Mike Murray
Mike Murray
QUICK STATS
- Birthday: May 13th
- Hometown: Albany, NY
- Now Resides: Bellport Village, Long Island
- College: Rutgers University and St. Lawrence University
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- 2014-Attended USA Swimming National Select Camp; Presented "Making Test Set's Meaningful," during the Coaches Track at The US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
- 2015 USA Swimming National Select Camp Staff
- 2017 USA Swimming National Select Camp Head Team Manager
- Selected as International Swimming Coaches Association Speaker.
- 2017-Coach Murray & Staff lead Victor Swim Club to its 3rd consecutive Niagara LSC Championship & 1st ever Niagara LCM Championship.
- 2017-Coach Murray named to USA Swimming National Select Camp, Head Team Manager
Mike's next swim clinics
EXPERIENCE
When Mike Murray is leading a team, success is bound to follow. When asked his key to swimming success, he gives a straightforward answer: “Work works.”
Murray says that his swimmers work hard to chase high goals, and this has consistently led to incredible achievements in the pool. “My goals as a coach and clinician is to seek and inspire each individual to reach his or her full potential.”
Most swimmers are not able to see their own potential, let alone set far-reaching goals that take dedication to achieve. It seems that many coaches and peers turn up their noses when a young swimmer sets his or her sights on making the Olympic team. Murray, on the other hand, makes his participants’ goals his goals:
“The key at Fitter & Faster clinics is to focus on goal-setting. Swimmers need to set goals that are scary – goals that are big. There’s nothing wrong with swimmers saying they want to make the Olympic team! Coaches and peers think that’s ridiculous, but I say it’s silly to doubt that swimmer. When swimmers tell me their big goals, I make it my goal to get them to that point. Goal-setting is a process that gets overlooked.”
Supporting each others’ high goals without fear is important to instill not just in your swimmers but aso in your team. Murray works on building a culture on these three foundational principles: hard work, education and commitment. Participants at Murray’s clinics can take these cornerstones of success back to their own training at their home pools.
For Murray, challenging the status quo is a must for swimmers to improve. “What I mean by this is that kids hear so much different feedback from coaches, whether it’s stroke technique or training philosophy and don’t always connect. The most important thing is to keep an open mind and not be afraid to fail or take risks in training or racing,” Murray says. With little risk, there is little reward.
Murray attributes the lack of experimentation and risk-taking with most swimmers to our cultural influences: “We have created a society of enabled athletes instead of inspired athletes.” The switch from an enabled athlete (one who waits for external rewards or influences to come their way) to an inspired athlete (one who is driven internally and works for their goals) will transform the long-term outcomes that extend further than the confines of the pool.
Murray will not only inspire swimmers but also coaches and parents attending his clinics. With decades of swimming, coaching and speaking experience, he is more than willing to share his wealth of knowledge with the rest of the swimming world. With an emphasis on distance IM and endurance training, Murray is able to give knowledgeable feedback regarding training and racing strategy at all levels.
This passionate, hands-on coach can’t wait to interact with participants at his next Fitter & Faster Clinic! Sign up today!
