Champions are made when the stands are empty

Coaches always hope that their athletes develop to their highest potential, both in competition and personally. After all the dedicated preparation and years of experience, it can still feel like success is a random outcome - controlled by circumstances outside of the pool. In Joanne Love’s book, Champions are Made When the Stands Are Empty, she combines her decades of coaching experience at the highest levels in multiple countries with her formal training in psychology to reduce or build on random outcomes for the coach, athlete and parents. Her practical approach has not only uncovered world class athletes, but it has fostered environments where athletes develop as people and can leverage swimming to deepen family relationships. How often do athletes flounder for too long in programs which don’t return results leaving everybody frustrated? How many truly talented individuals have strayed from sport because they weren’t able to fit into a particular style? This book is about arming coaches with simple, tested tools that allow coaches to regain control to achieve the highest performance. By focusing on the athlete holistically, both physically and psychologically, Joanne’s approach can increase the likelihood that each person can reach their own potential.