Eagle Perspective: An Interview With Swimming Head Coach Paul Graham
October 30, 2003

By Andrea Adame, AU Sports Information

Paul Graham is in his fourth year as head coach of the men’s and women’s swim teams at Ashland University.

Prior to coming to AU Graham was an assistant coach at Wright State.

Q: What made you want to become a swimming coach?

A: “It’s something I’ve always enjoyed ever since I started swimming. I enjoy the process of the individual work and trying to get better day in and day out. There is always challenges and no one day is like another.”

Q: What are the challenges of coaching two teams?

A: “In an individual sport like this I don’t think it is that much of a challenge. My distance swimmers on both the men’s and women’s team do the same thing and my sprinter swimmers do the same thing. The biggest challenge is making sure that each team has its own identity.”

Q: What brought you to AU?

A: “The opportunity was there, I had been an assistant coach for five years and knew I wanted to eventually be a head coach, but it had to be the right setting and Ashland provided that setting. I really enjoy having my own program.”

Q: How do you handle such early morning practices (6 a.m.)?

A: “The coaching staff splits it up and we don’t have the kids here every morning of the week, the maximum that they are here is three days a week. My graduate assistant Liz Leonard and I split up the mornings. Early morning practices are something that the swimmers are all used to doing, that doesn’t mean that they like it, but they are used to it.”

Q: Any unique training ideas new for this year?

A: “Any good coach is going to try and learn and find out what is going on. You have to keep things fresh and exciting in order to get better. This year we are doing a new weight program and more core strengthening. We are also doing a lot of team building by going on a camping trip and going to do a ropes course. I am always trying to bring new things to the team.”

Q: What is your coaching philosophy?

A: “I want the kids to realize that they’ve worked very hard, we’ve done everything that we could, we’ve got the most out of their ability, to try and do that in a fun atmosphere. I want to make sure the athletes are enjoying what they are doing as much as they can and still get the work in.”

Q: What is your view for this year?

A: “This is an especially challenging year because there is so much to teach. Out of the 27 athletes, 22 are freshmen. There is just so much to teach and I want it to happen so quick that sometimes I expect the results faster than what’s capable. The key word for myself is going to be patience. I know that the effort is there and the results will show up a couple months down the road.”