By Mike Murray

By Mike Murray, Swim Coach & Athletic Director: Sharks Swim Club & The Albany Academy

By Mike Murray, Sharks Swim Club & The Albany Academy

By Mike Murray

Behind every swim team practice, every early-morning start, every weekend away at a pool, there is a coach working quietly, often invisibly, to keep it all moving forward. USA Swimming club coaches don’t just draw up sets, correct strokes, and motivate athletes. They juggle impossible schedules, family commitments, and financial realities that few outside the sport ever truly see.

Simon Sinek once wrote, “A leader should not take credit when things go right if they are not willing to accept responsibility when things go wrong.” This idea has shaped my philosophy as a USA Swimming Club Head Coach, and it continues to guide how I approach leadership, whether it’s on deck with athletes, in meetings with parents, or around a boardroom table.

Youth sports have always been about more than winning medals or posting fast times. At their core, they are meant to foster friendships, resilience, and the simple joy of playing a game. Yet in today’s world, many families find themselves caught in a cycle of over-scheduling, high expectations, and pressure, sometimes without even realizing it. For swimmers in particular, where practices and meets can dominate a child’s weekly schedule, the balance between commitment and overload can make or break a young athlete’s relationship with the sport.

For parents of swimmers, few moments are more crucial than the quiet (or not-so-quiet) car ride home from practice. Those minutes can serve as a bridge to connection and growth or become a wedge that gradually erodes your child’s passion for the sport.

There’s no perfect way to say this: I’ve screwed up a lot in my life..