Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Held sits down with host Kelly Palace in an on-deck interview at the Pegasus Masters meet in Dallas, Texas. Since retiring from professional swimming, Ryan has relocated to Prosper, Texas, stepped into the joys of fatherhood, and transitioned his relationship with the pool through Masters Swimming. What happens when you strip away the pressure of professional contracts, intense college training regimens, and the constant stress of making international teams...

This week we head poolside at Brightlingsea Lido to find out what lifeguarding really involves beyond the whistle and suncream. With two much-loved senior lifeguards, we talk vigilance, teamwork, public myths, near-chaos and the unique joy of keeping one of Brightlingsea's best-loved places safe. This episode is warm, witty and very local. Take 20 minutes, feel inspired and maybe ... take the plunge.

What does it take to build a thriving Masters swim club from scratch, manage a demanding corporate career, and still have the grit to chase top-10 national rankings in the grueling 200-meter butterfly? In this special on-deck interview from the Bumpy Jones Classic in Sarasota, Florida, Kelly sits down with Andy Kroupa—a true champion of the everyday swimming community. Andy isn't just an elite competitor; he is one of the foundational minds behind the powerhouse Legends Masters Swim Club in O...

We meet Bethany Burchill, Manager Club and Member Services, US Masters Swimming and trace how she goes from swimmer to athletic director to an important position on the National Office Staff of US Masters Swimming. Bethany's passion for swimming changed the trajectory of her well-established high-profile career as an athletic director. Her own love of the sport and her family's deep roots in swimming led her to follow her heart. We break down the most common questions USMS gets and how ...

Brightlingsea Lido runs on sunshine and community spirit and an unstoppable team of volunteer fundraisers. In this episode we explore why volunteer fundraising is one of the most powerful forces behind community-run places like our Lido. From national stats to local impact, we look at how volunteer-led fundraising keeps prices low, boosts wellbeing, strengthens community spirit and helps the lido grow year after year. We are joined by two brilliantly committed members of the...

Can mindset really be trained like any other skill? In Episode 2 of SWIM Live, host Brendon Ward sits down with mindset coach and performance specialist Wayne Donnelly, architect of Best Life, Best Business, to explore the role mindset plays in performance, leadership and personal growth.Wayne shares practical strategies for building self-belief, developing confidence, overcoming setbacks and creating a mindset that supports long term success. From the power of visualisation and reframing

You can love swimming and still feel intimidated by the rulebook, the whistles, and the idea of disqualifying someone. That hesitation is exactly why we wanted an on-deck conversation with Chet Goudy, a USA Swimming deck referee, Masters swimmer, former college breaststroker, and former pro triathlete. He walks us through what a deck ref actually does, what it feels like to run a session from the pool deck, and why meets are always desperate for more well-trained officials. We also get perso...

In this episode of Lido Lovers, we dive into the surprising, science-backed benefits of volunteering - including the fact that it can actually help you live longer. We're joined by Kerry Linden, an Olympic and Paralympic Games Maker who has travelled the world volunteering and now brings her energy, expertise and heart to Brightlingsea Lido. Kerry shares what keeps her coming back, the unexpected doors volunteering has opened, and why giving your time might be one of the most powe...

Bonus Clip from our full Patreon Freestyle Show ⭐ Jess joins Luke as they discuss their swimming ICKS!!!listen to the full episode and support TWF here! https://www.patreon.com/posts/160255835?utm_campaign=postshare_creator

🟢 New to the podcast? Start here.This episode brings together what actually matters in open water swimming. Over the past six months, this podcast has explored open water swimming through the voices of swimmers, coaches, scientists and practitioners. In this episode, we step back and reflect. What actually matters when you’re out in the water - when conditions change, plans break down and things don’t go to plan? Drawing on insights from across previous conversations, this episode brings

Send us Fan Mail This episode is one story. The Water’s Edge is where stories like this turn into lived experience. Feeling inspired? Find Meaning in the Monotony or subscribe to my Substack for Lessons from the Water Want to watch? Episodes now available on YouTube! Keep the stories coming by supporting the show. Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me. Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com Music credit: Epic Inspiration&nbs...

In Part 2 - things look up. When the Lido faced closure, the community stepped forward. Volunteers, campaigners, swimmers, families - all united to bring the pool back to life. This is the story of how Brightlingsea saved its Lido, rebuilt it and created the thriving and happy hub we know today. Take 20 minutes, feel inspired and maybe ... take the plunge.

Coach Kelly Palace shares five rules for swimmers to achieve their personal best. We break down five repeatable rules Kelly has seen across hundreds of champions, from Olympic swimmers to NCAA standouts to masters legends. We talk about picking a goal that creates real emotional pull, then reverse engineering it into pace targets, meet choices, and bite sized milestones you can execute. We also get specific about the details that matter in masters swimming: which meets count for rankings and...

Three Key Learning Points* The worst thing you can do is ask them to analyse what went wrong.* The car ride home is not the time to coach - even if you ARE a coach.* What they need most in that moment is unconditional love and acceptance.This post is ostensibly for swimming parents but it’s a good one for coaches too - because part of your job is educating the parents in your program on how to handle the big moments.So here’s the scenario. Your child has gone to a big meet. New goggles. New bag

Three Key Learning Points:* The “sage on a stage” coaching model is failing teenage athletes and contributing to the dropout crisis.* If a swimmer solves the problem they own the solution - and ownership leads to self-responsibility which changes everything.* Coaching through questioning isn’t “soft or weak” - it’s exactly how the best teachers and university lecturers operate.When you ask most adults about the coaches they had when they were growing up they will often describe very similar

Ever wonder what separates an average swim lane or team from a championship-level squad? Culture isn’t a poster on the wall—it’s the way your team operates on an ordinary Wednesday morning when you're staring at the black line and nobody is trying to be inspirational. In this episode, we sit down with Greg Clink, 3-time Coach of the Year in basketball, who's a leadership expert, to put a real definition around “championship culture” and make it completely usable for Masters swimmers, coaches,...

This espisode starts back in 1932 when the Brightlingsea Lido first opened its gates. From golden summers to years of decline, this is the story of how a much-loved pool came dangerously close to disappearing. It's a tale of changing times, community spirit and the moment everything nearly slipped away Take 20 minutes, feel inspired and maybe ... take the plunge.

In the first episode of SWIM Live, hosted by Brendon Ward, Olympic swimmer and coach Kenrick 'Kenny' Monk shares his coaching philosophy, the importance of athlete balance and why strong fundamentals still matter in modern swimming.From skill development and athlete wellbeing to mentoring the next generation of coaches, Kenny offers practical insights and honest reflections from both sides of the pool deck. A must-listen for coaches, teachers, swim schools and anyone passionate about the future of

Send us Fan MailLake Otra and Lake Maggiore are two beautiful northern italys alpine lakes. We explore there history and geography and what it’s like to swim in both. I then give my choice of favourite between two great beauties. Further information can be found:Website: www.MYSWIM.ukPodcast: MYSWIMInstagram: MYSWIM_podcastInstagram: MYSWIM_ArtInstagram: MYSWIM_JournalTikTok: MYSWIM.ukYouTube: @MYSWIM_uk

A 20-year break doesn’t have to be the end of your swimming story. Kelly catches Christina Campfort right on deck for a high-energy chat that hits on something a lot of former swimmers quietly wonder: can you really come back and race fast again after life happens? Christina’s answer is loud and clear. She’s 44, a firefighter and driver engineer, a mom with a newborn, a former college swimmer at the University of Miami, and she recently returned to masters swimming and won four national title...