Coach Bob Bowman Enhancing Social Media Presence to Provide Insights and Guidance
Hall of Fame coach Bob Bowman, who has guided his athletes to 40-plus Olympic medals through the years, has enhanced his social-media presence in recent days with posts that provide insights to his coaching methodologies. On Bowman’s Facebook account, visitors can find stories from Bowman’s career, along with motivational comments, guidance and goal-oriented recommendations.
One of Bowman’s recent tales revolved around a dream that Michael Phelps was routinely experiencing ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Bowman was the only coach Phelps knew during his illustrious career.
“Before Beijing, Michael kept having the same dream,” Bowman wrote. “He’d look up at the scoreboard and see 3:07. I told him that was probably his 300 split in the 400 IM. Then in the final, I looked up at the 300 mark and it said 3:07. The hair stood up on my neck. He’d seen that race so many times in his head that it already felt familiar to him. So pick your next big moment and see it clearly, every detail, every day. When it comes, you’ll feel like you’ve been there before.”
By recounting that story about Phelps, a 28-time Olympic medalist, Bowman emphasized the importance of visualization and leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of success. Phelps was so in-tune with his efforts in the 400 individual medley that his dreams reflected what he would unfurl in the future. Sure, Phelps might be the greatest swimmer in the history of the sport, but Bowman’s point is that anyone can experience that type of connection and benefit from selecting a significant moment and “seeing” it come to fruition.
