More than a Coach
WinterSmith
Shoulberg's practices well. The infamous Georgetown Academy coach
"was not easy," she remembers, but he had a way of coaching "each
swimmer as an individual, not just a swimmer."
This year marks Coach Dick Shoulberg's 40th year in the sport of
swimming, and to celebrate his commitment to his athletes and to the
sport we all love, many of Coach Shouldberg's athletes are meeting in
Warminster, Pa., for a "team" social.
Coach Shoulberg was a machinist by trade, but quickly became known
for his innovative coaching techniques. "I remember being pushed like
no one else from other teams had ever been pushed. We did a lot of
yardage and dryland techniques that were by no means common
practice," shared Ansie. "Coach Shoulberg had us use a swim bench. It
was the only one of its kind that I had seen during that time. Now
they are common and on every pool deck across the country."
Coach Shoulberg's innovative character didn't stop with his elite
swimmers, though he had coached a fair share of Olympic Trials
qualifiers and Olympic team members. Coach Shoulberg began coaching
Germantown Academy in 1969 and has since coached such swimmers as
David Wharton, Sean Killon, Erika Hansen, Maddy Crippen and Fran
Crippen. But the elite are not the only swimmers that get the
attention of Coach Shoulberg. He has always coached and still coaches
beginner swimmers and travels around the world hosting and coaching
clinics for everyone from learn-to-swim athletes to record-breaking
champions and everyone in between. "He doesn't just coach swimming.
He teaches life lessons and discipline that I have used throughout my
life," explained Ansie.
Many Masters swimmers are products of Germantown Academy and Coach
Shoulberg. Ansie still runs into many former teammates at local and
regional Masters competitions. "There is a certain bond between those
of us that have swam with Coach Shoulberg," she said. Coach
Shoulberg, well-known for his high-yardage methods, may not be for
everyone; "If you couldn't hang, then it was not the program for you.
But, if you believed in his training methods then you were loyal for
life," Ansie recalled. Ansie and other former and current Germantown
Academy swimmers also attribute their loyalty and respect for their
coach to his "purity and honesty. Once you reach a certain level in
your athletic career, you notice that these things are hard to find.
He always had the utmost integrity."
Coach Shoulberg has been a key player in the swimming community for
the last 40 years; however, he is not finished yet. He still coaches
the Germantown Academy and is still traveling to coach and speak to
swimming programs around the world.
The celebration honoring Coach Shoulberg and his many accomplishments
will be held May 30, 2009, from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Mermaid
Swim Club in Warminster, Pa. Coach Shoulberg coached the Mermaid Swim
Club in the 60s and "it is really special to see this come full
circle," said Ansie. To join in on the celebration, contact Marie
Labosky at mlab...@alumni.nd.edu.
Some of us can remember the names of old coaches that were sprinkled
throughout our athletic histories; however, all of us can remember
the words of great coaches that came few and far between. "So many of
us saw [Coach Shoulberg] as more than a coach. He was a mentor," said
Ansie.
Who was your favorite coach? Why was that coach so impactful? Have
you been lucky enough to find a mentor in a coach? Tell us about your
experience with great coaches. Write to us at pr...@usms.org and
maybe your story will be told, too!
--
Alaska Masters Swimming & SWAM
at http://www.akmswim.org & http://www.akmswim.org/SWAM
Ken Winterberger <winte...@usms.org>
- the web guy