Nova Masters Swimming (Orange County, CA)

"Creating a Positive Environment where Excellence is Inevitable." Coach Collins describes the program in 3 simple terms: 1. Do it RIGHT 2. Do it FASTER 3. Do it LONGER Here is a more detailed explaination of each part. 1. Do it RIGHT (Technique) It is crucial to learn the techniques to do each skill properly before trying to train for distance. There are several benefits to doing this. First, by using proper technique you will be less likely to get injured. Second, when using proper technique, you can go faster using less energy. Third, you will be able to hold a more consistent pace and not break down mechanically or slow down as quickly as when poor technique is used. However, in making a technique change you will often need to slow down to do it properly and really re-train your muscle memory. You many not only be slower but even a little more tired when first making a change because the body is not conditioned to do it that way (both mentally and physically). Stay consistently committed to making a change and it will pay off though. If you have a stroke like a VW bug it may be faster than a Ferrari the needs a tune up, but once that Ferrari is running right it will blow away the VW. Be willing to go slower at first to end up getting faster. 2. Do it FASTER (Pace control) We use the term EASY SPEED. Fast does not have to mean HARD. If you can learn to do things fairly fast it will be easier to hold a decent pace at sub-maximal effort. For example, if you can swim one fast 100 Free in 1:00, it is not unreasonable to be able to do a 500 in 5:50 or faster (holding 1:10 pace). However, if your maximum speed 100 is around 1:10 it is not really possible to break 6:00 or even be close. The same is true in running. If you can only run an 8:00 mile it is not reasonable to expect to be able to run a 24 minute 5K. By doing short repeats with proper form, your technique and speed can be maintained without as much breakdown found when doing long straight exercises. 3. Do it LONGER (Maintain Technique and Pace for longer distances) As your technique and raw speed improve you will be able to hold it together for a longer duration or more repeats. Many Masters are not be able to complete a straight 200 Butterfly with very good form, but they could swim 8 x 25 of Fly with a some rest and do it reasonably well - or at least legal :-). By doing 8 x 25 well it would not be much of a stretch to do 4 x 50 with pretty decent form, then 2 x 100, and eventually a straight 200. Again, the same is true with running. Few people can run 40 minutes or more maintaining good technique rhythm and stride frequency, but they could do a better job if they broke it into several shorter repeats with rest/recovery time between. The key to doing it longer is to be able to maintain proper form for the duration of the exercise. This requires finding the most energy efficient way to perform each skill. At Nova, we will help you improve using the 3 concepts above, not only for swimming, but also in cycling and running which are also much more technique based than most people realize.

Michael Collins has been the Nova Masters Head Head Coach since November 2000. Before that he coached at UCLA for four years and the Davis Aquatic Masters for 8 years. He has an extensive background in coaching swimmers and triathletes of all ages and abilities.

Additionally, Collins travels around the country to coach swimming, triathlon, and running clinics. Although his main background was in swimming, he has taken many of the concepts used in swimming – technique, drills, and interval training and applied them to running and cycling as well.

Collins continues to compete in triathlons, running events, swimming events (both in the pool and open water), and road & mountain cycling. In triathlons he race from sprint to half Ironman distance. He often wins his age group and finishes as one of the top overall amateurs as well. He was the 2002 World Aquathlon amateur champion in Cancun (2.5K Run – 1K Swim – 2.5K Run).

In addition to coaching and racing, Collins is a well known author. His articles have appeared in SWIM magazine, Swimming Technique, TRIATHLETE magazine, Triathlon Today, American Swimming, and many other national publications.


Coach Collins' strengths and specialties as a coach include:
* Educating coaches and athletes on the latest technique and training methods.
* Teaching technique through the use of underwarer video analysis.
* Communication with coaches and athletes through the use of the internet.
* Motivating athletes of all abilities to perform to their potential.
* Teaching inexperienced athletes comfort in the water and efficiency.
* Teaching pacing, strategy, and racing tactics.
* Triathlon race preparation.

COACHING EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND

Irvine Novaquatics (NOVA) - Head Master's Coach and Age Group Technique Coach. Collins has been with the Nova's since Nov 2000. The Nova Masters are one of the top competitive programs in the United States, and he has done stroke technique work with several of the top age group and high school swimmers in the area.

Multisports.com - Collins is one of the online coaches for the Multipsort.com coaches network which includes triathlon and coaching legends Paula Newby Fraiser, Greg Welch, Heather Fuhr, Roch Frey, Paul Huddle, and Jimmy Ricitello.

United States Masters Swimming (USMS) USMS Coach of the Year (1990) National Coaches Committee Chair (1992-1996, 2000-2002) FINA World Championships USMS Team Coach (2000 & 2002). USMS Olympic Training Center Camp Coach (1999, 2000, & 2004) Director of over 10 USMS Mentor Coach & Swimmer Clinics

USA Triathlon (USAT) Level I Certified coach. Collins has coached at Jr. Development and Elite Development camps at the Olympic Training Center, and been a presenter at USAT Coaching Certiication Schools.

Pose Method Running Clinics Level 2 Coach. Coach Collins has been practicing Pose Method running since 1997 when he worked with Dr. Romanov at a USAT Jr. Development Camp in Roswell, NM. Since then he has been working to master the principles in his own running as well as with the athletes he coaches. He has continued to work closely with Dr. Romanov to help refine the teaching method and improve the clinic experience.

Fit Institute SlowTwitch (F.I.S.T.) Collins is certified as a FIST Certified Triathlon Bike Position Fitter using the system created by the inventor of the triathlon specific bike, Dan Empfield.

Total Immersion Swim Camps (TI) Senior Clinic Instructor. Has worked closely with Total Immersion founder Terry Laughlin, and other TI Instructors to develop the best school for learning to swim efficiently.

Bruin Masters Swimming (UCLA) Co-coach with Gerry Rodrigues 1997-2000 at one of the top masters programs in the nation. Bruin Masters are 250 strong and run approximately 5 workouts per day.

Davis Aquatic Masters (DAM) Head Coach of the largest single Masters program in the country, from 1989-1997. He was selected as the youngest United States Masters Swimming Coach of the Year in 1990 at the age of 22.

UC Davis (UCD) In addition to coaching Masters, Collins was an assistant coach at the University of California Davis Men's Team from 1990-94. In his first year UC Davis placed 5th at the Division II NCAA's. In 1992 the team to move up to 4th place. In 1993 Davis qualified a record 18 swimmers for nationals, and moved up to third.

American River College (Sacramento) Collins headed the Men's Swimming Team at ARC from 1995-97. In his first year, 1995, the team won the Conference Championship for the first time in 12 years, qualified 5 swimmers for the state championships and broke 2 school relay records. Collins was named the Bay Valley Conference Coach of the Year for the accomplishments. In 1996 the team repeated as Conference Champions.

Email Coach Collins with questions or inquires HERE.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Nova Coach, Michael Collins, and athlete Adam Craun recently attended the USMS High Altitude Training Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. Craun was one of only 12 athletes selected to attend the camp. Coach Collins served as the Head Coach of the camp and has served as a coach at the yeary USMS training center camps since it started in 1999. Craun was quoted as saying "It was the most fun I've had in five days, EVER!" The highlights for Craun included swimming at 100 butterfly world record pace in the flume and getting to race against guest Olympian and motivational speaker, Rowdy Gains.

QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND - Nova Masters & Triathlon coach Michael Collins placed 20th in the 35-39 division 3rd at the ITU World Triathlon Championships held December 6, 2003. Collins emerged from the water 5th but was caught on the bike by a large pack of riders near the end of the ride in the extremely windy conditions. "I was happy with my race." Collins said. "I gave it my very best on the day, and did much better than last year at the World's in Cancun, but the course was very tough. The bike really took a lot out of me with the wind and hills, and I just didn't have enough gas left to really motor on the run." The run was a 4 lap circuit on a course that had two steep hills each lap. "I held the pace consistent for the first two laps but began to fade over the final two laps and lost several places in the last 2.5k. I was definitely cooked. My timer seems to go off right at the 2 hour mark and this race took 2:13 for me. I was definitely seeing stars at the end. Still, I finished as the 6th American which was much higher than the 14th place finish at the USA Team Qualifier in Coeur d' Alene." Dan Neyenhuis also competed in the race but had to drop out on the run due to a freak accident on the way to the race which resulted in a huge gash in his shin. He swam and biked well but the pounding on the hills in the run was too much. Full Results can be found at: http://www.poprunresults.co.nz/

The USMS Top 10 rankings have been posted for the 2003 Long Course Meters season and the Novas had some impressive results: 10 Nova men made the top 10, including 5 #1 rankings 5 Nova women made the top 10, including 3 #1 rankings 26 Nova relays made the top 10 including 5 #1 rankings Full listings of the top 10 can be found at: http://www.usms.org/comp/tt/ NOVA MEN Gregory Busse 24 NOVA 1st 50 Freestyle LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 23.79 1st 100 Freestyle LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 52.62 1st 200 Freestyle LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 1:57.51 Keith Ryan 19 NOVA 1st 100 Butterfly LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 1:00.60 2nd 200 Butterfly LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 2:17.23 2nd 200 Backstroke LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 2:22.31 3rd 200 Freestyle LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 2:06.17 3rd 200 Individual Medley LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 2:18.58 6th 50 Butterfly LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 27.98 7th 100 Backstroke LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 1:11.99 Frank A Wasko 43 NOVA 2nd 50 Backstroke LCM Men 40-44 (2003) 30.20 5th 100 Backstroke LCM Men 40-44 (2003) 1:08.54 6th 50 Butterfly LCM Men 40-44 (2003) 27.78 10th 100 Butterfly LCM Men 40-44 (2003) 1:05.17 Tord E Benner 44 NOVA 5th 200 Backstroke LCM Men 40-44 (2003) 2:36.01 6th 100 Backstroke LCM Men 40-44 (2003) 1:09.89 10th 50 Backstroke LCM Men 40-44 (2003) 32.22 Tom Winters 64 NOVA 6th 50 Breaststroke LCM Men 60-64 (2003) 39.05 Jim Kopp 29 NOVA 7th 100 Breaststroke LCM Men 25-29 (2003) 1:16.14 Michael Collins 37 NOVA 9th 1500 Freestyle LCM Men 35-39 (2003) 18:51.47 Tim Shumate 42 NOVA 9th 100 Backstroke LCM Men 40-44 (2003) 1:12.33 Anthony Iacopetti 24 NOVA 10th 200 Freestyle LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 2:12.81 10th 100 Backstroke LCM Men 19-24 (2003) 1:17.14 Henry Greenberg 55 NOVA 10th 200 Butterfly LCM Men 55-59 (2003) 3:26.77 ========================================================================= NOVA WOMEN Shannon Flahive 22 NOVA 1st 50 Breaststroke LCM Women 19-24 (2003) 36.79 1st 200 Breaststroke LCM Women 19-24 (2003) 2:58.84 Jessamyn Miller 23 NOVA 1st 200 Individual Medley LCM Women 19-24 (2003) 2:39.01 2nd 100 Breastroke LCM Women 19-24 (2003) 1:18.30 9th 50 Butterfly LCM Women 19-24 (2003) 32.35 Fiona Petersen 30 NOVA 4th 200 Freestyle LCM Women 30-34 (2003) 2:20.05 4th 800 Freestyle LCM Women 30-34 (2003) 10:19.42 4th 200 Breaststroke LCM Women 30-34 (2003) 3:14.64 5th 1500 Freestyle LCM Women 30-34 (2003) 20:12.90 5th 200 Individual Medley LCM Women 30-34 (2003) 2:44.83 6th 400 Freestyle LCM Women 30-34 (2003) 5:01.54 8th 100 Freestyle LCM Women 30-34 (2003) 1:05.70 8th 100 Breaststroke LCM Women 30-34 (2003) 1:30.78 Megan Lucas 24 NOVA 8th 1500 Freestyle LCM Women 19-24 (2003) 20:43.77 Elizabeth Deschenes 50 NOVA 8th 1500 Freestyle LCM Women 50-54 (2003) 24:15.23 ===================================================================== NOVA RELAYS MENS RELAYS 200 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 76-99 (2003) 2nd Jim Kopp (29) 1:45.20 Keith Ryan (19) Gregory Busse (24) Anthony Iacopetti (24) 400 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 76-99 (2003) 1st Jim Kopp (29) 3:54.72 Gregory Busse (24) Anthony Iacopetti (24) Keith Ryan (19) 800 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 76-99 (2003) 2nd Keith Ryan (19) 9:33.31 Anthony Icapetti (24) Gregory Busse (24) Jim Kopp (29) 200 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 120-159 (2003) 8th Tim Shumate (42) 1:45.74 William Wherritt (37) Pete Barbrick (40) Michael Collins (37) 400 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 120-159 (2003) 6th William Wherritt (37) 4:10.31 Craig Shimomura (35) Michael Collins (37) Tim Shumate (42) 400 Medley Relay LCM Men 120-159 (2003) 10th Tim Shumate (42) 5:02.36 Scott Pickford (37) Terry Tongate (43) Michael Collins (37) 800 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 120-159 (2003) 6th Pete Barbrick (40) 9:50.76 Craig Shimomura (35) Michael Collins (37) Tim Shumate (42) 200 Medley Relay LCM Men 160-199 (2003) 6th Tord Benner (44) 2:01.40 William Wherritt (37) Terry Tongate (43) Frank Wasko (43) 800 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 160-199 (2003) 10th William Wherritt (37) 11:15.92 Tord Benner (44) David Hayward (43) Frank Wasko (43) 400 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 200-239 (2003) 10th Henry Greenberg (55) 4:50.86 Craig Taylor (50) Dan Neyenhuis (59) Mark McCartin (49) 800 Freestyle Relay LCM Men 200-239 (2003) 8th Henry Greenberg (55) 11:06.31 Allen Todd (54) Craig Taylor (50) Mark McCartin (49) WOMENS RELAYS 200 Freestyle Relay LCM Women 76-99 (2003) 1st Michele Brown (28) 2:05.81 Shannon Flahive (22) Jessamyn Miller (23) Vanessa Wargo (19) 200 Medley Relay LCM Women 100-119 (2003) 4th Fiona Petersen (30) 2:28.96 Allison Garland (31) Michele Brown (28) Jessamyn Miller (23) 400 Freestyle Relay LCM Women 120-159 (2003) 3rd Dana Ryan (45) 5:08.22 Fiona Petersen (30) Sara Frechette (35) Michele Brown (28) 200 Medley Relay LCM Women 160-199 (2003) 9th Dana Ryan (45) 2:42.52 Lee Jessup (42) Elizab Deschenes (50) K HagerLoudon (47) 800 Freestyle Relay LCM Women 120-159 (2003) 1st Jessamyn Miller (23) 10:23.43 Dana Ryan (45) Michele Brown (28) Fiona Petersen (30) 800 Freestyle Relay LCM Women 160-199 (2003) 6th Elizab Deschenes (50) 13:06.21 Michelle Staffon (45) K HagerLoudon (47) Allison Garland (31) MIXED RELAYS 200 Medley Relay LCM Mixed 76-99 (2003) 1st Gregory Busse (24) 2:08.60 Michele Brown (28) Shannon Flahive (22) Keith Ryan (19) 200 Freestyle Relay LCM Mixed 76-99 (2003) 2nd Keith Ryan (19) 1:53.94 Anthony Icapetti (24) Fiona Petersen (30) Jessamyn Miller (23) 200 Freestyle Relay LCM Mixed 100-119 (2003) 4th Michele Brown (28) 2:03.20 Gregory Busse (24) Jim Kopp (29) Allison Garland (31) 200 Medley Relay LCM Mixed 100-119 (2003) 10th David Hayward (43) 2:20.88 Anthony Icapetti (24) Vanessa Wargo (19) Jessamyn Miller (23) 400 Medley Relay LCM Mixed 100-119 (2003) 1st Anthony Icapetti (24) 5:07.50 Allison Garland (31) Jim Kopp (29) Fiona Petersen (30) 400 Medley Relay LCM Mixed 120-159 (2003) 10th Pete Barbrick (40) 6:18.08 B Eschenwald (37) Sara Frechette (35) David Hayward (43) 400 Medley Relay LCM Mixed 160-199 (2003) 5th Dana Ryan (45) 5:47.41 Tord Benner (44) William Wherritt (37) K HagerLoudon (47) 800 Freestyle Relay LCM Mixed 160-199 (2003) 8th Eschenwald (37) 13:12.71 Greg Staffon (45) Sara Frechette (35) John Ryan (44) 400 Medley Relay LCM Mixed 200-239 (2003) 3rd Elizab Deschenes (50) 6:06.76 Ginny Flahive (48) Mark McCartin (49) Allen Todd (54)