I came away from the article thinking that Katie Hoff is overworked, overstressed, and not very happy. Not good news whatsoever. First rule of swimming: Swimming is suppose to be fun and Katie Hoff needs to have some fun!
From US Today:
After returning from Beijing, the 20-year-old Hoff made a coaching change, remaining at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club (NBAC) but choosing to train under Bob Bowman, who also is Michael Phelps' coach.
"He's someone I thought could help me take my career to the next level," Hoff says of Bowman.
Bowman changed her training regimen, adding more work in the weight room and putting her through the same brand of grueling practices he used to mold Phelps. Hoff has sought Phelps' advice on dealing with Bowman's hard-driving style.
"I'm not going to lie, there have been a lot of times where I've been going through some rough moments, days, weeks," Hoff says. "(Phelps) has been good, because he knows Bob really well and he's done this training for years so he knows the ins and outs of everything."
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Katie, go watch a TV show and relax. In fact go marathon a season's worth of America's Next Top Model on some lazy Sunday and skip your workouts for that day.
Don't go near a pool till your well and you can't wait to get back in.
In fact, It's summer so go fall in love for a couple of months and get some time away from your several "to-do lists."
Then when you are all comfy an relaxed, go call a professional like Natalie Coughlin or Libby Trickett and asked them what they think? Both of these ladies have made tough career decisions when they were on the ropes and it changed them for the better.
13 comments:
Its' late...
I haven't read or seen everything, but I just wish Katie would come to California and swim with one of our coaches.
Teri McKeever
Coach Rose
Brian Pajer
And do some open water swimming and surfing.
You are right my friend Tony.
Now is the time for one of our favorite swimmers, Katie, to have some fun. And to find that love in the water. It is always available here in California.
''Everyone's not Michael Phelps,'' she said. ''He seems to be able to handle a lot of different types of sets and weights, and I don't know how he does it, but my body doesn't work the same way.''"
In a SwimmingWorldTV interview she mentioned that she would be discussing with Bob about backing off/changing the weights.
She should come to California!
Talking to Bob Bowman about reducing her routine is a useless endeavor.
I think she is being too nice and putting herself second.
i think bob bowman isn't wired to train woman : all his female swimmers quit him or get sick .
Bob and Michael laugh in reminiscence of a guy who mistook their interaction as "child abuse."
I don't know what that says about Bowman (or Phelps).
Amanda, Maly,
I don't think Bob Bowman is wired to coach human beings - Killer whales and dolphins are a different story though.
Come surfing, Katie.
I've heard that Bowman is very "vocal" during practice. This is probably something the men deal with more easily than the women. That said, he did do a good job with Allison Schmitt last year. And Sandeno was actually swimming well till she got sick at the very end. But certain swimmers thrive in a high yardage program, and others don't. Hoff did extremely well under Yetter, who is not a high yardage style coach, and the transition has obviously been difficult. I think she'd fare better under a McKeever or Salo than she would under a Rose, who is another high volume guy. I suspect what'll happen is she'll just stay with Bowman, and he'll adjust her program.
Allison Schmitt didn't really train with Bob Bobwman at Michigan. She was in the elite training group, but it was Jon Urbanchek who brought her along, saw her talent, coached her on deck and made sure Bob didn't destroy her confidence. Bob just constantly yelled at her because she couldn't handle his training and she never did what he wanted her to do in the water. He kept her in the group because Allison was entertaining (fun-loving, corny jokes) and Bob loved the levity Allison's personality brought to the intense training environment. With Jon's help she seemed to get that she couldn't please him and didn't try so it was okay for her.
Katie Hoff seems like the type who would bust her butt to do everything a coach asked. This was her downfall with Bob Bowman because Bob push someone like this until they break rather than backing off on the workouts or the mental pressure on them. There wasn't anyone there like Jon Urbanchek to make sure Bob didn't overdo it wit her. When Michael is struggling he just get out or just slows down, makes Bob mad, they yell at each other for awhile and then Bob probably backs off in that workout. I can't imagine that being Katie Hoff's style. She would trust that the coach knew what was best for her. I would thing most young athletes would, especially with a new coach. I don't think Bob is right for her even if he did adjust the workouts.
Perhaps Katie Hoff opening up in a press is sort of like a foreshadowing plot device in a movie.
She tells the press how bad she she is doing and once it becomes public knowledge, she leaves for another coach as an expected choice.
Gossip related to NBAC. I think I mentioned that Hayley McGregory left Bob and NBAC and speculated that it was because the training was too brutal. Apparently, she and Nick Thoman didn't leave NBAC of their own volition. They were kicked out of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for fighting (whether each other or someone else I don't know) and then Bowman kicked them out of the NBAC elite group. No idea what caused the fight, although ultimately it doesn't matter. They're professionals and should conduct themselves like it.
Hey Tony!
Do you think Katie reads your blog??
YAY - California here she comes!
Nah! I don't think she does. I suspect she thinks I am just some loser blogger.
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