MTSC Masters' Coach Ron Chlasta
Ron Chlasta is the Head Coach for MTSC Masters in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He is a Level 4 Coach, as certified by the American Swim Coaches Association (www.swimmingcoach.org). Only the top 5-8% of swim coaches in the USA have achieved this level of certification.
TRUST YOUR FITNESS
The race season has begun! Our first group of athletes has already completed the Senior Games, Clemson masters meet, and the Gulf Coast Half Ironman triathlon. While it is still early in the season, our results speak! Roger Lancina won every event on his program at the Senior Games-a great rehearsal for the 2009 Summer National Senior Games in Palo Alto later this summer! Jon Jepsen was equally impressive, garnering two first places, second place, and third place finishes. It’s been two years since Jeff Glass competed, and he topped his age group at Clemson, while Doug Thain has achieved US Masters Swimming national qualifying times in every event he has swum this season! Brian Ruttenbur placed in the Top 10 at Gulf Coast in his division, while Sheila Yarbrough overcame a fear of swimming in the open ocean! Congratulations to all of you!
As a coach, it’s always fun to hear the “bench racing” that goes on after the races. We have been working very hard on mental toughness throughout the winter season. We have rehearsed what it feels like to compete both in the pool and in the open water. We have talked about trusting our fitness when it comes to race day. It is impressive to see my athletes compete calmly and confidently when it comes to race day.
While some of our teammates are just getting ready to “test the waters”, as race day is just around the corner – it is time to TRUST. You have done the work and now you can look forward to race day with excitement and enthusiasm. Successful athletes trust their talents. They are committed to every swing, every stroke, every shot and every pitch. When you step up to the line on race day, it is time to be decisive. If you have doubts, a lack of commitment, or are indecisive, how will your body know what to do? We all have seen what can happen to the most talented people on race day. Under pressure, they sometimes become tentative and indecisive. They don’t trust their fitness and preparation.
Prior to the 2000 Olympic Trials, I invited some of my friends and former athletes to an event at Sea Star called “Breakfast with Champions”. After breakfast, we went into the pool to do some demonstrations and give a visual perspective of how an athlete develops from four years old to the Olympic caliber athlete. As we progressed up the “food chain”, each athlete would speak to the aspiring athlete in the chair next to them, and give them advice as to what they could anticipate along their swimming journey. My former athlete Liesl Kolbisen (three time national champion at the time) was preparing to swim at the Olympic Trials. Sitting next to her was Joan Pennington, a member of the 1980 Olympic team. When it came time for Joan to give Liesl advice, she asked this question … “Liesl, do you see yourself becoming an Olympian every day at practice? Do you visualize yourself touching the wall at the end of each repeat as if you finished and made the Olympic team?” In essence, Joan was trying to communicate that confidence and trust are essential to success. You have to feel sure that you are doing the right thing on a daily basis.
The habits of success are forged in practice. You can’t be in the middle of a race telling yourself “Concentrate, Concentrate!” because it won’t happen for you. You must mentally treat your practice sessions as competitions, concentrating on every set, every stroke and every finish just as you will do it on race day.
In practice, you must learn to train your brain as well as your body. Doubts cause intellectual confusion. Doubts can be paralyzing. Once you have rehearsed and decided how you are going to race, and you step up on the block or to the starting line, it is time to get your head out of the way so your body can perform! On race day, you must be 100 percent committed to your strategy. If there are doubts in your mind, your muscles won’t know what to do. Let your brain switch from the thinking mode, to the trusting mode, and … TRUST YOUR FITNESS!