The Shannon Rollason Podcast

Episode 10 - Ask Shannon Anything Part 2

Welcome to the Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

This week Shannon answers all your questions in our very first Ask Shannon Anything episode.

We have also broken this episode up into two parts so that everyone gets to listen and hear their questions being answered by Shannon himself.

This is also our final podcast for the year in 2021, don't miss next weeks Part 2 for our final episode before Christmas

Episode 9 - Ask Shannon Anything Part 1

Welcome to the Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

This week Shannon answers all your questions in our very first Ask Shannon Anything episode.

We have also broken this episode up into two parts so that everyone gets to listen and hear their questions being answered by Shannon himself.

This is also our final podcast for the year in 2021, don't miss next weeks Part 2 for our final episode before Christmas

Episode 8 - 2011 Shanghai World Champs with Brant Best

Welcome to the Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

This week Shannon welcomes special guest in World Championship winning and Olympic Coach, now QAS Coach development officer and one of the sharpest swimming minds in our business Brant Best.

Brant joins Shannon to discuss the 2011 Shanghai World Champs and all the highlights and learning experiences from the major meet, including illness within the camp, preparation for the meet and of course James Magnussens incredible win in the men's 100 Freestyle.

Shannon and Brant go through Brant's early influences in coaching as well and what lessons he still keeps with him on pool deck today.

Some great stories and learning moments for all coaches out there in this one

Episode 7 - Interview with Tarnee White

Welcome to the Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

This week Shannon welcomes special guest, Australian Swimming Legend, former athlete of Shannon's squad and 2 time Olympian Tarnee White.

In this rare interview with the Olympic and Comm Games Gold medallist, Shannon and Tarnee discuss her amazing career in the pool from it's beginnings up in Redcliffe training with legendary Aussie Coach Ken Wood and the phenomenally talented squad they had up there. 

We speak about Tarnee's transition into Shannon's squad in 2003, and the incredible 6 year journey that would follow including hurdles, challenges, triumphs and success. 

Tarnee has a tremendous story to tell and one i think that shows the level of determination and commitment she truely had as an athlete, and I'm sure as you listen to this chat you won't be able to help but admire her as we did for being a strong, resilient athlete, that would be a perfect role model for any aspiring athlete coming through squads today.

 

 

Episode 6 - Kyle Chalmers World Record

Welcome to the Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

This week Shannon gives us his thoughts on Kyle Chalmers World Record 100m Freestyle (Short Course), 44.84 in Kazan for the World Cup Series. 

Shannon talks to us about seeing a shift in Kyle's speed and why a lot of athletes find themselves swimming best times following a major meet like and Olympic Games. As well as sharing some of his own stories from coaching athletes who managed to have breakthroughs after major preparations.

We also discuss training at the moment, especially in NSW and Melbourne and how Shannon's squad down at the AIS is slowly building back into things post lockdown. Shannon gives us a peak behind the curtain into their training at the moment and gives advice to all coaches going through a similar situation and the best ways to navigate this tricky time.

A lot of great coaching take always this week, as always. So get your pen and paper ready because you'll be wanting to write some of these coaching gems down.

Episode 5 - Interview with Mat Trodden

Welcome to the Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

Today Shannon sits down to chat with long time friend, former colleague in Edenborough and Scottish Team Coach              Mat Trodden.

In this podcast Shannon and Mat discuss the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Team GB success, as well as reliving some great stories from Shannon's time coaching in Edenborough. The boys talk programming, learning experiences, and always staying versatile as a coach and continue challenging what we think we know. Mat talks from a wealth of experience on Scottish and Great Britain teams at European, Comm Games and World Champs.

We talk breaststrokers from Great Britain and why the men's team have had so much success for a long time. And we give our GOAT of male breaststroke world wide. 

Another fantastic episode one Australia's new number 1 swimming podcast, so many stories from two of the best coaches in the business with a lot of insights and experience behind them along with a lot of laughs and fun.

 

 

Episode 4 - Interview with Alan Thompson

Welcome to the Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

Today Shannon changes up the format and goes one on one with former Australian Swimming Head Coach and a man who lead Australia to it's equal most successful Olympic Medal tally in the pool Mr Alan Thompson.

In this podcast Shannon and Alan discuss the late 90s to 2000s in our sport, and share rare stories of a time where both coaches were right in the thick of it when it comes to the Australian Swim Team. Alan is a unique coach in that he has appeared on the Australian team in many forms from a manager, Open Water head coach, Olympic coach in 2004, to Head Coach. The boys discuss trying to ensure both the Men's and Women's teams are firing at the same time come Olympic Games which isn't easy to get right, as well as Alan's take on the super suit era.

We ask him his favourite Swimmers of all time, as well as his role as Head Coach and what he got right, and if there's anything he would change.

Of course we also ask about his time working at Campbelltown Swimming Club and the great athletes and coaches that came from that pool out west.

It's very rare you get to hear from Alan Thompson, and such is the respect he has for Shannon in agreeing to come on the podcast for a chat, very insightful, great stories, from one of the most respected men in the business.

 

Enjoy

Episode 3 - Team Denmark

Welcome to The Shannon Rollason Podcast

This is episode number 3, and in this podcast Shannon talks to us all about him time coaching in Denmark.

From the decision to leave the AIS and go to a European country to coach, to his first impressions of working in Denmark. We get real with discussions around family/work balance and the toll coaching takes on our families and how important the support from our families is to success.

We also go through some of the amazing stories of athletes Shannon worked with during his time like World Champion Jeanette Ottesen, World Record Holder Rikke Moller Pedersen and Olympic Champion Pernille Blume, as well as taking us through some of the major events like 2013 World Champs, 2014 European Champs and of course the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where team Denmark won a Bronze medal in the women's 4x100 Medley relay.

You may have know Shannon coached in Denmark but i can assure you, you don't know the full story and all of the amazing record breaking moments that went into his time in Europe.

 

Episode 2 - Jodie Henry

Welcome to The Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

This is Episode 2 and todays stories come from the Shannon's work with the one and only Jodie Henry

Shannon gives us his first hand accounts of working with one of Australia's greatest ever sprinters, from a young shy teenager coming to the pool, all the way through to becoming Olympic and World Champion.

We discuss the ups and downs of this amazing career, from the Gold medal and world record in Athens being the first Aussie Women to win the 100 Free in 50 years, to Jodie changing programs, even her phone call to Shannon on his last day of work at the AIS.

Its all here, as we pay tribute to an absolute legend of swimming, a ground breaker when it comes to Women's sprinting in our country.

Hope you all enjoy, don't forget to subscribe and give us a rating 

Episode 1 - 2004 Athens Olympics

Welcome to The Shannon Rollason Podcast, a swimming podcast like no other.

This Episode 1 and todays stories come from the Iconic 2004 Athens Olympic Games which was 17 years ago.

Shannon gives us his insights into the lead up to the games including the long term goal setting that took place around winning the Women's 4x100 Freestyle relay for Australia, and how much work went into achieving that goal.

We get his unique perspective on Jodie Henry winning Gold for Australia in the Women's 100m Freestyle, from the training, to the race itself and all the stories in between.

 Along with Shannon's own athletes we discuss Thorpie's false start at trials in the Men's 400m Freestyle, the famous full body race suits from back in the day, the conditions in Athens with the village and the venues, as well as his take on some of the Iconic races including the race of the century, and Petria Thomas Gold winning performance in the Women's 100m Butterfly.

You might have heard a lot of swimming podcasts, but you have never heard one like this. Amazing stories from a great time in our sport, from a man who is one of the best in the world, and was a part of all the legendary moments.