Heavy Or Not - The O.G. Swim Guide
A thought-provoking and insightful exploration of the intersection of sports, technology, and human potential. = Heavy Or Not delves deeper into social issues, such as access to sports, cost of wellness, the impact of technology, and the importance of community engagement. Heavy Or Not incorporates the evolving role of A.I. in sports training, exploring both the benefits and potential drawbacks of this technology. The show integrates valuable educational content on swimming techniques, water safety, and environmental issues, making it more than just a sports drama. From the gritty pools of Pittsburgh to the ambitious rebuild of the Salmon Arm Aquatic...
Transform our new book into Custom Practice Plans in Seconds with the New Coaching Tool
Coach's Secret Weapon: Quick, Privacy‑First Lesson Plans Tailored to Sport, Age, and Time
To the Lesson Generator for Mental Skills for Young Athletes.
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Break the Closed‑Loop Coaching Hierarchy with Independent Oversight and Transparent Performance Structure
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In episode #96 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, you'll get a quick introduction to the brand‑new mental‑skills resource for parents, teachers and youth coaches.
The lesson generator is a free website that support the book, Mental Skills for Young Athletes.
Get the quick how‑to on turnin...
Preview - Public Policy Playbook for Aquatics and Recreation
Coming soon!
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Building a Winning Team Culture: Lessons from Elite International Coach, Harkai Hunor
Pillars of Team Success: Consistency, Trust, Adaptability, and Coach Leadership
Episode #94 of Heavy or Not, we hear from elite coach Harkai Hunor's playbook for building a winning team culture. Learn the concrete steps you can apply to any sport or organization today.
What you'll learn:
The seven non‑negotiable pillars of on‑court discipline and consistency.
Why off‑court community building is as crucial as X's and O's.
Quick‑win tactics for gaining player trust and boosting performance.
How to adapt coaching philosophy to players, leagues, and local cu...
Join the Lifeguard Movement: Protect Communities, Oceans, Lakes, Rivers and Swim Pools
Lifeguard Recruiting Campaign: Serve, Train, and Inspire While Safeguarding Water Activities Nationwide
Check out the lifeguard recruiting film and the behind‑the‑scenes work that keeps our waters safe, and a bonus fortune insight.
We also share a visual preview of the ISCA Senior Cup teams.
This episode, #93, is very visual.
Those with an audio only feed are missing out on the graphics of the short film and the logos of the teams.
What it really takes to be a lifeguard – training, skills, and purpose
How to apply...
Water: Drowning Prevention Strategies: Community Action, Grants, and Lifesaving Swim Programs
Education, Safety Barriers, and Collaborative Funding Initiatives
From Grants to Lifeguards: Building a Safer Water Environment for All Ages
Reducing Drowning Risks: Parents, Schools, and Policy Working Together for Water Safety
In episode #92, we break down the stark reality of drowning worldwide and explore practical steps to keep kids and communities safe around water. We also discuss emerging grant opportunities in Florida and how local leaders can turn them into sustainable swimming programs.
Listen in as Barry and Mark aim to make an impact around the water.
Eye‑opening dr...
Urgency, Authority, Call to Action w Marshall & Hall of Fame
Last Splash and Exit of Women Swim and Dive Team at Marshall University, episode #91
Open, Closing, Exit and Calls to Action for WPIAL Swimmers, Broadcasters and the ISCA Hall of Fame Tribute
They CUT Women's Swimming and Diving at Marshall University just as the team was departing for its conference meet. Ugh squared.
Nobody is explaining the Title IX confusion.
In this episode, I break down what's really happening, how you can take action, and why this affects every program in the country.
Swim Community: Your urgent steps are...
Why College Football's Looming Collapse Endangers All Youth Sports and How to Prevent It
Coach Mark Rauterkus worries that the looming crisis in college football will create a ripple effects across all college sports. He outlines a reform plan, highlights recent program cuts, and offers a path forward.
You'll learn in episode #89 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide:
The urgent need to reform college football before it collapses and drags other sports down.
Key takeaways from Coach Nick Saban's interview (Episode 88) and the reform package available at 4rs.org.
The fallout from Cal Baptist cutting its men's Division I swimming & diving team and the di...
Nick Saban's Five Enemies of Greatness via My New Best Friend at The 7 Minute Leadership Pod
How Entitlement, Discipline, and Complacency Undermine Teams – Insights From Saban
Inside Penn State's Quarter‑Billion Dollar Athletic Budget and Its Profit MarginsIn episode #88 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, you'll meet my new best friend, Paul Falavolito and a snip from his show, The 7 Minute Leadership Podcast. He shares Nick Saban's "Five Enemies of Greatness."
Heavy or Not? The Doping Crisis No One Wants to Talk About | OG Swim Guide #90
Doping at 69?! The Ugly Truth About Recreational Sports. Say "No" to Enhanced Athletes and Their Games
In Episode 90 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, we peek into two shocking doping cases. One is involving a 69-year-old Masters athlete and the other is with a 41-year-old cyclist busted at a Gran Fondo. No prize money. No fame. Just ego, insecurity, and a culture obsessed with optimization.
When does "biohacking" become cheating?
Is TRT just wellness… or is it performance enhancement?
And what happens to sport when authenticity gets replaced with chemistry?
T...
Coaching Burnout and Safety: Uncovering the Hidden Crisis in Our Sports Culture
Survey says, 91.9% of coaches say they love what they do… so why are nearly 85% of them facing burnout and ready to quit?
The Coaching Crisis is here, now. Few are talking about it — but Barry Healey of BC Canada is.
A SafeSport report on its coaches survey began by exposing the hidden crisis in U.S. sports — where passion for coaching is crushed by politics, pressure, and lack of support.
Parents, Politics & Pressure = Burnout
The biggest burnout driver for coaches? It's not the kids. It's the parents, the politics, and the imposs...
If you're a new coach, this is your unfair advantage…
The path to elite swim coaching isn't what you think—mentors, conversations, and unspoken rules are more powerful than any degree or software.
Episode #84 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide explores truths behind elite swim coaching with insights from a 2023 international survey of 123 top coaches. Discover how these pros actually learn, coach, and use (or ignore) technology. And, we wonder have things changed so much in the past few years.
Peer‑to‑peer learning dominates – 89% say conversations with other coaches are their primary knowledge source. Mentorship matters – 81% have a mentor; over three‑quarters rate that relations...Athletic Matrix Formulation - From General Prep to Taper
Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, episode #86, goes to the realm of a TRACK coach. Much of the planning is similar to swimming and other sports.
Unlock the secret behind elite performance: a step‑by‑step guide to building a winning training matrix. Learn how to turn a chaotic schedule into a precise, adaptable roadmap for any athlete.
The three‑tier hierarchy: training plan, program, and matrix explained Coach Jose's 8‑week sprint matrix: phases, intensity, volume, and recovery How to progress workouts safely while boosting performance When and how to adjust the matrix for real‑world athl...AI Coaching Wizard: Grant Application for Transforming Youth Swimming into a Community‑Driven Learning Lab
See the proposal on the web at https://lap.red/moonshot-grant-2026/
Reimagining Pool Coaching: AI Connects, Learns, and Empowers Young Athletes
Welcome to episode 85 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, where we reveal a grant proposal to the Remake Learning Network to build an AI‑powered Coaching Wizard for youth swimming programs. We'll explain the vision, the tech, the partnership model, the budget, and the roadmap to launch.
The core concept: AI as a connector, not a director, to spark reflection and conversation.
How the Coaching Wizard works: personalized prompts...
College Football Is Broken — This Radical Fix Might Save It
With chaotic realignments, rigged outcomes, and rising costs — this proposal might present the best hope to save the sport we love.
This episode breaks down a bold proposal to reset everything — from the playoff system to who even gets to compete.
The NCAA system is broken — and Heavy Or Not, episode #83, lays out the urgent blueprint to fix it.
From rigged playoff paths to disappearing rivalries, NCAA Division I football has become less about performance and more about power. In this summary of the 4Rs.org reform proposal, we explore a bold new structur...
Relegation Revealed: How Promotion Can Revitalize American Sports and College Football
Relegation & Promotion as part of Sports Reform, especially for NCAA Football D1 Pods
In Episode 82 of Heavy or Not, Mark Rauterkus and Barry Healey break down how relegation and promotion work in European soccer and why these concepts could transform American sports. They dive into the mechanics, incentives, and how a U.S. version might look.
How parachute payments soften the financial blow for relegated clubs
The playoff system that lets teams 3‑6 fight for promotion
Real‑world examples: Wolves beating Man U, Canadian owners climbing from the bottom
Why a tiered...
Steps for Fixing NCAA DI Football: Structure Changes Begin by Blowing Up the Conferences. Return to Regional Rivals
College football needs a structural reset, and Mark Rauterkus lays out a clear, geography‑first plan for a top‑flight "pod" system.
In this episode we break down the proposed 80‑team tier, regional pods, and how promotion and relegation would work.
The 80‑team "top tier" built on performance, not brand prestige. Eight regional pods (Gridiron, Trench, Tackle, Pressure, Block, Blitz, Huddle, Grandstand) and their member schools. Promotion/relegation: yearly movement of five teams between the top tier and sub‑tiers. Preserving traditional rivalries and reducing travel through geographic clustering. How the model controls spending, improves competitive balance, a...Cal Baptist Cuts Men's Swim & Dive Team: A Costly Consequence of Division I Ambitions
From NAIA Champions to Elimination: The Rise and Fall of CBU Men's Swimming
Coach Steve Friederang Speaks Out on Lost Opportunities for Male Swimmers at CBU
The Cal Baptist men's swim team has been cut, sparking debate over Division I moves, Title IX, and the future of smaller collegiate sports. Hear coach Steve break down what went wrong and why it matters.
In this episode you'll learn:
The history of Cal Baptist's swim program from NAIA champs to Division I.
How facility decisions and budgeting errors contributed to the cut.<...
School Sports Saved -- past position paper turned the tide of massive cuts
In episode #79 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, we break down a prior war with the Pittsburgh school‑district's Superintendent of Schools.
She had a proposal to slash $600 K in sports programs and the comprehensive counter‑proposal helped keep those programs alive. It wasn't a victory, but it wasn't a defeat.
Coach Mark walks through the financial, strategic, and community arguments that turned a budget cut into a reform opportunity.
The district's cut list (high‑school swimming, tennis, golf; middle‑school volleyball, wrestling; all intramurals) and the $600 K savings claim.
Highlights...
Level 1 Swim Secrets from Suriname and Coach Yash
Coach Yash Daryanani shares his Goldwater Sports coaching system, from philosophy to day‑to‑day session management. Learn the core principles that helped him build national teams and clinics.
What you'll learn in this episode, #78 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide:
Coaching philosophy: discipline, patience, and individual attention as the foundation for swimmer development.
Essential safety & pool‑management practices (pre‑session checks, shadowing, emergency preparedness).
Setting clear parent‑coach boundaries and communication rules.
Teaching fundamentals for 10‑and‑under swimmers: water confidence, breathing, kick drills, and fun‑based skill games.
...Steps along the pathway for a coach's wellness journey
Barry Healey cares about the coaching profession and aims to improve sports
In this candid conversation, episode #77 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, coaches Barry Healey and Mark Rauterkus discuss the real‑world challenges of running a swim program. Wellness matters to those on the pool decks. Burnout to compliance…. They sharing practical tricks that actually work. Learn how small changes can protect coaches, calm parents, and boost program growth.
What you'll discover:
The hidden costs of coach burnout and why many lack a support system.
Proven strategies for mana...
Challenge Accepted: Filling the Big Data Void in Aquatics
Nicole's heavy lift. A vision for data collection for swimming instruction.
Nicole Fairfield explains why the aquatic education field lacks solid research data and how her Joyful Waters curriculum craved that data.
She aims to fill the research gap and is planting seeds for scientific validation for all types of aquatic developmental benchmarks.
She also outlines the vision for a secure, comprehensive database to track developmental and adaptive outcomes.
In this episode, #76, of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, you'll hear from the ambitious instructor in Georgia and learn:
<...This Polo Coach Cracked the Code to Athlete Growth (No Pool Needed)
The 30-Day System That's Transforming Young Athletes – Here's How
"Everyone says hard work is the key… but what if that's not enough? In this episode, we unpack a 30-day system that's turning water polo players into unstoppable athletes — and it might just change how you train forever."
In this episode of Heavy Or Not, we dive deep into Coach Ron Usher's 30-day growth system built for young water polo players but powerful for any athlete striving to improve.
From mindset to skill development to daily habits, this episode unpacks the core principles behind real a...
400 IM - How Phelps and Marchand set records and insights from India's Coach Partha. Negative SPLIT
Unlock the secrets behind mastering the 400 IM with elite coach from India, Partha Pratim Majumdar. Learn the strategic, aerobic, and mental tools that power world‑record swims like Phelps and Marchand.
In this video you'll discover:
Why the 400 IM is a strategic race, not just brute strength nor conditioning, and how the "lactate penalty" impacts performance. How to build a massive aerobic engine by focusing on long‑axis strokes (freestyle & backstroke). The "200‑meter rule" and why mastering each 200 -meter stroke guarantees a smoother 400 IM. Training methods for negative splits, including progressive 400 IM intervals and race‑pace simulations. Menta...Rich Coach or Poor Coach -- Get a Learn To Swim Lesson Program and UCANSwim.org can help
"From Drowning Stats to Million‑Dollar Swim Schools: How Coaches Turn Pools into Profit (and Safety)‑First Empires"
Swim Coaches Can Earn Six Figures by Adding Structured Lesson Sessions
The Australian Success Secret: Integrated Lesson Programs Drive Performance and Profit
In this episode, Steve Friederang breaks down why every swim coach should run a lesson program—and how it can become a serious revenue stream while boosting safety and recruitment.Â
He shares real‑world numbers, proven strategies, and the pitfalls to watch out for.
Why lesson programs are essential...Negotiated Surrender - Vote‑of‑No‑Confidence for the Head Coach Highlights Team's end-of-season Banquet
Safety Dilemma and League Issues. Have mercy on the Foxes as they are sly!
In episode #72 of Heavy or Not we break down the bizarre "vote‑of‑no‑confidence" resignation tactic of a Fox Chapel Area high‑school coach and its athletic department. Sure, there is a deeper safety and fairness crisis driving it. Plus, I'm certain some wire pullers are lurking like sly foxes do.
We also explore the district's league‑restructuring proposal and why athletic reform matters now more than ever.
What you'll learn:
How a coach's "negotiated surrender" forces par...
How Insurance Gaps and Governance Failures Threaten Swim Coaches' Careers
How Insurance Gaps and Governance Failures Threaten Swim Coaches' Careers
Uninsured. Unheard. Undervalued.
Real challenges facing swim coaches are pondered.
Why they're left out of the decision‑making table, the insurance maze, and what's needed to keep the sport of swimming (and others) thriving.
Coach Barry Healey, BC, Canada, and Mark Rauterkus, International Swim Coaches Association in the USA, break down the roadblocks and propose concrete steps.
Why coaches aren't at the table with health and policy makers.
The tangled insurance landscape (LEI, Lloyd's, Marker, SwimBC, Swim Ca...
Swimming's Geo Political $.02 - Tiny snip of a conversation with Jonty, Dennis and Mark
Take a peek at Coach Jonty's holistic approach to athlete development and the geopolitical factors shaping swimming. This clip highlights a few insights from Jonty Skinner's recent WAFSU seminar.
In this video you'll learn:
How Coach Jonty connects with kids and leverages holistic development.
The genetic and regional patterns that produce world‑class runners and swimmers.
South Africa's historical impact on elite athletics and its modern swimming scene.
Emerging swimming talent from Tunisia and broader African nations.
Where to watch the full two‑hour seminar on wafsu.org an...
Christmas Break Just Got Lit - AI generated anthem to launch your holiday training with serious vibes. (#Plan Now)
The Swim Team Song You Didn't Know You Needed
An AI Made This Swim Team Song
You won't believe what happens when AI writes a holiday anthem for swim teams heading into Christmas break!
Christmas Break Planning Happens NOW.
Swimmers, this one's for YOU.
Episode #68 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide drops a brand new AI-generated song to launch your holiday training with serious vibes!
This AI-generated track is about to become your new favorite swim team anthem for winter break. Okay, we...
Hire Coach Terry Smith, says a PSU fan, because ... (Know your why) Heavy Or Not, #67
Matt made signs and took them to the recent games and sent a letter to the President of Penn State University to support Terry Smith.
It seems like you are under a lot of pressure to deliver a national championship. You may not remember me, but we met briefly in the Marriott lobby the day before the Rose Bowl. You were kind enough to record a quick, encouraging message for my friend's wife while she was battling cancer. That moment stayed with me—and with my friend—for a very long time. That video meant more to thei...
Recruiting Heart Over Hype
Episode #66 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide Â
Small-school recruiting, inspiring youth through swimming, international outreach, and Kyle's unique journey in swim development.
UPJ Might Be the Best Kept Secret in College Swimming. D2 schools can attract elite talent, and Coach Kile Zimmer is building at UPJ. He might change your mind about the value of a branch campus!
From Dubai to Johnstown – This Coach is Recruiting Worldwide too. Coach Kile Zimmer isn't just building a swim team, he's crafting a campus community. Hear how he's reaching athletes from India, France, Brazil, and beyond.
Navigating Division Shifts: Swim Coach, Kile Zeller on St. Francis's Move from D1 to D3
Now at UPJ and focused on recruiting with a local priority but international hopes.
Building a Competitive Swim Program at UPJ: Scholarships, Recruiting, and Team Culture
From Tears to Triumph: How St. Francis Swimmers Stayed Strong After Division Change
There is no playbook on that heavy administrative downgrade.
The Coach‑Athlete Relationship: Trust, Recovery, and Performance in Collegiate Swimming
Balancing Academics and Athletics: Affordable Tuition and Scholarship Strategies at UPJ
Recruiting with Heart: Why Coach Zeller Prioritizes Team Fit Over Finances
Taper Strategies Across Sports: Less...
Head Swim Coach Kile Zeller, launching new NCAA M&W D2 squads at UPJ - Open for Opportunities
Life at University of Pittsburgh Johnstown: Campus Beauty, Close‑Knit Community, and Opportunities for Athletes
Get a behind‑the‑scenes look at Coach Kyle Zeller's first year building a D‑II men's & women's swim program at UPJ— from historic PSAC meet wins to the next‑gen recruiting playbook. Watch how he turns a modest pool into a squad where the person comes first. He is keeping student‑athletes front of mind.
What's Covered:
Building a competitive PSAC program and historic meet qualification Recruiting tactics: internal talent, high‑school stars & value propositions Marketing & outreach: podcasts, local media, coa...Elite Coaching (and Athletics) is a Heavy Lifestyle
Elite coaching isn't a myth. It's a choice and science built on relentless work, crystal‑clear goals, and total alignment of mind, heart, and body. In this episode of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, #63, we break down some of the bits of what it takes to train like the world's top athletes.
What "elite" really means and why it's a whole different universe from ordinary competition The brutal training load: 12 sessions/week, 6 hours/day, 24,000 m of swimming daily The three‑key framework: mind (goal clarity), heart (inner drive), body (smart recovery) The seven pillars of elite coaching...The Gift of Swimming Propulsion with Dr. Maglischo's insight
Swimming Mechanics: Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide
The Science of Speed: Unpacking Resistance and Propulsion in Elite Swimming
Doctor Ernie Maglischo is an ISCA & ASCA Hall of Fame Coach and still updating his most recent ebooks. Understand the biomechanics of swimming and explore how elite athletes generate propulsive force and minimize water resistance in the pool.
Drawing on expert analysis, we examine the fundamental characteristics of water flow, classifying water as a semi-solid whose density is over 800 times greater than air. Learn how competitive swimmers battle resistive drag—including form drag (profi...
Coaches Don't Just Win Games. They Build Brands.
From Locker Room to Loyalty Loop: The Sports Marketing Journey of Purpose.
Coaches must handle the technical side, the physical side and all the Xs and Os. But let's Think again about sports marketing. Dr. Olena Timasheva, sports marketing professor in the university presented to the international audience at WAFSU.org and was able to reveal the coaches roles in digital strategy, sponsorship, and fan engagement.
More than motivators, coaches today are key to driving revenue, fan connection, and team brand identity.
Blending the intensity of the game with the science of segmentation i...
Shoulder Rotation Is a Key to Unlocking Swimming Speed
Hidden Biomechanics of Shoulder Medial Rotation That Separate Good Swimmers From Great
Alert: This episode is better if viewed with the video due to the descriptive words used by Coach Steve. See: https://youtu.be/VazazjPHUOc?si=rXhOX8V5liI-Uc-NSwim faster by mastering shoulder medial rotation. Coach Steve Friederang breaks down why this subtle cue makes or breaks your pull in all four strokes.
Join Coach in a lesson with two aspiring swimmers and hear how he thinks and explains this vital move.
Why medial shoulder rotation is the key to an...
Empowering Female Athletes - Course. Plus a Grant and VC pitch for investment
Unlocking Potential with girls, grants and angel investors in Youth Coaching
Discover how to coach girls effectively and learn about a new scalable aquatic platform, all in this episode, #59, of Heavy Or Not. Quick updates on multiple topics.
CoachingHer supplies the free digital toolkit, created by Dr. Nicole LaVoi and the Tucker Center, by visiting Read.SwimISCA.org.
Core psychological needs for female athletes: competence, choice, and care – presented as a simple cycle.
The CoachingHer pyramid: physiological basics → safety → belonging → esteem → self‑actualization.
Then, the second application for the $50,000 Moonshot Aquatics Grant. There...
Was Illegal, Now Genius? This Backstroke Move Is Finishing Fast
Coach Steve Friederang unpacks a technique with private-lesson athletes that's bending by-gone rules without breaking them. Could this be the biggest backstroke breakthrough since dolphin kicks off the wall?
In this episode of Heavy Or Not - The OG Swim Guide, biomechanist and elite swim coach Steve Friederang breaks down a newly misunderstood, and presently underused, backstroke finishing technique in forward thinking swimming: the underwater kicking returns at the finish for speedy backstroke.
With a recent rule change allowing swimmers to submerge in the final 5 meters of a backstroke race, Steve shares how he...
Protecting Swim Coaches: Insurance Solutions for Peace of Mind and Retention
In this episode of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, we discuss why insurance coverage is a critical need for swimming coaches and how Barry Healey with ISCA and the BC Swimming Coaches Association are working on the discovery for solutions to fortify the profession and passions of coaches.
What you'll learn:
What if every coach had $1‑2 M in liability insurance and lawyer support. Let's consider all the modern risks of going uninsured. Real‑world scenarios that have cost coaches financially and mentally. How advocates are negotiating insurance options and potential membership fees. Plans for a join...We Are: College Swimming 101 with Penn State's Hollie Bonewit-Cron
Catch the latest deep‑dive with Penn State swimming head coach Hollie Bonewit‑Cron as she breaks down recruiting, training schedules, and the evolving college‑swim landscape. From dual‑meet highlights against Pitt to her career path and future plans, get the key takeaways from a clinic to coaches when she was in her first season as the head coach in Happy Valley.
In this video you'll learn:
How Penn State structures its practice groups, pool assignments, and daily training blocks. The current recruiting pipeline, international talent, and scholarship timelines for the classes. Holly's coaching philosophy on culture...
