What inspired you to be a coach?
I love sharing my swimming experience, coaching expertise, and life experience with young athletes. It is rewarding to make an impact on their lives as both swimmers and as people. I like how much more thoughtful and science-driven swimming has become since my competitive days, and I like to continuously learn and apply these modern approaches to training to my athletes.

How long have you been coaching?
I have coached age groups for 2 years and high-school athletes for 4 years, both in the U.S. and in Europe. I also acted as one of the assistant coaches at Cal during my 5th year of college when I was no longer competing.

Can you share a bit of your background in the sport?
I swam competitively for 17 years, mostly in Europe for the Czech national team. I was repeatedly top 10 in Europe for 200 backstroke, placed 6th in the European Championship and won silver and bronze medals in World Cups. In the U.S., I was the school record holder for 200 back at Cal, and All American in the same event. I also swam finals at the U.S. Open Swimming Championships.

What is your coaching philosophy?
I believe in training smarter, not harder. I want my swimmers to be obsessed with technique. Swimmers must be fit not only physically but also psychologically, e.g. be able to fully concentrate on their practices and races, have a strong sense of awareness, be mindful, focused, and tenacious. I believe in techniques such as breathing meditation, visualization, progressive relaxation for achieving the optimal physical and mental state before the race. I like to plan the objectives of each practice in advance, typically in 6-week blocks, and make sure the team understands these objectives and the purpose of the work they are doing. I encourage my athletes to take ownership of their athletic and personal growth and act as a mentor.

What is your role in a young person's life?
I enjoy mentoring young people in the matters of sports and life in general.

Can you speak to a rewarding experience you have had in coaching?
I studied swim coaching at a university in Europe a few years ago, and part of the program was a coaching position at a local swim team. The goal was to apply what I learned in the real world. I worked with the club’s top swimmers on their technique and their physical and psychological readiness. That season, all of them significantly improved their times and technique, and made finals at junior nationals. It was rewarding to see them swim faster and with a much better technique.

What does success mean to you?
Success to me means doing something I love and doing it to the best of my abilities.

What are your goals for the team?
I would like my athletes to acquire abilities that will serve them throughout  their lives. Skills like teamwork, tenacity, discipline, strong work ethic, ability to overcome adversity, interpersonal skills, and so on. I want the team members to reach their full potential and feel good about themselves.

What is your favorite Petaluma restaurant?
I am new to town, so I haven’t been able to visit any restaurants yet. My favorite food is Mexican, so my favorite restaurant will most likely be as well.

What are you most looking forward to being back in the area?
I spent the past 13 years in Europe, so it is great to be reconnecting with my friends here in the Bay Area, going to my favorite spots, and not having to deal with freezing weather.