As I mentioned yesterday, this morning I was helping out down the pool with Sally Scaffidi, providing coaching coverage while Paul Newsome is away on a family holiday.
The experience down the pool this morning was quite a new one in comparison to my previous mornings down at the pool. Helping Paul I am very much just helping out. Paul is the main show and I am just there to fill in gaps when he can't quite cover all the lanes himself. This morning though I would say was my first actual 'coaching' experience. Sal and I split the lanes up between us (two lanes each) and we looked after them for the entire session. Providing the guidance, getting the groups started etc. Actual, real life coaching.
I love it.
It was a great first experience and a good confidence boost that I can actually do this thing. You always presume that you can run people through a session, but until you are up in front of a group of people doing it, you are never really sure. This morning also made me very thankful for the past few weeks that I have spent following Paul around, picking up all the little tips necessary for running a swim session smoothly. Little things like knowing that you have to repeat instructions about half a dozen times to make sure everyone in the lanes know what is going on. It sounds silly, but it really is necessary. Talking clearly and concisely, not getting too caught up in words (big challenge for me), knowing to drip feed instructions rather than blast people with an entire set first up, then keeping a constant flow of reminders. All the little things that add up to the session running smoothly.
Now that the first session went well today, the real test will be the Threshold session on Friday. I unfortunately will miss the session tomorrow which would have been a great test, with a busy, buzzing session, but I think Friday will be testing enough. The two sessions on Friday are usually fast and furious with lots going and limits being pushed. It will be a great challenge to see if I can keep up, have the session run through as smoothly as this morning.
Should be awesome.
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