Fun in Learning and Developing Skills

“You can have the most talented swimmer, but if that person doesn’t commit, stay focussed and do what has to be done, then, as a coach, it doesn’t matter what you want – the final result doesn’t happen.” - Dean Henze,  Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club    

By David Grossman

Some would say there are high expectations in the world of coaching, even involving those whose job is to bring out the best in amateur athletes.

There are the rivalries, the recruiting, the desire to win and the critical role taken on by, in many cases, the commendable coach.

One of those exemplary coaches is Dean Henze, who grew up in the northwestern Ontario town of Atikokan. It’s a paradise location for many - surrounded by water, population of a few thousand people and a community that often promotes itself as the canoeing capital of Canada.

Henze liked the water and joined the Atikokan Swim Club.

Not a great swimmer, in his own words, and admitting he never really had plans to try swim for Canada competitively, Henze always strived to be the best in the pool. He even recalls competing in Sudbury against a young Alex Baumann – who went on to set world records and win gold medals at the Olympics.

What became abundantly clear, even when Henze went to the University of Manitoba, was that he was fixated with the role of becoming a coach. At the age of 24, that first full time gig came when Henze got the nod to become head coach of a local club in Selkirk, Man.

The 35-minute drive from university was the beginning of a coaching career that has since spanned some 40 years. It has allowed him to share his knowledge and talent in numerous places that ranged from Winnipeg to Owen Sound, Vancouver to Barrie and, since 2009, in Sudbury.

“Coached many thousands of kids and have loved every minute of it,” said Henze. “As a swimmer, I was never a perennial medalist, but I had a great time learning, meeting people, developing skills – it was fun.”

As the head coach of the Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club, with access to the best facility in the region at Laurentian University, Henze recalled when the club was known as the best in Ontario years ago. So, his goal, was to strive for the best, again.

“It would be nice to bring back some of the glory of the past,” he said. “Personal growth of a swimmer is a medal in itself.”

Henze knows that the demographics are such that he can’t compete with the larger cities in quantity, but there is something to be said about quality and building a better club, having swimmers loaded with confidence and striving for faster times.

“There is lots to be said about patience and persistence,” said the former freestyle swimmer. “I had envisioned a club of 130 swimmers between the ages of five and 17, we’re not quite there, but we are the biggest of three clubs in the region and the most established.”

Henze also knows that the Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club has met certain goals, putting swimmers on the National Junior team, winning medals and titles in age group categories at the Canadian level, and consistently among the stronger clubs at the provincial level.

As a former Coach of the Year in Sudbury, Henze admits it takes a special kind of person to become a swimmer.

“You can have the most talented swimmer, but if that person doesn’t commit, stay focussed and do what has to be done, then, as a coach, it doesn’t matter what you want – the final result doesn’t happen,” he said. “Unless you’re a competitive athlete, focussed on international competitions, I’m not a big fan of swimming 12 months of the year. There comes a time when a person just needs a break.”

Having been around the pool and coaching for a long time, Henze can determine rather quickly if an athlete has what it takes to reach “the big time”.

“I can see how swimmers approach the sport, the desire to learn and how much they are willing to devote to getting better,” he said. “I’ve told kids that they have potential to make the Olympics one day, but it will take work, hard work.”

While those who learn from Henze, and others, continue to excel, some have parents loaded with the pressure of high expectations. To that, he has a message.

“I tell parents to be the best cheerleader they can be and do their best to support (the kids),” he said. “To be honest, I am very lucky in Sudbury. There are great people up here. I discuss my philosophy with parents and swimmers. They know that not everyone can make it to the podium”.

Henze knows that winning doesn’t always mean walking around with a medal.

“There is so much to gain from being in the pool, the camaraderie, the ability to accomplish life skills that go far beyond being on a swim club,” he said. “As a coach, you can’t ask for more than when you see swimmers go out and do their best.”

David Grossman is a veteran award-winning Journalist, Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 45+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations