My Coach Left Me. Here’s the Advice That Saved Me.
Something unthinkable happened to me — I lost my favorite swimming coach. It was out of the blue and this unexpected news completely laid me out. (You can watch a video of my first reaction here.) It seemed to me that all my efforts had gone down the drain.
But a few days later, thanks to my dearest friend and her sound advice, I felt better. And this is what she said:
1. Do not take it personally. It is life, and maybe this is the right time for you to take responsibility for swimming yourself and just go swimming regularly using the techniques you have already learnt.
2. Celebrate yourself. You have already learnt how to swim in two different styles. You should be proud of yourself. Great job! Keep it up!
3. To keep improving, learn to be vulnerable in the water. Embrace the fact that swimming is dangerous, but YOU can take this process under your control. Everything will be OK.
4. Become a coach for yourself. Watch a tutorial on one exercise, and the next time you go to the swimming pool, practice it to polish your technique.
5. Listen to your body — it is wiser than you might think. Develop self-awareness of what is going on with your body while training. Be attentive and alert, but allow your body to be free in the water.
And, you know, the other day I went to the swimming pool and noticed a woman in a professional swimsuit and goggles there. She didn’t do anything extraordinary, but watching her swimming style, it dawned on me that I already could swim like she did. Yes, not as much confidently as she did it, but I could anyway. I breathed a sigh of relief and started a new chapter of my swimming life — without a coach.
I understand that I now need to be my own coach, as I have already been with learning English and French language. Maybe I am cut out for learning something myself; it is my strong point? Who knows? Only time will tell.