Tuesday, July 20, 2021
Dynamo Swim Club Achieves Success In and Out of the Water
Daily expectations and team culture are two of the priorities Head Coach of Dynamo Swim Club Ian Murray believes have helped shape the program into what it is today.
Last year, Dynamo Swim Club had one of the highest numbers of Scholastic All-American athletes on its roster within all of USA Swimming. This year they are hoping to continue the trend by maintaining a process that has worked over the years.
“We like to believe in the power of ‘and.’ These goals are not just for the pool. You can be a great athlete and a student and a sibling, and whatever else,” Murray said. “Having these benchmarks and goals are important for everyone.”
At Dynamo, the home club of 2020 Olympians Jay Litherland, Brooks Curry and Gunnar Bentz, athletes are expected to have a high level of excellence in the classroom as well as on the pool deck. When talking about elite level athletes on the club, Murray believes structure has a large role in shaping excellence.
As many of us can attest, being involved in sports creates a “sink or swim” mentality when it comes to time management. If you want to be successful on the playing field or in the water, you must manage outside expectations. Most often, this includes managing time for academics and a social life into a structured timeline which does not interfere with practice or competition. In the end, elite-level athletes often master time management which helps them succeed in numerous life-long activities.
In addition to time management expectations, Murray knows to have successful athletes in the pool, you must create healthy relationships outside of the water. When swimmers come to swim practice, they have their typical pre-practice routine. During that time, Murray and the other coaches spend quality time talking to the athletes and getting to know them on a deeper level. He says this is important because whether an athlete is struggling or thriving in or out the water, the coaches are there to help guide in a positive way.
“Coaching is about relationships,” Murray said. “In the end, it’s not just about swimming, we are shaping people for the future. It has little to do with what they are going to accomplish athletically.”
To qualify for 2020-2021 Scholastic All-American, high school athletes must have a minimum qualifying time standard in an individual event, as well as a minimum 3.5 GPA for the current academic year. Qualifying pool times must be in SWIMS before August 31, 2021.
Applications can be found here and close September 6, 2021. This year, there are four classification applications, including new additions for para swimmers.
Last year, Dynamo Swim Club had one of the highest numbers of Scholastic All-American athletes on its roster within all of USA Swimming. This year they are hoping to continue the trend by maintaining a process that has worked over the years.
“We like to believe in the power of ‘and.’ These goals are not just for the pool. You can be a great athlete and a student and a sibling, and whatever else,” Murray said. “Having these benchmarks and goals are important for everyone.”
At Dynamo, the home club of 2020 Olympians Jay Litherland, Brooks Curry and Gunnar Bentz, athletes are expected to have a high level of excellence in the classroom as well as on the pool deck. When talking about elite level athletes on the club, Murray believes structure has a large role in shaping excellence.
As many of us can attest, being involved in sports creates a “sink or swim” mentality when it comes to time management. If you want to be successful on the playing field or in the water, you must manage outside expectations. Most often, this includes managing time for academics and a social life into a structured timeline which does not interfere with practice or competition. In the end, elite-level athletes often master time management which helps them succeed in numerous life-long activities.
In addition to time management expectations, Murray knows to have successful athletes in the pool, you must create healthy relationships outside of the water. When swimmers come to swim practice, they have their typical pre-practice routine. During that time, Murray and the other coaches spend quality time talking to the athletes and getting to know them on a deeper level. He says this is important because whether an athlete is struggling or thriving in or out the water, the coaches are there to help guide in a positive way.
“Coaching is about relationships,” Murray said. “In the end, it’s not just about swimming, we are shaping people for the future. It has little to do with what they are going to accomplish athletically.”
To qualify for 2020-2021 Scholastic All-American, high school athletes must have a minimum qualifying time standard in an individual event, as well as a minimum 3.5 GPA for the current academic year. Qualifying pool times must be in SWIMS before August 31, 2021.
Applications can be found here and close September 6, 2021. This year, there are four classification applications, including new additions for para swimmers.