Sue Swaine’s journey from racquetball player to national team head coach isn’t a typical one. Now a Level 5 certified NCCP coach, Swaine only started playing racquetball in her late 20s.
“I fell in love with the game,” explains Swaine. “It kept me fit, I had fun and met wonderful people, many of whom have become lifelong friends.”
Swaine’s passion for racquetball drove her desire to become more involved in the sport and she knew that the path to her dreams started with coach education.
“I realized I needed a larger repertoire of coaching skills and a better foundation of the technical and tactical aspects of the game,” she says. “I enrolled in the National Coaching Institute (Ontario) and instantly realized I was where I needed, and wanted, to be.”
With the support of Wendy Dobbin, Director of Coach and Athlete Services at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, Swaine went on to coach national team athletes Jennifer Saunders, Corey Osbourne, Michael Green, and Eric Desrochers.
“My learning curve was 90 degrees initially,” explains Swaine. “I still continue to be amazed at the opportunities for continued learning in coaching.”
Throughout her development, Swaine has had immeasurable success in her coaching career, including coaching Michael Green to four national singles titles and to a gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2012. She was selected as the head coach for the racquetball Junior World Championships, the Pan American Games racquetball team, and the racquetball World Championships, and also won a True Sport Award for a program she developed for individuals with schizophrenia.
Swaine’s athletes describe her as: “passionate, methodical, and enthusiastic.” Those traits, combined with her wealth of education, experience, and knowledge, have allowed Swaine to come full circle, as she currently mentors coaches at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, right where she herself started her coaching career. Passionate about being on the cutting edge of sport and coaching technology, Swaine knows the Sport Institute is one of the best places to be.
“For me, I love coaching as I get to see dedication, hard work, and results. I am one lucky individual. I have had the opportunity to change lives and challenge systems, to share experiences and strategies with others. I have been living the dream.”
