Aquajets’ Kate Lundsten on Training Elite Club Swimmers, Developing “HAPIE” Athletes

In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges, Garrett McCaffrey, and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes the biggest names in swimming you already know and rising stars you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.

Kate Lundsten has been the Head Coach of the Aquajets Swim Team since 2004. In that stretch, she has been named to multiple USA Swimming International Staffs, coached multiple NAG records, and built a reputation of excellence with 7 Silver and 5 Gold medals in USA Swimming’s Club Excellence program.

In this conversation Kate discusses her coaching style as a combination of fun and holding the kids accountable. She likes to teach by asking the kids the right questions so that they can figure out solutions on their own.

She dives deep into underwaters, a strength for most of the top level Aquajets swimmers. Kate is kind enough to give us a couple example sets she uses to make the kick count automatic in races. She also tells us a little about her dryland and how it fits into the overall progression of their program.

Kate describes a very healthy culture centered around the Aquajets values, HAPIE. Humility, Accountability, Perseverance, Integrity, and Empathy. Much of the program’s success seems to come from Kate’s ability to learn and let her coaches do the jobs they were hired to do.

A lot to be learned from one of the best coaches in the sport!