The Olds Rapids invited three-time Olympic medallist Tom Ponting to guest coach the club during its practice on April 26.
Ponting swam at the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games, medalling each time. Over that time, he won two silvers and a bronze in the four-by-100-metre medley relay. In 1996, he was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.
Originally from Calgary, Ponting was a coach for the University of Calgary Swim Club and had Rapids coach Graeme Gordon as a swimmer from 1994-96. The two kept in touch since, with Ponting guest coaching in Olds a few years ago.
Ponting said his advice for swimmers would be to seek team support when chasing their goals. Swimming is an individual sport, but those whom athletes surround themselves with help push them further.
"Without the team, you lose momentum because it's a lonely sport," he said.
Much of competitive swimming includes training for a few big races and Ponting said it's important to get into a "zone of focus" before each one.
All practice and training should be to the point where once the swimmer enters a race, routine takes over.
Ponting said his routine included breathing exercises, dryland warmups, listening to music – specifically songs he associated with success in his life – before visualizing having a good race.
Since his swimming career, Ponting has been working in oil and gas procurement, based in Alberta and California. He's getting back into coaching and plans to return to Olds again in the future.
