Nick Baker

Second Chance Swim Coach Nick Baker

As a coach, I have a single mission-to better the lives of swimmers in all ways possible. My thoughts, words, and deeds have the potential to impact them positively or negatively. I wrote Second Chance Swim Coach to illustrate the influence swim coaches have on those they coach. On the one hand, they must demand excellence, while on the other, nurture self-belief, so swimmers blossom at the moment as well as later in life. Sadly, this critical balance can go off-kilter, where "swimming needs" trump human needs. In this story, Coach Carlos realizes the errors of his ways and spends the balance of his life making up for lost time. Nick Baker has spent 56 years of life pursuing his passion. First, as a swimmer, qualifying for the Olympic Trials, second as an Olympic Coach, and third as the founder of Peak Performance Swim Camp. His coaching philosophy is genuinely unique, believing success in life (or the pool) begins with a person's "inner excellence," and extends outwardly from there. He's a master of artful communication leaving no stone unturned to convey his winning and optimistic message. His newest book, Second Chance Swim Coach, is the latest example of that.