College Swimming News courtesy of Trevor Ziegler
The edition of Coaches’ Confidential spotlights Scott Whitbeck, Head Coach of the SUNY New Paltz men’s and women’s programs. This is his seventh year leading the Hawks, who swim in the Division III State University of New York Conference (SUNYAC). During his tenure at New Paltz, Whitbeck has led his swimmers to numerous school records, All-American honors, and NCAA Championship-qualifying swims. In 2011, Coach Whitback was awarded SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors for leading his women’s squad in a wildly successful season.
Originally from Michigan, Whitbeck stayed in-state during his collegiate swimming career where he swam for Kalamazoo College. He then spent seasons at both the College of Wooster and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (where he was forced to deal with me) as an assistant coach.
Here is what Coach Whitbeck offered to disclose to us in this week’s Coaches’ Confidential:
First dual meet opponent as a head coach?
Back in October 2008, my first meet was at Hartwick College. The women won the meet on the last relay. It was exciting.
What has been your favorite “toy” to use with your swimmers during practice (useful or dud)?
I like to use 5 gallon water bottles to tread water in the deep end.
What has been your most memorable swimming moment as a head coach?
My favorite evening as a coach had to have been at the 2011 [SUNYAC] Championships. Our team went on a run of winning events that I will never forget. We took event victories that night in: the Women’s 200 Medley Relay, Women’s 400 IM, Men’s 400 IM, Women’s 200 Free, Women’s 100 Breast, Women’s 100 Back, and Women’s 800 Free Relay.
The women’s team that year scored more points than any other New Paltz team in history and equaled our best ever finish at the conference meet. We also won quite a few of the consolation finals and placed well in almost every event. It was an unbelievable evening for the team.
What is your favorite set to give your swimmers?
One is my favorites is a vo2 max type set, with the sprinters going:
12 x 75 on 1:30 Best Average and the Distance swimmers going 10 x 150 Free on 2:00 (or 9 x 150 Stroke on 2:15). The team always gets fired up to swim fast on this.
What has been the most valuable piece of information you’ve learned from coaching?
As I get older the biggest joy I have in this job is not necessarily in watching the team go fast at a duel or championship meet; but in seeing the athletes accomplish something they didn’t think was possible and grow in the process. There is a quote in our weight room right now that says “It’s not about what you get when you accomplish your goals but about what you become when you accomplish them”. I think that sums it up very well.
Describe your relationship with swimming growing up.
Swimming was a huge part of my life growing up. I started swimming on a summer team when I was 7 and year-round on a club team (Bulldog Aquatic Club in Livonia, MI) when I was 9. Every spring and every summer, Michigan holds a state championship swim meet and I went to 20 of those throughout my childhood.
I also had a twin brother and an older brother that swam. We were extremely competitive with each other. It didn’t matter whether or not I was motivated to practice; I was going to be working hard that day because I didn’t want to give my brothers an inch. It’s because of them that I really developed into a good trainer and swimmer.
I got into coaching summer club for four seasons at the Newburgh Swim Club; a rival summer club to my team. I coached there for 4 summers and we won the team’s first three summer league titles ever. I enjoyed the mentoring part of coaching and have continued to do so since.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a coach?
I can remember asking my college coach about the coaching life during my senior year in college and I really applied mostly to coaching jobs after graduating from Kalamazoo College in 2004. As I mentioned above, the summer club coaching got me interested and I had a really great experience in my first college coaching job at the College of Wooster with Rob Harrington.
I am very thankful for the opportunity Rob gave me right away as a young coach. In my first fall on the job, I was writing workouts and was very involved with all aspects of the team. That season, we had the fortune of having the NCAA Division III Champion in the 1650 Freestyle (Elizabeth Roesch) and as a young coach it was awesome to see someone succeed to that level in my first season.
Favorite/most useful drill you have your swimmers do?
I like to do a 3/4 catch up drill for freestyle. Similar to a standard catch up drill but the hands stay out in front of your shoulders and I have the swimmers extend their outward arm between strokes so they are mainly swimming in the front quadrant. I think it’s a great teaching tool for freestyle.
Describe your coaching philosophy in 3 words.
I would have answered this differently a few years ago. The words I would use right now are: Relevant, Innovative, and Unpredictable.
As a spectator (or coach), who has been your favorite swimmer to watch (any level)?
Peter Vanderkaay was a swimmer I used to follow when I was in high school the Detroit area and then I used to work at Michigan swim camps when he was a college student at Michigan and winning NCAA titles and olympic gold on the 800 free relay. I always rooted for him as a local suburban Detroit guy who was swimming fast at the highest levels.
Are there any individuals who have directly-influenced your coaching style?
Jake Taber at Albion College. Him and I have been in contact for years to discuss swimming ideas, sets, motivational techniques, and everything you can imagine about coaching in college. We swam on opposite teams (Kalamazoo and Hope) and graduated in the same year. We have both been involved in coaching ever since college.
Where would you be if you hadn’t become a coach?
I was a business major and earned an MBA at UMass Amherst. Likely would have done something with accounting or finance as I’m good with numbers.
What are you commonly doing when you are not fulfilling your coaching duties?
I am a huge Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings fan. And a sports fan in general.
What would you consider to be the key to becoming a successful student-athlete?
Taking things day by day and learning how to manage your time.
What are you most excited for in the upcoming season?
We have an exciting young team and the largest team I’ve ever coached. Our talent and depth may be the best I’ve ever had as a head coach. It’ll be really exciting to see how we develop, if we can move up in our conference, and qualify relays for NCAA’s.
Favorite dryland activity?
Hill Sprint runs up this tough hill right near the pool.
What would you consider a “fun” practice?
Anything that challenges an athlete but also keeps them engaged. My goal is for the swimmers to be energized after a workout, not simply dreading the next one. Here and there we do have fun and play some games, but I feel a college swimmer can have fun by learning how to challenge themselves and enjoying the process.
Favorite facility to compete?
IU Natatorium at IUPUI in Indianapolis. Had my first great success as a swimmer at the central zone championships there when I was 10 (1993), and my first college All-American at that pool (Yuka Suzuka) in 2012.
Do you follow any other sports?
Baseball and Hockey the most.
What was your major in college?
Economics and Business
What was the last book you read?
Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler
Do you go into a season knowing the type of team atmosphere you want to cultivate, or do you take a more adaptive approach in creating team culture?
Our mission remains the same every season. I want to create of atmosphere where the swimmers are 1) great teammates and great leaders, 2) have high goals and high standards, and 3) work hard. The leadership changes, the team dynamic changes, and all sorts of little things change from year to year, but the swimmers need to follow some basic guidelines to be successful.
Trevor Ziegler is a writer based in San Antonio, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where he also swam for the Minutemen. In addition to being well-immersed in the swimming world, Trevor is also a self-proclaimed pop culture aficionado. He spends most of his time brainstorming how he can write about both his favorite bands/tv shows and swimming in one coherent article.