#111 - Doug Cornish on the Swimming Coach Crisis: Why Passion No Longer Pays the Bills

Coaching Without Security: The Hidden Costs Driving Talent Away from Pools

In episode #111 of Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, we do a video refresh with an interview conducted with Doug Cornish. His ground-breaking survey exposes many of the hidden cracks threatening swim coaches today. We begin to unpack and reveal why the sport’s “passion‑first” model is no longer sustainable. Doug comes to the discussion with hard data that shine a light on the underlying causes, and he has concrete steps clubs must take to keep good coaches on the deck.

• Survey results: 38% of coaches lack a current contract, 38% have no health insurance, and 70% are on single‑year agreements.

• Why it’s happening: a clash between the old “grind” culture and modern coaches/parents, plus boards that misuse nonprofit status and ignore reserve building.

• The financial fallout: no retirement plans, zero COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustments) adjustments, and coaches paying out‑of‑pocket for travel and basic expenses.

• Real‑world impact: personal stories like Doug Cornish’s breakdown, career switches, and the growing exodus from the profession.

• Actionable blueprint: 3‑5‑year contracts, 2‑3% annual COLA, full health/retirement benefits, paid parental leave, meet‑day compensation, protected supplemental income, and dual‑purpose life insurance.

This episode presents an invite to the course, C.Y.A. as part of the Learning Management System of the International Swim Coaches Association. Check out all the results of the survey in the PDF in that lesson.

https://Read.SwimISCA.org/courses/cya

Check out this episode!