Canadian Summer Nationals

I am covering this event for Swim Swam. Check it out over there: www.swimswam.com.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Another Post from Bogdan Knezevic

Anger as a Form of Motivation
Bogdan Knezevic (twitter: @bogdanknez)

Goal setting is a key element of success in life, and is used to provide tangible, realistic guidelines to reaching our dreams, whatever they may be. The fuel for this journey can be provided by any one (or combination) of a multitude of things: determination to prove something, conviction in one’s ideals and cause, or pure excitement and joy of the activity itself. However, an often overlooked and misunderstood source of motivation is anger.

At one point or another, we have all felt anger; anger at ourselves, at the people around us, at the situation we were dealing with. In sport, anger is a common emotion, and frequently boils out at the wrong place or time. If, however, this anger is controlled and directed with purpose and focus, it has the potential to bring out amazing performances that may surprise you.

The true revelation of the simplicity of this idea dawned on me the other day when I was doing some yard work at home. We had recently cut down two trees that were rotting, and had decided to plant two new ones a little farther from the house. Instead of paying the (rather steep) price of $500 to have the holes for the trees dug out by the landscapers, my father and I decided to use this opportunity to bond a little, as well as save a lot of money.

The plan seemed simple enough: two holes, each 4.5 x 4.5 feet, with a depth of 28 inches. It was a fairly warm and sunny day, which provided a pleasant working environment- not the kind of atmosphere one would expect to breed anger. The predisposition for this emotion, however, was visible if one knew where to look. It was a Sunday, the one day off in my week of training- I had already been feeling rather sluggish and burnt out by the time Saturday morning workout had finished. I had started off the day with a soccer match with the men’s league I play in, and with half the team not present at the game, I played both halves fully. I then arrived home and, after a quick bite to eat, proceeded to dig the holes. Within half an hour a few things became crystal clear: the blisters on my feet from soccer would now be accompanied by blisters on my hands from digging, the pleasantly warm day suddenly felt a lot hotter and stickier, and the holes were actually rather large (which wasn’t quite apparent before the work commenced).

Within the hour, I was (likely unjustifiably) angry at the world, at my father, at the trees and at the shovel, but one thing did not change: the holes had to be completed that day since the trees were being delivered the next. At this point it was obvious that there was no turning back since the work absolutely had to be finished, and the moment I realized that, a few key elements changed. The anger, which had been building inside and impeding my work, suddenly served a purpose. Instead of venting out the energy from the frustration building up inside, I poured it into the work I was doing, using it to give me focus and purpose. I worked into a certain rhythm, and developed a pattern of cohesion with my father who was employed alongside me. Within a few hours, both holes were completed, and we were sipping sangria on the porch.

Afterword, I would look back on the afternoon and reflect on how such a potentially destructive emotion helped increase efficiency a thousand fold; if it could work in the yard with such a mundane task, it could surely work in the pool when bigger things are at stake. So next time you have a bad race at a meet, or a teammate messes up in a play, or odds are stacked against you, GET ANGRY! Don’t let your crappy race bring you down and dampen your motivation- get angry at yourself for messing up something you shouldn’t have messed up, and go back to work to fix it. Don’t let the fact that your teammate is having a bad day ruin the game for you- get angry and take the initiative to pick up the slack and turn things around. Don’t let seemingly overwhelming odds drive you away from your goals- get angry at yourself for even considering quitting and use that to drive yourself TOWARD your goals. As long as it is wielded properly, anger can help provide you with the little bit of energy needed to reach those ‘unattainable’ heights.

Some Good Links

A pretty good article about HHBF at Provincials in the local Independent can be found HERE.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

This is the last episode of #coachmikepodcast to be posted before the start of the 2012 London Games. I have with me this week Gail Vaz-Oxlade (host of the Slice Network's 'Till Debt To Us Part and Princess) to talk about money management for coaches, parents and athletes. I am also visited by Dr. Greg Wells (Author of Super Bodies and commentator for the 2012 London Games on CTV) to revisit a conversation we had in October about concussions and talk about the upcoming Olympics and his role in them. This is a GREAT episode! Don't miss it!

Links of the day with Jocelyn Jay

It's all the rave...how many hours of 'deliberate practice' will help you master your discipline? Can you break the 10,000 hour rule? Here are some great tips to consider becoming a masters at what you do best! http://ow.ly/ca678

It's as simple as this... http://ow.ly/ca6vt

What's the difference between Federer and Murray...this author argues, constant struggle! http://ow.ly/ca7Sf

A great article on Mark Tewksbury coming fulling circle in his career!! http://ow.ly/ca7YN

Sport: An Ideal Medium for Character Development

Todays guest post comes from Bogdan Knezvic of ESWIM. Bogdan was currently enrolled in the University of Calgary (CIS Rookie of the Year in 2010), majoring in Neuroscience and is a published scientist (Journal of Experimental Biology, primary author). Bogdan is the Serbian National Record Holder in the 200 and 400 IM and was selected to represent Serbia at 2012 European Championships, but declined due to conflicts with other meets. He has represented Canada at numerous international games (Junior Pan Pacs, Junior Worlds, and Senior Pan Pacs).  Please welcome Bogdan to our writting team.


Sport: An Ideal Medium for Character Development
Bogdan Knezevic (twitter: @bogdanknez )

“Sport does not develop character, it reveals it” is a quote most athletes have heard, yet not all agree with. I, myself, am more inclined to say that sport both develops AND reveals character- the two do not have to be mutually exclusive.

As a person decides to commit to a sport and to take on the role of the athlete, they are put to the test in multiple ways. The hard work that goes into training, the responsibility that you need to take for your actions and that you owe to the team begin to eat away at the outer ‘bubble’ of your person, and as you constantly push the boundaries of your comfort zone, the true core of your character will begin to reveal itself. The self-labelled (and the word ‘self’ is key here) ‘heroes’ of a team might begin to stand out, for example, or the quiet, yet highly skilled introverts might take you by surprise. Adversity pushes people to the edge, and it is precisely when they are at the edge that the few key things that make them who they are will begin to shine. Determination, relentlessness, and true grit are most easily observed when a person is asked to perform, and sports provide a medium for exactly that. A truly egotistical person, for instance, will be easy to spot in a team sport, as they will visibly be doing things for their own benefit rather than for the team’s. On the other hand, a truly determined and motivated person who, for instance, loses a swim race won’t let the loss hamper their training, and will manage to instead use it as fuel for working harder.

The discrepancy in the quote (from my experience) comes later on, as you begin to settle into the ‘groove’ of the sport (so to speak). Adaptability has always been a key evolutionary trait, and- although it sounds melodramatic- those who adapt, survive. The same is true in sports, and in order to be able to climb upwards within the realm of your sport, you must be able to adapt. Certain aspects of your character might need to be strengthened, while others dropped entirely. A few clear traits stand out: determination, optimism, responsibility all need to be constantly reinforced, and one needs to continually build up layer upon layer of these key traits to push to the top. Conversely, egotism (referring to true arrogance and not to be mistaken for confidence), pessimism, and laziness are all potential characteristic traits that need to be minimized in order to optimize performance. The self-styled ‘hero’ of the team from the paragraph above has two choices: keep putting the team at risk by refusing to respect team play (and evoke the anger of many teammates in the process), or develop character and slowly weed out this trait (perhaps changing the mindset and moulding the arrogance into confidence), allowing room for growth as both an athlete and a person.

When I began swimming for the first time, a few things were revealed to me within the first few years of the sport: I was competitive, hungry for success, determined, and goal oriented. These were aspects of my character that became clearly visible as training and competing chipped away at my psyche. The majority of my swimming career, however, has been a constant revaluation and tweaking of my character; I have continually worked on developing it, training it to deal with unique situations, and shaping it in ways that would optimize both my athletic and personal life. Swimming has taught me the importance of perseverance and optimism in one’s character, as well as given me a sense of what true professionalism means.

We are all living, breathing things, and as such, it is my opinion that we must treat our essence the same and not allow it to become static. Sport- to me- is a great way to discover your true character and reveal it those around you, and an even better way of moulding it and allowing it to positively expand in all directions.

Do you support the process or just the results?

I think everyone loves sports for different reasons, but I don't think that anyone can deny that its the process that is where the real value is. Therefore, the process must be the most important thing... right?

If that is true:

• Why doesn't anyone (including professional athletes) want to be a part of the rebuilding PROCESS?
• Why are so many people more likely to accommodate convenience than PROCESS (OFSAA, I'm looking at you)?
• Why doesn't the PROCESS play a bigger part in goal setting?
• Why are we more focused on the RESULTS today than the PROCESS of getting there tomorrow?

I think this is a very important reflection right now, after Ontario Junior Provincials, because lots of athletes and parents are evaluating their season. The 10 year old that medals at provincials does so, likely because he or she is bigger than the others. Is the 10 year old that came 5th doomed to never medal? No, of course not. In the same light, is the 10 year old that won the event likely to convert that into a Senior National medal down the road?

Do today's adolescent results dictate adult results down the road? Not necessarily, especially since part of the challenge is staying in the sport long enough to complete the PROCESS into your adult years (post PVH for those of you who read the LTADs).  So is your 14 year old boy destined to finish behind HAC swimmer Osvald Nitski for the rest of his career? 

Where do coaches fall into this? How do parents allow coaches to fall into this? I think it is worth stating that coaches are the paid professionals in this situation. Good coaches have long term plans for their teams and athletes. While its easy to want success today (for you or for your athlete) trusting your coach is very important.  How can a coach be focused on the PROCESS when the clientele is more interested in today's RESULTS? Today's results are very important at the high performance level, but at the age group level they are stepping stones. Support the PROCESS, not just the RESULTS.

Links of the day with Jocelyn Jay

An extra long batch of links today since we were away last week. Check it out:




Heading into championship season...get inspired!!!!  http://youtu.be/sBIuJ7_Y2T4

"When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful" ....http://youtu.be/lsSC2vx7zFQ

Much like Canadian David Sharpe winning the men's 200 fly out of lane 8 to qualify for London 2012, Claire Donahue of Western Kentucky University just needed a lane.  Out of lane 1, she qualified for the US Olympic Team in the 100 fly...awesome!!! ~ http://ow.ly/bS4mb

3 Ways Our Athletes Can Control The Controllables ~ http://ow.ly/bVqzO

Raising an Olympian, Ryan Lochte ~ http://youtu.be/dZhwZI1wWGU

Fun Piece about Michael Phelps ~ gawker.com


Good article about US Olympic Trials:http://t.co/EkWFO93X