STORIES — One stroke at a time

David, Swimming, UK: I coached a young woman who had a dream of becoming a professional swimmer, but she lacked confidence in her abilities. As her coach, I knew that she had immense potential, so I decided to help her overcome her self-doubt. I worked with her closely, focusing not only on her physical training but also on her mental strength. During one of our training sessions, she struggled to swim a particular stroke correctly. She grew frustrated and wanted to give up. Sensing her disappointment, I approached her with a smile and shared a story of my own struggles as an athlete. I emphasised the importance of perseverance and reminded her that setbacks were a natural part of the journey to success. Together, we developed a plan to break down her technique into smaller, manageable steps. I encouraged her to focus on each step individually, celebrating every small improvement along the way. Slowly but surely, her strokes became more fluid, and her confidence soared. It was a great feeling to see her improve and be more assured of herself.