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"Reflecting on 50 Years of Coaching | Don Wagner" is an episode of The Swim Brief. Runtime 48 min. Published August 10, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
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Don Wagner spent more than fifty years coaching swimmers at every level of the sport—from developing young athletes to coaching Olympic champion Janet Evans during the most dominant stretch of her career.
In this conversation, Don reflects on the moments that defined his coaching journey, how training philosophy has changed over five decades, what he believes today's coaches get right (and wrong), and the lessons that mattered most after a lifetime on deck.
We discuss:
• Coaching Janet Evans during her world-record years
• Why today's swimmers may need more rest—not more work
• The evolution of coach-athlete relationships
• Building a coaching philosophy over fifty years
• The future of swimming and what Don hopes changes
• Small lessons from legendary coaches that stayed with him forever
Whether you're a swim coach, athlete, or simply interested in leadership and high performance, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom.
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