Tuesday, February 16, 2021
First Colony Swim Team's Dana Skelton Named USOPC Developmental Coach of the Year
On Tuesday, February 16, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced that USA Swimming member coach Dana Skelton, from First Colony Swim Team (FCST), Inc., received the USOPC’s Developmental Coach of the Year award for her coaching accomplishments from October 2019-October 2020.
“I am honored to even be nominated for this award,” said Skelton, the Head Development Coach for FCST in Sugar Land, TX. “There are some amazing coaches across the country I have learned from, regardless of the sport.”
Despite the hardships of coaching during a pandemic, Skelton has continued her work on developing age group swimmers by incorporating numerous self-building programs.
The FCST Strong Girls program, which was developed to show girls ages nine and older that they can be strong and fearless leaders, has continued virtually throughout the past year. Guided discussion topics start with a question related to swimming and grow to conversations centered around mental, physical and emotional strength.
As many coaches have dealt with the uphill battles of virtual and limited in-water trainings, Skelton continued to create consistency and stability during practice. She stated, “The impact that I, as a coach, can have to help [athletes] grow and learn through sport is so meaningful.”
Her athletes know swim practice is a safe space to work hard while still having fun. They are engaged with new and exciting activities, all while focusing on the development of the individual and not just the speed of the swimmer. Some examples include:
“The passion and drive that so many coaches share on a daily basis is inspiring. While I still have some big personal goals for myself, this award lets me know I am on the right path,” said Skelton.
Currently, Coach Skelton is engaged with a number of USA Swimming programs, including being a member of the USA Swimming National Age Group Development Committee, the Committee Chair for the Texas Select Camp and the Local Swimming Committee (LSC) Club Development Chair.
Congratulations to Coach Dana Skelton.
“I am honored to even be nominated for this award,” said Skelton, the Head Development Coach for FCST in Sugar Land, TX. “There are some amazing coaches across the country I have learned from, regardless of the sport.”
Despite the hardships of coaching during a pandemic, Skelton has continued her work on developing age group swimmers by incorporating numerous self-building programs.
The FCST Strong Girls program, which was developed to show girls ages nine and older that they can be strong and fearless leaders, has continued virtually throughout the past year. Guided discussion topics start with a question related to swimming and grow to conversations centered around mental, physical and emotional strength.
As many coaches have dealt with the uphill battles of virtual and limited in-water trainings, Skelton continued to create consistency and stability during practice. She stated, “The impact that I, as a coach, can have to help [athletes] grow and learn through sport is so meaningful.”
Her athletes know swim practice is a safe space to work hard while still having fun. They are engaged with new and exciting activities, all while focusing on the development of the individual and not just the speed of the swimmer. Some examples include:
- Journaling to foster positive and healthy communication.
- Awards to develop skills to become better teammates and people.
- Wall of Fame to focus on improving swimming specific skills rather than just speed.
- Games to enhance competitiveness and skill development during swim practice.
- Creating mental toughness quotes to motivate one another during swim practice.
“The passion and drive that so many coaches share on a daily basis is inspiring. While I still have some big personal goals for myself, this award lets me know I am on the right path,” said Skelton.
Currently, Coach Skelton is engaged with a number of USA Swimming programs, including being a member of the USA Swimming National Age Group Development Committee, the Committee Chair for the Texas Select Camp and the Local Swimming Committee (LSC) Club Development Chair.
Congratulations to Coach Dana Skelton.