ASCA World Clinic 2026: The Line Between Old and New Eras of Swimming Coach Education

I have watched hundreds of hours of footage of swimming record-breakers, from Michael Phelps to Katie Ledecky, and I have realized one thing: what creates legends is never just the final touch on the wall. It begins with someone standing by the pool, holding a stopwatch, observing every breath of the athlete. And in September 2026, in Orlando, Florida, those people standing by the pool will have a rare opportunity to step inside the minds of two of the greatest minds in world swimming: Gregg Troy and Herbie Behm. When I first arrived in Japan nearly a decade ago, I learned a valuable lesson about patience. The Japanese call it 'shokunin' – the spirit of the master craftsman, someone who devotes their entire life to perfecting a single skill. But in the world of swimming, I realized that greatness comes not only from perfecting a skill, but also from the ability to pass that skill on to the next generation. This is why the ASCA World Clinic 2026, taking place from September 9 to 12 at the Rosen Centre Hotel, carries such special significance. Let me take you into a perspective that few people recognize. While the world focuses on new world records and Olympic medals, behind the scenes a quiet revolution is taking place in the coach education system. ASCA – the American Swimming Coaches Association – is standing at a historic turning point. With the theme 'Grassroots to Podium: It Starts With Us', the organization is not simply holding an annual conference. They are redefining the entire way swimming coaches are trained and certified across America. What particularly caught my attention about this year's event is the presence of two iconic figures. Gregg Troy, who led the 2026 US Olympic team and mentored legends like Ryan Lochte, Caeleb Dressel, and Katie Ledecky, will hold a three-hour small-group session. Not a lecture before 100 people, but a direct exchange with a small group of coaches. This is not an ordinary seminar. This is an opportunity to step inside the mind of someone who has spent decades building Olympic-caliber swimming programs. Alongside Troy is Herbie Behm, a youth development specialist from the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. If Troy represents the pinnacle of elite training systems, Behm represents the foundation – where future athletes begin their journey. This pairing is not coincidental. It reflects a profound philosophy: to have Olympic champions, you need good coaches at every level, from the smallest pools in remote towns to the most modern training centers. I remember an April night in 2026, when the pandemic suspended all competitions indefinitely. I sat alone in my apartment in Nagoya, rewatching the entire 2026 J.League season. That was when I realized that the smallest details – a defender's foot position, a goalkeeper's line of sight – are the most important pieces of the larger picture. Similarly, in swimming, small details in a coach's teaching methods can make the difference between an average athlete and a world champion. The small-group session with Troy and Behm is not just about swimming technique. It is about coaching philosophy, about how to build a training program, about how to recognize and develop the potential of each athlete. In three hours, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, explore methods, and most importantly, understand how the greatest minds in the profession think. This is the kind of interaction that large conferences with 50 speakers and 60 sessions cannot provide. But there is a detail I want to emphasize, a detail that many might overlook. On November 2, 2026, ASCA will launch a completely redesigned certification system. This means this year's conference is the last opportunity for coaches to be certified under the current system. This is not just an administrative detail. This is a historic turning point in how ASCA manages and develops the swimming coaching profession in America. Let me explain why this is so important. When a large organization like ASCA decides to redesign its entire certification system, it means they are changing how they evaluate the competence of thousands of coaches across America. New requirements, new standards, possibly additional courses, possibly new exams. And coaches who already hold old certifications will face the question: is my certification still valid? Do I have to start over? This is why I say this year's conference is not just an annual educational event. It is a bridge between two eras. Coaches who attend the conference and complete their certification before November 2 will enter the new era with an important advantage: they are certified under the old system, and they will have time to adapt to the new system. Those who delay may face uncertainty about new requirements, new costs, and new processes. I have witnessed something similar in the world of football, when transfer regulations changed. Clubs that quickly grasped the trend always had an advantage. Those who hesitated often paid a heavy price. In swimming, it is the same. Early preparation not only helps you avoid unnecessary risks, but also helps you seize opportunities that others miss. Another thing I want to mention is the partnership between ASCA and Fitter & Faster Swim Camps, the presenting sponsor of the conference. This is not just a sponsorship relationship. It reflects a larger strategy: connecting the professional certification system with the youth training market. Fitter & Faster, with its network of swim camps across America, represents the foundation of the system – where young athletes begin their journey. This partnership creates a complete ecosystem: ASCA provides professional recognition, Fitter & Faster provides access to young talent. I remember an interview with a Japanese swimming coach who spent 20 years building a youth program in a small town. He told me: 'We don't need the most talented athletes. We need the best coaches.' That statement has stayed with me to this day. And it is exactly the message ASCA is trying to convey through the 'Grassroots to Podium' theme. In the world of swimming, we often focus too much on numbers – times, records, achievements. But behind every number is a story of dedication, of hours of training, of quiet sacrifices. And behind every successful athlete is a coach who has devoted their entire career to perfecting their craft. The ASCA World Clinic 2026 is not just a place to learn new techniques. It is a place to honor the coaching profession, to reconsider their role in creating legends. When I watched Karsten Warholm break the world record in the men's 400m hurdles with 45.94 seconds at the Tokyo 2026 Olympics, I screamed until I was hoarse. But later, when I had the opportunity to collaborate with a sports physicist to analyze that record, I realized that behind that extraordinary performance were thousands of hours of systematic training, a deep understanding of biomechanics, and the patience of a coach who believed in the process. The same is true in swimming. World records do not appear out of nowhere. They are built day by day, hour by hour, in training sessions that no one witnesses. The ASCA World Clinic 2026, with over 60 sessions and approximately 50 speakers, is a rare opportunity for coaches from around the world to learn from the best. But what makes this year's event special is not just the scale. It is the combination of large scale and the intimacy of small-group sessions. While large sessions provide an overview, the small-group sessions with Troy and Behm provide a depth that no lecture can offer. I have learned that in sports, as in life, the most precious moments often come from direct interactions, from unscripted conversations, from questions you did not know you needed to ask. The three-hour small-group session with Troy and Behm is exactly the opportunity to create such moments. No cameras, no audience, just passionate coaches and great teachers willing to share. But I also want to offer a word of caution. In the world of sports, we often get swept up in flashy advertising. 'Invaluable', 'the most valuable three hours' – these claims need to be examined carefully. No detailed curriculum has been published, no testimonials from previous attendees. This does not mean the session has no value. It simply means you should come with realistic expectations and be ready to make the most of the opportunity. I remember a principle I have applied throughout my career: never comment without watching at least 90 minutes of footage and verifying name pronunciations through three sources. This principle came from a painful lesson at Toyota Stadium in 2026, when I mispronounced player Serginho's name three times in one match. From then on, I learned that thorough preparation is the foundation of all success. And for coaches attending the conference, preparation is equally important. Come with specific questions, with the challenges you are facing, and be ready to learn. One last thing I want to share. When I look at the big picture of world swimming, I see that competition is not just happening in the water. It happens in coaching meetings, in training programs, in how we develop the next generation. The ASCA World Clinic 2026 is part of that competition. And the coaches who attend, who are willing to learn and adapt, will be the ones leading world swimming in the years to come. As I conclude this article, I remember a phrase I often use in my analyses: 'Every pass is a question, and I am someone who loves finding answers.' In swimming, every training session is a question, every athlete is a puzzle, and every coach is an answer-seeker. The ASCA World Clinic 2026 is where answer-seekers meet, learn from each other, and progress together. And that, in my view, is the true meaning of this event. The fall at Toyota was not a stopping point, but the starting line of a different way of storytelling. Similarly, the ASCA certification system transition is not an ending, but a new beginning. And the coaches who attend this year's conference will be the pioneers of that new era. They will be the ones laying the foundation for the next generation of athletes, those who will stand on the podium at future Olympic Games. And when that happens, we will remember that it all started at a conference in Orlando, from small-group sessions, from conversations between people passionate about swimming. I do not write to conclude, I write to open small doors in your mind. And the door I want to open today is the door of reconsidering the role of coaches in sports. We often celebrate athletes, but we rarely look at those behind them. The ASCA World Clinic 2026 is an opportunity to change that, to recognize and honor the quiet teachers of the world swimming community.