A Day in a College Swim Coach
Wanting the best to join her coaching staff at Bloomsburg University, head coach Bridget Hilferty nabs Eric Usbeck as an assistant coach, and they now are beginning their second season together coaching the Bloomsburg Men and Women’s Swim Team. Although Bridget and Eric have only been working together for two years, both coaches are swim team alumni. Bridget was known for her distance freestyle, as she is ranked 5th and 6th in two events in the top 10 times from the Bloomsburg’s records. Eric specialized in breaststroke and is ranked 2nd and 3rd twice each in his events for the top 10 list. They both had a passion for swimming and were exulted to come back and coach Bloom. Even though they did not graduate the same year, Bridget says she immediately knew from his perspective of swimming and coaching abilities that she wanted him to join her coaching staff. Although they have a lot of fun in and out of the office, they allowed an inside scoop of what their day-to-day life looks like as coaches of a college swim team, and their connection with the team.
To start off their morning, both coaches begin morning practice and figure out the sets they want do for that day. “Eric usually works with the sprint group, usually fast free as he is the sprint coach, and I usually go with the distance kids to give them a longer workout.” Bridget explains eagerly. Coach Bridget then says she catches up on her work until afternoon practices occur. Following afternoon practice, the strong smell of chlorine followed Coach Bridget into her office while she began to do some work. While answering emails and scheduling meets with other teams, Bridget had lots of visitors in and out of her office and jokingly commented that she never gets left alone; however, she loves how close she, the team, and other coaches from Bloomsburg are. Her office is a place where the kids can come to her about anything but is decorated with pigs as that is her favorite animal. She remarks about how she wants her office to be a place of relaxation, and a place the members can enjoy and catch up comfortably, so as you walk in, you notice colorful lighting and lots of fun pictures from past years. Coach Bridget gets some work done by going on her computer and monitor screens to recruit through SwimCloud. SwimCloud is a website designed to track every swimmer’s best time and meets they have previously competed in. This allows an easier recruiting process as she can just look up any swimmer’s name and everything comes up. She likes using this website to make her team the best of the best. Coach Bridget was once on the Bloomsburg team under previous head coach Stu Marvin. Along with being his swimmer, she also was Stu’s assistant coach for 10 years before taking over the role of head coach. Coach Bridget says she loves her job. As much as she enjoys every personality of each swimmer on the team, she expressed the difficulties of the emotion, different hats of being a coach, and trying to connect with 46 people of different backgrounds. Regardless, Bridget expressed that she loves her job, working with the team, and how unique each talent and year is.
With a similar experience, Coach
Eric Usbeck also expressed how much he enjoys his job as well. He shared that
to connect with the team, he teases them to expand their humor. He also
discussed how one of his favorite parts of seeing the team every day is genuinely
checking up on the members of the team, as he wants to be someone to lean on. With
the chaotic atmosphere comes along some challenges when having the title of
assistant coach for the team. Coach Eric Usbeck stated that one of the hardest parts
is the scheduling and the fact that administratively it’s an avalanche of
constant details. Coach Eric also jokingly talks about a challenge he faces
every day at his job working with partner Bridget Hilferty. Along with
scheduling and dealing with individuals, he is also in charge of recruiting.
Coach Bridget has the final say after lots of discussions with Coach Eric, but
Eric is the specific person who finds a swimmer that they are looking for. To
be recruited from these coaches’ perspective, the first part is meeting their
time standards, then initiating contact followed by phone calls or virtual
meetings, and lastly coming back for an official visit to spend time with the
team. These coaches do this to see the upcoming swimmer from not only a
swimming perspective, but how they are as a person. Along with recruiting, scholarships
they offer come in many forms, but the swim team has a budget accommodating up
to two full scholarships on the women’s side and half of one for the men’s. “It
can be difficult stepping into the hot, humid air of the pool deck every day to
work but despite the sharp chlorine smell, I find a very positive energy and
the smile on these kids’ faces every day makes it all truly worth it.” exclaims
assistant coach, Eric Usbeck.
Both Bridget and Eric have many day-to-day tasks while fulfilling their jobs as coaches, but both stated how they could not ask for a better job. They sacrifice time away from their families to hold about five practices a day: two in the morning and three in the afternoon. These practices are the time where the coaches and team members bond daily. “Coach Bridget and Coach Eric truly go out of their way to make this team connected as possible in and out of the water,” team member Nick Zaffiro said with happy enthusiasm. With Coach Bridget and Coach Eric, they go beyond their roles of their job exemplifying a deep commitment to not only the swimming aspect but the connection of the team. They invest extra time while providing a supportive and positive environment- even if it is simply playing music to get a swimmer through the practice. The dedication of the coaching staff shapes this team to not only committing as better swimmers but well-rounded individuals.
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