Why Competitive Swimming Is Failing in Canada - And How Weak Leadership Is Hurting Our Athletes

Canadian swimming is in trouble.

Not because of a lack of talent.
Not because kids don’t love the sport.
Not because parents don’t care.

It’s failing because the foundation is breaking.

And that foundation is the age group and feeder system.

After years of coaching — including my time with Belleville swimming — I’ve seen firsthand how money, weak governance, and poor leadership have slowly shifted competitive programs into recreational “swim programs.”

And the consequences are now impossible to ignore.

The Illusion of Growth

On paper, many swim clubs look healthy.

Membership numbers are decent.
Registration fills quickly.
Programs are “full.”

But full does not mean strong.

What we are seeing across Canada is participation without development.

More swimmers are showing up.
Fewer are improving at elite levels.
Fewer are staying long-term.
Fewer are reaching national standards.

The system looks busy.

It is not building champions.

How Age Group Programs Lost Their Purpose

Age group programs are supposed to be the engine of competitive swimming.

They exist to:

Build technique early
Develop work ethic
Teach discipline
Create competitive habits
Prepare swimmers for high performance

Instead, many have become glorified learn-to-swim extensions.

The focus has shifted from:

“How good can this swimmer become?”

To:

“How do we keep families happy?”

Training volume is reduced.
Standards are lowered.
Expectations are softened.
Competition is minimized.

Why?

Because competition makes people uncomfortable.

When Clubs Become Businesses First

One of the biggest problems in modern swimming is financial dependence.

Most clubs now operate like survival businesses.

They need:

Monthly fees
High registration
Stable numbers
Predictable cash flow

This creates a dangerous incentive.

Retention becomes more important than development.

If a swimmer struggles, pushing them risks losing them.

If a parent complains, challenging them risks losing revenue.

So programs adapt — not to excellence, but to comfort.

Coaches are pressured to “keep people happy” instead of “make people better.”

That is not sport.

That is customer service.

My Experience: Watching Standards Erode

During my time coaching in Belleville, I saw this dynamic clearly.

There was no shortage of potential.

There were hardworking kids.
Committed families.
Good facilities.
Strong community support.

What was missing was unified leadership.

Decisions were often driven by:

Short-term finances
Fear of complaints
Internal politics
Personal agendas
Avoiding conflict

Not long-term athlete development.

Instead of asking:

“How do we build a high-performance pathway?”

The question became:

“How do we avoid upsetting people?”

That shift is where competitive culture begins to die.

Weak Boards Create Weak Programs

Most swim club boards are made up of volunteers.

Many mean well.

But good intentions are not enough.

Too often, boards lack:

Sport expertise
Leadership training
Strategic vision
Accountability systems

Some members have never competed at a high level.
Some don’t understand athlete development.
Some are motivated by control rather than growth.

As a result, coaches are micromanaged.
Long-term plans are ignored.
Dissent is discouraged.
Excellence is viewed as “too demanding.”

Strong leaders build systems.

Weak leaders manage emotions.

Coaches With No Authority

In many Canadian swim clubs today, coaches are technically in charge — but practically powerless.

One complaint from a parent can trigger:

Board meetings
Reviews
Restrictions
Pressure
Threats to contracts

So coaches adapt.

They stop pushing.
They stop challenging.
They stop telling hard truths.
They stop setting high standards.

They coach safely.

Not effectively.

Over time, the best coaches leave.
They burn out.
They move on.
They go private.
They leave the sport.

And the cycle continues.

Parents: From Partners to Clients

Parents are essential to youth sport.

But the relationship has changed.

Many now see themselves as customers.

They are “paying for a service.”

So they expect:

Guaranteed success
Constant praise
Special treatment
Protection from discomfort

Instead of asking:

“What does my child need to improve?”

They ask:

“Why isn’t my child winning?”

Instead of trusting coaches, they challenge them.

Instead of reinforcing discipline, they undermine it.

Kids learn quickly.

Effort becomes optional.
Excuses become acceptable.
Responsibility disappears.

The Disappearance of Competitive Culture

Real competitive culture is not toxic.

It is demanding.
It is honest.
It is disciplined.
It is focused.
It is uncomfortable at times.

Many clubs no longer have it.

Training groups are watered down.
Attendance is flexible.
Standards are unclear.
Consequences are rare.
Accountability is minimal.

Swimmers are busy.

They are not being built.

Why Talented Swimmers Are Leaving

Ask swimmers why they quit, and you’ll hear:

“It wasn’t fun anymore.”
“I wasn’t improving.”
“I felt stuck.”
“I didn’t feel pushed.”
“I got bored.”

That’s not because swimming is boring.

It’s because stagnation is boring.

When athletes stop growing, they lose motivation.

When programs stop demanding, athletes stop caring.

The Gap to Elite Levels Is Growing

At national and international levels, nothing has changed.

High-performance swimming is still ruthless.

You train hard.
You are evaluated.
You are compared.
You are replaceable.
You must earn everything.

Swimmers coming from “comfort-first” systems are shocked.

Many cannot adapt.

They’ve never learned how to suffer productively.
They’ve never learned how to respond to pressure.
They’ve never learned how to fight for improvement.

So they quit.

This Is Bigger Than Swimming

This is not just about medals.

It’s about character.

Swimming used to build:

Mental toughness
Self-discipline
Time management
Resilience
Leadership
Humility

When standards fall, so do these lessons.

We are not just losing athletes.

We are losing opportunities to build strong people.

What Strong Programs Still Do Right

Great swim programs still exist.

They share common traits:

Clear standards
Strong leadership
Protected coaches
Parent boundaries
Long-term planning
Athlete-first culture

They are demanding and supportive.
They are honest and caring.
They are uncomfortable and transformational.

They build swimmers — and people.

What Needs to Change

If Canadian swimming wants to recover, several things must happen.

1. Boards Must Lead, Not React

Boards need training, accountability, and vision.

2. Coaches Must Be Protected

Strong coaches need authority and security.

3. Development Must Come Before Retention

Short-term numbers cannot dictate long-term quality.

4. Parents Must Relearn Their Role

Support. Encourage. Trust. Step back.

5. Standards Must Return

Not abuse. Not ego.
Standards.

A Final Thought

Most people involved in swimming care deeply.

They love the sport.
They want kids to succeed.
They volunteer countless hours.

But love without leadership is not enough.

Right now, too many clubs are drifting.
Too many boards are reactive.
Too many coaches are constrained.
Too many swimmers are underdeveloped.

Canadian swimming does not need more programs.

It needs more courage.

The courage to demand.
The courage to lead.
The courage to be uncomfortable.
The courage to rebuild excellence.

Because if we continue choosing comfort over competitiveness, we won’t just lose medals.

We’ll lose the very thing that once made swimming great.