Technique, Trainability, Enjoyment: Ruairidh’s Formula for Club Swimming Success
Since joining the Total Endurance team a few weeks ago, we have already seen how his coaching is helping a range of swimmers and we thought it would be a good time to sit down with Ruairidh and let everyone get to know more about him and his coaching philosophy.
How did you first get into competitive swimming?
I started learning to swim as a 5-year old. Following the learn to swim program I joined my local swimming club (Montrose Seals) and progressed through their program. I was more of a Butterfly and Freestyle swimmer focusing mainly on 50m, 100m, and 200m events. I found I enjoyed the training more than the racing and liked the feeling of finishing a hard session.
It was only when I moved more to poolside I found my passion for helping others.
What motivated you to move into coaching?
I first got involved in coaching through the Learn to Swim program at my local club, Montrose Seals. Helping out on poolside at a young age is where I discovered my passion for supporting others in their swimming journey. From there, I progressed through my Level 1 and Level 2 swim teaching qualifications, which eventually led me to work more closely with senior swimmers. That experience inspired me to pursue and complete my Level 2 coaching qualification.
Alongside my swim coaching, I studied Primary Teaching at Dundee University—a path that really deepened my interest in helping people learn and grow. Whether in the classroom or in the pool, my drive has always been to support individuals in reaching their potential.
What were some key highlights on your coaching career so far?
One of my highlights so far has been, going down to the British Swimming Championships in London in April 2025 and being able to watch and experience the atmosphere at that event was incredible.
Then working with the athletes we had there in preparation for their events was an inspiring experience, plus watching Faye Rogers smash so many records was incredible.
British Swimming Championships, London - 2025
Have there been any key mentors or influences on your coaching style?
I’ve had many mentors that have influenced my coaching style, some of which have been Heather McCalllum (Head Coach at Montrose Seals), Mark Boydell (Martial Arts instructor) and Patrick Miley (Head coach at University of Aberdeen Performance Swim Team).
What do think makes a great swim coach; especially for club level swimmers?
Swimming is a tough sport, so the first goal has to be to get the swimmers to love and enjoy the sport, its critical the coach creates an environment where the swimmers want to be there and they want the sessions to go on. But also an environment where they are challenging themselves and pushing to achieve their potential.
Is there a particular philosophy or approach that shapes how you coach swimmers?
My attitude and nature, swimming can often be high tense and stressful environment, whereas for me. swimming is my happy place and I want that to be the same for others as well. Calm, collected, friendly and relaxed nature is my style, no matter what your ability is, I will do my utmost to support you and your goals.
My philosophy and approach has evolved and developed over the years as my experience has grown. However, it has always remained swimmer centered. It is now mostly based around a style that I learned from Patrick Miley, as it encapsulates everything I think about swimming into 3 simple words with all equal meaning: Technique. Trainability. Enjoyment!
How do you balance technical drills, mindset work, and physical conditioning in a session?
Work you do throughout the season splits into 3 sections: technique, physiology and psychology. With the 3 of them working together equally to benefit the swimmer. Depending on where you are in the season and where the swimmers are in their overall development but its about knowing when and how each impacts each session, it is all about flexibility and adaptation.
What do you find are the most common struggles swimmers face in clubs?
As swimming is a highly technical sport, it can be hard for club coaches to give inidivualised feedback to every swimmer they are working with during a busy club session. This often means that even though the swimmer is working hard, day-to-day they might not always know exactly what steps they need to take in order to improve. This can then lead to small stroke inefficiencies to go unnoticed which can hamper the swimmer from achieving their goals.
Are there any recurring technical issues or misconceptions that swimmers come in with?
Quite often, the swimmer has the perception that they need to be swimming as hard as they can on every session and that just by training hard all the time they will improve. I have seen plenty of swimmers who have achieved good results as a 13/14 year old from just being physically stronger but maybe lacking technical proficiency which results in them seemingly going backwards as other swimmers begin to match their physicality.
How do you help swimmers get “unstuck” when they’ve plateaued?
When a swimmer is feeling they are stuck or hit a plateau, it can often be frustrating and often they will feel demoralised and start to lose confidence. When this happens, we speak to the swimmer and help them analyse their race and their recent training and we look to identify not just things that could be improved but also highlight areas where they’ve been making progress.
With young swimmers who develop at different rates we also need to discuss that performance plateaus are often caused by changes in their body which will affect energy levels, coordination and even confidence. This is why my philosophy is centered around long-term development and not short-term success and we need to reassure swimmers (and parents) that their swimming progress will rarely be linear and plateaus are part of development. However, despite these we can still set some focused goals with the swimmer and help them understand that while performances might stagnate for a period of time they can still work on their swimming and ensure they still enjoy the process of working on their technique so that they will improve over the longer term.
What’s your approach to working with younger swimmers vs older teens?
Whether they are a young swimmer just starting out or a senior competitive swimmer who want to improve their performance; my swim coaching is always focused on approaching each swimmer as an individual and working with them to understand, their unique personality, what motivates them, what their goals are and what might be limiting them currently. Once i get to know the swimmer it is often easier to tweak their training and give targeted advice based on these factors.
How important is confidence in swimming performance?
Confidence in any competitive environment is critical, but more so, I believe, to be confident in yourself. To know that when you are on the blocks and about to start a race, you are confident in the race preparation you have done and to only focus on delivering your best in that moment and not placing your self-worth on your finish time and position.
Do you have any strategies to help swimmers deal with nerves, pressure, or self-doubt?
Nerves are apart of racing, whether you are nervous about your first ‘proper’ club session or standing on the start line of Olympics! Having a well rehearsed plan, that removes stress in the lead into your key race is critical. This plan should give you the process of what things you need to do in-order to have your best result. Your plan should include things like:
What time you need to wake up
What time you need to have breakfast and what it will be
What time you need to register for the meet and what time your event will be
Do you have a warm up pre-planned? if not, you should work with your coach to ensure you have one before your next race
What food / snacks you need to have available on pool side to eat between events
What time you need to start getting changed to ensure you are on pool side on time.
Ultimately racing is training so its all about practice, practice and more practice. Not just in the competition itself but also practiced during their club sessions where everything is familiar and they can control aspects of the environment and learn what works and what doesn’t.
Also ensuring that the athlete is comfortable discussing their pre-race nerves and if they are doubting themselves. Because as a coach, I can play a critical role in helping the athlete get onto that starting block focused and confident in themselves.
How do you build trust and motivation with swimmers who might be struggling?
Building trust with athletes is key, knowing that you are there to help them, with support them and taking a genuine interest in them and not just their sport but who they are people and their long term success.
Having good communication with athletes, showing that you are listening to what they have to say and ensuring they have ownership of their training and not just following order. But it is also about showing that you are a source of knowledge and somewhere they can go to get the help and answers they need.
What do you wish more parents understood about swim improvement?
Improvements in swimming can take time and while some swimmers improve quickly, others take longer to develop. Often the best 13/14 year old swimmers aren’t the ones who go the furthest in the sport long term. Patience and perspective are key.
How can parents best support their child’s progress in the pool?
The best way parents can support a young athlete is firstly by taking an interest in the sport, even just in a superficial way. Celebrate their effort and just their results. Build on the enthusiasm that your swimmer has for the sport and working with the club and the coaches to help the athlete stay engaged and motivated. Most importantly, help them enjoy the hard work and see the value in always trying to do their best, no matter that the clock says.
Are there any myths or misconceptions you find yourself explaining a lot?
Just because their swimming times have plateaued it doesn’t mean something is wrong. Its just the small dips in performance that forms part of athlete development. Periods of slower progress are part of the process and they often lead to breakthroughs later on.
If you could give one piece of advice to every club swimmer reading this, what would it be?
Be a sponge and absorb as much information you can about your sport, ask questions and seek to understand and learn why you’re doing what you’re doing with your training. Ask your coaches how you can improve and really listen as the more you understand the sport, the more ownership you’ll take over your own development and take pride in the hard work you are doing. Its not easy being a swimmer with dark early mornings to get to the pool for training but the consistent hard work you are doing never goes to waste.
What’s your ultimate goal for the swimmers you coach?
My ultimate goal is that they build a love for the sport that stays throughout their life with lots of happy memories that they can look back on, but also they are open to challenging themselves and always trying to be their best, reaching and going beyond their potential.
Want help with your swimming?
You can now book sessions directly with Ruairidh, whether it’s stroke analysis, help with goal setting, or just getting back on track after a break.