How do you build a successful masters swim team?

World Class Masters Swimmer and Coach, Rick Walker says that difficult swim practices motivate his team, the renowned Sarasota Sharks, to work harder and that a spirit of camaraderie keeps morale high. Rick joins the show to talk about how he started the Sarasota Sharks Masters Team, his coaching and swimming successes -- and shares tips for others who aspire to do the same .

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MORE ABOUT RICK WALKER

Rick Walker is a US Masters swimmer and the founder of the Sarasota Sharks, one of the most successful US Masters Swimming teams. Rick founded the Sarasota Sharks Masters in 2006 and they quickly grew to prominence, consistently carrying over 300 swimmers on their roster, which includes world record holders, national record holders, All-Americans and many happy sharks that swim for fun and fitness. 

The team has earned several YMCA National Championships and placed in the Top 10 clubs at USMS National Championships. The Sharks have also been honored as the USMS Club of the Year. In 2020 Rick earned an outstanding coaching honor, the U.S. Masters Swimming Kerry O'Brien Coaches Award. 

In 2021, Rick earned 7 FINA World #1 rankings and 9 USMS All-American honors in the men’s 70-74 age group. Rick did the swim around Manhattan in 1999 and won the 3K World Championships of Open Water in Budapest in 2016.  Over his career, Rick has earned world records, national records, and had at least one #1 in 17 different seasons since he began his Masters Swimming career in 1985. 

Episode Topics and Mentions

Sarasota Sharks

US Masters Swimming

YMCA National Championships

Kerry O’Brien Coaches Award

Deb Walker

Breaststroke

Consistency

Melanoma

Budapest

Rick Colella

The “Shark Tank”

Veganism

Hello Fresh

Talenti ice cream

Wall Street Journal

Takeaways

Kelly

1. Consistency is key -- keep showing up.
2. People like to work hard, especially people who have gone through the trouble to show up to a practice.

Maria

1. Create routine wherever you go and even in the busiest times -- it brings peace.
2. It is so much better to just get along with others. It makes it smoother for everyone. 

Quote of the Week

“I believe that all my swimmers want to work hard and get a hard workout. We go at it pretty hard.” -- Rick Walker

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