Tomorrow, I'll board a plane for San Antonio to attend the annual College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) conference. It's one of the highlights of my year- a chance to connect with the small community of people in my profession, share ideas and organize our ranks on important issues. This year will be no different, but I have to admit I'll be boarding my flight with a heavy heart: I'm worried about the next generation of college swim coaches.
It's no secret that college swimming is in trouble, and has been for a couple decades. I don't have to look beyond my own conference (ACC) to see one team having swum it's last meet (Clemson) and another fighting for it's existence (Maryland). The reasons are numerous, systemic and evolving. In the past, Title IX was casually thrown out as a reason to cut men's teams. Currently, "budget cuts" necessitated by overspending athletic directors have been the culprit more often than not. For all the efforts of the swimming community, if this is a war than we are losing badly.
Despite the paltry salaries, strange hours and pervasive uncertainty, college swimming seems to have a never ending supply of enthusiastic, intelligent young coaches climbing over the top of one another for jobs. For every exceptional assistant coach I meet that is more than capable I know another who is dying for the chance but won't get it.
I'm troubled because I'm starting to see a cycle. Young coaches scratch and claw there way into assistant coaching positions in college, and for a while it's enough. They are swimming junkies and they're getting their fix- on deck every day year round, coaching fast swimmers and going to the big meets. It's only a few years in that the reality sets in. They get married, they think about starting a family. Male or female, it's just not going to work. So what do they do? Many are leaving college swimming or swimming altogether.
It's unfair to pin the entire thing on programs getting cut. Yes, opportunities are dwindling. Yet that's not the only reason that college swimming is bleeding talent. You see, the lack of care from athletic directors hurts swimming in more than one way. Many coaches in college swimming are retired on the job. We as a community have no effective way to purge them from the ranks. Thus, coaches who are up to the task will leave, while those who are not remain.
It's something I'm going to be looking for solutions for this weekend.
Great post. I spent this past year as a club coach, so I identify with a lot of this. On thing though...counted a few grammatical errors here and there. As a fellow nescac swimming alum (Hamilton '11) I expected better!
ReplyDelete"counted a few grammatical errors"
ReplyDeleteReally? You left off the "e" for "One"
Get a life
I think the point he/she was making was that if you're going to post something trying to argue a point, look it over a few times to make sure it reads well. Otherwise, your argument won't be as powerful.
DeleteI'd also be willing to bet that the comment was in jest and not meant to be taken seriously...
I have certainly witnessed a few Head Coaches out there that are just collecting a check. Unfortunately they are usually tightly connected with the athletic department so as long as they don't do anything wrong they keep there job. It could be very clear to everyone in the swimming community that a coach is under-performing yet some how this failure is not seen by the the AD. I really don't want to become a flame thrower here so I will keep it in generalities.
ReplyDeleteIts a shame that these seat fillers are preventing motivated and effective coaches from advancing in the field.
DeleteOn the other hand, there are a lot of hard working head coaches in all of the divisions who not only run a good program, but also help their assistants advance their careers... even to become head coaches elsewhere. Many of us will be in San Antonio as well - instead of spending time with our famiies or just enjoying "retirement on the job".
ReplyDeleteIf ADs are content to let non-performaing coaches continue - would you really want to work there? Doesn't that say something about the environment and the future of the program.
I for one am blessed with a great AD and a very supportive administration that expects a winning program. If I don't get the job done, they will find someone who will. Those are the folks I want evaluating my peformance, not a "community" of onlookers who think they know what is best. Look around... opportunities abound, but you have to persist... there are far fewer jobs than there are qualified applicants (I should know, I am hiring for an assistant because my previous assistant got a head coaching position).
Perhaps instead of wanting to "purge" others, better advice would be to consider self-improvement and what might be keeeping one from that next opportunity.
Hey Anon,
ReplyDeleteCome talk to me In San Antonio- would love to hear more from you.
OK. I get in this evening. I'll buy you a drink.
ReplyDeleteBeating me to the punch! I won't be there until mid day tomorrow. I'm squeezing in one more morning practice.
ReplyDeleteSo, is anybody else scared of Chris DeSantis all of a sudden?
ReplyDeleteI mean, he writes this post and within the next couple of hours it is announced that Jim Richardson and Skip Kenney are retiring.
Damn, Chris... you got some influence.
I almost commented "I didn't mean YOU, Skip and Ted"
ReplyDeleteI've had the same conversation with people in other professions. For whatever reason, twenty-something year olds feel that they are entitled to other people's jobs.
ReplyDeleteThese people should retire and give us a chance is a comment I hear too often. I've seen all kinds of ads for college coaches, in fact, there were three posted on the USA Swimming website on May 18th. If someone wants a specific job, they can wait in line. Individuals have different reasons for not retiring and do not owe anyone an explanation.
I don't think anyone is entitled to any job. This is a conversation about coaches that are under performing and clearly not putting in the work. No one is saying that a youngster should be be hired because they are younger or a veteran fired because they are old.
DeleteI know tons of great veteran coaches that have an incredible work ethic and thirst for knowledge so please don't make this out to be an indictment of old timers.
I responded to this post because I had a very frustrating experience as a college swimmer with my head coach who fits the description that Chris laid out.
I have a lot of respect for all generations of coaches and the different perspectives that they bring. I wish there was something to be done that could assure swimmers are not cheated out the experience they deserve.
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DeleteThere are probably some instances of coaches "retired on the job" and I've got a few friends that definitely have a 'give me his job!' type of attitude. There is also an inverse though, where younger coaches get a head coaching opportunity and voluntarily leave (seattle, etc) or flame out/fail (marshall, etc)
ReplyDeleteBeing a great and motivated assistant is different from being a great head coach. Some of those that seem like a retired on the job type from the outside may be filling EXACTLY the role their athletic department wants. Sadly, sometimes the job is to balance the gender equity with a full women's squad, get a good gpa and stay out of trouble, and if you don't constantly gripe about a miniscule budget/assistant/attention, we won't demand results.
Well said. Thanks for adding a new perspective.
DeleteCapitalism can solve this problem.
ReplyDeleteExample: Hunting lions in Kenya actually saved the lions and the villagers become protectors. Here's why, An NPR story revealed that lions were being poisoned by the local population into near extinction. They poisoned the lions so for obvious reasons. Who wants a lion in their back yard and how many kids do you have to lose till enough is enough?
A naturalist used capitalism to convinced the town to abolish poisoning and allow limited hunting of replaced alpha males for a fee of $100,000 to $250,000 a head.
Older male lions have huge manes and look awesome. The new alpha males don't. Killing those males off provided money for fences, schools and lion deterrents. Now the Kenyans hunt poachers for the lions are a resource. A valuable resource.
The game has to change for the sport is evaporating. Swimmers need to become a resource. That mean bringing money to the sport and that translates to gambling and redefining of how the sport is executed. The eight lane, multiple heat, format has to change and the sport needs to become bracketed like tennis, or NCAA Basketball as an example.
When swimmers become "lions" the "village;" (read as colleges), will protect them!
The athletes must become race horses!
Wow...Really...I'm missing a joke here...right?
Delete"bracketed" swimming? ...gambling!...no eight lanes.
ReplyDeletesounds like a good task for polo.
We need a pro league, with private owners/investors. perhaps a dozen pro-teams. AND tech suits so we have advertise space and sex appeal (fact: sports where men show to much skin just don't make it).
Swimming is becoming way to female dominated. how is that working out in basketball, football, or soccer?