Sometimes at international meets Linda Kiefer reads the workout sheets swimmers from other countries leave on the starting blocks when training.
“They might be written in another language but the numbers are the same in every language,” said the veteran assistant head coach at the University of Toronto.
The sheets give Kiefer some insight into the training methods being used by other coaches from around the world.
“You never stop learning,” said Kiefer, a member of Swimming Canada’s coaching staff at the Paris Olympic Games. “Once you decide you’re going to stop learning, it’s time for you to be done.”
For many athletes and coaches the Olympics are about competition and accomplishment. For Kiefer, the Games are a classroom offering new lessons.
“It’s the best professional development you can ever do,” she said. “By talking with coaches, you develop friendships over the years. You always learn something . . . just by talking, sharing ideas.
“Some people might think they know everything. I’m certainly not (like) that and I always learn something.”
Kiefer has over 40 years coaching experience, the last 33 at the University of Toronto. Along with Bryon MacDonald she helped develop backstroker Kylie Masse into a three-time Olympian who has won four Olympic and nine long-course world championship medals, plus is a former record holder.
Paris will be Kiefer’s sixth Olympics. She was part of Swimming Canada’s staff at both the Tokyo and Rio Games. At the London 2012 Games she coached for Swaziland and also worked with Canadian open water swimmer Zsofia Balazs. She also attended two Olympics as a personal coach not on the Canadian staff.
Even with her experience Kiefer still feels the butterflies as the Games approach.
“It’s always exciting,” she said. “It doesn’t get old.
“There are people you see on the pool deck. There’s still amazing swims to watch.”
Like at the Tokyo 2020 Games, Kiefer is the only woman on the eight-member Canadian coaching staff. Team manager Jan Hanan, physiotherapist Meghan Buttle and massage therapist Suzanne Moroney are among the nine-member support staff.
The 63-year-old Kiefer said a woman brings a different perspective to coaching.
“I think having a female coach on staff is pretty important,” she said. “We think differently than men. We see things differently.
“I’ve had comments from other women on the team. You can understand what they’re thinking, what they’re going through.”
Kiefer believes more qualified women will be included on coaching staffs in the future.
“I want it to be earned,” she said. “There are more women on deck. I think we’ll probably see a few more on deck at the Games.
“It’s a slow process. I think we’re trying harder in our country now to help each other, and I think it’s working.”
Masse said having Kiefer on the team is comforting.
“Knowing you can go to her if you need anything in the pool or out of the pool, it’s great,” she said.
Having Kiefer at the Olympics also sends an important message to other women coaches.
“Coaching is mostly a male-dominated profession,” said Masse. “To have other women see her on the international stage is incredible for them and their career projection.”
Kiefer was a backstroke swimmer at university. When her swimming career ended, she got her foot in the coaching door by working with MacDonald at the University of Toronto.
In Paris Kiefer will be responsible for a group of swimmers that include Masse and Maggie Mac Neil, the 100-m butterfly gold medallist in Tokyo.
Kiefer will also be responsible for the 4x100-medley and 4x100-mixed medley relays.
Besides working with Kiefer and MacDonald, Masse trained at the High Performance Centre – Ontario under Ben Titley. When Titley’s contract was not renewed, Masse moved to Spain so she could continue to train with him.
Kiefer remains close with both Masse and Titley.
Masse trained with Kiefer for two weeks over Christmas this year and the two worked together prior to May’s Olympic & Paralympic Swimming Trials, presented by Bell.
Kiefer also speaks on the telephone regularly with Titley.
“He (says) you know her as well as I do,” she said.
Kiefer has worked with Mac Neil at events since 2019.
With Masse and Mac Neil training out of country, Kiefer’s role at the Olympics is to act as a sounding board and a link to their coaches.
“I talk to their home coaches and get ideas for workouts,” she said. “I might take a video and send it to their home coach.
“Sometimes it’s just to relieve anxiety, relieve pressure. They’re going to come up and talk to me before they race.”
Kiefer doesn’t have any problem seeking advice and input from a swimmer’s coach who might not be at the Games or who is working for another country.
“It certainly is a different role,” she said. “Some coaches are good at it and don’t mind doing it. Other coaches don’t really like coaching other people’s swimmers.
“If I didn’t put them on the team, why would I not follow their coach’s workout? I have no problem.”
The team of Kayla Sanchez, Taylor Ruck, Sydney Pickrem, Mac Neil, Masse and Penny Oleksiak combined for a bronze medal in the medley relay in Tokyo.
This year’s medley relays will be held on the final day of competition. Kiefer said the team has many potential swimmers.
“It’s made up more of what happens during the meet,” she said. “We know who the fastest four are, but sometimes you like to rest somebody in the morning.
“The first goal is to get them into the finals. The second goal is to win a medal.”