Sheila - Swim Speed Strokes for Swimmers and Triathletes: Master Freestyle, Butterfly, Breaststroke and Backstroke for Your Fastest Swimming (Swim Speed Series)

Copyright 2014 by Sheila Taormina

All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America by VeloPress, a division of Competitor Group, Inc.

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Boulder, Colorado 80301-2338 USA

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Distributed in the United States and Canada by Ingram Publisher Services

A Cataloging-in-Publication record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

ISBN: 978-1-937715-21-2; eISBN: 978-1-937716-60-8

For information on purchasing VeloPress books, please call (800) 811-4210, ext. 2138, or visit www.velopress.com.

Cover design by Lora Lamm

Photography by Daniel Smith

Photo editing by Nick Salazar and Paula Gillen

Photographs for courtesy of Indiana University, Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming

Illustration of pool by Nicole Kaufman

A note to readers: Move the cursor over the art and click on it to enlarge.

To Vincent de Maio, Kathleen Jeffs, and swimmers on the Clovis Swim Team in Clovis, New Mexico. It has been a pleasure to watch you practice deliberately and purposefully.

(Drinking triple-shot lattes with you is a pleasure too.)

I will never forget watching Sheila swim for the first time at the 1996 Olympic Trials. I was doing the TV commentary with my partner Dan Hicks, and we couldnt get over how all the other swimmers towered over Sheila. I recall worrying that she might get washed away by the huge waves that everyone would soon create in the pool, especially off the turns. But to my surprise and many others, she proved me utterly wrong and made her first Olympic team in that final of the 200 freestyle. The number-one reason? She had one of the most beautiful strokes from a technical standpoint that I had ever seen on a swimmer. She went on to win a gold medal at those Atlanta Games, and I was so proud of her not only for her incredible tenacity in the water but also for her great leadership out of the pool. At 5'2", Sheila is an incredible inspiration, and when I speak to groups of kids, which I do every year, I use Sheila as a shining example that you dont have to be a giant to succeed in this sport.

Sheila has taken all the knowledge she has gained and refined throughout a phenomenal career and brought it to the book you now hold in your hands, Swim Speed Strokes. It is a swim training bible that concentrates on teaching technique in all four competitive strokes, featuring fantastic over- and underwater crystal-clear photos of world-class elites. However, the lessons here are not taught in a dry, encyclopedic way. Far from it. Rather, my friend Sheila brings her energetic, encouraging, whip-smart personality to her coaching, which is why this book is so enjoyable and educational. Shes truly a one-of-a-kind coach!

Undoubtedly, talent helps with success in swimming, but it is precision, practice, and dedication that are most important. This book is filled with examples from world-class athletes who exemplify this. But none more than Sheila. During my own photo shoot for this book, I was deeply impressed by how much attention to detail Sheila gave to every single shot. She is precision and dedication in action.

Ive never met a person with so much enthusiasm for the sport of swimming. That love shines through on every page of this book. I am honored to be included, and I know readers will be thrilled with the results they see in their own swimming after having read it.

Swim fast!

Rowdy Gaines

There exists a strong culture of solidarity in the sport of swimming. Coaches and athletes openly share knowledge and give their time generously. Without such spirit, this book would have never lifted from the ground. The first nod of gratitude therefore goes to those who came onboard with this project, and who did so enthusiastically. You are champions on and off the pool deck.

To the athletes: Elizabeth Beisel, Nicolas Fink, Rowdy Gaines, Andrew Gemmell, Ariana Kukors, Melanie Margalis, Vladimir Morozov, Aaron Peirsol, Doug Reynolds, Laura Sogar, Rebecca Soni, Peter Vanderkaay, and Ashley Whitney.

To the coaches: Dave Salo, Jon Urbanchek, and Catherine Vogt of the University of Southern California; Jack Bauerle and Harvey Humphries of the University of Georgia; Gregg Troy and Martyn Wilby of the University of Florida; and Carol Capitani of the University of Texas.

To the athletes and coaches interviewed for their valuable insights on technique: Maritza Correia, Annette Salmeen, Nelson Diebel, Kathy Coffin-Sheard, Matt Kredich of the University of Tennessee, Ray Looze of Indiana University, and Russell Mark of USA Swimming.

To those who offered their time, resources, and facilities in support of this project: Ross Bohlken, general manager at Heathrow Country Club in Lake Mary, Florida; Bob and Ian Thomsen at the Georgia Aquatic Center in Watkinsville, Georgia; Lizet Fiol at the Palmas de Cortez in Los Barriles, Mexico; Tom Rau and Craig Askins of Hamburg, Michigan; Eva Solomon of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Steve Flippen of the University of Georgia Athletic Department; Daniel Seigel of the University of Florida Athletic Department; Marissa Kleber, sports agent; Pirie Humphries of Athens, Georgia; John Bathurst and Jack Coffey at Speedo; Lisa Jayne of Reno, Nevada; and Jeff and Jill Cole of San Diego, California.

To Bruce Wigo, executive director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, and your wonderful staffMarion Washburn, Marcia Meiners, Ivonne Schmid, Laurie Marchwinski, and Bob Duenkelfor preserving swimming history and welcoming me for six weeks to your amazing library to research and write.

To Mike Unger of USA Swimming for helping me launch this project at the 2013 USA Swimming National Championships in Indianapolis.

To Dave Tanner of Indiana University for sharing your expertise and providing Docs photographic media of Rowdy Gaines, and to Jay Kinca for helping prepare the media for print.

To John Erdman of Clovis, New Mexico, for preparing video images for print.

To two very special coaches I had at a young age: Ms. Patricia Poirier, who could cite Bernoullis Principle early in her career as a teenage coach, and Mr. Gordon Larson, whose Wednesday night drill sessions were purposefully designed to develop proper mechanics in his swimmers strokes. I am fortunate to have trained under your watchful eyes early in my swimming career.

To Daniel Smith, photographer on this project, for once again spending hours underwater to capture the most beautiful imagesand for making it fun every minute.

To Ernie Maglischo, whose work I admire more than any in the field. Warm thanks also to Jan Rendtorff for her hospitality while Ernie and I talked swimming for hours.

Finally, to the staff at VeloPressTed Costantino, Casey Blaine, Renee Jardine, Haley Berry, Dave Trendler, Vicki Hopewell, and Anita Kouryit is an honor to team with you on a third book. My admiration and thankfulness grows deeper with every project. Special thanks to Haley Berry for your adventurous spirit on the drive down the Baja, and to Casey Blaine, my editor, for overseeing each step of the way with confidence and a clear visionI couldnt imagine writing a word without your input. Great synergy cannot be crafted; it just has to be.