72. Enjoy the Journey with Olympic Diving Coach Kenny Armstrong
On this episode of the Pursuit of Gold, Laura welcomes her diving coach of thirty years, Kenny Armstrong, to the podcast. Not only is he a two time Olympic diver, but he’s also a coach turned father figure who helps aspiring divers get Division One scholarships and even gold medals. The pair dive into Armstrong’s origin story as well as his ‘out of the box’ training style, and why it works. As a young boy, Kenny began his diving career rather uniquely: diving into a pond. A decade and a half later, he would find himself at the 1972 Olympics, diving in front of a large audience for the first time. It wasn’t until the University of Calgary, however, that he got his start coaching.
Since then, his career earned Kenny a legacy defined by consistency, adaptability, culture, and fun. Like Laura says at the onset of the episode, “A good coach can change the game. A great coach can change your life,” and for so many athletes, Kenny has done just that. Today, he talks about why he loves it all so much, what it is about the sport that gets him excited, and why the athletes’ success is far more important than his own. Reminiscing on ‘offbeat’ diving retreats during which he lost half of his squad, his team’s special comradery, moments of victory with Laura, and practicing sports psychology, he notes that the journey always supersedes the destination to him. He and Laura strongly hold the belief that the two minutes of victory on the podium are too fleeting to hold onto; it’s the moments in between that really matter. So listen to this special conversation to hear about the legend that is Kenny Armstrong and his unique and highly successful career.
The Finer Details of this Episode:
Armstrong’s first dives into a pond
The ‘72 Olympic Games
Reckoning with his international status
Getting his coaching start at the University of Calgary
Creating culture
Why consistency wins
Knowing your people and letting them know you
Winning gold together
Why the journey > the destination
The freedom of diving
Father figure and mentor
Quotes:
“A good coach can change the game. A great coach can change your life. I feel like that describes Kenny in a nutshell.”
“These athletes would want us to continue, which was probably true. I mean, if they had a vote… we'd have been probably still going.”
“Well, I finally found out that I could be competitive on an international level. I did pretty well in Nationals and in the Olympic trials. Finally, I think the year of 1980, I beat Greg in his home pool.”
“Everybody says we have to separate politics and sports, but it's impossible. You can't do it.”
“You have to have a culture. Like it's one thing for me to tell somebody how to win a gold medal. It's another thing if they get to train with somebody that is doing that.”
“People seem to say about all the greats from different sports that these coaches knew each one of their athletes so well individually, how to push their buttons, or how to back off– and they had to back off.”
“This whole culmination of your life has to be about more than two minutes standing on the podium.”
“So don't lose the fun in sport. That's what brings kids, and when they get too serious about it, that takes the fun away. So you've got to be obviously serious, or you're not going to make it, but you have to also be very careful with that.”
Links:
Grab the Black Friday Catalog!
Laura’s Social Media:
49. Bouncing Forward with Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy
Joining Laura on the podcast this week is the top-ranked female adaptive snowboarder in the U.S., Amy Purdy. Diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis at the age of 19, Amy has gone on to become a three-time World Cup para-snowboard gold medalist, the 2014 Paralympic bronze medalist, and the founder of Adaptive Action Sports, a nonprofit organization that helps youth, young adults, and wounded veterans with physical disabilities get involved with action sports. She is a professional motivational speaker who has been featured at both TEDx and Pop Tech, and is also an actress, model, dancer, clothing designer, and an experienced product spokesperson. In addition to all this, Amy was also the breakout star and a finalist on season 18 of 'Dancing with the Stars'. A true inspiration to us all, Amy shares her incredible story with Laura and her listeners here today.
Amy starts by discussing her love for snowboarding during her teenage years. She then discusses her struggle with her medical condition and how she rose above her hardships through her self-belief. As you listen, you’ll learn of Amy’s many accomplishments, such as securing brand deals and winning a bronze medal. Along the way, you’ll understand Amy’s positive contributions to athletes with disabilities/special needs, and the lessons you learn from this podcast will definitely inspire you to look at difficulties in a whole new way.
Episode Highlights:
-Amy’s early days when she snowboarded with her friends
-How meningococcal meningitis impacted Amy
-Amy’s struggle with self-doubt
-How Amy discovered a creative solution to help her snowboard
-How Amy co-founded Adaptive Action Sports
-Amy’s successes with snowboarding
-How Amy’s injury complications changed her life
-Amy’s experiences and how she connects with her audience
Quotes
‘’So yeah, so snowboarding really was my passion. That’s what pulled me through my darkest days. And then you know, who would have thought that it would become almost my purpose, right?”
“And when I woke up from this coma, a few days later, I still have this respirator down my throat. And so, I couldn’t talk. But I wrote out on a piece of paper that I was given a choice and I chose to stay.’’
“I was just hanging on, and also incredibly grateful, like to have the opportunity to hang on and fight. And so, gratitude became a big part of not just a practice, but to be honest, like a very natural organic thing for me, because every day I woke up and I was alive, I was grateful whether I’d lost my legs or not.’’
“And I remember at one point saying, ‘I don’t know if I can do this, but if anybody can, it’s going to be me.’ ‘’
“I needed a community of people who are like me, and it didn’t really exist and needed something to pull it together.’’
‘’It’s like going through the valleys of despair and like finding your way out and having these real realizations of what’s really important in life, and how do we get through challenges. And I’ve decided to share the journey along the way.’’
Show Links
New Book: Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect With Amy:
Bouncing Forward with Amy Purdy
Adaptive Action Sports Website
Resources:
On My Own Feet: The Journey from Losing My Legs to Learning the Dance of Life (2014)