Mark Rauterkus
108 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
web site: http://www.SportSurf.Net
email:
home: 412-
voice mail: 412-
September 24, 1999
Athletic Director
Hampton High School
Dear Athletic Director,
I’d love to learning more about the open swim coaching position with the district. I’d like to apply to be the team’s coach starting this year.
Your district's program might make an ideal match for my situation. As a returning resident of Pittsburgh, my dreams are to raise my family here. It is most probable that I would one day make a long-term commitment to stay with the program for many years. But our short-term advantage is the fact that I am well suited for the job and ready to work with the swimmers right away.
Getting this position would end a mini-retirement. My most recent coaching stint was for two years as the head coach for the Plum High School Swim Teams nearly a decade ago. I was thankful for the opportunity to work with the students and get back into the swim scene in Pittsburgh. However, that experience was destined as a short-term endeavor.
A great deal of thinking and planning for swimming opportunities is happening with me for the next year and the long-term future. I’d like to get on the job now and explore the possibilities of moving into a various year-round coaching roles -- beyond just the High School Team. I’d like to have a program that has tighter coordination with other swim sites. I am hopeful that you are willing to entertain ideas and proposals from myself regarding the evolution of the position and duties in due time.
I’d like to establish valuable community programs and assets beyond a role as swim coach. I’d like to pull together a combination of part-time duties, and build a new position for myself that would keep the program exciting.
I am a team player who knows how to set and reach objectives and goals. At Plum, a number of significant goals were reached by the swimmers and divers on our teams. The girls squad, for the first time in school history, placed second at the WPIAL Championships. And, the girls team finished #2 in the WPIAL meet both years I coached the there. Plum beat USC one year and Mt. Lebanon the next year by 3-point and 1.5-point margins, clinching wins in by dominating the 400 free relay, the last event.
I feel that I bring a rich set of experiences to the position and would offer the swimmers, parent boosters, staff and other important players in the community dynamic leadership. I know that I have the skills. I can promise a fun and spirited team with plenty of structure and clear ground rules. The team will have a great deal of customization with individualized training and instruction that offers everyone a great chance for improvement.
My coaching philosophy, a personal reference list, and presentations on both my background and future programming considerations most suitable for integration are ready for delivery in these meetings with you.
Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely Yours,
Mark Rauterkus
I’m firm, fair and not afraid to communicate my thoughts. I have no doubts that I can run the team in a most responsible manner.
I would like to start a new programs. Some of these activities would be a result of past and pending books and expert/author contacts. For example, one such possible new program that could become a new revenue source is a swim instruction/training course for triathletes. Another is Underwater Hockey.
These programs could flourish in off-hours as priorities and staff growth permits. The leaders and participants in the programs would obtain valuable information from my “high-tech” interactions.
There are other ideas that can be explored with you in due time including a weight-training/sprinting seminars with out-of-town presenters, a literacy program for summer reading, a stop-smoking project, ghoul school events for October and Pull Your Own Weight that aims to develop self-esteem.
Furthermore, I plan getting the job, on making some requests of you before I would accept the job. These are expressed and attached. All points are open-ended and subject to our discussion. I would not feel comfortable unless I first presented these items to you in writing before you decide about my coming to work with you this summer.
A copy of my professional, swim coaching resume, some of my company’s books and older catalogs are here for you to inspect.
Beyond my rich competitive swim coaching experiences, I am a publisher, a small-business owner, a creative thinker, and a most ambitious person. Marketing and communication are strengths. I understand issues in public education, production and even management.
Besides the present needs of the swim team, I would like to know if you would be interested in allowing me to take on some new directions by forming and/or expanding a “scholastic press.” The university press model cold be put into effect at a community level. I’ve got new and creative directions that can be implemented in due time. For example, we could publish and sell books to earn revenues and provide a fantastic learning laboratory for the educational community.
I’m eager to learn more of the specifics of district activities in competitive swimming, aquatics recreation, and even information technology.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely Yours,
Mark Rauterkus
If you want to build an exciting team based upon excellence, where the sky is the limit, let’s start.
I am interested in working with you, doing further exploration and nurturing a long-term relationship. But before we begin to build, I want to be certain that we agree on the building’s blue-print, and I want to be certain that all the materials for the building are going to be available when they are needed.
Beware, because I am someone who can build a program and who already has delivered top-flight teams. Just two years ago, in my first season with an typical, unranked, area high school, as Head Coach, I took the kids to state records, and a 2nd place team finish at the WPIAL championships. Things happen quickly. I’ve taken 1:03 girl backstrokers to :58.8 in one short season.
As a consultant coach, I’ll be held back, and I will not be able to make sweeping changes. However, at the same time, I will not be in a position to make promises to the kids that I will help them in every way I can and that I will insure that they will be as great as they possibly can be. I will not lead a frustrating experience.
Consultant / Mentor Coach
A consultant coach and/or a mentor coach can present new roles that might be worth some exploration. The new roles provide a safety-net for the club and its swimmers for the short term. Coaching staff development is critical for a growing program. Small group coaching can be cultivated. And, most of all, the long-term upside with a reorganization can lead to an exciting future.
Time
A mentor coach can work a range of hours each week with a range of that time devoted to interaction time with the swimmers. The total time can be 10, 20, 30 hours per week. For the duration of 1998 the head coach position is not expected to be a full-time job.
Beyond contact time with the swimmers at practices and meets, another portion of the services for a consultant / mentor coach can be conducted out of team practice time for meetings, research and behind the scenes, fact-finding efforts.
Handbook
One by-product of the early phase of any employment will be the development of a new team handbook. The handbook will be at least 100 pages in length. The book will be edited and published in paper and on-line editions.
Introduction
The Swim Team Board should host a parents meeting one evening in the school auditorium or some other suitable setting for a “Introduction Meeting with our Consultant Coach.” Only High School aged swimmers and interested adults should be in attendance. There should be no swim practice while the meeting takes place. All the coaches should attend. Swim club business should be limited to 10 minutes or less. Mark will speak for one hour.
Club Administration Seminar Sponsors
The Swim Team Board will agree to host a two-part club development seminar for the region’s swim teams some time between November and February. Part one will be a swim coaches seminar directed by Mark Rauterkus, and part two will be an club administration seminar to be directed by Guy Edson of the American Swim Coaches Association. This event needs to be publicized and if properly managed could generate following budget. (See attached.)
Sample Budget for Club Administration Seminar
Fixed Expenses:
Publicity: $200.00
Room & Hospitality: $300.00
ASCA Director & travel $1100.00
Total ($1600.00)
Variable Expenses:
Materials: $5.00 per person.
estimated attendance = 75 Total ($375.00)
Income:
Coaches: 25 x $15.00 = $375.00
Parent Leaders: 50 x $25 = $1,250.00
Total $1625.00
Profit/Loss Grand Total = $25.00
Further Points of Interest from Mark Rauterkus
In the event that I am offered the job as head swim coach, I will want the Board to assure the following start-up tasks. Can we coordinate the following points the first month as they are necessary to give this first season a positive start.
A great deal of preparation and homework on all elements of the team is necessary. Assistance with an in-depth study is appreciated. Covering “what is what” and, “who is who” should also include ample opportunity for others to meet me and for them to express ideas that can help the program and further assist the athletes.
1. I will want to have an initial meeting with the High School Athletic Director, the YMCA director(s), the township recreation leaders, the summer club coaches, swim team captain and parents club members and board.
2. I will want to have a brainstorming meeting with the Swim Parents group. Then I will want to have a follow-up meeting with the same group one week later. At that follow-up meeting, we will pick a parent to serve as a communication facilitator for the remainder of the year.
3. I want to have two dry-land seminars with all the swimmers interested in becoming members of the team. We should hold these meetings in a large classroom, perhaps on Saturday afternoons when most of the people are available. We will elect captains, get training handouts, suggest pre-season conditioning programs, and get to know one another.
4. I want to be a part of the process to hire the assistant coaches. I want to be able to have the authority to object to the hiring and be able to dismiss these people at any time without prior approval.
I am quite hopeful that I’ll be able to get qualified coaches to move to Pittsburgh to be “role coaches” with the program in seasons to come. Given the lack of seasoned coaches in the area, and given the few numbers of coaches now available to the program, I fully expect that I’ll have to find, recruit and re-locate experienced swim coaches.
5. I want to ensure that the year-round swimmers have a suitable opportunity to excel in this program. I am not certain what solutions will be necessary, and everything may already be in place, but these may include optional morning, afternoon or evening practices. I want to guarantee that there will be a place on the team for dedicated swimmers who want to swim to the best of their abilities.
About Mark Rautekus for Introductions:
Mark Rauterkus grew up in the Greater Pittsburgh area, but he has lived and worked in Swimming all around the USA.
His swimmers have set State Records in Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Mark started coaching in 1976 in eastern area of Pittsburgh. Mark’s parents still live in Penn Hills.
In the old days, Mark was an Assistant Coach with the Greater Pittsburgh Swim Club -- back then it was the #1 team in the AMS. Mark coached throughout his college years, and he has earned many valuable experiences -- from Learn-to-Swim programs in Waco, Texas to interview rooms at the Pan Am Games.
Mark loves to work with Age Group Swimmers, Senior Swimmers AND Swim Club Parents!
Mark has been an invited speaker at a Coaching Clinics in Northern California. Plus, Mark has formed a good network of authors and experts.
Mark publishes books, and has worked on a dozen books in Swimming. He works with authors who live all around the world, and his books are sold around the world. Mark’s ideas are shared on the internet too.
Mark moved back to Pittsburgh in 1990. Mark’s home and office is in the South Side. He is married to Catherine Palmer, Ph.D. Catherine is a Professor of Audiology at the University of Pittsburgh, the medical school and she leads a clinic and research grants.
Mark and Catherine have two sons -- Erik, age 3, and Grant, 6-months.
Mark wants to sign a 15-year contract. He has some big visions for swimming for us for the long-haul.
- and now let’s welcome him and listen to what he has to say...
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