The Swim Brief

Send us Fan MailJack Roach has spent a lifetime learning from coaches—and helping coaches and athletes learn from one another.In this conversation, Jack reflects on his time leading USA Swimming's National Junior Team, where he helped create developmental experiences that connected young swimmers with senior athletes and brought coaches into a broader web of relationships. But his philosophy extends well beyond any particular program: coaches shouldn't simply provide answers. Their job is to ask questions, deepen awareness and help reveal the wisdom already developing within the athlete.We discuss purpose, autonomy, the difference between being unable and unwilling, admitting weakness as a coach, and why genuinely caring about someone sometimes requires walking directly into difficult conversations. Jack also shares lessons from Eddie Reese and his longtime mentor, Jon Urbanchek—including one question that has stayed with him: How much are you willing to care?

Send us Fan MailWhat makes swimmers want to keep showing up—not because an attendance policy requires it, but because they genuinely want to be there?Jonathan Kaplan, head coach and director of SwimRVA, joins Chris to discuss a collaborative approach to coaching built around athlete ownership. Jonathan explains why he has never used an attendance policy, how coaches can teach swimmers to manage the psychological demands of practice, and what happens when an athlete's entire identity becomes tied to results.They also explore confidence without false modesty, the damage created by praising outcomes while ignoring the process, and why much of championship-meet coaching becomes an attempt to undo lessons athletes learned when they were younger.Jonathan then shares how SwimRVA was designed around the needs of its community—removing barriers while creating space for everyone from seasonal participants to nationally competitive swimmers—and why good leadership requires enough confidence to question your own ideas.The result is not a rejection of performance. It is a different path toward it: build better people, give swimmers meaningful ownership, and create a program they don't want to leave.

Send us Fan MailWhat does it take to build a championship-level program without allowing college swimming to become purely transactional?Stanford men's swimming head coach Dan Schemmel joins Chris DeSantis to discuss his unlikely path from Hawaii to one of the most prestigious jobs in the sport—and the moment he finally felt that he belonged there. They explore how Stanford is navigating NIL, the transfer era, and the growing pressure to treat the athlete-coach relationship as an exchange of immediate benefits.Dan also explains why recruiting athletes who genuinely love swimming matters, how a strong team culture can sustain people when their individual motivation fades, and why the sport needs to better recognize age-group and club coaches. The conversation closes with a look at leadership, the difference between “learners” and “knowers,” and whether faster performances are necessarily producing better swimmers.

Send us Fan MailTed Lasso returns with a new challenge: building a women's team inside a sporting structure created for men.Chris DeSantis and Juliet Suess discuss what the opening episodes of season four reveal about coaching, leadership and the systems surrounding women's sports. They explore Coach Chilton's technical strengths and relational blind spots, Rebecca's failure to consider a woman for the head coaching position, the limitations of copying and pasting from the men's game, and how Emma Hayes has turned a deeper understanding of female athletes into a competitive advantage.They also examine the power of teams to bring different people together—and why sports need more leaders like Keeley, who refuse to diminish themselves to fit an inherited model.Contains spoilers for the first four episodes of Ted Lasso season four.

Send us Fan MailSwimmers spend hours in the pool, yet many still aren't eating enough to support the work they're doing.Alicia Glass, Sport Dietitian for USA Swimming, joins to explain why swimmers need to think more like endurance athletes—and what happens when training volume and fueling fall out of alignment. We discuss early-morning practices without breakfast, why sugar and sports drinks can be valuable performance tools, and the practical barriers that keep exhausted athletes from eating consistently.The conversation also explores why effective nutrition advice must account for the individual, how restrictive ideas about “healthy” eating can leave athletes less adaptable, and what coaches should look for when bringing nutrition professionals into their programs.Finally, Alicia offers a nuanced approach to one of swimming's most difficult subjects: body composition. 

Send us Fan MailSwimming has spent decades asking coaches to become more professional. But has the profession done enough to support them in return?Doug Cornish is a former swim coach, financial planner, and the creator of the 2025 Swim Coaches Compensation Survey. His findings expose how precarious coaching has become: 38% of respondents reported working without a current contract, while 80% had no cost-of-living adjustment built into their agreements.Doug and I discuss why coaches continue accepting these conditions, how poor financial stewardship limits what clubs can provide, and why coach retention is foundational to athlete development and the future of the sport. We also lay out five practical changes that could begin moving the profession forward—from credible compensation data and honest job ratings to board education, stronger financial structures, and contract templates.This isn't just a conversation about what's wrong. It's about what swimming can actually do next—because if we want to save the sport, we have to start with the coaches.Doug's e-mail: doug@swimpler.comWebsite:  swimpler.comISCA Email 1: https://mailchi.mp/swimisca/coach-retention-the-future-of-swimming-depends-on-it?e=70a9f8d406ISCA Email 2: https://mailchi.mp/swimisca/can-great-coaches-afford-to-remain-great2025 Coach Compensation Survery Data10 Ways to Value Coaches

Send us Fan MailMargo Geer's path to becoming the head coach at the University of Alabama was anything but conventional. When she took over the program at 28, plenty of people questioned whether she was ready.Six years later, Margo joins me to discuss what prepared her for the opportunity, how her experience as an elite athlete shaped her leadership, and why she was able to deal with the criticism surrounding her hiring.We also talk about protecting the health and performance of coaches, the value of letting athletes experience different environments, and why college swimming may need to reconsider its 365-days-a-year mentality.Margo also shares the coaches who shaped her, what she has learned through six years in charge, and how she continues to balance curiosity, ambition, relationships, and life away from the pool.

Send us Fan MailDon Wagner spent more than fifty years coaching swimmers at every level of the sport—from developing young athletes to coaching Olympic champion Janet Evans during the most dominant stretch of her career.In this conversation, Don reflects on the moments that defined his coaching journey, how training philosophy has changed over five decades, what he believes today's coaches get right (and wrong), and the lessons that mattered most after a lifetime on deck.We discuss:• Coaching Janet Evans during her world-record years • Why today's swimmers may need more rest—not more work • The evolution of coach-athlete relationships • Building a coaching philosophy over fifty years • The future of swimming and what Don hopes changes • Small lessons from legendary coaches that stayed with him foreverWhether you're a swim coach, athlete, or simply interested in leadership and high performance, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom.

Send us Fan MailTodd DeSorbo has built one of the most dominant programs in college swimming history—but he says there was never a master plan.In this conversation we explore what it actually takes to sustain excellence year after year, why coaching elite athletes is more about what you do with the data than long term planning. Listen for how he thinks about recruiting, athlete development, emotional control, and building a culture that keeps producing world-class performances.Todd also shares why he believes plateaus are often a sign that an athlete is about to break through, how he coaches Olympic champions differently (and not differently), and what surprised him most about leading a dynasty.Topics include: Building a championship program without a fixed blueprint  Why planning matters—but flexibility matters more  Coaching world-record holders  Why female athletes continue improving at Virginia  Recruiting beyond times  Managing emotion as a coach  Creating a culture where athletes compete with each other rather than against each other 

Send us Fan MailWhat can The Odyssey teach us about leadership when every available choice carries consequences?Chris is joined by Juliet Seuss for a different kind of episode: a conversation about Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and the questions it raises about responsibility, power, guilt, and shame. They examine whether Odysseus accepts responsibility for the people who follow him, how Penelope exercises power within an unjust system, and what Sinon's story reveals about the shame society places on marginalized people.Along the way, they explore one of leadership's hardest realities: sometimes there is no good decision—only the least-bad one. What matters is not whether a leader can prevent every bad outcome, but how they respond to circumstances they cannot fully control.This conversation contains major spoilers for The Odyssey.

Send us Fan MailFor years, conversations about athlete welfare have rightly transformed the way we think about coaching. But there's another side of the equation that receives far less attention:Who protects coaches?This week I'm joined by coach Sophia Parr (@swim.coach.sophie) for one of the most vulnerable conversations we've ever had on The Swim Brief.Sophie shares the story of being removed from a high school coaching position after months of conflict, isolation, and feeling unsupported by leadership. Rather than focusing on a single moment, we explore the culture that can push good coaches to their breaking point—and why so many talented coaches quietly leave the profession.Together we discuss:• The emotional toll of coaching under constant scrutiny• Parent dynamics and organizational support• Why female coaches often face a different standard than men• The unintended consequences of well-intentioned safeguarding systems• How coaches can establish healthy boundaries without losing compassion• What schools, clubs, and parents can do to create healthier coaching environmentsThis isn't a conversation about avoiding accountability. It's about recognizing that healthy coaching environments require healthy support systems for everyone involved.Whether you're a coach, parent, athletic director, or athlete, I hope this episode encourages you to think differently about the people who dedicate themselves to developing others.If you enjoy conversations like this and would like to support The Swim Brief, you can do so at ChrisDCoach.com.Want to tell your story to Sophie? Click belowhttps://storiesfromthedeck.base44.app/Follow Sophie:Instagram: @swim.coach.sophieFollow Chris:Instagram: @chrisd_coachWebsite: ChrisDCoach.com

Send us Fan MailWhy do parents keep intervening in coaching decisions—and why does giving in usually make the problem worse?In this solo brief, I describe the fear underneath parent pressure: the belief that failing to secure every possible opportunity means failing their child. I explore how coaches unintentionally reinforce that anxiety, why concessions invite more intervention, and how proactive communication can prevent conflict before it begins.The episode offers a practical framework for defining the roles of coach, parent, and athlete—allowing parents to support their child meaningfully without feeling they need to control coaching decisions.

Dave Salo has coached at every level of the sport—from NCAA championships to Olympic medals—but this conversation isn't about workouts or sets.Instead, we explore the decisions that define great coaching.We discuss why process matters more than outcomes, how a single sentence can change the way an athlete experiences failure, the transition from assistant coach to head coach, what it means to lead people instead of simply managing performance, and the lessons Dave has learned from both success and adversity throughout his career.Whether you coach swimming, another sport, or simply lead people, this episode is a reminder that the impact of coaching extends far beyond results.In this episode we discuss:Why athletes remember what coaches say long after races are overThe language that changes how athletes process failureThe difference between being an assistant coach and leading a programHow coaching philosophy evolves over decadesNavigating criticism, setbacks, and career transitionsWhat separates great coaching from great instructionIf you're interested in becoming a better coach—not just producing better performances—this conversation is for you.More episodes, resources, and coaching:https://www.chrisdcoach.comAbout The Swim BriefThe Swim Brief explores the thinking behind great coaching through conversations with world-class coaches, sport scientists, and leaders in swimming and beyond. Each episode is designed to help coaches improve the quality of their thinking so they can improve the quality of their coaching.

The head coach of Swimming and Diving at the University of Illinois Jeana Kempe joins to talk influences and the path of her coaching career. 

David Marsh tells all about what his retirement actually looks like, and what he had planned if he was National Team Director. Debrief: David Marsh Chris DeSantis Download

Tracy Menzel joins to talk GAIN, Diversity and why she's back coaching in her hometown. Debrief: Tracy Menzel Chris DeSantis Download

Recapping the day I spent following around USA Swimming National Team Director Greg Meehan at last week's Indy Pro Series event. Bonus Pod: A Day with Greg Meehan Chris DeSantis

Dave Durden joins to discuss how he approaches his unconventional start at Cal and his approaches to recruiting and hiring. Debrief: Dave Durden Chris DeSantis

Megan Devito, a high school swim coach and performance mindset coach, joins to talk shop on the value of coaching. Debrief: Megan Devito

The CEO of USA Swimming joins to share what he's learned in his nine months on the job and what he thinks is possible for the future. Debrief: Kevin Ring

Former National Team and World Champion rower Cara Stawicki joins to talk shop and even turns the tables on me. Links for Cara:Website: https://carastawicki.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carastawicki/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-stawicki-6059196/Book a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/carastawicki/discovery?month=2026-04 Debrief: Cara Stawicki

Organizing my big picture reflections on the stupidest event in swimming history, and all the losers who tried to make it work. riverside_christopher_swim_brief (1)

Big shout out to the IDGI Podcast with Nate McKay and Kyle Johnson for helping me out with this week's pod. Listen to hear me get interviewed by the guys, plus some thoughts on the top about the Loser Olympics. riverside_christopher_swim_brief

Glenn Mills, the owner and founder of Goswim, 1980 Olympian and all around man about the sport, joins to talk about what he sees in the swimming world. Debrief: Glenn Mills Chris DeSantis

An old friend of the podcast, Kyle Johnson, returns to share his wisdom. Kyle also has a podcast, which you can follow for me to be on soon. Debrief: Kyle Johnson Returns Chris DeSantis

James Marshall of GAIN and Excelsior Athletic Club joins to talk how he came to coach three sports, knowledge sharing and the athletic insights of Nassim Taleb. Check out his website: https://excelsiorgroup.co.uk/Link to James' substack newsletter. Debrief: James Marshall Chris DeSantis

First podcast of the book club, featuring USA Swimming's Corey Manley. We discuss previous guest Kristoffer Henriksen's book All You Need to Know About Talent Development. The book was co-authored with Carsten Hvid Larsen and Louise Kamuk Storm. Book Club: All You Need to Know About Talent Development w/Corey Manley Chris DeSantis

In preparation for book clubbing with Corey Manley, I break down how I communicate about talent with coaches and athletes. Solobrief: How to Talk About Talent Chris DeSantis

Celebrating 1000 followers on instagram by taking listener questions. Want to have your question answered on the pod? Listen to the end of the pod for instructions! Special 1000 Follower Solobrief Chris DeSantis

The recently named CSCAA Division III Coach of the year, Peter Casares of Bates College, joins to recap the year and talk about getting a walk on to a National Championship. Plus, a bonus at the end for all D3 Swimming nerds. Debrief: Peter Casares Chris DeSantis

Northwestern Swimming and Diving Head Coach and College Swim Coaches Association President Rachel Stratton-Mills to share her approach to coaching.

Dr. Randy Wilber is a Senior Sport Physiologist at the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He has worked with numerous Olympic medalists across multiple sports. I press him for insight on overtraining and blood analysis.

Renowned Danish sports psychologist Kristoffer Henriksen joins to discuss his life's work on athlete development and changing the narrative around what it means to be competitive.

The head coach of Women's Swimming and Diving at UCLA joins to talk about single gender coaching, making her way to UCLA and sharing knowledge.

Adrian Radulescu is the two-time Olympic coach of Romania, best known for his guidance of phenom David Popovici. In this podcast we talk about how he came to be a coach and how he approaches several common coaching problems systematically.

On the eve of the B1G Championship, Brian Schrader went off on the new format and qualification for the NCAA Division I Championship. I respond to what he said and try to put it in context that I don't see as it was reported out by other outlets.

Dominique Diezi joins with stories of swimming and coaching both in Switzerland and the US.

My former colleague and the Head of Knowledge and Innovation for Danish Swimming Christine Eilertsen joins to talk about her outlook on talent development.

Fresh off his team setting yet another NCAA DII record, Nova Southeastern's Ben Hewitt joins to discuss how he ended up at the top program in DIi and the lessons he has learned along the way. Permalink

Niklas Brix joins to discuss trying out for the Danish Frogmen, leadership and dealing with peer pressure from other coaches.

Musings on why we train swimmers in the groups that we do, and how much specificity is enough.

Matt Sprang has been a coach, owned a swim club and now he's moving on to the next chapter of his professional live. We get together to discuss what he's up to and the vexing environment around coach wellness.

“Debriefing” the Aqua Clinic in Nyborg Denmark, with highlights from a USOPC Sport Scientist and David Popovici's coach Adrian Radulescu.

Coach and author Chris Da Sie joins to talk about his recently published book, from Pressure to Podium. Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5PW4HSRBN.com - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pressure-to-podium-chris-da-sie/1148919655IG - https://instagram.com/betweenlapsYouTube - https://youtube.com/betweenthelaps Permalink

Summing up the year that was Swim Brief in 2025- thoughts on gratitude, the future and all the amazing things I got to be a part of this past year.

Breaking out the all caps for the return of Joel Rollings. We discuss his new position at Marquette and get his takes on NCAA, Enhanced Games and more.

Susie Johnson, coach and author of not-your-average-mom.com joins to discuss her blog and life lessons from raising five kids in the sport. You can read her full blog here or follow on facebook.

Samantha Livingstone joins to discuss her new podcast, evaluating coaches on more than performance and more.

Greg Meehan returns in his new role to talk about what he's actually doing to change the direction of USA Swimming.

This Thanksgiving, we talk to somebody with a nearly 60 year history of coaching in the sport. Come for the wisdom of coaching 8 and unders and stay for the story of what Mark Spitz dad was like when he was an age grouper.

What can a coach do to prepare for mid-season? I work through my checklist for coaches.