Shannon Rollason, just halfway through what was to be a three-year run to the 2016 Rio Olympics, is leaving Denmark. It’s a terrible loss for Danish Swimming. Almost a year ago I wrote that Danish Swimming seemed at its peak- now it seems to have found a new one. Coming off a dominant performance in Berlin, Denmark emerged as legitimate gold medal threats in any worldwide 400 medley relay. When will we say that again?
One non-Danish coach I spoke to told me about his first board meeting after starting work. For three hours, the members spoke entirely in Danish. The coach left dejected and confused. All around you will meet people who say they are interested in hearing different ideas but when decision time comes will politely mutter “that’s the way we’ve always done it” to the agreeing crowd of fellow Danes. To compound things, the collective level of gossip (and decisions made via gossip) in the country recalls everyone’s worst memories of high school, and even speaking the language won’t completely help.
Danish egalitarianism, one of the principle reasons for Danish happiness, can also have a frustrating effect on high achievers. The greater you achieve, the harder many Danes work to make you feel like what you accomplished is “not so impressive, and anyone could have done it, so don’t feel so good about it”.
It’s a country full of nice people, intelligent people, warm people (when you get to know them, if you ever do) who simply don’t understand what it means to be “not-Danish” in their country. When these nice people ask what integration is like, they often seem genuinely disappointed to hear how tough it is. At the same time, there is little motivation for change.
Now Denmark will lose it’s best coach, someone who’s performance record in his short time here should go without question, but also a person whose contribution to Danish swimming goes far beyond the medal count. Shannon Rollason is more than a swim coach- he was someone who was changing lives. He encouraged athletes to live whole lives- not just be “swimmers”. He did the same for coaches, arguing tirelessly that being a complete person is not just a key to success in sport but the right way to live. Swimming needs more like Shannon out in front. Danish Swimming definitely needed Shannon, but now they will have to do without.
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Well, Chris, that was nicely written.
As a former “outlander” coach in Denmark, I can confirm Chris’ statement about conversations of import going on around one in Danish. And as much as one might wish desperately to understand Danish, folk speaking words you do not understand slower and louder does not help increase understanding. However, at the same time, as much as one wants so very much to understand everything, there is a fair bit of guilt associated with expecting everyone else to speak a foreign language for the sake of just one person. (And gaining literacy to a level of competency to be able to write technical papers on biomechanics is a wee bit more involved than taking prove… Read more »
Don’t hold Australia on a pedestal. The Australian sports system is in disarray. London was our worst Olympics in 24 years. The latest Commonwealth games, the worst in 28 years. And there are no signs that the curve has bottomed out. Pretty much all talented professionals (coaches, scientists) have left in recent years, including but not limited to the highly esteemed Shannon. Bruce Mason, the legendary AIS Swimming Biomechanist has recently left, as have others. Swimming Australia is under review. Noel Donaldson, Former AIS Rowing Head coach left to New Zealand (our Sweden equivalent) and quickly made them world no 1, while Australia Rowing is well down medal tables in world cups and championship. Cycling Australia is almost bankrupt. In… Read more »
Among other problems, do you think they suffer from Tall Poppy or Steaming Pile of Egalitarianism as one of the factors?
Speaking of Australia, when I lived there in 1999-2000, they all spoke of the “Tall Poppy Syndrome” whereby if someone stood out higher than the rest they would be cut down to size. They all partook in it but also realized it as a minor problem. As an American there on a work visa, who also swam with a master’s team, my friends and co-workers put me up on a ridiculously distorted high pedestal and then enjoyed “taking the piss out of me” as they called cutting one down to size. But it all felt to me to be in good fun for the most part, and I enjoyed it.
I did notice the pattern somewhat in general, although… Read more »
Maybe it’s just a cold weather country or cold part of country thing, because it sure sounded like you were talking about New England here in the USA! When I was in college and I passed people I knew on campus, I’d say, “Hi, how are you doing?” I found out later that people I knew from southern (warmer) US states were offended that I didn’t stop and chat so they could actually TELL me how they were doing! That never occurred to me! 😉
Whatever they are doing in Denmark is terrific, and the US women’s medley relay is going to have a very tough time keeping up with them! Rio may be an all-time best games for Denmark… Read more »
Our relationship with Sweden is… complicated. There is a long tradition of mocking each other, lots of jokes at each other’s expense, but at the same time we don’t really hate them. It’s a bit like brothers and sisters. You want to beat them more than anyone else in the world, but at the same time you will stick up for them against others. So I hate it when Denmark lose to Sweden in sports, but at the same time I am quite happy to see Sweden beat other non-Nordic countries 🙂
I visited Denmark long time ago and best memory is all those guys from Sweden sleeping drunk in parks on weekends. They came by boat to drink themselves unconscious because alcohol was much more expensive in Sweden.
Thanks for your reply DanishSwimFan (I got it right this time; remember I called you ‘DanishWoman’ the other day? I’m still laughing at myself for that!). That was well explained. So, when the Danish women’s 4×100 free relay was DQ’d at Europeans and let the Swedes win gold it was terrible, but the fact that the Danish women’s 4×100 medley touched out the Swedes (that was a great race!) and beat them for gold was wonderful, and even better because both Denmark and sibling Scandinavian country Sweden beat the rest of Europe (actually, everybody but Australia I guess) made it even better, correct?
If you don’t mind a related question, is the same relationship true for Norway? How about Finland,… Read more »
Interesting article Mr DeSantis, who would have thought you could spark so much discussion of Danish culture on a swimming website 🙂
This has particular relevance in my household, as a young man I left Denmark to live and work abroad, where I met the lovely Mrs DSF. After 10 years or so living in the UK, we returned to Denmark about 5 years ago mostly as my wife wished to return to work after having our second child, but the disastrous and ruinously expensive childcare system in her home country would have made that difficult and financially not viable.
So we have both experienced being an immigrant in a foreign country and can compare our experiences a bit. A… Read more »
I am uncertain why they employed Shannon in first place. What was the goal of Danmark? They want to have someone with the ability to make change but they dont want to change? This sounding a lot also like Sweden. Perhaps because they feel threatened and must protect jobs.
“They are not insular but merely plotting their big comeback & they can’t let foreigners in on it” then why to have a foreign person come to Danmark? No sense.
I am happy for Shannon to go back to Australia and perhaps he will help them to continually beat us Europeans. Danmark dont deserve him.
well written Chris……..major loss for not only Denmark but also Europe.
It will be interesting to see if Australian swimming find a position for Shannon upon his return as they did NOTHING to stop him leaving the AIS or even Australia
I think this article is too harsh on Danes. They have welcomed Princess Mary , a Tasmanian as their future Queen consort when Australians have to be reminded to include Tasmania ( they are always left off maps ) & then not to make hillbilly jokes.
Danish detective series have spurned a big following in all things Danish. I have a genuine troll hat from the Faroe Islands I picked up at The Danish Shop in Hobart . I have ‘a learn to speak Danish ‘ course where I got to chapter 3 .
I think family really does get hard for all people living overseas , especially the Squeeze .( between children & ageing parents) Shannon’s predecessor at… Read more »
Let’s give credit to Mary herself as well. I saw her on the news and she has taken great pains to learn to speak Danish excellently. This definitely helps, although most foreigners are not as equipped for the transition as the princess is.
You have to understand that as I am being “tough” on the Danes, I am being tough on myself to a certain extent. My mother is Danish and I was as a citizen until 2005. I speak and understand Danish and can sometimes “pass” as a Dane. I even see some of the “cold” characteristics in myself.
We have parks bigger than Denmark so really they are monster achievers Happiness -wise they peaked in 1066 before getting beat by King Harald ( Danish mother) who then got beat the next day by William & The Nor(th)mans.
They are not insular but merely plotting their big comeback & they can’t let foreigners in on it .
LOL very true regarding australians leaving Tasmania off the australia map.
It reminds me of my first year at uni in Adelaide where my professor drew a map of australia without Tasmania.