This special Ready Room interview on The Morning Swim Show comes from the American Swimming Coaches Association’s 2008 World Clinic in Las Vegas, where Brent Rutemiller sat down with ASCA Executive Director John Leonard.

Leonard talks about the origins of ASCA and how the organization has evolved from the first world clinic 40 years ago. Leonard talks about some of the future possibilities that will take place around the time of the long course world championships and Olympic Games featuring some of the best international coaches.

Sharing knowledge is a new trend among coaches these days, and Leonard said he’s glad coaches are more honestly sharing information. Coaches in the United States “have widely shared their information, and that’s been a great tradition,” Leonard said, a practice that he said is spreading to other countries.

ASCA is spreading educational opportunities to developing countries such as Kenya and Iran in its effort to “bring people together for a common cause to improve the sport,” Leonard said. It’s a practice Leonard said started decades earlier with Coach Peter Daland, but more countries are becoming more accessible in the 21st century.