Elvis Burrows
Elvis Burrows
QUICK STATS
- Birthday: February 24, 1989
- Height: 6’0”
- Hometown: Freeport, Bahamas
- College: University of Kentucky
- Coach: Gary Connely
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Two All-American honors for the freestyle and medley relays at NCAA Championships
- Represented his homeland, the Bahamas, at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing
- Set four national records in the 2009 FINA World Championships in sprint freestyle and butterfly events
- Won bronze medal in 50 m butterfly in the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
EXPERIENCE
For Elvis Burrows, the islands of the Bahamas were much more than your average vacation paradise.
With the white sands and crystal waters as his training grounds, Elvis put his native country on the map for competitive swimming, forgoing his passions for gymnastics and tennis to pursue a record-breaking career in the pool. Following a unique path to success, Elvis has been able to breathe new life into otherwise stale training methods, while pursuing a new passion in teaching.
Having been “tricked into hard work” by his childhood coach, Elvis continues to adopt a fun, untraditional training approach, one that has strengthened his teaching abilities as much as his swimming. As a self-proclaimed sprinter, Elvis found that endless laps under the island sun served very little purpose in his training regime, a revelation that inspired his “student of the sport” mentality.
“I learned that the key was practicing everything perfectly. Every stroke, every streamline, every turn should be perfect. It’s all about the quality of your work.”
This “quality” approach is precisely what helps Elvis take his talents out of the pool and onto the deck, where he’s able to break down stroke mechanics and help students hone in on the fine details.
“I noticed early on that people use starts, turns, and underwater practice as a chance to take a break, so I hope to change that. When you make those areas your strengths, you’re ahead of the game.”
In making the small details of each race the primary focus, Elvis seeks to give his participants an easy advantage over competition–using fun and enticing delivery methods to boot! Whether it’s turning creative drills into competitions or using funny and relatable analogies, Elvis finds a way to effectively articulate his knowledge and expertise. Advanced techniques and concepts suddenly become simple in Elvis Burrows’ pool
While Elvis is a huge proponent of “smart swimming,” he also strongly advocates for a balanced approach to keep swimmers fresh and engaged in the sport long-term. Having represented his country on the international stage, Elvis understands the mental and physical demands of swimming, and places equal emphasis on the intangible aspects of the sport.
“I like for my swimmers to know how to relax and have healthy distractions outside the pool. Some of my best performances occurred when I was in school or had a full-time job, so it’s important to think about swimming in practice and then leave it at the door.”
Possessing a genuine interest in each and every one of his participants, Elvis takes his time in delivering critiques and readily welcomes individual questions. In his effort to promote diversity in the swimming community, Elvis possesses a passion for the sport that spans broadly and begins in local communities and pools
“Teaching clinics is rewarding in that you get to see and interact with people who genuinely want to learn. There’s nothing better than watching them pick up a new skill by the end, and that’s what gets me excited about teaching.
Do you want to learn how to gain the advantage in your races while deepening your love for the sport? Sign up for Elvis’ clinic today!
Participant Feedback From Elvis' Clinics
“My granddaughter walked away with confidence and excitement that the knowledge she received will improve her ability to swim faster and achieve her future goals. Training with these champions brings home that what they are delivering does work. They are proof. Tom and Elvis were amazing. Tom and Elvis worked together teaching technique, provided a positive environment to learn, and delivered a team-spirited environment. Thank you for helping her realize dreams can come true.” -Aubryanna, from Palm Harbor, FL
“THANK YOU! Elvis, Tucker and Aly were awesome- they took time with each kid and made them feel important. I loved that they were in the water and actually hands on showing the kids what they were asking them to do.” -Michelle, from Pensacola, FL
“I have been coaching for over 25 years. This was the best starts & turns camp I have been to!” -Bernie, from Pensacola, FL
