Swimming World Presents “Q&A With Virginia Gators Head Coach Doug Fonder”

SW May 2020 - Q and A with Virginia Gators Coach Doug Fonder

Q&A With Virginia Gators Coach Doug Fonder

By Michael J. Stott

Coach of swimmers, builder of programs, founder of Virginia Commonwealth Games, the President/CEO of the International Swim Coaches Association, Wisconsin native Doug Fonder has left his imprint on competitive swimming for more than 50 years.

Fonder was honored as Virginia Coach of the Year 10 times. He also was a two-time YMCA National Swim Coach of the Year.

CREDENTIALS
• University of Miami, B.A., 1970
• Head coach/CEO, Virginia Gators, 1988-present
• Executive director of sports, Commonwealth of Virginia, 1988-92
• Head coach, Briarwood Swim and Racquet Club, 1980-88
• Founder/head coach, Quantico Devil Dolphins, 1972-80
• Founder/executive director, International Swim Coaches Association, 2011
• Founder, National Age Group Association (NASA), 2010

Q. SWIMMING WORLD: How did you get into swimming in the first place?
A. COACH DOUG FONDER: At the end of this summer, I will have coached year-round swimming for 53 years. As a child in Green Bay, Wis., I swam summer league. In graduate school, I took a pool manager job in Illinois. Three weeks into the season, the swim coach was fired, and I was offered the position. Thankfully, no one drowned because I didn’t know a thing about what I was doing. I coached it like it was a football squad.

SW: You have coached beginning age groupers to Olympians. Any memorable athletes?
DF: Early on, I learned that swimmers who become Olympians have a totally different mindset than other participants. Jeff Rouse, a two time Olympian and backstroke gold medalist, started with the Quantico team when he was 8 years old. At 10, he was a student of the sport and listened and followed instructions to a T. He also had very supportive and caring parents.

I learned that you need a perfect triangle of swimmer, parent and coach to reach ultimate success. What I most appreciate about competitive swimming is that an athlete gets out of it exactly what he/she puts in. The saying, “Work works,” is spot-on.

To read the full Q&A session with Virginia Gators Coach Doug Fonder,
the May 2020 issue is now available for download in the Vault!

Non-Subscribers Can Download The Issue Here

SW May 2020 Cover - Dave Durdan - Leader of Men

[PHOTO CREDIT: SPEEDO USA]

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Swimming World Magazine May 2020 Issue

FEATURES

016 TOSSED INTO TURMOIL
by Dan D’Addona
The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a far-reaching impact not only on everyday life, but also on the sport of swimming across the globe.

018 TIMING IS EVERYTHING
by David Rieder
Everyone knows how important timing is—races can be won or lost by hundredths of a second. For swimmers competing at the NAIA and NJCAA Championships, the most important timing was measured in days. Both associations were able to complete their championship meets just before other major sports championships were being canceled due to the threat of coronavirus.

022 SILVER LINING COULD TURN TO GOLD
by Michael Randazzo
The Olympic postponement was hardly perceived as a positive, but it could lead to hope and opportunity for any men’s or women’s water polo team that aspires to Olympic competition—including the United States’ national teams.

024 MENTAL PREP: BEFORE THE BEEP WITH ASHLEY TWICHELL
by Shoshanna Rutemiller

026 IMPACTING LIVES THROUGH COACHING
by David Rieder
Dave Durden, University of California and U.S. national team coach, simply refers to himself as a swim coach. But he’s also a leader, an expert at maximizing performance, removing doubt, instilling confidence and navigating young men through demanding situations.

030 TAKEOFF TO TOKYO: T ‘N’ T—A FRIENDLY RIVALRY FOR A DYNAMITE DUO
by John Lohn
During the Olympic campaign of 2000, Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres—complete opposites out of the pool, but with few differences as competitors—were engaged in a friendly, but not-so-easy rivalry—one that brought out the best in both swimmers.

034 ISHOF: A DUKE, A MERMAID, A WAR AND THE FLU
by Bruce Wigo
COVID-19 isn’t the first pandemic disease to have brought the world of competitive swimming to a halt, and the 2020 Olympic Games are not the first to be postponed or canceled. This is the story of the years between 1914 and 1918, when the world was suddenly and unexpectedly turned upside down by events not so different from what our sport is experiencing today.

COACHING

014 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: THE VALUE OF HAND FORCE ANALYSIS: PART II—BACKSTROKE
by Rod Havriluk
Synchronized video and hand force data is an essential tool for optimizing technique. A coach can use the force data to pinpoint limitations, refer to the corresponding video images to explain changes and monitor a swimmer’s progress in improving technique.

038 MOTIVATING SWIMMERS TO NEW HEIGHTS
by Michael J. Stott
Memorable are the sporting events where an athlete or team is “on fire.” Swimming World checks in with two high school and two age group coaches for insight into how that happens. Spoiler alert: the common denominator is “buy-in” from athletes who connect with a coach.

042 SPECIAL SETS: CHANGE-OF-PACE FUN
by Michael J. Stott
USA Swimming master coach consultant Bob Steele provides some favorite change-of-pace exercises that are designed to insert spice and fun into in-season training.

046 Q&A WITH COACH DOUG FONDER
by Michael J. Stott

047 HOW THEY TRAIN OLIVIA BRAY
by Michael J. Stott

TRAINING

012 DRYSIDE TRAINING: STROKE STRENGTH SERIES—FREESTYLE
by J.R. Rosania

JUNIOR SWIMMER

049 UP & COMERS: FINN CONLEY
by Shoshanna Rutemiller

COLUMNS

010 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT

011 BEYOND THE YARDS

036 DID YOU KNOW? 1920 U.S. WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM

044 THE OFFICIAL WORD

050 GUTTERTALK

051 PARTING SHOT

NOTE: READ LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER ABOUT THIS DIGITAL ISSUE DURING THE CONVID-19 PANDEMIC

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