Calling time...

Greetings y’all,

 

I know the coconut telegraph has spread the word to some - 2021 was my last full year of coaching.  After being in sport for nearly 50 years as an athlete, official, promoter, course worker, organizer, coach and steward, it is time to call it a ‘career’.  I cannot begin to express what racing and coaching bikes, skis, sailboats, and canoe/kayak has meant to me personally.  Throughout my time as a coach, I’ve mentioned that early on I was blessed with support, coaching and sponsorship far beyond my abilities as an athlete.  It has been my sincere pleasure to return at least some measure of that in coaching young athletes.  

While I have always considered myself a “regional sub-elite athlete”, I have definitely taken pride in my roles/accomplishments as a coach/organizer/steward:

• Competition Director, Cycling, Goodwill Games - 1990 
• Category 1 Official, USA Cycling - 1991-1998
• Founder/Coach - Rice Creek Boat Club - 2006-2016
• Founder/Coach - Twin Cities Paddlesports - 2017-present
• Chair, Competition Council, American Canoe Association - 2017-2019
• Instructor/Instructor Trainer, International Canoe Federation - 2017-present
• Havens Leadership Award Winner, ACA - 2019

Mostly though, I look back at the athletes I’ve coached, whether at my club, on a team trip, or at a camp with fondness and appreciation of what they accomplished as athletes, and what they have gone on to accomplish/will accomplish in their lives whether in sport, academia or business.  Whether National Team member, or fitness participant, it was my pleasure to be your coach. The same must be said for the parents, coaches and volunteers I’ve met through sport.  I have learned so much, made many life-long friends state-side and around the globe, and I especially appreciate those who have continued to support me through the good times and the hard times. A word I’ve adopted, and attempted to build our club around is Ohana.  For those outside the paddling community - it’s Hawaiian for family or extended family.  And I have a truly amazing Ohana! 

In terms of the future, I plan to do more traveling with my wife - camping, hiking, biking and sight-seeing around the country.  This will be the first summer in nearly 15 years that I’ve taken a summer vacation that didn’t involve a regatta or camp.  I am staying involved in Twin Cities Paddlesports, but moving into the President’s role, focusing more on community support and logistics to support the club.*

It’s been a pretty incredible journey, and I want to thank each of you who have been a part of it. I won’t say goodbye, but rather…

Aloha

*At present, the TCP Board is wrapping up a job description for my replacement, and will be posting that shortly.  This will mark a transition for the club from a volunteer coach, to a paid position (which has been one of my personal goals for the club). The job posting will be out shortly.  For more information, or for early consideration for the position, please contact Arndt Poecher, (apoecher@tcpaddlesports.com)

*At present, the TCP Board is wrapping up a job description for my replacement, and will be posting that shortly.  This will mark a transition for the club from a volunteer coach, to a paid position (which has been one of my personal goals for the club). The job posting will be out shortly.  For more information, or for early consideration for the position, please contact Arndt Poecher, (apoecher@tcpaddlesports.com)

Youth paddling - A work in progress...

Take the journey.

Sometimes a journey starts with a single step, and sometimes it's a shove in the back.

Nine years ago, Joe Manns and I were the co-founders of the Rice Creek Boat Club. I came to my first USCA Nationals in Bristol, IN, met a bunch of people, and I got to race a couple of races. But mostly I was there in company of about 15 youth from the Rice Creek Boat Club (thanks for the shout-out, Jan). We made it to the subsequent Nationals in PA, WI and MI, but unfortunately we weren't seeing growth in the youth ranks. In 2011, we were invited to bring 4 of my best kayak athletes to a camp in Chula Vista to give sprint kayak a try. And at that point, I switched my entire focus to coaching Sprint.

The difference in turnout between sprint and marathon is pretty shocking. USCA Nationals is usually 10-25 kids of all ages (5-19). USAC/K Sprint Nationals is 300+ kids, with 12-15 year olds being the sweet spot. It's not unusual to have 30-40 13-14 yo boys, and 20-30 girls, lining up for sprints, Go to Canada, and you'll find 600 youth racing ICF canoes and kayaks in Halifax/Dartmouth alone!

Share the experience

Why the difference? It's not the training hours, it's the number of kids training. The development athletes (planning to go to Nationals) put in 6-8 hours a week in the summer, the elite (planning to make finals at Nationals) are putting in closer to 15-20, and in training of some kind year around. The serious difference is who they are training _with_. As much as most kids love their grandparents, training all the time with grandpa and his friends is not nearly as much fun as training with 10-20 of *your* friends.

Note I've been focusing on sprint here, but it also applies to marathon, or SUP, or touring. Our marathon group has ebbed and flowed, but it still revolves around the youth. Kids are the single best recruiting tool you can have. You, as adults, have to back that up with equipment and volunteers to help coach, drive, chaperon, fundraise, etc.

Burnout.

Another BIG reason. Take a look at the number of parents who have their little darlings scheduled from school-out to late bedtime with sports, sports camps, individual coaching, travel teams, And that's just for the 8 year olds!  The sports budget for a "typical" traveling team 8-10 year old is $6,000 - $15,000 per year! For hockey, dance, gymnastics or ice skating, it can be far more. The sad news is that by the time they are 12-15, most of these kids will be so burned out and injured that they *hate* the sport that mom/dad have invested their college education fund in pursuing. Oh, and the chance of actually getting a scholarship for those single sport athletes? - Nil.

Connections

Mostly, they do prefer to be connected, both to the digital world and to the oxygen breathing one. They like to watch their friends race, they like meeting other kids who do the same activity, and they like having the shared experience. The digital generation isn't disconnected from reality and buried in a game, they just interact differently than the gray-hairs do. Watch a group of kids after practice or after a race and they'll be actively on their phones with their friends across the country or even world, via snapchat, twitter, instagram or messenger, sharing their experience. Like as not, half of the people standing/sitting around with them are part of that experience.

Join a guild.

This year, as they have for the past few years, I'll be out with a group of 8-10 young athletes who are on the water at 6:00 AM 4-5 mornings a week, and back at 5:00 PM 4 days a week. They have a variety of reasons for being there, but mostly it's to belong, to strive, to excel. And mostly, they come because they know they will have friends out there with them, sharing the experience and also striving to improve. Norman Bellingham, past USOC Exec Director, and I think the last US athlete to wear Gold for sprint kayak (with Greg Barton) called it "Joining a guild" - a community of like minded people striving to improve at their craft, learning from each other, their 'guild masters' (coaches) and sharing their knowledge.

Learn the game.

Want to do something about kids racing? Find ways to help people like Steve Corlew get their club started up and racing. Find an old sprint boat or two and get a group of kids out to paddle. Need help or ideas? Yell. I'll be happy to help you find a club near you, or help get one started.

Thought circles - coaching series

I'm a big believer in positive attitude and positive thought stream bringing rewards in just about anything you do.
If you ask top skiers how they mentally preview the course, it's always about attacking the gate, hitting the perfect line, and accelerating to the next gate - making the perfect run.  There is no 'plan B', no 'what if', and definitely not 'watch out for...'  Rehearsing disaster can do more to bring it on than ignoring it - it's a mental game, and really essential to focus on the positive mental aspects on race day.  You *learn* how to dance, ski, paddle, row, ride, run, climb back on the training course, home gym, or lake.  You learn how to deal with disaster there too.  If you are training hard, you'll make mistakes, you'll crash and burn and sometimes, you get hurt. You also learn how to recover - brace with your toes, stick your butt out and regain your balance, and dab your brakes to stay in the trail.  But come competition day, you clear your mind and put it all behind you.  On race day, the only thing that matters is the positive, clear and perfect race.

In the words of Morpheus from the Matrix, "Free your mind." Get to the venue early enough to warm up, collect your gear, Talk to your coach if you have one.  I get calls from some of my athletes at ridiculous hours of the morning on race day just for a pep talk. And it's not really a pep talk - just a chance to clear your mind about what you are doing.

The mechanics of *what* you think about on race day depends somewhat on the sport.  Rule one is always "think only about positive things".  Pre-race affirmations like "I am fast", "I know this course", "I'm feeling good today" are great, but come race time, park them, along with the negative stuff.  You belong here.  If you didn't, you wouldn't be on the line today.  Park it all.

I teach a 'thought circle' to use while racing.  The thoughts vary a lot depending on the event.  When I was racing time trials on bike, back before the days of power meters, heart rate monitors and tri bars, my thought circle was "heart, head, heels" I'd repeat this every minute or so. It's just a checkin for your body - am I going as hard as possible, is my head staying in the game, am I on plan for my legs.  You can vary this to fit your sport, and for a really short sprint, it may be a single word - like "breathe".  The important part is to have something to trigger positive actions and thoughts locked in your mind.

What you think about next does depend to some extent on how long your race is.  If it's a long race, like a ski marathon, you actually have lots of time to think, and if you tried to constantly think about a 3 word circle, you'd wear yourself out in about 2K.  But there are lots of other things to think about in a marathon - the course, your technique, others around you.  It's still very important to keep positive - even when your wax is slipping.  Think about what you need to do to fix it, or correct it, not "my skis are slipping, I'm going slow,"  Reality may be "my skis are slipping because my wax is gone, but I have one climb left and it will cost me more time to stop than to herringbone that hill".  Turn the negative into a positive PLAN.

The same concept holds true for a sprint race.  Kayaking and rowing are two of the highest energy output sports, and two of the most technical sports around.  So many things *can* go wrong, that it's easy to dwell upon them, and not think about the good that *will* happen when the horn goes off.

The thought circle becomes really important in sprint.  Write down the words you want to key on.  Setup, Catch, Pull, Exit, Return. Add in the elements of your race plan 'accelerate 20 blades at 500m', 'repeat at 750m', 'drive the final 50'  Don't focus on balance, don't focus on steering, don't worry about wind or waves or crabs or other distractions.  Don't even worry about your competition.  You won't be able to see them anyway, Just assume they are all right there with you.  Instead, commit yourself to that positive circle of thought.  You know what each word means, what it feels like when it's on.  How the boat gets 'the glide' when it's running well.  You know what you should feel like 75 or 80 blades down the course as you cross the finish line.  And you *know* how it feels when you do it right.

And when things go well in a race, and you finish well (or maybe win!), lock that moment in your mind.  Remember how you felt after you crossed that line.  Know that for that moment in time, you had the rock balanced at the top of the world.  It's a good feeling.  And it can become part of the circle next time.

~marsh

Important Questions in coaching

I think too much is made of success and failure measured in finite results - "we won", "I lost", "We were second [third, fifth, fifteenth,...]", "we got beat", "you kicked their...".

As a coach, I'm obviously thrilled when athletes I work for do well.  I'm also pleased when they have a positive learning experience, be it having someone do better than they did, or because they stopped to help a competitor who flipped their boat, and then sacrificed their race to stay with them to the finish.  Those are great moments.

Other great moments are the minor victories and losses.  I have a set of questions for athletes after every race.  Not every athlete gets every question every time.  Asking "where could you have saved 5 seconds" is pretty meaningless when the athlete wins by a full minute - or when they crashed off the course, fell down a tree-well, and had to take their skis off in order to get back on the trail, losing 2 minutes.

But in general, the questions ring true in any kind of race against the clock.
Questions:
Where could you have saved 5 seconds/kilometer? (5 km cross country ski race)

• Every athlete needs to develop a 'replay' loop in their head.  Thinking about the handful of spots where you got complacent, or didn't read the hill well and bogged down, picked the wrong pace or the wrong line.  None are catastrophic, but in races where the difference between 3rd and 13th is often less than 10 seconds, finding 10 seconds can be huge.  Learning how to process your race, take away a few thoughts, and put those lessons into practice are a huge part of becoming a complete athlete (not to mention lessons for the rest of your life).  It's a subtle but important change to move from "You were 11 seconds out of 6th place" to "I bogged down on both of the hills today and lost about 5 seconds on each one. I also eased up coming in to the finish and didn't pass that girl. I need to work on my endurance when climbing."  That's a maturing athlete.  Knowing that you bogged down (which the coach standing on another part of the course can't see) and telling your coach what you need help on allows your coach to adjust your workout to add more climbing power work - or closing speed in a sprint.  Not knowing that would perhaps spend too much time doing technique work on the flats.  Athletes need to be the main part of their coaching team.

Did you leave it all out on the course?  (especially important after a bad race)

• Sometimes, no matter how hard you go, the results go against you.  Yesterday, I watched Marit Bjoergen, the most dominant cross-country skier in the world right now, finish 31st at the World Championships.  (Jessie Diggins was 2nd, and Caitlin Gregg was 3rd!!!)  Conditions changed, and Marit's wax techs didn't hit the right combination.  By midway through the race, it was pretty obvious she was not going to be on the podium, but there was no quit, no 'saving it for another day'.  She still went for it with everything she had.  While I was in awe of Charolette Kalla, and near tears for Jess and Caitlin, I really felt for Bjoergen.  She left it all on the snow. Every race, every time.  No athlete wants to face the questions from their coach, their parents, their fans - or themselves - about "Did I try as hard as I could?" Everyone has bad days, bad races, mediocre outings.  But there is a big difference between "having a bad day" and not trying.  If you did all you could given conditions, health, overwhelming competition, mechanical breakdowns, hold your head up, see question number one, and figure out how to do better next outing.  

What do you need to do to get ready for next time?

• Again, see question number one.  If you are assimilating what you learned about your race, then you can sit down with your coaching team and plan out the improvements.  Finding that one or two points to work on in a given week may make the difference next time out.  It's not often an instant fix. Usually, it's absorbing behaviors, lessons, and working to make it perfect.  

And then again, if it was a great race...

• I live for the moments where I get to stand with an athlete just after they have crossed the line and processed that they had a great race, preferably while they are still hot, sweating and riding an endorphin high.  It's less a question than a concept at that moment. "I want you to take a deep breath, close your eyes and focus on how you feel right now.  Fix it in your mind.  You just had the best race you've ever had.  Fix it.  Remember it.  You own this. Enjoy it. Great race."  

It's *all* about the athletes.

Sportsmanship

Photo: John Millea, MSHSL media specialist

I am not knowledgeable on, nor really a fan of dance line, but I do respect  the athletes who participate.  Like any judged sport, there is a built in subjective criteria to judging, and sometimes the wrong team wins for the right/wrong reasons.   However in this case, it looks like Faribault won with a routine that was pre-adjudicated to be legal, and must have been executed well.  It would appear that the choreography was within the rules as written, and they won.  I wasn't there, I wouldn't be able to judge it in any case.  All I've been able to review has pointed to actions taken *before* competition by the Minnesota State High School League to remove the origins of the routine as an issue.  My sense is that dance choreography borrows from all sorts of sources from NFL cheerleaders to Martha Graham and the Bolshoi.  I could be wrong - I'm a coach in a different arena, and there are no style points awarded for keeping a boat upright.
Bring me the news coverage

All that said, I am disappointed for the kids/athletes who were shunned by the other competitors at the awards.   It's a judged sport, for heaven's sakes. They won. They didn't cheat.  They didn't kneecap anyone else to win or bribe judges. Congratulate them and move on.  If rules need to be changed, the time to do that is later.  The video of the now disqualified 2nd-5th place teams' actions should be evidence at their disciplinary hearing for further sanctions for the coaches.

There is no place in high school sports for actions like this.  "Honor the game" - even if you don't like the results.  To act as the other teams did dishonors the sport, themselves, and their competitors.  As coaches, parents and schools, we work hard to build up kids' true sense of self worth and self esteem.

Right now, I'm feeling a lot of sympathy for the girls who stood proudly on center stage, and not much empathy whatsoever for the 4 teams who stood off to the side, and frankly pouted.  Just plain out bad sportsmanship.

Sportsmanship and grace - Two years ago, an athlete I coach placed 4th at US National Team Trials for sprint kayak.  She had possibly the worst spring (in terms of training conditions) possible - ice on the water until 3 days before trials, horrid conditions on spring training trip south, and her coach did not do an adequate job of preparing her on the ergometer (indoor training). But she sucked it up and went for it.  She finished 4th (3 to qualify), and with far more grace than I could manage, congratulated the girls who beat her. I had never been so proud of an athlete.  A month later, she was elevated to join the team when one of the other athletes had to decline, and made 2 semifinals at Jr Worlds.  
Last year, I watched a high school boy from a conference rival school hand his race skis to a young lady whose skis went 'missing' due to a communications issue with her dad.  No questions asked, just I'm about the same weight, mine were fast, you can have them.   That the skis wound up securing her state championship is almost beside the point.  It's now legend, and an act of true sportsmanship.  *THAT* is the kind of legacy you want to see at State, not a 4 team pout.

If I ever have an opportunity, I'd like to go shake hands with each Faribault athlete and coach, and tell them simply - "Congratulations - you won it".

Bottom line, you can't always win.  If you don't, accept it with as much grace as you can muster and congratulate the winners.  If the truly unfortunate happens, and it turns out there were issues, accept the new results and move on.  Sour grapes and boorish behavior simply have no place in sport.

Multi-sport youth

In the past few days, I've read a number of articles and blog posts regarding why college football/basketball coaches like to see young athletes pursue more than one sport.  The reasons are numerous, but they really come down to better conditioned, more versatile and more engaged.  I'd add to that less jaded, more energetic about sport, and in general better rounded as people and students.  And I'll add my voice to the hum of coaches who firmly believe that single sport athletes are being led down the wrong path for life.

I just left a strength training workout for my kayak racing team - athletes ages 12-18.  These kids/athletes are all there solely because *they* want to be there, to get stronger for kayak racing, but also to be stronger in general and for their other sports.  All participate in multiple sports, including gymnastics, rock climbing, track and cross-country running and volleyball.  I'll add the Nordic skiers in a couple of weeks as their seasons end.

The challenge facing a coach in this kind of environment really isn't getting the athletes to take part, it's crafting a program that is complimentary - and respectful of - their current in-season sport.  That means that the volleyball player who had a tournament today and still wanted to come may not do her normal weights, or maybe skips out on something that engage overused muscles.  It also means programming around the rock climber who had a meet (yep, competitive climbing is a club sport outside the high school) might not do the same lifts.  It's all about working with the individual programs that are currently 'in season'.  I know the volleyball player's coach is happy with her progress - stronger, more leap, harder serve.

It requires being aware of the individual athletes, expecting them to communicate about their off-season activities, and as a sport outside the high school system, sometimes meeting with their AD to develop an understanding of what your sport is providing that's not available inside the system.

And it requires a *lot* of parents who may, or may not have grown up playing sports.  It's often easier to deal with the parent who didn't grow up playing sports through high school.  They have fewer preconceived notions about athlete development, and usually more concern about the roundness of their particular athlete.  Parents who grew up playing sports, particularly those who 'made varsity' are much more difficult to convince that the path [they've often forgotten] to success leads through being a well rounded athlete and person, not just a great sophomore playing football/soccer/hockey/whatever year around.

The 'year around sport' phenomenon is a recent one.  Most varsity athletes in past generations played 2 or 3 sports - linemen were often the 'field' part of track and field, and the 'skill' positions doubled down on the running events.  A lot depends on the region and sports at a particular school or region.  There certainly have been specific coaches who pushed the 'only my sport or the highway' mantra, but they were certainly fewer and farther apart.

There's a great blog post making the rounds right now about Urban Meyer's preference to recruit multi-sport athletes.  Since coming to Ohio State, Coach Meyer has shown a nearly 10-1 preference for multi-sport athletes. Is it possible this has something to do with winning a National Championship?

So the message for parents is simple - if your child wants to play several sports, please encourage them.  If they are committed to doing only one, still encourage them, but try to suggest other sports activities as a break, cross training, for injury prevention, or any other reason you can find (except perhaps that they should play it just because *you* did).

And in the end, what we really want to see are young athletes who are well-rounded, energized, and on a path to be fit for life.

~marsh

Kids and sport - making a case for less structure

note: the first three paragraphs are written from the coaching perspective.  The remainder is written directly to parents.  

Recently I was invited to be part of the coaching staff at a kayak racing camp for juniors. I learned a lot through the camp - not only about coaching, or about the personalities of athletes with whom I'll likely have an occasional coaching relationship for some years to come, but also about making it fun.
Typically at these camps, you plan 3 workouts a day, for the duration of the camp.  Young athletes invariably give it their all at the start, but eventually start to get tired of the routine, it's not unusual to see some tears, and you definitely don't help them deliver their best.

However - if instead of 3 hard core workouts, you sneak in 2 or 3 'anti-workouts' like a hike up a mountain, paddleboard relay, rock climbing adventure or similar, they'll work harder than ever - and not even think about how hard this 'special' activity really was.  The net result *will* be athletes who are more energized, perform better in their other workouts, and generally have a much better experience.

Even Olympic caliber athletes enjoy a day off to do something unusual, and many spend months in their 'off' season doing something completely unrelated to their primary sport - skiers go surfing, paddlers go mountain biking, riders go swimming.  The goal is simple - use muscles that are not normally used for your sport, maintain a high level of fitness, and mentally remove yourself from the triggers and actors required for high level competition.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Given the above, why in the world would you put any kid through a year around diet of one and only one sport?  Far too many elementary age athletes are scheduled 'to excel' with specialty camps in the off-season, power camps during the pre-season, tournaments every other week for 3 months, and -if they aren't 'good enough', another round of leagues, individual practices, speed camps, technique camps, power camps.  Pretty soon, mom and dad have shelled out a year's tuition at the state university -- for an 8 year old!!!  And what did the kid really want to do?  Get skates and a stick so he/she could go play on the park rink with their buddies.  It happens far too frequently.  Sports like hockey, figure skating and gymnastics seem to be the worst for this, but all sports can attract parents who are convinced that their little darling is the next incarnation of... well, whomever.  And they *might* be right.  But by focusing all their efforts on one sport, they increase the chances for asymmetrical injury, burnout, a very narrow social circle, and a loss of the fun of childhood.

It's hard in these days of helicopter parenting, tiger moms and wolf dads to find a chance for kids to play.  I don't mean 'play dates' with scheduled activities.  I mean PLAY.  I realize that in most larger communities you don't have the option to go roaming wild in the woods, but at least go to the park and just play.  Climb trees, swing, slide, jump, run, get messy, take chances.  And occasionally, get hurt. And make stuff up - invent.  Instead of soccer practice, kids will figure out soccer golf, with a tree, hydrant or sewer grate as the pin.  Or invent a game where the ball has to pass around 2 trees, under the bench, over the porta-john, and through the arch before it can go in the 'goal' - an overturned garbage can.  Or create 'kick ball cricket' with local rules to fit the field.  I read the other day about a new soccer concept that features an irregular field, mounds, and other 'natural' features.  "Great" I thought.  And then continued to read how they were forming "LEAGUES" for this great new anti-competition format for sport.  Sorry, leagues = competition.  You can't escape that fact, no matter how cool the concept is.

So what to do?  As parents, there are a couple of things:

• Agree not to worry about 'making the best team'
• No double scheduling (soccer and baseball, hockey and soccer, paddling and gymnastics, etc) that run concurrently or have major overlaps.  
• Take the money spent on specialty camps while at the elementary level and spend it on a good summer camp experience.  Your kid will gain independence, learn new skills, social interactions, nature, and who knows what.  
• Commit to not overcommitting. You can't bake cookies for Matt's soccer on Tuesday, bring pizza for Jon's baseball Wednesday and drinks for Lyssa's volleyball on Thursday.  Learn to say 'no'.  You can bring the drinks next week.  Your kid won't suffer, and if they do, you are in the wrong group.
• Make school the priority.  There are only a handful of athletic scholarships available, and unless your backstory includes pro athletes, better not count on it.  
• Insist on an off-season.  Pro and elite athletes in the prime of their careers take 4-8 weeks off at the end of the season.  Why shouldn't young athletes and their families?
• If the coaching isn't what you expect, be sure your expectations are aligned with reality.  I've seen parents get upset because their U-7 coach wasn't teaching strategy - to a bunch of kids who were more interested in the dandelion puffs than scoring goals.  The coach focused on 3 passes, and taking a shot - even if it was had no hope of succeeding - just to keep everything interesting.  Parental expectation fail.
• And if, after checking your ego at the door, the coaching still isn't up to par, talk to the coach. Find out their goals. Offer to help.  If you really don't like it, offer to coach next year. 
• Finally, one thing I took from coaching youth lacrosse - "Respect the game".  No yelling at the other players, riding your team, yelling at the coaches, officials, volunteers.  Cheer for everyone.  If you can't do that, go sit in your car!  THIS IS ALL FOR FUN and for the KIDS!

And guess what? When that 8 year old becomes 14, maybe they will show promise and the drive needed to train nearly year around for one sport.  And maybe they will be gifted enough to win a State Championship.  In which case I certainly applaud their efforts. They may well get that college ride!  But when that 14 year old has played hockey since age 6, and now wants to go out for cross country skiing instead, don't be disappointed. It happens!

~marsh  

Coaching philosophy - LTAD

I read a friend's post on Facebook the other night about his daughter's tryout for volleyball.  My friend is one of the most positive people I know, and he was not at all 'up' about the process of team tryouts for middle school volleyball.  I agree.  As a society, we have hit a point where parents spend thousands a year (hockey - $2500-12,000/year) for their young athletic prodigies to attend sports camps, away tournaments and in some cases, specialization and position camps for team sports - IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!  Hockey, in particular, is a disease among Minnesota parents, but I know you can find the equivalent in most regions (like Texas and Football).

I'm certainly not saying that kids shouldn't play sports.  Far from it.  I'm talking about the idea that parents seem to expect kids have to become great at a sport while they are still in elementary school, make the regional travel team in middle school, and be on the college scouting reports by high school, winning that college scholarship and then being drafted to the pros or National team.

Sadly, many of the kids who specialize in a sport in elementary school won't be playing it when they exit high school, and most will have their (or their parent's) dreams crushed by those awful college scouts and coaches before they start college. Hopefully, they have a 'Plan B'...

There are lots of reasons for this tailing off process - career ending or cumulative injury, burnout, lack of athletic ability, even being on the wrong team at some point.  Lack of athletic ability often gets blamed on coaching, but in reality the opposite is often true - good coaching can make the most of poor talent, teach fundamental skills and take you all the way to a point where physical ability of other players 'catches up' as everyone else passes puberty and starts to mature into their bodies. Malcolm Gladwell talks about the blessing of having a January birthday in Outliers.  Kids born in January are more likely to be the oldest in their age group, grade, and will likely have more opportunities to do well in sports while still young simply because they *are* the best in their particular year.  Assuming of course they don't flame out...

Injury is another whole kettle of fish.  Football and Hockey players are 4-5 times more likely than other high school sports to incur concussions.  Other sports like soccer or basketball may also have career ending injuries from torn tendons and fractures.  And I'll rile some parents by this, but I believe competitive gymnastics is one of the *worst* in terms of injury and burnout.  Gymnastics injuries seem to be more hand/wrist and back, but the burnout toll... wow.  Not only burning out mentally from a high volume of workouts, competitions and pressure from parents and coaches (who generally have a financial stake in keeping kids coming), but also from pain and injury.  NOT exactly a ringing endorsement of the club machine.

And don't think that just because little Bart or Bettina is in climbing camp, running camp and power soccer camp plus canoeing and soccer practice 6 hours a day all summer means they avoid the issues of a single sport focus. Personally, I think this is throwing gasoline on the fire and then playing with matches - just increases the likelihood of major burnout or injury.

As I've become more involved in coaching and developing my own personal philosophy, I've become a big believer in the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD).  The Canadian Sport for Life organization has a great description of this model, broken into seven stages, running from birth to early 20s.  The first two stages, encompassing ages 0-8or9 can be lumped into "Learning to Play", moving into "Learn to Train" and "Train to Compete" and "Training to Win".  The model spells out expectations and cautions for each age level in very common sense terms.

"Inappropriate or premature specialization can be detrimental to later stages of athlete development if the child is playing a late specialization sport. Premature specialization promotes one-sided development and increases the likelihood of injury and burnout." (Canadian Sport for Life)

The entire process is meant to remove the pressure of conformity, and sport specialization from younger children, allowing them to run, jump, climb rocks and trees, exposing kids to a broad range of activities without imposing leagues, traveling teams and competitive pressures to *most* kids, and hopefully setting them up for 'sport for life'.

This is not to say that for some young athletes who show particular prowess and drive at a fairly young age in a particular sport (like figure skating, gymnastics, and yes, even hockey) that leagues, meets and regular practice are not appropriate or encouraged.  They can be great activities - but make sure that the activity is right for the kid, not right for the parent.  It's one thing to for a girl who loves tumbling (a great class for all kids), is likely to only grow to 5'2" and has trim bodied parents to take up gymnastics and 'climb the ladder'.  It's another entirely for parents to insist that their son who is likely going to be very average size, average height and doesn't particularly *like* cold to go to hockey 4 times a week in hopes that he may make the traveling team like dad did.  Odds are by 15, he'll be burned out, beat up and hate skates.

In general, I'd like to suggest that up until age 8 or 9, most kids should be in mixed play - park/rec programs to expose them to many sports, riding bikes, skiing, paddling classes, swimming classes, tumbling, etc.  These are usually inexpensive and require little commitment in terms of time, travel or equipment.  9-12 can be more of the same, or focusing on 2-3 sports, but still not an all-encompassing effort to make the traveling team.  Kids who show a particular interest in a sport after this point can do so.  If their aptitude and size lend them to the potential of doing well, but their skills are less than their peers (since they haven't been doing the camps from age 5), NOW is the time to sign them up. The desire and maturity will help greatly to move them toward competitive levels with their peers.  And coaches *will* see the desire at the same time that their peers who have now been in sport for 10 years but aren't doing the same level of work may well be fading.

Again, there are exceptions to every 'rule'.  This post is intended to at least push some parents to think about what's best for their child, not what they'd like to see their child do.  I welcome dialog about this process.  It's something I feel applies to most sports and most kids, but maybe not to you/yours.

~marsh

Camp

Heading to San Diego in the morning to guest coach at the San Diego Canoe/Kayak Team's Sunburn Camp.  I'm looking forward to this opportunity. In the first place, skiing in Minnesota really stinks right now. It's been 35-45 for the past 2 weeks, so real snow no longer exists, and even the manmade snow is ice balls and dirt.  It's been too damp to enjoy riding, so it's really time to head to the Left Coast.
In the second place, I get to work with (and learn from) some of my favorite coaches.  The chance to learn team boats (2 and 4 person sprint kayak) from Olympic Coach Jerzy Dziadkowiec is simply awesome (in the true meaning of this overused word.)
Rolling into town as a junior invited coach will be interesting too.  Beyond the daily schedule, I've little idea of responsibilities, but whatever I do will be just fine.  The reason for holding the camp is to give elite junior paddlers another opportunity to gain experience, practice starts, and paddle with athletes not on their own team.
So I'll try to take pictures and maybe a post or two from the road.

Enjoy the holidays! Be safe in whatever you may do.

~marsh

Spring Break road trip recap PT 1

The last week has been a blur.  In one part of my life, I coach a group of young athletes in the sport of flatwater sprint canoe and kayak racing.  During the local school break window, I took several of these athletes to visit another club in Georgia - Lanier Canoe Kayak Club.  LCKC has epitomized a lot of what I like about this sport for young athletes.  Lots of young people doing something outdoors and as a group, without having to have a specific talent/skill/strength level to enjoy the sport.
We drove 20 hours pretty much straight through, trading drivers often and stopping as needed for food, gas (lots of gas) and nature.  The last time I did this, the athletes were a year older on average, and seemed to be more 'seasoned' as travelers.  We'd stop for gas, they'd pile out, check straps on the trailer, hit the bathroom, grab food, and be curled up asleep again before the tank filled.  Not this time.  I'd be tanked, straps checked myself, and have been to the bathroom by the time they got out of the truck.  OK, maybe not really, but it seemed like it.
The week started out with a clear blue day, a bit of paddling, and dinner with our incredible host families.  And went straight downhill from there.  Rain, rain, cool, wind, and cold water set the stage for the first couple of days.  We did paddle every single day, did strength training, and even a little mall ratting (the kids, not me!).  But it was pretty miserable being out in 45 degree mist and light rain - especially in a low stability boat.  We did get some good, even hard workouts, and started seeing personalities and abilities emerge.  Over the course of 5 days, I got to see a lot of good things about each athlete, and especially got to see a lot of improvement on some.  One of the athletes had never really sat in any kind of ICF kayak before this week, and over 7 days made incredible jumps in stability and power.
The last couple of days were great. The weather was beautiful, and while we had some hard sessions, we also had some unexpected things.  Low point - they managed to flip the 'unflippable' C4, much to the delight of the LCKC athletes, and the embarrassment of the two great sports who agreed to teach them high kneel in the C4.  Great fun, cool water, and a lot of laughter *after* the fact.
On Friday, I felt like they'd done a *lot* of really good work, overcome some trials, and needed a really positive last full day. So when they got back from lunch, they met the K4 for the first time.  For those  not familiar, a K4 is 35 feet long, about 20" wide, and with an elite team can pull a water skier!  In short, fast and sleek.  They managed to all get in without swimming, so off they went.  8K later, and they were singing, chattering, and generally enjoying being out there.  And then just for pure fun, we went out on SUPs for the first time as well.  All in all, a good end to the week. Except...
There was this race that they were supposed to do, and nobody was really thrilled about paddling 10K in a K1 (on their first week all season).  So we talked about it, and they agreed that the K4 might be possible.  It was.  They finished ahead of all the experienced K2s, and had a ball.  Medals, pictures, lots of smiles and a 20 hour ride home.  Great week.

My eternal thanks to the staff, coaches and especially parents and hosts who put us up down in Gainesville. You made a good trip into a memory!

Plus one

Riding a bike is pretty simple for most people. We learned how to ride as a kid, and some of us just never grew up.  Riding a bike well - now that's a different subject.  For some, riding is something that they do occasionally - renting a bike at the lake or the beach, pumping up the tires and hooking up the trailer to take the kids to the park, or maybe doing a Sunday afternoon trail ride on one of the paved trails around the region.
Or maybe it's doing rides with friends on the weekends. Going for a breakfast ride or to ride for coffee along the greenway.  Or maybe do part of the Grand Rounds and wind up at a cafe for lunch.
At some point, some part of some people make the slow (or fast) slide into 'bikers' (or riders, depending on your upbringing).  This is accompanied by the inevitable acquisition of a helmet, actual bike shorts, and maybe even a jersey. Which is generally followed by the sad realization that the bike you've been riding since high school isn't really up to the task of riding from here to wherever in the company of whomever it was that you wanted to ride with in the first place, and they aren't really in a mood to wait for you at every single intersection. So down to your local bike shop you go, and the salesperson says "you would be really happy with this year's Hornsucker Zipflash".  It's right there with the Makoozie, and we've got a special discount package on it.  And since it feels *so* much better than the cast iron pig with octagonal wheels that you've been riding, you buy it.  And you feel pretty good about it - at least until you go for a ride with your friends, and now they only have to wait at every other turn.  And as they talk over coffee about tires and chains and things, you listen - and decide that maybe if you get better tires, and maybe a new jersey, you'll be able to keep up better.  And you know what comes next.  Plus one.
You are standing in the bike shop and the owner walks by and sees you eyeballing the Velociraptor 7000 that's a replica of the bike that won some big race you've never heard of, and he says "looks like it's your size, take it for a ride..." and you do. And now you have 3 bikes in the garage, not just two.  And you are trying to explain to your significant other what a great deal this was, and why it is going to help you achieve your fitness goal which will make you a better performer at work,  And. And. Plus One.
And then comes the fall, and you actually can keep up with the guys.  And occasionally be the first one to the top of that hill, and your buddies are all congratulating you on how much you've improved (and they really do mean it).  So now when you sit around drinking coffee on Saturday morning after your 80 mile base ride, and the subject of tomorrow's ride comes up, 'the boys' are talking about going on a little ride that's on gravel roads - just about 50 miles, but it's epic countryside, and you don't want to miss it, but... Your Velociraptor only takes 23mm tires, and it's stiff as a board.  And one of the guys says "I've got a spare cyclocross bike you can ride".  And so you do.  And it's pretty fun feeling dirt on your face, sand in your crotch, and damn that was a cool picture with all of you after the ride, all covered with mud.  And Joe casually mentions that he thinks your friendly local bike shop has the Mudpuppy like his (only black) that's about your size, and clearance priced.  Plus one.
Somewhere along this progression, your sainted wife, who has turned a blind eye to all this adult male pirate-looks-at-50 foolishness, watched you buy new toys, and really hasn't made a big deal about it decides that perhaps she'd like to ride more with you.  Since she is actually pretty fit and active, and you being the smart partner who knows that buying her a cheap bike is not going to make her a better rider, you take her down to your friendly LBS (who by this time is rolling out the red carpet and firing up the cappuccino machine when they see you approach).  And they get her set up with a nice woman specific Terraplaner 3000, helmet, jersey and matching shorts, and all the trimmings as you calmly watch her lay down her platinum card.  Plus one.
Pretty soon, she's riding with you, riding with a group of women on Sundays and Tuesdays, and mentions that a grocery bike would be really good to have so that *you* can go to the store by bike instead of in the car.  Plus one.
And now in December, those same friends are calling you to go ride down along the river on something called a 'fat bike', and since you are both bored to tears riding the trainer, you make another trip to your LBS to get her a fatbike so she can go for rides with the girls all winter long.  Plus one.
And then you realize that she's having a lot more fun than you are, and you know what happens next...
Plus one.

USA Canoe/Kayak Coaches Conference

Another year, another ski race missed due to the annual coaching conference!  Not a big deal.  I know my personal interests have shifted from coaching and racing XC to more single focus on coaching paddlers.

This year's conference was split into a coule of major areas for me: Paracanoe, Physiology/psychology of racing, and technique.  And some sessions on the what's going on with USA Canoe/Kayak, the OKC venue and such.  All good stuff, and well worth attending.  I only found a couple of sessions hard to stay focused, and that was more an issue with me fighting the back side of bad URI.

So to accentuate the positives:
The always impressive Dr Neil Fleming of Ireland and Indiana on energy systems and matching training for different events.  Neil is a great speaker, and understands paddling from an athlete's point of view.
Shaun Spanbauer, USOC nutritionist on eating for competition. Pretty basic nutritional stuff if you've been around coaching for a while, but it was nice to see his talk reinforce the same points Neil made - and Neil challenged him a couple of times as well - it made for really good dialog, not lively debate.  Bottom line - as a junior, supplements will do a lot less for you than focused training.
Good presentations by OKC staff strength coach and psychologist.

Best presentation of the conference for me was Megan Blunk, a paracanoe athlete who won two silver medals at Worlds last year.  Megan is a typical college student athlete, she just happens to be in a chair.  She plays hoops for Illinois (and Team USA), and paddles for Gig Harbor (and Team USA). She gave her first ever public speech to the group, and while certainly not a hostile crowd, it took a lot to get up there and essentially bare her soul to an audience.   I was moved to tears.  She is an amazing young woman.

And a big Mahalo to everyone who came, presented or helped set this up. It takes a lot of work to do so, and I'm glad to have been there.

Lowlights:
Having a hacking cough wears you out, so I passed on stepping out for drinks and socializing after work.  It was already late, and the noise level in Toby Keith's is absurd most of the time.

Airport food:
The good - Cheese Steak at Charley's Philly Grill - actually, quite good.  Well seasoned, cooked to order. Fries were perfect. Service was quick and friendly.
The bad - Salt Lick in OKC main terminal.  I've eaten at multiple Salt Lick locations over the years, including at the Austin airport.  Salt Lick does brisket and sausage pretty well, and pretty consistently.  This is definitely an outlier.  Warmish meat, limp fries, mediocre service.  I'll go to Schlotzky's next time.

OKC - I'll do a whole post sometime on how I became a huge booster of Oklahoma City.  Oklahoma is the reddest of the red, and yet they have levied civic improvement taxes on themselves 3 consecutive times.  This has built the convention center, arena, minor league ball park, downtown improvements, parks, the boathouse district - and all paid for the day each item breaks ground.
This year  permanent, retractable lane markers and buoys. Lighting and audio improvements, better scoreboard, improved access.  Lots of 'icing on the cake' items before Marathon Worlds in September.
Next year - opening of the Whitewater Center!!! Directly adjacent to the flatwater course, it'll be the only such venue in the world.  That will add a new restaurant, venue building, and other cool amenities.

Coaching Philosophy

This was a requirement for USA Canoe/Kayak HP2 certification.  I got asked the other day what my coaching philosophy is, and going back to review this a year or so after I wrote it, I still stand by what I put down.  It's written for coaching paddlesports, but I think I apply it pretty well for all the sports I coach.

Personal Coaching Philosophy

Mission Statement

As a member of the USA Canoe/Kayak high performance coaching team and coach for the Rice Creek Boat Club, it is my personal mission to always strive for excellence in my personal conduct, my relationships with athetes, officials, coaches and parents; to provide the best possible technical coaching  to all USA Canoe/Kayak athletes regardless of club affiliation;  and to encourage the athlete’s development as a “whole person”.

Athlete Safety and Fair Play

Athlete safety is absolutely paramount, and trumps all other concerns.  I will never knowingly place an athlete in a situation where they are at risk of abuse, or in physical danger beyond the normal exposures of our sport. 

As a coach, I will always strive to know both the letter and application of all rules governing our sport, to ensure that the rules are understood and adhered to by my athletes, and to pursue appropriate remedies when these rules are breached by anyone.  Rules level the playing field for all, and ensure the integrity of the sport.

As part of my personal fair play code, I will use objective criteria (time controls, performance standards) to determine participation and support levels, attempting to provide appropriate support to all athletes I am coaching, not just the ‘favored few’. 

Drug Free

Under no circumstances will I recommend or condone the use of performance enhancing or recreational drugs by my athletes or coaches.  The long term effects of many performance enhancing drugs are unknown, particularly on young athletes, and are not in keeping with my belief for sport.  If an athlete violates this code, I will not continue to coach them, although I will attempt to support them if they are returning to a drug free life.

Respect for Participants

I will always endeavor to treat all athletes, officials, coaches and spectators with respect, and ensuring that my behavior does not reflect negatively on my athletes, club, federation or sport.    I will support and encourage athletes from all clubs, congratulating winners and losers with equal sincerity, and assisting any who need it if their coach is not available.

I recognize that mistakes and conflicts occur, and will always attempt to resolve these quickly and unemotionally.  I firmly believe in the concept of ‘praise in public, criticize in private’ and will use ‘teachable moments’ whenever possible.

Responsible Coaching

I will always strive to use the best available techniques, models and tools available to me in coaching athletes.  I recognize that athletes are individuals, have a variety of personal goals, and that not all athletes respond to the same techniques. 

I structure group and individual training plans using several tools and criteria:
-Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model
-Ability of participants
-Goals of individual participants
-Yearly Training Plan  objectives
-Yearly competitive plan objectives
-Available resources

My personal expectation is that each athlete strive to attain, and deliver their full potential as athletes.  I also recognize that other factors including educational goals, other sports interests and financial constraints may dictate a different “whole athlete” outcome.

I utilize a series of measurement tools, controls and benchmarks to assist the athletes with tracking their performance and realizing improvement.

Education

My goal is always to provide the best possible coaching to my athletes.  To do this, I will continue to take advantage of available education presented by USA Canoe/Kayak and others, and to share in developing and refining the models that drive improvement in our sport. 

I actively participate in discussions with coaches and trainers from other sports to further refine my approach and knowledge. Whenever possible, I will participate in coaching opportunities for elite team camps and regattas, both to coach athletes and to learn from peers around the world.  I will strive to share any knowledge or tools I may develop with my peers, and to solicit feedback and ideas from them at all levels. 

Pride in Canoe/Kayak – Paddlesport

I will always strive to improve the image, and promote the brand of USA Canoe/Kayak, and to encourage all participants, coaches and parents to do the same.  I am proud of what we have accomplished in the past, and what we can achieve in the future.  I encourage all participants to know the history of the sport, the champions, and significant events. 

I expect my athletes to represent the sport with pride and dignity, wearing branded apparel when appropriate, and ensuring that their personal appearance and demeanor is in keeping with what they would want to be seen.

*********************************************************************************

I coach from a sense of personal satisfaction in seeing the athletes I coach succeed.  Coaching is a process, not a moment, and I will always strive to remember that the result of that process is about the athletes.  

A few thoughts on coaching

I don't know of any coach of any sport who doesn't live something of a manic-depressive existence during the racing season.  The highs of winning, the lows of 'missing the wax', the highs of athletes achieving PRs, the lows of watching your athletes struggle with health issues or just having a bad race.
I've experienced the ups of seeing athletes make it to State (which for Nordic skiing in Minnesota is a big deal), representing their team at Nationals, be named to represent their country in Jr World Championships and on international trips.  I've seen them crushed by just missing out on State, or being hit by an asthma attack or a fall that removed any chance of a successful race.  And I've also watched them bouncing off the walls because their teammate won, giddy with the joy of their friend's success.  It's all part of the equation, and on the whole there are a lot more 'good days' than 'bad days'.

One of the things I've always believed about coaching is that there ain't no "I" in "Coach". At most there's a "we".  "I" didn't win a race, perfect an athlete's technique, or train a single minute for their race.  The athletes did that, and *I* am always careful when I talk about their accomplishments to leave "I" out of it.  "They" did the work, "they" left their hearts out on the course, "they" did repeats until "they" grooved the desired motion and committed it to muscle memory.  "They" spent the hours in the gym lifting. "I" didn't.  "I" will tell them how proud I am of what they accomplished, and *I* will fall on my sword if I made a bad call on wax and no amount of extra effort on the part of an athlete was going to allow them to have a great race, but I won't take credit for their success.  Coaches encourage, coaches present information, and I think good coaches care. At times, coaches may even need to be a bit Machiavellian to make opportunities present themselves for athletes.  But in the end, "I" didn't do anything out there on the course - the athletes did it all, and "I" get to stand back and take in the moment.  What I hope "I" can do is to give them some guidance, inspiration or thoughts on how to think about racing, technique or life.

I got involved with coaching young athletes to give something back.  I have always classified myself as a "sub-elite" athlete.  I did well enough in cycling, multisport racing, and skiing, but never making it to 'the big time'. And that's been fine.  I never tried to make the leap into the top ranks of sport,  but I've been lucky over the years to have incredible mentors, coaches and sponsors who have made it possible for me to compete at a pretty high level. I am fortunate to count as friends a number of Olympians and professional athletes in several sports, and to have been mentored by some of the best coaches and officials in my sports. It's been impressed upon me the importance of "giving back", and that's led me to coaching.  As I look back from this point in my coaching career, the moments I savor the most are not the victories (which are really fun), but the breakthroughs.  Like the 9th grader (slowest on the team) who came up to me after practice and said "this is the coolest sport ever. I'm going to do this the rest of my life" - went on to ski at university and is still skiing.  Or the athlete who suddenly drops 2 minutes off a 5K time because they figured out the technique. And it's the athletes that you watch grow, from giggly 7th graders to seniors who still like to sing silly songs at the top of their lungs, and then switch gears to go win a big relay race.  The athletes that become students of the sport, and are now coaching teams of their own.

One of the things that has always amazed me about the athletes who are drawn to Nordic skiing is the level of commitment they have in common on school and grades.  Many engage in something other than athletics (like music, drama, debate) in addition to sports.  I have observed that most skiers are AP/IB track, have very good GPAs, and expect to head on for more education after leaving high school.  Nordic in particular is a very hard sport, but one I think appeals to these smart, inner-directed kids.  It's intensely technical, and requires the highest possible physical output for 10-20 minutes while maintaining perfect technique.  On top of that, you have to master two different very styles of skiing, different waxing techniques, different terrain, snow conditions, and weather.  One race can be at 35-40 degrees, and the next at -3F.  Training hours are long and hard, and outside of your teammates, there's not much peer comprehension of what it takes to be out there.  Bottom line is that the kids who are drawn to become athletes in Nordic skiing aren't there due to peer pressure to participate. They are there because they want to be.

Next Thursday will be a particularly bittersweet moment on this path for me.  I have been coaching high school Nordic skiing for 12 seasons now, and I have decided that it's time to step away after next week.  There are a couple of reasons for this, mostly having to do with time commitments to my bill paying job (which I really like), but also to devote more time and energy into coaching kayak racing, and a desire to do more bike riding with my wife, including exploring some other places to ride around the country. I've gotten to make friends with a number of really good coaches, friends for life with the guys I coached with for all the years, and with many of the parents of the kids I've coached. I have learned _so_ much, only some of which has anything to do with skiing.  About the only regret I have about it is that there is another bunch of young athletes on their way up who are fun to work with, and who I would enjoy coaching over the next years.  I will still follow their progress, and may even be able to show up from time to time and help out - but without the responsibility and commitment that I feel being a 'regular' coach.

It's been quite a ride.  I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Mahalo

Coaching in 144 Characters or Less

This started out life as a twitter series, mostly for the amusement of some skiing friends.  I decided to pull them all together and post them here, mostly for the amusement of a different group of friends.  Some of these will turn into posts of their own, probably with some war story or anecdote to go along with them.  They are all up for debate, and some are very definitely ski specific (klister???). Your mileage may vary. Aloha.

• Reminded that physical, emotional and intellectual health of elite athletes are balanced on a razor's edge.
• Never burn a bridge. You may need to come back later and harvest timbers.
• race prep tip: clean kick zone and sidewalls first and then tape it off.  Else you'll have glide wax in your kick zone and klister in the glide.
• Always have a goal for sport - as simple as "stay fit" or lofty as "win Nationals".  Having goals gives you reason for being out there.
• Pursuit tactics. Close the gap as quickly as possible, recover behind the one you caught and when you pass - make it devastating.
• Before you do something remotely questionable, ask yourself "what will grandma think if she sees this in the paper or facebook tomorrow?"
• Race Prep@30 min.- first warmup done. Time for the bathroom and check out the finish stretch.  Make sure you know where to go.
• @15min-build back up to race pace. Quick jump to sprint then ease back to cruise. Should be ready to race now.
• Race prep@10min: in the start area, skis off and to coach, or in tracks. One last drink, keep moving.  Review race plan.
• Race prep - @5 min - warmups off, poles on, blanket on. Jog in place or run with poles. Stay loose, stay warm.  Think about 1st K
• Race prep count-down - @3 min - blanket on, skis on. Make sure boot and binding are clear of snow! Pull up on toe. Focus on breathing.
• Race prep - proper warmup begins an hour or more before your race.  Write down your plan and stick to it.
• Quoting Norm Bellingham, Olympic Gold medalist "Join a guild" - find a group of like-minded peers who will push/pull you to excel in sport.
• I prefer to hear about the athletes that didn't cheat or lie in order to compete. They are the ones I will focus my time and efforts on.
• Before engaging in esoteric arguments about body position make sure you have the athlete's point of view and know their rationale.
• One of the keys to recovery is morning heart rate and weight. Record it daily. Spikes and sustained rises may be need for additional rest.
• The trick with ergo meters is to understand that they can cause bad habits, and do it right anyway.
• Technique is often in the eye of the beholder. Take input from all but you have to learn what works best for you.
• Music can make a long boring workout much more palatable. Safety first, and keep it up tempo and positive.
• The fastest bike, boat or skis are just decorations without the training and effort you put forth to make them go.
• And it seems obvious that when you have a good race, lock that feeling so you can recall it later. It's useful to hold that positive vibe.
• Everyone has bad races. Turning then into learning opportunities for "next time" is the trick.
• Training for multisport events, practice transitions. Putting on shoes is a lot harder when sweat is pouring down and your heart pounding.
• Every athlete should be an amateur meteorologist. Know what the weather is, and what changes are coming and how they will affect your race.
• Have a pre-race sequence and follow it.  This sets it all - when to warm up, to when to take your warm-ups off.  And always watch the clock!
• Visiualize what's likely to happen in your race. Imagine traffic jams and hard corners, how you'll handle them. Never ski into in a box.
• At least occasionally, train with someone a little better than you on your 'hard' days.
• There is nothing much more comfortable - or worse for you - than an old pair of running shoes.
• Serious athletes keep a daily journal. At minimum, what you did, how far/long you went, how you felt.
• Warmup intensity and duration is inversely related to length of race- the shorter your race, the longer/harder your warmup.
• Do not underestimate the importance of speed work. All the level 3 intervals in the world won't make you faster. Only speed can.
• Everyone has an "evil twin" who tells you to try new tires, wax, food the night before a big race. The trick is to ignore them...
• The secret program:Do loop ()  Find a sport you can do for life.  Learn to do it well.  Help put on events.  Teach someone else.Repeat
• Being an elite athlete means choices, sacrifice and hopefully finding a little balance with real life.
• In any sort of time trial, the single most important muscle to train is the one located between the ears.
• The fastest line around a corner or buoy is rarely the shortest line. Learn the difference.
• The view from atop the podium is mighty sweet...
• When learning new technique, practice it in slow motion until you perfect it, then try full speed.
• Learn the history of your sport. Who are/were the champions? What did they do that you should emulate? What were the epic battles?
• Proudly wear your team kit - whatever it is.  Your team/club is the base of your support system for sport and competition.
• Klister is nasty, messy, evil stuff - my competitors should fear it. On the other hand, I live for wet, icy tracks at 32 degrees.
• There is no magical 'extra gear' to be called upon. You only have the ones you built thru the hard, ugly hours of training.
• Know what you do well-and what you don't. Spend a portion of every workout on the things that need improvement.
• Learn to use your mental video recorder. Memorize every race course before you race - even if just a map. Serendipity is not a strategy.
• I banned the phrase "I can't..." from my girls' team. "I haven't learned that yet" or " I'm not able to yet" are OK. Positive words only.
• The hardest step in any race is the first one out the door on a cold rainy morning in March.
• Always have a plan for your workout and follow it.  But don't be afraid to change it to meet conditions of the day. No junk days.
• Next time you finish a race, ask yourself "Where could I have saved five seconds?" Then act on it.