Coaching Without Security: The Hidden Costs Driving Talent Away from Pools In episode #111 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, we do a video refresh with an interview conducted with Doug Cornish. His ground-breaking survey exposes many of the hidden cracks threatening swim coaches today. We begin to unpack and reveal why the sport's "passion‑first" model is no longer sustainable. Doug comes to the discussion with hard data that shine a light on the underlying causes, and he has concrete steps clubs must take to keep good coaches on the deck. Survey results: 38% of coaches lack a current contract, 38% have no health insurance, and 70% are on single‑year agreements. Why it's happening: a clash between the old "grind" culture and modern coaches/parents, plus boards that misuse nonprofit status and ignore reserve building. The financial fallout: no retirement plans, zero COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustments) adjustments, and coaches paying out‑of‑pocket for travel and basic expenses. Real‑world impact: personal stories like Doug Cornish's breakdown, career switches, and the growing exodus from the profession. Actionable blueprint: 3‑5‑year contracts, 2‑3% annual COLA, full health/retirement benefits, paid parental leave, meet‑day compensation, protected supplemental income, and dual‑purpose life insurance. This episode presents an invite to the course, C.Y.A. as part of the Learning Management System of the International Swim Coaches Association. Check out all the results of the survey in the PDF in that lesson. https://Read.SwimISCA.org/courses/cya

"What if a 6‑year‑old could upload a quick clip of a 10‑meter freestyle, and an AI instantly replies, 'You passed!'—issuing a shiny, blockchain‑ready certificate that parents, coaches, and sponsors can see in real time? Welcome to Zlix, the free‑forever swim‑passport that's turning splash‑offs into badge‑holders." In episode #110 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, Valentin Milkov shares the story behind Zlix, an AI‑powered verification tool for beginner swimmers. Hear how it works. He also discusses the platform's free‑forever model, certification monetization, and future growth plans. Learn: The origins of ZLiX and Valentin's swimming and tech background. How the AI assesses video uploads to confirm skill progression with ~90% accuracy. The free‑forever user model and the certificate‑based revenue strategy. Customizable school branding and curriculum flexibility for swim programs. Upcoming features, potential partnerships, and steps to drive user adoption. This exploration helps to shape efforts within the project of Coach Mark within the new book, Chapter Zero, Our AI Coaching Wizard, just published. Get it at https://SwimISCA.com.  Also see the AI tool discussed in episode #104 of Heavy Or Not to hear from Ali, founder of OrcaVision.computer.  Subscribe for more insights on AI, Coaching, Leadership and Sports Reform. Also follow at https://Substack.com/@rauterkus. Full posting at https://WAFSU.org in the course for Season 3 of Heavy Or Not.  Val was a fast swimmer and was coached by at Indiana University by Kris Kirchner and later, while redshirted due to a shoulder injury, he assisted Ray Looze as a coach.

Part 2 of Shitty Best, a book recap by Pavel Samov, Ph.D. in episode #109 of Heavy Or Not The Coach's Guide to Accountability, Responsibility, and Compassion in High‑Stakes Sports In this episode, #109 of Heavy Or Not, part 2, with insights into Dr. Pavel Somov's "Shitty Best" framework, showing why athletes miss the mark and how coaches can turn those misses into growth. Learn how unconditional self‑acceptance can coexist with high standards and real accountability. The myth of the "unified self" and why akrasia isn't just weak will How competing neural coalitions (pre‑frontal cortex vs. amygdala) drive split‑second mistakes Why traditional self‑esteem is a liability and how self‑acceptance builds true resilience Acceptance‑enabled perfectionism: practicing without panic and accelerating improvement The past‑present‑future coaching model and radical compassion for opponents, officials, and yourself Turning Mistakes into Momentum: The Past‑Present‑Future Framework for Elite Coaching Get the book!

Meet the work of my friend, with his book, Shitty Best. Come and get acquainted with Dr. Pavel Somov's game‑changing ideas from Shitty Best — the logic behind unconditional self‑acceptance and radical compassion for athletes and coaches. Discover why embracing an athlete's "moment‑specific shitty best" can be your competitive edge. In Heavy Or Not, episode #108, you'll learn: How the "shitty best" concept reframes perfection and mistakes in high‑stakes sports. The three categories of performance variables: knowns, unknowns, and unknowables. Why the "I am perfect" mantra is a neuro‑plasticity drill, not fluffy motivation. How to transform film review from a blame‑session into a data‑driven laboratory. The "time‑machine" thought experiment that proves contextual inevitability of every play. Buy the book!

Open water swimming is exhilarating—but safety must come first. In episode #107 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, we talk with Barry Healey of BC, Canada about an event in his town. Get into the new open-water course and check out the ISCA Open Water Festival. The upcoming festival with a 5K swim is hosted at Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Virginia. Progress is being made on the insurance issue. New free open‑water swimming course (read.swimisca.org) and the East Coast Open Water Festival at Smith Mountain Lake Introduction of a university division for collegiate squads and how to register Ongoing insurance work and why coaches and need to stay informed about liability risks The July 18, 2026 Across‑the‑Lake Swim disaster – what went wrong and the key safety failures New mandatory safety gear: high‑visibility swim buddies and why they're now required for all open‑water events

In Heavy Or Not, #106, we bring a dream into reality for long-time Southern Illinois University Head Swim & Dive Coach, presently retired, Rick Walker. Open Water Festival Sign up at https://swimisca.org/event/east-coast-open-water/   News Release about College Teams at https://read.swimisca.org/courses/open-water/lessons/isca-hosts-open-water-festivals/topic/press-release-college-swimming-gets-an-upgrade-in-september-with-a-5k-and-open-water-knockout/   Coach Walker has been a leading force for USA Open Water Swimming Teams in recent years — and he helps with Pan Am Aquatics and speaks to coaches at WAFSU.org / UCSSC seminars. Let's get to the core of the dream of what Open Water events mean for athletes and coaches. Get the details on the upcoming East Coast Open Water Festival and how a new college and university division is being created. Plus, you can get involved. Open water as an additional collegiate season – benefits for Title IX compliance and athlete counts. East Coast Open Water Festival at Smith Mountain Lake (Sept 2026) is with a new college & university division. Race formats: knockout 1,500 m, 5K, 1‑mile, splash‑and‑dash (swim + run) and more. How open water training boosts pool performance for distance and sprint swimmers. Resources & future events: online prep course (reed.swimisca.org), May Jamestown meet, coach/parent participation. New Open Water Course, for free, for limited time: https://read.swimisca.org/courses/open-water/

Over think much.... or not. Brian Holliday, once a frustrated swimmer in the UK, now an author and creator, shares how he reinvented swimming by focusing on mind‑body awareness instead of traditional technique. He reveals the journey from personal struggle to his "Intuitive Swimming" method and why the industry resists it. You'll learn: Why over‑thinking kills learning and how awareness of the body changes swimming. The key mind‑body‑water connection: floating, balance, and whole‑body movement. How Brian reverse‑engineered swim strokes and built a three‑step online course. The clash with conventional coaches and the challenges of marketing his approach. Insights from his book Why Front Crawl Feels Hard and how it can help swimmers of any level. Break the Cycle of Overthinking: Learn to Swim With Whole‑Body Balance and Presence "When you quit copying the coach and start listening to your own body, the water stops being a test and becomes a teammate – that's when you really learn to swim."

OrcaVision is about to hit the market place and aims to revolutionize swimming with AI‑powered video analytics that capture 20‑40 data points per second for every swimmer. In this episode of Hevy Or Not, #104, we hear the first part of an interview and introducation from Adi Segal Dori, an entrepreneur and Chairwomen of the two-year-old firm. Learn a bit as to how the system works, why it matters, and what's next for the sport. Real‑time computer‑vision captures detailed metrics (speed, stroke count, turn efficiency) without manual tagging. Simple installation: one (25 m) or two (50 m) cameras, calibrated remotely and used for both races and training. Scalable data ecosystem: 25,000+ races analyzed, benchmarking tools for athletes, coaches, parents, and broadcasters. Business model & pricing: low‑cost subscriptions, revenue‑share with facilities, free installs for larger clubs. Company background: bootstrapped start, angel funding, upcoming venture round, and plans for global expansion. Watch the full interview at the ISCA Facebook page, at HON.LAP.red, or in the Heavy Or Not course at WAFSU.org. There are plenty of other insights shared in the later part of the conversation, especially valuable when you can peek at the screen too.  https://WAFSU.org  

Aquajets Legacy Lives On: Kate Lundsten's Hall of Fame Celebration and Athlete Testimonials Kate Lundsten's induction into the International Swimming Coaches Hall of Fame is celebrated with heartfelt tributes from athletes, fellow coaches, and friends. Hear the stories that show why she's a legend in the sport. Kate's Hall of Fame induction, walk-up video and the significance of the award. Personal testimonials highlighting her impact on swimmers' lives and careers. Memorable moments from Aqua Jets training trips and competitions. Her coaching philosophy: humility, tough love, and life‑skill development. The lasting legacy she's created within the swimming community and beyond.   Aquajets Home Page   Heavy Or Not — Episode #103 ISCA Coaches Hall of Fame Celebration — Kate Lundsten Mark Rauterkus Heavy or not, episode number 103. The ISCA Coaches Hall of Fame celebration shared this video about new inductee, Kate Lundsten from Minnesota. Greatness leaves clues. Subscribe and share with your friends. And this is going to be the first episode that also goes out on Apple with video. Jay Chambers Hi, Kate. I just wanted to congratulate you on your induction into the International Swimming Coaches Hall of Fame. Your contributions have been essential to the growth and success of swimming in the United States. Thank you so much and congratulations.   I'm so lucky to have been coached by you and then later in life to coach with you.   Coach Kate, you deserve this award, not only for the way that you develop the speed and technique of your athletes, but the way that you prepare them for life with their attitude, work ethic, and as community members.   I could not think of a better person for this honor. You coached my three daughters over 12 years and gave me my first coaching job. And what we have all taken away from those experiences goes way beyond the pool: humility, integrity, perseverance, and mostly the importance of trying hard to be a good human being. All the athletes and coaches that have worked with you, we all know that we're better off because of you.   That whistle echo on the pool deck air. We didn't know how long we'd stay there. Three lanes full and a team just starting. Somehow she knew where. Built something strong at our closet. Before the banners, before the fame, she already knew every swimmer's name. She didn't just teach us how to swim, she helped us become who we are. She changed our game.   I'm here on Rocky Top right now, and I just want to say congrats on being inducted to the Hall of Fame. You are the most deserving person I know, and I think it's pretty cool that you and Matt are both being inducted in the same year, because I've had the privilege to work with two very amazing people in my swimming career so far. And I just want to say you helped me become the swimmer and person I am today, and I wouldn't be here where I am without you. When you came up with my nickname Goose—   Well, now the whole team calls me Goose, and I just think that that is so special that you have put that in my life. And I just, like, I remember the days when we had to swim in the terrible Brooklyn Center pool, but somehow you would always say something stupid enough to make us laugh through it all. You've never once doubted me, even when I wanted to try something new like open water. And while it might have ended with me going blind for a few days, I still got so many experiences out of that. Furthermore, I wouldn't have had the opportunity without you and your support through it all. I remember when we were at a Pro Series here in Knoxville, and you were like, "Avery, I could see you going here. I think you should look into this when you get recruited." And I was like, "Kate, the colors are neon orange. What are you talking about? I'm not going to go here." And well, look at where I am now. I ended up here. And you planted that seed in my head, and you supported me throughout the whole process. Congratulations. We are so proud of you. We love you so much. We cannot think of anyone more worthy of this than you. You and I have a lot of history, amazing history, and I can't think of a single person in my life that has single-handedly changed the trajectory of my life and has given me so many incredible opportunities that still impact me now, almost 20 years later. It has been an incredible honor to be coached by you and still remain very close to you and still consider you a very dear person in my life. Your belief in me and your ability to squeeze every ounce of effort out of me at all times, even if it meant pushing my buttons just a little bit, has made such a difference in helping me become the person and the swimmer that I am today. Your impact goes far beyond the pool. Hi, Kate. I wanted to thank you so much for not only making me into a great swimmer, but for also pushing me to become a great person as well. No matter how good or bad things got during my career, you were always encouraging me to pursue what I loved and to keep working as hard as I could toward my goals, no matter how impossible they seemed. You are the best coach that any age group, high school, or college swimmer could have ever asked for, and I'm truly grateful for everything that you've taught me.   My favorite memory with Coach Kate was when we went on our training trip to Sarasota and all of the seniors rode in this very old van with Coach Kate and we drove everywhere with her and it was so much fun.   Coming from someone who was coached by you and now is coaching on deck with you, I can say that there's no one else more deserving of this than you. You pour so much into your athletes and the coaches on Aquajets and the families and everyone that you come across on the pool deck. You bring so much enthusiasm and fun to swimming and the sport, and you just make it a fun thing to do whether you're swimming for you or coaching alongside you.   There's no one that I think that is more deserving of this award than you, Kate. You are one of a kind. And I'm very grateful for the opportunity to coach with you by your side, just learn from you. You're an amazing person.   What an accomplishment. I wanted to thank you for all the years at Aquajets. Your tough love and encouragement to be our best selves has truly taken me very far in my post-swimming career, so I just wanted to thank you for that. I hope you're doing well.   You helped me accomplish dreams and goals that I never thought would be possible in my career as a swimmer.   Just so many fond memories from my time on Aquajets, from our circles of love, to all of the meets, to crazy driving. But one memory that I will never forget is the time when you, Van, Rachel, and I took a trip out to Colorado Springs to have a training trip at the OTC, and we ended up taking a morning off of practice so that you could drive me to a random high school in the area so that I could take my ACT test. Who does that? Thank you for all that you've done, all that you continue to do both for your athletes, but also for the sport of swimming.   I miss you, I love you, and go Aquajets. This induction is a long time coming for sure.   I don't know what took so long. I'm so proud of you. We're all so proud of you. I think it's just a good time to thank you for being such an amazing coach, such an amazing person to so many young swimmers. I think one of your many gifts is seeing the best in people, seeing the best in your swimmers and forcing us, whether we like it or not, to carry out that potential. And for that, we're forever grateful. There are so many stories and memories I can share from all the years. So instead, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for everything you've done for me and for Aquajets. You have been more than a swim coach to me. You are a mentor. You're a second mom. You're someone I know I can come to with anything. And you're always going to show up, and you're going to be there for us. You've created such an incredible environment at Aquajets. It's more than just a swim team. It's a family. It's a family for life. Thank you for giving me my best friends. They're friends I'm still in touch with today. We're bridesmaids in each other's weddings, and those friendships would not have been possible if it weren't for the environment and the culture you've created at Aquajets. So, thank you for all you've done, and congratulations again. I joined Aquajets when I was 11, and I remember telling my mom I was going to quit when I got to Kate's group because her loud whistle scared me so much. Almost 13 years later, I can confidently say she's the best coach I've ever had. Under her guidance, I went from not even qualifying for state to meddling at Junior Nationals and eventually swimming Division One at a Power Four school. But more important than becoming a successful swimmer because of her, I've become a better person because of her. She leads with humility and kindness, and I try to do the same every day. She always finds a way to keep the mood light, whether it be by getting temporary tattoos for Junior Nationals, having Chick-fil-A before a meet, taking a training trip to Sarasota, and I will never forget coaching with her. She supported me through some of the most difficult times in my life, offering me great advice, even though I didn't always take it. There truly aren't words to express my gratitude for Kate, and I wouldn't be here without her. Fortune Set-up Here's today's fortune statement. Fortune Reader Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand the way you behave. Fortune Set-up Think about it, journal it, use it from Mental Skills for Young Athletes and the companion course at SwimISCA.com. Songs: See the Substack, or a future episode.  

Join the WAFSU Movement: Simple Code Adds Support Button to Any School Website   Mike Switalski's Swim Project Tackles Security, Not Safety, in Buffalo Communities. In episode #102 we hear from Buffalo high‑school teacher and nonprofit founder and swim coach, Mike Switalski, then dive into a new AI‑powered swimming grant and a quick call‑to‑action for coaches. Mike's testimony on Buffalo's security challenges vs. traditional safety approaches. Impact numbers from the City Swim Project (500 kids served, $350K budget, national swimmer stats). Introduction of the Moonshot AI grant partnership with Remake Learning & the Grable Foundation at Arsenal Middle School. "Cannon" analogy: AI as modern power for community‑focused swimming programs. How to add the WAFSU logo code to your website to support coaches – no cost, just a click‑through to https://wasu.org.