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Olympic coach Gregg Troy talks Cali Condors, ISL, Caeleb Dressel (Includes interview)

Throughout his career in coaching, he has mentored such Olympic gold medalists as Ryan Lochte and Caeleb Dressel.

On being the Head Coach of the Cali Condors, he said, “It is pretty exciting. The whole concept is new and exciting and it will be an interesting experience.”

He praised Olympian Jason Lezak for being “fantastic” as the General Manager of the Cali Condors. “Some American professional football teams would be lucky if they had Jason as their GM so that they can recruit some better talent,” he said. “Jason has certainly done a great job putting together this team, and he has been very conscientious.”

At the 2012 Olympic Games, Coach Troy served as the Men’s Head Coach for the U.S. Swimming Team. “That was a really good experience. I loved it,” he exclaimed. “Any time you have a chance to represent your country in any capacity is good, but to do it as the Head Coach at the Olympic Games is very special.”

For young and aspiring swimmers, he said, “The best advice is to be patient and do everything they can to enjoy the sport. They should work with their coaches so that they can have an understanding of the coaches’ interests in them. Be patient and enjoy the process.”

Thanks to his mentorship and coaching, Caeleb Dressel won eight medals at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, for Team USA, six of which were gold, and the other two were silver medals. “Caeleb is fantastic to work with. He is a very committed athlete and obviously his skill-set is incredible: a unique blend of speed and sprint capabilities but he also has a really great focus on getting better,” he said.

Digital transformation of aquatics

On the impact of technology on the sport of swimming, he said, “I am never the cutting-edge guy. The suits have evolved and we are getting more scientific information on stroke mechanics and biomechanics are huge. Now, they have better studies on mitochondria and muscle developments.”

On being a coach in this digital age, he said, “I’m not very good in the digital age. That’s a little bit of a drawback for me. The advances in technology are amazing: what you can do with an iPhone these days is great and they have equipment that can direct information on stroke rates and heart rates back to your phone.”

Regarding the key to longevity in the sport of swimming, he said, “The guys that have had longevity are in a unique age group dynamic, and they had an aerobic background. Enjoyment of the sport is really the key. The athletes that enjoy the process are not only the best but they also stay in the sport the longest. Also, injury prevention is important.”

As a swimming coach, his proudest professional moments include having an impact on his athletes’ lives, not only on their swimming careers but their lives. “The long-lasting effect you have on people you communicate and deal with is really satisfying,” he said.

Coach Gregg Troy defined the word success as “helping people be successful at the highest level for them.” “Teaching people skills through their life and to give back to society is what makes people successful,” he said.

To learn more about the Cali Condors, follow them on Twitter and on Instagram.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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