CoachDave

CoachDave
Coach Dave Cameron
davidccameron@hotmail.com
Whether it is swimming in open water, introducing innovative technique, or trying out new pacing sets, Dave Cameron practices what he preaches. Dave settled on distance freestyle events in high school. As a competitor for Carleton College until his graduation in 1999, he learned to appreciate the importance of form over force in swimming. With experienced and technical coaching, Dave set three team records, won two individual conference titles, and was a 15-time All-Conference swimmer. Apparently, this wasn't enough, as Dave continued competing as a Masters swimmer. After his triathletes involved him in open water swimming, Dave took this to the extreme with a successful swim crossing of the English Channel in 2004. In 2007, Dave undertook a journey that only 25 others worldwide have ever completed successfully. In attempting a double crossing of the English Channel, Dave took half an hour off his previous one-way time, but did not finish the over 24-hour swim.  As a coach, Dave strives to balance one-on-one feedback with effective workouts and group dynamics that help a team develop together. Each of Dave's teams has made huge strides under his direction.• Dave works directly with the YWCA Uptown morning groups, which now see up to 100 swimmers during eight different weekday practice times. YW Masters have competed in local meets, completed the 5-mile Minnetonka swim, and even tried out the original Ironman swim race- the 2.4 mile Waikiki Roughwater in Hawaii! • Seven years ago, the YWCA Otters were a one-season team with a few strong swimmers. Since then, the team has expanded its practice schedule, doubled its size, and made huge strides in YMCA league and USA Swimming competition. Each year, almost every team record is broken as swimmers develop their swimming with a strong technique and aerobic focus. Last year, eight of these swimmers were chosen to swim a team relay across the English Channel• In 2000, Dave started working with a masters group of trithletes in St Louis Park. With new practice times, technical expertise, and workouts that catered to the needs of triathletes, the program became Minnesota Tri Masters, the only tri-specific Masters club in Minnesota.Teaching ProfessionalDave studies swimming as a science. There is always new research to test, new workouts to try, and new techniques to analyze. He attends several coaching clinics each year, and often meets with other coaches to pick their brains or debate new methods and strategies. Dave is an active member of PowerBar Team Elite and offers guidance on race and training nutrition before, during, and after practice and race sessions.A fan of constructive criticism, Dave is aware of many ideas and possibilities in the swimming world, and is truly passionate when discussing swimming. Dave studied under Terry Laughlin and was certified as Minnesota's first Total Immersion Teaching Professional. Because of the success of TI's method, Dave has encouraged several other instructors to pursue this certification, and his swim teams use the drills throughout the season as a framework for successful technique.Dave is now an Area Leader with Total Immersion- any workshop you see in Minnesota, North or South Dakota, or Iowa likely has him directing.Dave runs a freestyle form, speed, and endurance camp in late winter every year. This year's camps will be in Pompano Beach, Florida at the beautiful outdoor 50-meter pool. Find out more at www.mntrimasters.com

The TI6

I’m excited to be counting down the hours before we start our relay in the English Channel. We’ve assembled six experienced and enthusiastic coaches from a wide range of backgrounds and locations in the US and UK, and we’re ready …

Tempo Training Sampler

I’ve been posting some technical points and practice sessions at www.distancedave.com for a few months now, but I thought I’d add a tempo training segment that I’ve enjoyed coaching and doing myself.

 200 Graceful Freestyle- no tempo trainer

 10 x …

Blogging in 2 places

I’ve been catching some of the blogging bug from Terry lately, but I do enjoy doing mobile uploads from my ipod touch. I often come home from an evening of youth and Masters practices with lessons in between and one …

English Channel, Part 5

(parts 1-2 were in 2004, 2007, and 2009)

In case you’re interested, my 2010 Masters relay on the channel is swimming tonight, starting at 6pm Eastern time. I’ll be posting updates to my facebook profile and the mntrimasters profile- take …

San Francisco Bay vs Pool stroke

I’m hosting a workshop in San Francisco in a couple weeks and I’ve got a hunger for the Bay. There’s a reason- everybody who has open water experience in different types of water knows that the buoyancy in salt water …

YWCA Masters Workout- three focal points

I’ve passed a few workouts on via facebook and some other forums and a couple coaches asked me to post here.  First- a little background. Our Masters program attracts a wide range of abilities. Before I started at the YW, …

YWCA Masters Workout- Hook, Line, and Sinker

A note to those who haven’t been in my practices.

I don’t accept the notion that sprinting is pure animal instinct. I do expect my swimmers to challenge technical habits at stronger rates, to see how their form adjusts to …

TI Advanced

I’m very excited to debut a new workshop from the Central TI office. We’ll be launching this clinic in Towson, MD, San Francisco, Ca, and Minneapolis, MN but expect more of these soon in many of our most popular locations. …

Workshop Follow-up

OK- so I just had a dynamite workshop in San Francisco. i have done many workshops in the past 5 years, and many have had their unique successes, but this one had a flow and improvement across the board that …

x