include the 50-meter back, 50-meter breast and the 50-meter fly for LA28.
Doctor G said:
There are some so-called sensitive periods of development in long-term training, and I was discussing all that in my course. If we are missing aerobic development sensitive period,,, we are done. It will be very hard to develop good aerobic fitness. And that sensitive period of development for kids starts at age 11 for girls, and 12 for boys.
How many coaches are know about that and focusing on aerobic development at that age?
I don't know how many.
Based on my conversations with coaches, very little. I'm going to show them models of how much you should reach with aerobic swimming at sensitive period of development.
Ron Aitken from Sandpipers, he told me, oh, we're exactly on this volume, sir.
But how many other teams are?
I think they're much lower.
From my experience, teams that I was working with, 70%, 80% of them are NOT reaching this volumes. And they're not developing good aerobic conditioning in that age. And that transfers to elite also, actually. They never will be good if they didn't do good aerobic training. They're not recovering well, because aerobic training improves muscular capillarization. More oxygen is coming, more nutrients coming. Metabolic products are removed faster.
And if we are not developing that, we can work as hard as we want later on. And we'll not develop middle distance.
Also Watch:
YouTube of Unfiltered Waters with guest, Katinka Hosszu
Join Katie and Elizabeth with their podcast, Unfiltered Waters, as they share great moments with superstar Katinka Hosszu in Hungary.
Whether you're a seasoned swimmer or just love a good story, there's something here for everyone.
You'll Learn:
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The Importance of Water Safety Advocacy: Hear Bob Pratt’s heartfelt farewell and his lifelong dedication to drowning prevention. Discover why this mission is more crucial than ever.
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The Peter Principle in Action: Learn about Bob Pratt’s experiences with organizational challenges and how they can impact effectiveness and morale.
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Olympic Insights from Katinka Hosszu: Get a behind-the-scenes look at Katinka’s journey with a brief pointer to her mental strategies she used to handle the pressure of being a top contender. Go listen to that other podcast next.
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The Role of Aerobic Development in Swimming: Dr. Genedijus Sokolovas shares insights on the critical periods for developing aerobic fitness in young swimmers and why it’s essential for long-term success.
Fun Fact from the Episode: Did you know that Katinka Hosszu has competed in five Olympic Games? Her journey is inspiring, and she shares some of her most memorable moments in a fun interview.
Call to Action:
Ready to dive in? Click to https://Read.SwimISCA.org and check out the free and open course, Water Safety Jam from the Great Lakes Consortium which includes a taste of Bob’s impact.