Swin Cash, Humble Journey

Swin Cash is an extraordinary female athlete with vast accomplishments to her credit both on and off the basketball court. Swin made a name for herself as a dominate and powerful player during her college career at the University of Connecticut (UConn). As a UConn Husky, she played on the NCAA Championship team in 2000 as well as the undefeated 2002 team and was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2002. She was the second overall pick when she entered the WNBA draft. She has won three WNBA Championships, has been selected to the WNBA All-Star team five times, and earned two WNBA All-Star MVP awards. In addition to her two Olympic Gold medals (London, 2012 & Athens 2004), she’s won a FIBA World Championship. Swin currently plays forward for the WNBA, Chicago Sky. 

Off the court, Swin recently authored her first book, “Humble Journey: More Precious Than Gold” chronicling her journey to the Olympics. She is the founder of Swin Cash Enterprise, LLC, Cash Building Blocks, LP, and Cash for Kids, a 501(c)(3) charity with the mission to “motivate, educate, and elevate” kids with a particular focus on fitness. 

During the WNBA off season Swin has been expanding her broadcasting skills as an

analyst and color commentator for ESPN.

SZ: You played basketball in China for three years. Why did you choose to play there?

SC: I played in China from 2009-2012. It was after my injury and I went to China because it was a shorter season. It gave me the opportunity to rest my body some and also be able to play in a competitive league, knowing that I was preparing to try to make the 2012 Olympic team. (In 2008 Swin was experiencing back problems caused by a herniated disk, an MRI also revealed the presence of a cancerous tumor on one of her kidneys). 

SZ: What was the experience of playing in China like for you as opposed to playing on a professional team in the U.S?

SC: The experience was really interesting. Obviously China is a different culture, but  basketball is a universal language, so being able to embrace my teammates and learn from the team and the ways of their culture was a wonderful opportunity. 

SZ: Were the on-court plays and strategies a lot different?

SC: Yeah, in every country how players compete and play is a little bit different. In regards to China they are still developing and put a lot of resources into their sporting teams. I think the best basketball is played in the U.S. but seeing how hard the Chinese players work, their work ethic and passion for the game is definitely something to be admired. 

SZ: It must have been very exciting for the Chinese audiences to be able to watch you play. Were the fans receptive to you?

SC: The fans appreciated how I play and hustle. I had a nice following there, it was pretty cool. Because I am able to do a lot of different things from passing, shooting, scoring and rebounding it was nice for the fans to see a player that didn’t just come over and say, “Hey I’m getting a pay check. I’m just going to get by and do whatever.” I embraced their basketball and their culture.

SZ: You were an All-American during your college years at UConn. What mental aspects of the game did you develop during your basketball days at UConn that prepared you for the professional game?

SC: I think it’s life lessons learned through the experiences. Playing at the highest level on one of the best teams in the country gave me access to learn how to not only develop my game but my approach, my thoughts to the game. The way that UConn ran the program, the way we were treated, how we were put in positions to really excel and succeed helped out a lot. 

SZ: Your UConn experience helped set a healthy mental stage for your performance development? There was a high expectation of the athlete and her abilities.

SC: There was always a high expectation, so it wasn’t lofty goals. There was a high expectation and you knew it year in and year out. The goal may have been the same at the end but the preparation of what we needed to do from point “A” to point “B” was really up to us and how much we were going to put into it to ultimately reach that goal. 

SZ: What were the challenges of transitioning from the college game to the professional level of basketball?

SC: I had an easy transition because I felt like college had prepared me for the pro’s. So whether it was dealing with media or time management, having a work ethic to work on my game or to study film, all those things were already instilled in me at a very young age.

SZ: The high level of playing at UConn gave you opportunities for media exposure and exposure to talking with alumni etc.

SC: Playing on one of the best teams in the country you’re going to have media attention and give interviews. Everything is an experience and I experienced a lot of what the pro’s experience while I was in college.

SZ: Is there anything you wish you had known about becoming a professional player that would have better prepared you for the professional life and competition?

SC: I have a solid family foundation, and had  support from staff at UConn, all those things sometimes can be a hurdle for some players to get over. I do wish I had been a little bit more prepared for accepting how sometimes your relationships will change with friends and people around you. Sometimes friends that were really close when you were younger grow apart. Understanding how to deal with those relationships, I wish I had had someone to talk a little bit about that with me. 

SZ: Does that refer to celebrity? Being a celebrity player during college then at the professional level of the game?

SC: It’s just a different level of notoriety. I don’t know if it’s necessarily celebrity. I think when you are exposed to a more worldly view and worldly things, not everyone is going to be happy for you. I had to adjust to that, some people are not always going to be happy for you to win. Whether it’s winning at life or winning on the court and you have to be okay and comfortable in your own skin to understand that but still press on.

SZ: That’s a really valuable observation. So what advice would you give to a high school or college player aspiring to play professional basketball? What mental skills do they need to compete with the best players in the world? 

SC: One, is to understand that in order to learn how to win you have to understand how to lose. What I mean by that is that in life you’ve not going to win every single time but those times when you lose whether it’s failing a test or failing on the basketball court, not winning a championship, you need to figure out which life lessons you learned along the way that can help you with the next stage or the next year, or next season that’s coming up. For me it’s being able to put in perspective and understand what my dreams and goals are and always trying to achieve those goals through everyday action.  I  always say, “Practice isn’t for perfection.” People think practice is for perfection. Practice for habits. If you practice good things you’ll have good habits and that has helped me along the way.

SZ: Do you have a pre-game routine that helps you get into your playing mind set?

SC: I always take a nap, play my music in chronological order, and try to pray before games.

SZ: You’ve played on two gold medal Olympic teams. When you play on an Olympic team players are brought together from many sources. What are some of the important steps that bring a team together physically on the court and emotionally so players trust each other and play well together?

SC: (Laughing) Well I think if you had that answer you could make a lot of money. It’s about chemistry. You have to have the right people in the mix. I think a lot of times some of the best coaches have been able to see great people, great character and great skill sets. It’s about building great camaraderie, building chemistry and having that transition from off the court to on the court.

SZ: Besides basketball being your profession what continues to motivate you to prepare  

and be competitive night after night? What are the goals you still wish to achieve in the game? 

SC: For me I think I grew up to play this game. Whenever I get tired and don’t want to practice and don’t want to be in the locker room, or have to travel and everything else, I think about what would retirement look like? But I still want to compete. I still want to win 

championships and right now it’s just really fun helping the younger players, like I was helped along the way. Just trying to pour this given knowledge that I have into other players. I think that is really fulfilling for me this season.

SZ: Do you ever see yourself going into coaching?

SC: A lot of people ask me about that. Right now in the off season I am continuing to develop my broadcasting experience as a basketball analyst and color commentator for ESPN, because I really enjoy doing that as well. 

SZ: Your physical health took a turn in 2008 and your back began to bother you due to a herniated disc. During the medical exam an MRI revealed the presence of a cancerous tumor on one of your kidneys. In the years going forward you’ve come back from this but did that period of time shape your perspective of what life would be like outside of basketball?

SC: It just put things in perspective for me. I think I’ve always been humble. That’s the way I was raised in my family, so I think it just really brought me closer to my family and my faith.

SZ: Is there anything you would like to add regarding your new book, “Humble Journey: More Precious Than Gold”, or regarding your charity?

SC: “Humble Journey: More Precious Than Gold” was very therapeutic to write. It helped me have a voice and let people understand the true story and true struggles that not only for myself but for other professional athletes. It kind of gives the reader a glimpse inside what that looks like for me. I am really proud of the book. I’ve received great feedback. In regards to my charity Cash for Kids, it’s my baby, it’s in my DNA, it’s what I do. It’s a part of who I am to give back to our youth it’s not strenuous. It’s like spreading love and having the opportunity to really show kids that there are things out there that they can do, even when they may not believe or see it yet. 

SZ: Your athletic journey is really interesting. Are there any quotes, tips or stories that have guided you along the way?

SC: One of the greatest quotes for me is the scripture, “To whom much is given, much is required.”

SZ: Swin thank you for taking time out of your busy life schedule for this interview.

*Featured guests are not former nor current clients of Susan Zaro

*This interview can also be read @ examiner.

*Photos by: Derek Blanks

Mental Challenges of Open Water Swimming

 As a kid, Joel Wilson was introduced to swimming at the Salinas YMCA and excelled in the sport. He swam well enough at North Salinas High School to earn a college swimming scholarship to U. C. Berkeley where he was an All American. After his college swimming career was complete he became interested in open water swimming and joined the South End Rowing Club in San Francisco. He’s been a member since 1974 and at the end of June will enjoy his 30th Golden Gate Swim. 

When Joel is on dry land he is the Assistant Head Coach with U.C. Santa Cruz’s Men’s and Women’s Collegiate Swimming and will begin his 11th year with the Mighty Slugs this Fall. Joel shares his depth of knowledge of open water swimming by coaching individuals for such swims as the  Trans Bay Swim, English Channel, Catalina Channel, Manhattan Island Marathon Swim and swims across Lake Tahoe. 

SZ: What was your first long distance open water event? 

JW: I guess it was a mile swim around Santa Cruz Pier in 1972.  At that time that was considered a long distance swim although there was already a history of people doing Channel swims and long lake swims but it was unusual at that time.

SZ: How did you become interested in open water swimming?

JW: It was so much fun, such a change from being in the pool. I kept doing some small open water swims and then I wound up in 1974 becoming a member of the South End Rowing Club at the Aquatic Park in San Francisco. I would do 10-12 open water swims during the season which is usually a six month period.

SZ: Did you train for your first swim around Santa Cruz Pier?

JW: I did not train in the ocean. At that time I didn’t know enough to do that. I just got in and swam around and got out. It was very, very cold.

SZ: What’s the reason a swimmer only wears a bathing suit during these events?  Is it tradition or does it set a standard?

JW: Both of those things. Tradition and it sets a standard. Today you read about people during open water swims and the media typically does not distinguish between someone who does it in a suit, googles, and cap versus someone who’s out there in a wet suit. It’s two entirely different swims. That difference need to be emphasized.

SZ: Are some people out of the running automatically because they can’t adjust to the cold water?

JW: Most people can train to do it. I think anyone can adapt to the colder water. The first few times I did it I tell you it was pretty humorous to watch me shake.

SZ: Your body can go into shock because it’s so cold.

JW: Yeah, you go running off the beach and diving into the cold water and the typical reaction is that you can’t draw a breath. That’s a normal reaction. That happens to everyone but if you immerse yourself time and again over a period of time your body adapts.

SZ: Does meditation or putting yourself in an altered mental state help? 

JW: I think it can be helpful. It depends on the person. Some people kind of actively meditate and prepare themselves mentally that way.

SZ: What was your first Trans Bay Swim?

JW: For a long time beginning in 1990 I was involved in putting on a swim from Capitola to Santa Cruz. It was called the Pier to Pier, which is a 10 kilometer swim. Hosting this event was super stressful. There were so many safety elements worrying about the forty people in the water. In 2005 I stopped hosting the event and became interested in putting a team together to swim across the bay which was a whole different experience. The team was made up of friends of mine, people that I knew from many years of swimming open water events. I called them up and invited them to be part of a team and that’s how we came together. I still wound up doing the organizing but it was a different kind of responsibility. I knew everyone on the team, and their swimming background. I knew they would work well together. 

SZ: You both organized it and swam the event? What’s the distance?

JW: Yes, I organized and swam, it’s twenty-one miles across the bay from Santa Cruz Harbor to Monterey Harbor.

SZ: Have you swum the event solo? 

JW: No, I’ve always been part of a team. I have never been able to train enough to do a solo swim. Others have swum this distance solo.

SZ: Describe the swim.

JW: Monterey Bay is as challenging as the English Channel. It’s just a different swim. The distance is the same. The water is colder here. We don’t have the wicked current that the English Channel does but I would consider the swim equally challenging.

SZ: How many hours does it take?

JW: It depends on the swimmers but it can take anywhere from twelve to sixteen hours. There’s been a group of University of Santa Cruz swim team members who put together a team that does it a bit differently than we do it but they’ve gotten across in under ten hours. 

SZ: Is the event a race where teams compete to finish the distance as quickly as possible? Do you call up another university and say, “Our swimmers can beat your swimmers in an open water swim to Monterey, come on over.”

JW: Generally it’s pretty hard to find other college kids who would want to make this swim. It’s generally a fundraiser event for the swim team at the university.

SZ: What’s the typical age of an open water swimmer?

JW: Someone who is beginning open water swimming could very well be just out of college and they are looking to continue swimming and want to do something different other than pool swimming. That’s very common. Then there are people who have had a swimming background and have gotten away from the sport for awhile and are coming back to it. A lot of open water swimmers that are taking on the big swims tend to be in their 40’s and 50’s. 

SZ: You’ve coached solo swimmers for the English Channel, Trans Bay, Catalina Channel and the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. What are the similarities and differences in the preparation and swimming of these events?

JW: All these swims are long swims, that’s what they have in common. They are also all very difficult swims. The preparation is similar in that they are going to be doing a lot of training, a lot of meters over a long period of time. For instance the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim is generally water that is warmer than the ocean but Catalina, Monterey Bay, the English Channel are cold water swims. Swimmers must do a lot of preparation in that cold water. But in terms of the training we set up a plan so that most of their yards are swum in a pool because that’s typically what they have access to.

SZ: To build up their mental and physical endurance.

JW: Yeah, building yards over a long period of time so the training is going on in the pool and then we get out and begin training in the open water.

SZ: How far in advance are we talking about? Months, a year?

JW: Generally about a year, ten to seventeen months.

SZ: It’s a huge commitment.

JW: For many of these swims to get on the list you’ve got to plan at least a year in advance. 

SZ: What do you mean get on a  list? Like announce you are going to swim the English Channel?

JW:  Yeah. For the English Channel sometimes the wait is two or three years out. They don’t have room for you so you have to get on a list.

SZ: That many people are attempting to swim it? I had no idea it was such a popular swim.

JW: Yeah, the English Channel is very much that way. One of my swimmers right now is going to get a slot. She’s about a year and a half out and the only reason she got the slot is that another swimmer gave up her spot.

SZ: Are there fees involved?

JW: Yes, you pay a fee to the swim association and you pay a fee for your escort boats. That’s standard in Catalina and the English Channel.

SZ: Is there a periodization protocol that leads up to these events? How do you plot it out?

JW: Yes, we back up from the day of the event, week by week, month by month and figure out a plan. It’s very detailed. It has to be. These are the most difficult swims you can do anywhere and the preparation is vital.

SZ: There are potential dangers involved in the open water swims, cold water, jelly fish, sharks, how do the swimmers prepare their minds for these potential unknown distractions to prevent the fear factor from interfering with their performance? 

JW: We are swimming in an environment not completely familiar to use. I think we all understand that we are getting into an environment that is not our own and so we have a sense of there’s stuff out there. Those elements are part of what we are taking on as part of the challenge. When I was hosting the Pier to Pier swim we were swimming a half mile off shore between Capitola and Santa Cruz. I used to tell people when they asked about what was out there in the water, I’d say, “It’s more dangerous driving your car to the event than what you’re going to experience in the water.” Over the years swimming across the bay we’ve seen a lot. All kinds of creatures and really the biggest barrier as open water swimmers are the jellies.

SZ: Jellies can stop a swimmer.

JW: Your response to the sting and it can just be the pain of it and then you add the toxins which can cause an allergic reaction. If you get stung but don’t have an allergic reaction you can still be taxed mentally in that you just get tired of being in pain for so long.

SZ: Are there mental training exercises recommended for practice on land that swimmers engage in besides meditation?

JW: Swimmers will rehearse the swim in their mind, by visualizing the various elements of the swim. The start off the beach, the swim at sunrise, the swim at sunset, having the escort boat next to them in the water. They can run through all the various segments of the swim in their mind. I think it’s really helpful, for swimmers to visualize themselves all the way through the swim, completing the swim up to the point of walking up on the beach at their destination.

SZ: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your open water swims, pre-race or during the race both mentally and physically. 

JW: In large events with lots of swimmers in the water it’s an adaptation to being in a big group of people who are anxious. There can be a lot of bumping into people or grabbing. All of that can be part of a large group swim and it’s unnerving. It mainly happens in triathlons. In most open water swims you are swimming close to someone and can be side by side for hundreds of yards. It does take some time to get used to but you have to get used to it.

SZ: What are some of the challenges for you pre-swim and during the swim as a coach both mentally and physically?

JW: For me it’s more nerve wracking to be the coach than to be the swimmer. Part of my job is to know my swimmer well and know how they have prepared mentally and physically. When the event starts to be present with them in a way that’s supportive for them and doesn’t create more stress.

SZ: Do you have a favorite quote, tip or story that has inspired you over the years to continue your involvement in open water swimming?

JW: I’ve met open water swimmers over the years and generally these people are older than me and I marvel at what they are doing as an older person. These people were doing the same very challenging swims that I was doing. They are out there in the water a lot longer than me in very cold water, it’s amazing. That’s always inspired me, ever since I was in my twenty’s. Just watching these folks do these swims I would always say, “That’s the way I want to be when I get to be that age.” 

SZ: Anything you would like to add?

JW: We are lucky to have an extensive line-up of open water swims in our region. Our regional Master’s group, called Pacific Masters Swimming is a great source of information about open water swimming. Anyone interested in learning more can contact one of the local Masters clubs listed on the Pacific Masters website.

SZ: Joel thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to give me some insight about the world of open water swimming.

Photo By: Joel Wilson

*Featured guests are not former nor current clients of Susan Zaro

*This article can be read @ examiner.

Team Caletti Cyclocross, Lindsey Collins

Cyclocross, CX, CCX, cyclo-X, or ‘cross is an adventurous form of bicycle racing. According to Wikipedia there are many stories how ‘cross’ began as a sport. One is that European bike racers would race each other to the next town and during the race would creatively take short cuts through farmers fields, over fences and whatever route would assist them in arriving first.

Lindsey Collins is the co-captain of the Santa Cruz based Cyclocross Team Caletti. Collins prefers the term ‘cross’ when describing the nuances and challenges of her sport. When Collins isn’t racing she teaches environmental studies and writing classes for U.C. Santa Cruz.

SZ: Is Cyclocross a serious sport?

LC: Yeah, the great thing about this sport is that there is the element of a serious sport but it’s not in the Olympics. It’s serious enough that the discussion goes back and forth with cycling unions trying to get it into the Olympics. ‘Cross’ is really big in Europe especially in Belgium where thousands of spectators come out and they have ‘cross’ superstars.  Since I began racing back in 2001 it has grown a lot in the U.S. A lot of people were doing ‘cross’ back then as a kind of a fun thing after their mountain bike season ended or as an off season activity before the road racing season. Now ‘cross’ is a primary focus for some racers. 

It’s grown quite a bit and there are now top level athletes competing yet there remains a festive atmosphere. In Portland, Oregon there is a huge ‘cross’ scene. I always compete in at least one race a year up there just because the crowds are so fun. In the women’s race there are often sixty racers competing. They have a Halloween race where everyone competes in costume. It’s unique in that you have a really intense competition but people will be competing in a funny costume.

SZ: What’s your role as a racing member of Team Caletti? Do you have a ranking or overall point standing in ‘cross.’

LC: I am co-captain of the team with Jeremiah Kille. The point/standing thing is changing this year. Our governing body will have an additional governing body. There are certain races that are sanctioned through USA Cycling. If you have a license and  compete in those races depending on how you finish in the race you receive points.

SZ: What do you mean a license?

LC: A racer buys an annual cycling license through USA Cycling, which is the national governing body. This year there’s going to be a new governing body, the U.S. Cyclocross, it’s called USCX. It’s not clear how it’s going to work exactly but basically some races are informal, you don’t receive points for them. The results are for the series standing. For example, a competitor participates in a series of races and at the end of that particular series a racer may be in 3rd place of all the racers. The results won’t give a racer a national ranking but some races are sponsored by USA Cycling and if a competitor has a license and competes in those races it gives them a certain number of points based on their overall standing that contributes to their ranking. 

SZ: Is it tied to any prize money?

LC: Historically women’s pursues haven’t been so great but there are a lot of race sponsors that are trying to make sure at the top levels of ‘cross’ that women’s prize money is the same as the men’s which is great. 

SZ: Describe the sport of Cyclocross. How is it different from other bike races such as mountain bike or road racing?

LC: There’s a lot of overlap. A lot of people who compete in ‘cross’ also compete as mountain bikers and road racers. A ‘cross’ bike looks like a road bike but has knobby tires and doesn’t have suspension like a mountain bike. But you can ride off road on a lot of terrain you would ride with a mountain bike. It’s just a bumpier ride. 

Races are a lot shorter than a road or mountain bike race. They are only forty-five minutes to an hour but sprinting the whole time. Road and mountain bike races can be two to five hours. In ‘cross,’ riders basically ride full speed the entire time. There’s no resting and recovering or drafting off another rider. One aspect of ‘cross’ I love is that the culture is so different from other cycling events. It’s possible to spend $5k on a bike but it also has a culture of it’s okay to cobble together something and just ride what you have. Team Jortz, an all women’s ‘cross’ team out of Oakland is really great. Jortz is short for jean shorts and they ride in jean shorts to playfully communicate, “You don’t need to have a bunch of fancy bike gear. We’re just out there to have fun and ride.” 

SZ: How did you get introduced to ‘cross?’

LC: I entered my first ‘cross’ race when I was living in Durango, CO. after college. Durango is a big mountain bike town and I was into cycling and mountain biking. I started hearing about the sport and back then it was impossible for me, I’m only 5’3,” to find a bike that even fit me. Companies were only making men’s Cyclocross bikes at that point. I eventually found a bike and competed in a race and I was the only person on a ‘cross’ bike. Everyone else was a mountain biker and I came in dead last. But it was so great. I’ve participated every season since then.

SZ: What was the “hook” that inspired you to race in Cyclocross at the level you now compete?

LC: That’s a good question because there’s something about ‘cross,’ It’s such a physically painful sport. I’ve gotten better over the years but the first year I rode a full season I would come home from racing and feel so nauseated I would make myself some tea and get into bed for the rest of the day. It was so physically taxing I wondered why I kept showing up and putting myself through that experience while not doing very well. I think it was one of those things where after the fact I would think back and say, “That was really fun.” Once I got a taste of improving and won my first race I wanted to see how far I could go with this.

SZ: What are the mental challenges of ‘cross’ for you?

LC: There is the mental challenge to maintain the delicate balance of having my fitness remain at a high level for the whole season. If I get sick and am out for two weeks when I return and everyone else kept racing it’s a struggle to get back and be competitive. The challenge for me is to stay healthy over the course of the season which is difficult. If I race on Sunday it often takes until Wednesday to feel pretty good again. Half the week I am still recovering from the weekend. During the race itself the mental challenges are a lot. The physical demands of the race are very intense. Sometimes there are three laps to go and I feel like I am going to heave and my mind begins to wonder what I’m doing. So mentally feeling good during a race and trying to keep my mind in a place where I don’t want to pull off to the side of the course and crawl into a hole is always a challenge to some extent. Over the years I’ve become more experienced and it’s fun to not feel like that. Now I can make strategic decisions about each lap rather than just try and finish the race.

SZ: What are the athletic skills and personality qualities that are useful in being a contender in this sport?

LC: Just as in most cycling sports I think the ability to suffer on a bike and the willingness to hit that point of suffering and just kind of accepting it’s going to be painful. That’s number one. Having some technical abilities is also helpful. The race course is not all on dirt, some parts are on pavement and a lot of road racers have really powerful legs and are really good at sprinting. But when the weather becomes muddy and the bike starts sliding around, having bike handling skills is really helpful. 

Another important thing is that if you take yourself too seriously it’s not going to go too well. When you are on a bike that is a hybrid of a road and mountain bike, but it isn’t a road or mountain bike and and it’s not going to handle mud and sloppy conditions as well as a mountain bike you are probably going to fall down. You’re probably going to botch some turns and look silly and that’s part of the fun of it. After the race standing around with people and talking about how you totally screwed up and went through the course tape and had to scramble back, having a sense of humor about yourself and the sport is great.

SZ: If something happens to your bike components during the race can you switch to another bike? 

LC: Yeah, there’s usually a designated pit area on the race course. In top races like World Championships and National Championship races competitors will bring a couple of bikes especially when the course is going to be really muddy. In the lower tiers of competition there’s usually spare wheels so if a racer gets a flat they have to run the bike pit for repairs.

SZ: Racers physically pick up the bike and run to the pit?

LC: Yes, exactly. So depending on where the racer gets the flat, it can be a  long run.

SZ: What are the types of strategies at play during a race? Does a team ride strategically as in road racing?

LC: It’s pretty independent. It’s not road racing where a team has a designated domestic who is pulling the rider who is going to win the race. 

SZ: What are the team dynamics of Team Caletti?

LC: This team is fantastic. I’m so happy to be on this team. John Caletti and his wife Cory are super great people. The team likes hanging out together and we are going to plan some training rides in Santa Barbara in June. We attend races together, watch each other race, give each other tips about riding the course and are each others support team. We have a chef, Ryan Thompson who makes us amazing meals after the races like vegetarian coconut rice burritos with fresh beet juice. 

SZ: The ‘cross’ season is Sept-early Jan. How do you prepare for the racing season?

LC: I begin with taking long rides with lots of hills but not sprinting. Just going out to develop nice endurance. Then around June/July I begin incorporating interval training, adding hill repeats and running. I’ll go out for a forty-five minute run and half way during the run I’ll do fifteen hill sprints.

SZ: That’s intense. Cyclocross is an international sport does Team Caletti send riders to compete internationally?

LC: Caletti hasn’t sent any riders internationally just because of the costs. But for the first time the World Championships were held in the U.S. in Louisville, Ky. My co-captain Jeremiah Kille rode in the race which was really cool. A few team members went along to support him as bike mechanics and buddies during the race. It was exciting to be able to send Jeremiah to Kentucky and this year we are talking about going to nationals which is going to be held in Boulder, Co. 

SZ: Where do you see the future of Cyclocross going? 

LC: Ideally I would love to see more and more women participating. There’s so many incredible women Cyclocross racers in the U.S. who compete internationally. I would love to see more money from sponsors to allow for women to compete more internationally. At the beginners level I would love to see more women entering the sport. I hope that as we expand at the top levels of Cyclocross we don’t lose site of the fact that we have historically been really friendly to newcomers and made the entry level races really acceptable and affordable. 

I know that the Olympic committee rules for a winter Olympic sport says it has to be competed on ice or snow. There’s talk of removing that limitation. It doesn’t make sense to have Cyclocross as a summer Olympic sport because ‘cross’ is best when it’s in sloppy, terrible, muddy conditions. I would love to see it in the Olympics and most riders I think would. I didn’t think we’d see a World Championship with all the international racers coming to Kentucky but they did. So I am hopeful that in the next 5-10 years there will be a bigger push to become an Olympic sport. Many cycling Olympians like Georgia Gould, who won a bronze medal in mountain biking in the London 2012 summer Olympics is a top level ‘cross’ racer. I think that as more cycling Olympians compete it’s going to help move our sport forward.

SZ: What would a spectator who comes out to watch Cyclocross for the first time experience? 

LC: It’s really spectator friendly because unlike road or mountain bike racing where racers may ride by once and then disappear for an hour during a ‘cross’ race you can see almost the entire race. It’s really family friendly. There is a kids race which is the cutest thing ever. If you come to watch a race you should probably bring some beer and a cow bell. People like to bring noise makers and the audience heckling the riders is another huge part of the culture of the sport. It’s pretty funny and adds to the festive atmosphere. 

SZ: Are there training events for Cyclocross open to interested participants?

LC: There are a lot of clinics and those usually begin in August. Caletti offers a weekly clinic skills practice. I didn’t mention this earlier but on the course there are wooden barricades and hills that are too steep to ride so you have to jump off your bike, put it on your shoulder and run over the obstacles and up the hills with your bike. So the training and clinics are really good to teach new riders technique. Also a good resource is Cyclocross Magazine they publish a list of all the races and clinics going on. 

SZ: Several times you mentioned the extreme physical and mental challenges associated with Cyclocross. Do you have any favorite quotes, tips or stories that keep your perspective during the tough moments of racing?

LC: I think I take it one lap at a time, and try to think about being smooth. I’m always telling myself I have more energy in the tank, even though I don’t really feel like it.

SZ: Lindsey thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to talk about ‘cross’ and your racing experiences.

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro

*This article can also be read @ examiner.

*Photo by Jeff Namba

Athletes Welfare - Kathy Martin

Kathy Martin is a mental health counselor and sports physiotherapist with twenty-five years experience in sports and tennis. She joined the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in 1991 as a sport physiotherapist. She is currently the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Player Welfare Officer and Senior Director of Athlete Assistance for the WTA. In her current roles Martin is responsible for overseeing the ITF’s and WTA’s strategies regarding the safety, security and well-being of players. Martin develops and administers ITF and WTA player, player support team and staff education programs relevant to safety, security and abuse.

SZ: What sports did you participate in growing up? What was your highest level of competitive involvement?

KM: That question really interests me because I am not an athlete. It makes me laugh. I am Australian and played field hockey during secondary school and I did play tennis but I wasn’t on the tennis team at school. I pursued tennis for awhile but unfortunately didn’t have the talent and also had a short sightedness problem that was impacting my ability to play. But I did play field hockey right through school and was on school teams although I never progressed further than that. At University I took up running and I continue to run to this day. I’ve kept active all my life but I was never going to be a world beating athlete. I love playing tennis. I still dip in and out of it. I also like playing golf but I very rarely get to do either of these things (tennis or golf) so it’s an ambition of mine for when I retire to take them both up properly. It’s a time thing and when I am not at home it’s very difficult to engage in a sport on a regular basis which is why I’ve stuck to things like running and yoga because I can fit them into my traveling lifestyle. 

SZ: How did you become involved with the WTA? 

KM: In 1988 the new facility where the Australian Open is played, in Melbourne Park opened. Prior to that the Australian Open was played at the lovely Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. In the days the Australian Open was played at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club the women’s draw was made up of sixty-four players. In 1988 when the tournament moved to Melbourne Park the women’s main draw was extended to one hundred and twenty-eight players, same as the men’s draw. The WTA at that time provided a certified athletic trainer to attend the Australian Open, but as the draw size doubled they needed another physiotherapist to work during the tournament. The physiotherapist who worked the tournament knew me and at that time I was working as the physiotherapist for the Australian Ballet Company, the Australian Ballet School and the Victorian College of the Arts, which was another main dance school in Melbourne. 

During January when the Australian Open is held is a time when the dance companies are on holiday and he knew I was probably taking time off from my work with the ballet and he rang me to find out if I would be interested in working at the Australian Open. I jumped at the chance. I’ve always been an avid tennis fan and have memories as a child of watching Evonne Goolagong and the other great Australian players. 

So I began working the Australian Open in 1988 and was asked back twice more and in 1991 I presume the players and WTA were happy with my work because they asked me to start traveling to events and it grew from there. When the WTA offered me a full time position in 1996 I took it and and haven’t left since. It’s been an interesting journey.

SZ: You’ve seen so much expansion in the WTA in every dimension of the organization. In 2009 the ITF announced your appointment as ITF Player Welfare Officer. The supportive tips and articles found on the ITF Player Welfare page is an excellent resource for players. What is your role and the goal of being involved with the ITF? 

KM: The ITF position is a part of my overall position. It’s not a full time job on its own. When the WTA formalized the Athlete Assistance Program in 2007 I began solely working in Athlete’s Assistance. That position was developed after we began a working group in 2006 that included the ITF to look at if we were providing enough structure around player safety and well being. We discovered that the structure that we had in place at the WTA was solid but we wanted to expand on that base. Subsequent to my physiotherapy training I had gone back to school and completed a graduate diploma in Adolescent Health and Welfare, also a Master’s Degree in Counseling. 

SZ: Which is very important insight for the work you do.

KM: It’s important and I am qualified to do it. The ITF began looking at a similar kind of role (Athlete Assistance) and they searched for awhile to find someone suitable to fill their position but they came back to me because in the tennis universe I was probably one of the few people with this kind of expertise and understanding of the environment and structure of the organizations involved. My work with the ITF is to help them provide policies and procedures around Athlete Welfare and Player Well-Being. Also guidance for best practices that have been researched world wide and to put into place appropriate programs at the ITF level. 

SZ: Does this include parental seminars and coach seminars?

KM: The ITF has a number of different departments which you can see if you go to their website. The main difference between the job I perform with the WTA and ITF is I don’t have direct player contact with the ITF because it’s a much larger universe of people. My job with the ITF is to put some structure around providing information for players and their support teams through things we’ve made available. For example, having some Player Welfare input in coaching education which is something we are just beginning to do now. Some of the resources are made available publicly and other resources are available for players only. The aim is to get information filtering all the way down to the juniors. The ITF junior department is very robust in it’s educational program and we have education through the ITF junior school which is an on-line resource. I also do in person education at ITF junior symposiums. The materials we create for the symposiums are a bit like train the trainer. Other people will take that material and deliver it to other parts of the world. My main purpose at these symposiums is to create the materials and educate people I know who are out in the field on the ITF level. They make sure that players and their teams are aware of the information and can access the material.

SZ: So your role is to contact the providers and create structure to disseminate the materials that are of value to players, parents, coaches, support teams. 

KM: Yes, and I do that through the different ITF departments. Because the ITF is a member organization and its members are the Federations by providing information through a variety of ITF departments they can make sure that the information is dispersed. For example, if a coach is attending an ITF coach course there will be an element of Player Welfare in that course. Another example is a few years ago I spoke at a world wide coaches conference where there were seven hundred coaches present. They then can disseminate the information back to their Federation. 

SZ: Main stream audiences follow the biggest names in tennis but there are many levels of players competing and working to have their chance of breaking into the top 200 in the world. What are some common stressors mental/physical you’ve seen through the years for players/coaches? Do you see a shift in the types of mental/physical stressors for players/coaches or do you consider it a natural result of tougher competition and more players competing for spots?

KM: In 1994 the WTA conducted a comprehensive review which formed the foundation for the WTA Age Eligibility Rule and complementary player development programs. The WTA then followed up that research again in 2004 to see if those programs had an impact and we found indeed they had. We found that there was a shift in the stressors that were originally identified in 1994. The stresses had shifted from more external factors such as media, family, and loneliness to things that were more directly sport related that you would expect to see in any professional sport such as injuries, competition, traveling, those kind of things. So the programs implemented were directly targeted at the stresses that were identified early on and we have continued to expand and grow those programs. Athlete Assistance actually grew out of the original player development programs. We do lots of behind the scenes work with our athletes and at the WTA level we have an orientation for players under 18, their parent(s) and coach. We have an on-line series of mandatory lessons for these players, parents and coaches  which provide a grounding in what the WTA is, how the different departments operate, where to go to get help, and then we provide practical training around those lessons. 

The rookie players meet with me so I get a feel of where they are coming from and what sort of things are going on for that young person at the time when she’s stepping into the WTA. The WTA programs are very specific to the environment and targeted specifically to the stresses identified based on research and we are constantly working to improve that. Thankfully  the digital age has provided a new means of getting information out to athletes around the world and a way of directly meeting with people.

SZ: Let’s say if a young player starts on the WTA and they are playing international level or qualifying events do you follow-up with the players after they’ve completed the orientation and their parent and coach have taken the on-line courses? Do you check back to see how they are doing? Or is it up to them to to go forward from there? 

KM: It’s a bit of both. We have a lot of players who may receive a wild card on the WTA but are still building their ranking up at the ITF level so we don’t see them for a period of time. I will still make an effort to check in with those athletes. The WTA has a sort of front of house department called Player Relations and they are pretty much at all the events no matter what level. One of their jobs is to just be the friendly person that the player can come and ask questions of and they will direct players and their support teams to appropriate resources. 

All the WTA teams really do that in many ways because we communicate with each other and we are all concerned that we are having a positive impact on people’s personal, professional and tennis development. After I meet with a rookie player I will tell them to expect that I will probably approach them again. Obviously the ones that make it to the upper levels will be playing more regularly on the WTA and I will interact with them more. Over time as people grow up and become adults and make their own decisions, then it’s like any other service we provide, the athletes are at liberty to choose which parts of the various programs they want to interact with. 

SZ: What basic advice/guidelines do you have for players/coaches/parents regarding a player’s mental/physical maturity before attempting a professional playing career?

KM: This is the focus of the Age Eligibility Rule. The Age Eligibility Rule mandates a certain amount of play at different ages as a maximum. It’s not a target to be hit. Rather, it eases people into the environment so they’re getting a graduated increase in play commiserate with their performance . Along the way they are obligated to participate in player development education programs in order to progress to the next stage. The rule reflects that it’s a very tough and very adult world. There’s a lot more money in the environment than there ever used to be and along with that there is a lot more media scrutiny. It’s a digital age and players are now exposed through social media not just print journalism. Attention might be coming at a player in many different ways and the WTA would advise any player, parent, coach to take their time. The rules we have are structured around performance based merited increases which we see is a much more sustainable way of participating in the game than giving a player who might be identified as being of incredible talent at a young age a whole lot of wild cards into tournaments. Winning at every level (qualifying tournaments, Pro Circuit tournaments etc.) is the preferred course. When I talk to the juniors at the ITF level I often ask them, “Who wants to play on the professional circuit?” Well a hundred out of a hundred will put their hand up. But the reality is that five out of that one hundred might get there. Providing a little bit of reality to that junior level is important as I encourage them that tennis is a great life sport and that they can participate in tennis in many ways. 

Of course they want to play well and to participate at a younger age is fantastic for them when there is a healthy structure and environment around that and that’s what we are trying to facilitate. It’s important that players play through a draw and are able to win in the juniors. Then they get the experience of doing that again on the pro circuit.

SZ: If an agent has a young adult that is a hot prospect and wants the player out there is there some push-pull over WTA rules versus their wants? Or are the rules pretty clear?

KM: The rules are clear. That’s not to say that the rules are not sometimes discussed at length. But the rules are very clear and the good thing is the WTA can back up those rules with evidence gathered through the 2004 Age Eligibility Rule review. Pre-mature retirements of WTA players prior to the age of twenty-two dropped from 7% to less than 1%. It’s statistically significant. The review also showed that players after factoring in advances in racket technology and better training methods etc. are remaining 24% longer on the WTA than they were previously. A WTA player is 73% more likely to have a fifteen year career compared with when we first looked at the statistics. 

Two recent Grand Slam winners have been either thirty years old or close to it. (Italian player, Francesca Schiavone, thirty years old at the time won the French Open Singles in 2010, and Li Na from China, twenty-nine years old at the time she won the French Open Singles in 2011). In the past people perhaps felt if their daughter hadn’t made it by the time she’s twenty years old she was all washed up. That’s no longer the case and the research can back that up with actual data. That’s a fantastic shift. We want these women to have a long and as fruitful a playing career as they deserve. Part of that longevity is through physical/mental health and I believe that the WTA has a very competent and highly skilled science and medicine team who travel to all the tournaments. 

SZ: Do you travel with the WTA week to week? Describe a typical day of your professional duties during a Grand Slam event?

KM: No I don’t travel week to week on the WTA. I very much have to apply my own rules to myself. It’s all about balance, resilience and recovery. Being able to withstand the rigors of the traveling and traveling life is not easy. I normally work at bigger draw size events because there is a higher target number of athletes who are around. For example prior to a Grand Slam event there is a qualifying event and often we may get a lot of younger players attending. Also Grand Slam events have junior Grand Slam events at the same location. There may be some juniors to whom we are reaching out to and those tournaments are good catchment areas to be at. 

For example recently I was at BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA then traveled to Miami for the Sony Ericsson Open. Both of these tournaments are big draw sizes. So that means I am going to be more effective at being available for the players and their support teams at these events. I do travel to most continents where there are WTA tournaments so I’m not targeting one particular demographic. 

In between when I’m home I’m available for players if they need to talk to me. I am available via e-mail, Skype and phone.

A typical day at a tournament is hard to define. It looks different every day. However, for example before I arrive at an event I’ve got a copy of the entry list. I know who is eighteen and under, and who is participating in the tournament. From those lists I can work out which players I know and which players I’ve not met with. If they are in the rookie program they have to meet with me. If they are not in the rookie program but I haven’t met them I still try to reach out to them even if they are twenty-five or twenty-six years old. These players may have been in college and are just beginning to play on the WTA. I sit down and meet them and make sure they know what resources my department can offer them, and where to get help should they need it. 

My day will consist of players coming to find me because they want to talk to me about something. I try to remove any stigma associated with being a mental health counselor. I have an open door policy. If my door is open I don’t mind if a player just pops in to have coffee or just say hello. If at a tournament location my office is tucked away where coaches and others can’t get to me easily, I’ll spend time in the players lounge talking to players and their support team. My day at a tournament is really a mixed bag of activities.

SZ: If you assess that a player could benefit from talking with a mental health provider do you provide a referral for the player back in their own country? Obviously if there is a crisis you have crisis management protocols in place. But if it’s not a crisis do you then suggest referrals?

KM: Very good question. Yes, I make that very clear to players because from time to time they will come to see me about issues and I am qualified as a counselor but I cannot run a clinic on the road. In the process of talking with players if I detect that they are going to need more extensive or specialized help, absolutely I have a fairly good international network of health providers in most countries. Through the Athlete Assistance provider we use I can also access other referrals. So yes, that is part of my job and the good thing about having me in that position is that I can help a player identify the right fit for them. I can get quite specific about the type of therapist that I am looking for and as much as possible try to provide that contact. It’s challenging sometimes because we get players from an amazing collection of places. But I’ve got a very good network of people who assist me.

SZ: What are the most enjoyable aspects of your job?

KM: I like helping young women succeed in what they desire to do.  Part of the challenge, as it can be for many people, is dealing with emotional stress and related issues such as the  complex dynamics of  the people around the athletes, then I like being able to help people with that. I enjoy learning from all the young women that I meet. They come from such eclectic, diverse educational, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. Their life stories are often fascinating and I’ve always enjoyed that. I love learning about people’s home countries. I enjoy traveling or I wouldn’t still be doing this job after all this time. I love seeing different places. I just think that people are amazing and I love working with the human condition. I look for similarities in people. At the end of the day we are all human beings and these young athletes are incredibly gifted young women. It’s a privilege to work with such gifted people who are often highly intelligent, highly articulate, often highly creative. It’s extraordinary to me what some of these young women are able to achieve and I find that stimulating and exciting. There are days when I go home and think, “Oh my goodness” but that’s why I need to keep my own balance. I try to exercise when I am on the road and I have fun. I have good friends that I work with and that’s another bonus of the job.

SZ: You’ve been with the WTA quite awhile and seen a lot. Do you have any favorite quotes, stories or tips that help influence your professional prospective?

KM: I have always been on the balance and recovery bus. People who become injured need to take time to re-evaluate and even if that means time out I think we can all pay attention to that. Trying to avoid becoming so swept up that I’m working constantly and that is a challenge for us all I think. Human beings have feelings and I work with that every single day. When young athletes are quite driven and maybe perfectionist and place high expectations on themselves, it’s okay that they are human beings too. I think that’s something we can all stop for moment and remember because we have much more in common than we have apart. 

SZ: Kathy thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy schedule for talking with me about your job at the WTA. The tour has made amazing changes over the years.

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro

*This article may also be read @ examiner

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