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The Swim Brief

Chris DeSantis
Swimming
Coaching
USA Swimming
Positive Psychology
College Swimming
Mental Health
Youth Sports
Sports Psychology
Ego
Athlete Development
Denmark
College Athletics
Nutrition Coaching
Olympic Games
Competitive Swimming
Danish Swimming
NCAA
2024 Paris Olympics
Goal Setting
Olympics

A swimming podcast featuring natural conversations about the sport. Chris DeSantis brings the poolside conversation to the podcast form.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes472Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SwimmingScienceSocial SciencesSports

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Artwork for The Swim Brief

Latest Episodes

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You don’t have to write the workout to be a hell of a coach.

Louisville associate head coach Stephanie Juncker joins Chris to discuss how coaches make an impact through relationships, trust, and what they bring to the pool deck eve... more

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What does it take to keep good coaches in swimming—and how hard are we really looking for the people we say we want to hire?

UCLA associate head coach Bex Freebairn joins Chris to discuss the everyday choices that shape coaching cu... more

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Are we debating how much salt to put in the soup while the guests are on fire?

Ricki Clausen returns to The Swim Brief for a bonus episode about what’s holding Scandinavian swimming back. His argument: coaches are better educated t... more

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Cal Brown’s posts about swim training have occasionally gotten under my skin. So I invited him onto The Swim Brief to explore the experiences behind his message—and where we actually disagree.

We talk about training volume, recover... more

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Recent Guests

Bex Freebairn
Associate head coach at UCLA with undergraduate and graduate degrees in sport coaching
UCLA
Episode: How Hard Are You Really Looking? — Bex Freebairn
Ricki Clausen
Danish swim club leader, coach and business consultant
Helsingera Swim Club
Episode: The Guests Are on Fire — Ricki Clausen
Cal Brown
Swimming and strength coach who co-runs Aqua Strength Performance
Aqua Strength Performance
Episode: The Workout Isn't Why They Keep Coming Back - Cal Brown
Jack Brown
Head coach of Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving at the University of Wisconsin, sports psychology doctorate
University of Wisconsin
Episode: You Can't Fix Confidence At Championships: Jack Brown
Milo Cavic
Olympic medalist, world champion, coach and owner of Swim with Milo
Swim with Milo
Episode: Milo Cavic Wouldn't Like His Younger Self
Tracy Slusser
Coach at Tracy Slusser Coaching, former collegiate coach, leadership coach for coaches
Tracy Slusser Coaching
Episode: The Coaching Culture That Pushes Parents Out: Tracy Slusser
Mike Laitala
Coach of Longhorn Aquatics
Longhorn Aquatics
Episode: Don't Finish The Athlete
Jack Roach
Former National Junior Team Coach for USA Swimming; ISL coach; Marine Corps veteran
USA Swimming, ISL
Episode: Wisdom Isn’t Taught. It’s Revealed
Jonathan Kaplan
Head coach and director of SwimRVA in Richmond, Virginia
SwimRVA
Episode: Building Swimmers Who Want To Be There: Jonathan Kaplan

Host

Chris DeSantis
Swim coach, educator, host of The Swim Brief Podcast

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 59 ratings
  • A Must listen for Swim Coaches

    Chris is a weekly listen for this swim coach and swim club owner. I believe him to be a must listen for those interested in the sport of swimming. Happy to say that I'm both a listener and a client of his business.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Fox Swim Club
    United Statesa month ago
  • Stories and Insight

    Love your interview style. It was casual conversation loaded with great stories and insight.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Megan Devito
    United States8 months ago
  • An alternative to SwimSwam

    Really enjoy this podcast. Grateful for the candid talk and the nuanced takes on difficult subjects.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    alexandrabcarter
    United States4 years ago
  • Doesn’t really upload

    Please upload more. I get that you are busy but that would be nice.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Admin1414
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host delivers casual conversations packed with stories and insights.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#4
United States/Sports/Swimming
Apple Podcasts
#16
Canada/Sports/Swimming
Apple Podcasts
#17
United Kingdom/Sports/Swimming
Apple Podcasts
#22
Australia/Sports/Swimming
Apple Podcasts
#31
Germany/Sports/Swimming
Apple Podcasts
#4
India/Sports/Swimming

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Hard Are You Really Looking? — Bex Freebairn
Q: How do you try to scale down this issue of equity and make a small difference within your own sphere of influence?
Freebairn argues that people should not use the size of their influence as an excuse for inaction. They can make a difference by actively seeking women for jobs and opportunities, not just waiting for applicants to appear.
How Hard Are You Really Looking? — Bex Freebairn
Q: What do you think it's going to take to keep somebody like you in the profession?
Freebairn says coaching needs to be paid better and more appreciated, because the work is demanding and good coaches leave when they cannot make it sustainable. Keeping experienced coaches benefits athletes and the people they support.
The Workout Isn't Why They Keep Coming Back - Cal Brown
Q: When you, the athletes that you guys are typically coming to you from the swimming side of things, where are the biggest opportunities for them to get better outside of the pool in your mind?
Brown emphasizes general athletic development and confidence. His program uses mobility, jumping, short sprints and basic strength work to balance swimming's repetitive movements, while helping athletes enjoy training and build a healthy relationship with fitness.
The Workout Isn't Why They Keep Coming Back - Cal Brown
Q: When you talk about moderate intensity, what are you picturing on the other end? What are you seeing in terms of people overdoing it with moderate intensity?
Brown describes a hard middle zone that creates fatigue without enough recovery, often mislabeled as a recovery day. He says swimmers need clearly low-intensity recovery and also need genuinely high-output work, with enough recovery between demanding sessions.
The Guests Are on Fire — Ricki Clausen
Q: What kind of grander political changes do you think would help Danish swimming, help Scandinavian swimming to be better?
Clausen calls for a more athlete-compatible school system and increased funding for Team Denmark, and says local businesses could help provide financial and employment support for athletes.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Swim Brief

What is The Swim Brief about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on high-performance swimming, coaching culture, athlete development, and the intersection of sports science, data analytics, and leadership. It features candid conversations with elite coaches, performance specialists, and sport-organization leaders, often exploring how to balance competitive pressure with healthy coaching ecosystems, practical talent development, and the role of mindset and culture in sustaining growth from grassroots to national teams. Notable angles include autonomy for assistants, governance and participation strategies, and how technology and psychology shape training, with a willingness to challenge conventional practices and spotlight opportunities for builders across clubs, colleges, and national pr... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Swim Brief?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Swim Brief:

1. Unfiltered Waters
2. Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories
3. The SwimSwam Podcast
4. Night Swim Podcast
5. The Daily Stoic

How many episodes of The Swim Brief are there?

The Swim Brief launched 10 years ago and published 472 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Swim Brief?

Recent guests on The Swim Brief include:

1. Bex Freebairn
2. Ricki Clausen
3. Cal Brown
4. Jack Brown
5. Milo Cavic
6. Tracy Slusser
7. Mike Laitala
8. Jack Roach

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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