EPISODE 8 - Living a Coach's Life - Coach - Coach Thyself! Coaching is a wonderful profession - coaches change lives.

Coaches inspire the hearts, minds and spirits of the people they coach.

Coaches create opportunities for people to realize their potential.

Coaches provide the environment for people to see their dreams become a reality.

But it is also a challenging and demanding profession….

• Early mornings
• First to arrive/last to leave
• Weekend meets
• Not highly paid for the most part,
• Demanding parents
• Dealing with Swim Club Boards / Committees
• Etc

Increasingly, we know that coaches can struggle with stress, fatigue, burnout, health issues, and other difficulties. Coaches often spend so much time helping others that they neglect their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

In Episode 8 of The Third 50, Glenn and Wayne talk about coaches and coaching. We look at ways coaches can stay healthy - and adopt a holistic approach to their own physical and mental well-being.

TEN Takeaways!!! TEN WAYS COACHES CAN TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEMSELVES:

1. WALK OFF - TURN OFF - turn off your phone, have days off - take time for yourself
2. Water bottle and snacks - During workouts, have a water bottle for yourself and a snack to keep up your energy levels.
3. Have a NO COACH TIME - for example, catch up on phone calls on the way home but once you get to your front door - it’s YOU TIME.
4. Take a break every season!
5. Get to workouts early and spend 5 minutes relaxing - breathing
6. TEAM COACH - sometimes step back a little and allow the other coaches in the team to take charge and lead the program
7. SLEEP!!! Try to get to bed a little earlier. When you go to bed - don’t sit there with your TABLET writing workouts or reviewing videos - go to sleep.
8. Have a NON-SWIMMING PASSION - something you can do that takes your mind and body completely away from thinking about workouts, sets and drills
9. Where possible - when the team stretches - stretch! Flexibility and mobility help you to stay loose and relaxed and it's a great time to get to know the team a little better.
10. Stressed? Remove the cause

Why The Third 50?

Because it's the third 50 of a 200 that matters. (We could have called this The Third 100 because it's the same principle!)

• The 1st 50 is fast because you're fresh and fired up, ready to race.
• The 2nd 50 flows because you're trying to relax and keep it smooth.
• The 4th 50 is about fighting and staying strong to the finish.

But the 3rd 50 is where the magic happens. It's where the integration of your mind and body, your skills and technique, your stroke mechanics and your hard training all come together.

The 3rd 50 is the "championship" lap, where the great swimmers take control of themselves and the race and power away to victory.

We want to share our almost 80 years of experience with coaches, swimming teachers, swimmers, triathletes, and people who love being in and around the water worldwide.

Who Are Wayne and Glenn?

Wayne Goldsmith is an Australian coach, mentor, writer, speaker, and presenter. He's worked in swimming for more than 30 years and is an internationally respected sports performance professional. He's been recognized for his contribution to the sport of swimming with the Outstanding Contribution to Swimming in Australia Award and been recently received the Al Schoenfield award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Visit Wayne's Website - https://wgcoaching.com/

Glenn Mills is an American coach, writer, and video producer.  He's been involved in swimming for over 55 years.  He's competed at every level of the sport, from winning the US Olympic Trials and NCAA Championships and even setting a few Masters World Records.  For over 25 years, he's produced swimming technique content as the Co-Founder of GoSwim.tv, the Official Technique Partner with USA Swimming.  He has also won the Paragon Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame for his contribution to competitive swimming.

Visit Glenn's Website - https://www.goswim.tv/