INSIDE with BRETT HAWKE
Episode 002: Sergio Lopez

Sergio Lopez has played a pivotal role in the training success of countless professional swimmers— many of which have gone on to compete in the Olympics including Joseph Schooling and Santo Condorelli.

Today, in conversation, he shares the motivations behind his coaching methods and how he is helping his student athletes to find themselves. He dives into the importance of teaching and talking about depression in sports and shares how his values have shaped him as a husband, father and coach. Find out what he has experienced in working with some of the world’s best swimmers and hear his amazing story of how he bounced back from a major injury to place 9th in the world.

“Success is a state of mind."

- Sergio Lopez [15:35]

Key Takeaways:

Sergio Lopez’s coaching philosophy.
How he is striving to find synergy for his student athletes.
Thoughts on depression in athletes and being mindful.
Sergio’s experience overcoming mental blocks and recovering from a potentially career ending injury.

Episode Timeline:

[00:28] Intro
[01:26] How Coach Sergio Lopez plans his season
[03:21] His coaching philosophy
[06:25] Sergio’s thoughts on changes in college swimming
[11:58] Does Sergio Lopez still love coaching college swimming?
[14:22] The emotional investment that sets his coaching apart
[16:46] Thoughts on depression in swimmers
[19:23] Mental blocks and a story of childhood asthma
[20:42] How Sergio ranked 9th in the world after a major injury
[27:16] Meditation and getting to know yourself
[29:05] Thoughts on working with some of the greatest athletes in history
[31:32] What Jo Schooling, Caeleb Dressel, and Ryan Murphy all had in common
[37:12] Joseph Schooling’s mental state in the leadup to Singapore
[43:32] Outro

Key Quotes:

“Success is a state of mind." - Sergio Lopez [15:35]
"What's important is that every day I'm going to give my honest 100% and I have to accept that. I can cry for 5 minutes because I didn't reach my goal but after that, I can walk away cause I know I did everything I could. Nobody teaches that. ” - Sergio Lopez [18:49]
“I've always used meditation with the kids... because I feel that at least you can get in touch with who you are. One of the things that we have, it's like we're afraid to sit down alone and think. And really feel.” - Sergio Lopez [27:16]
“Sometimes the swimmers, the athletes that nobody knows are the ones that have changed your life even more.” - Sergio Lopez [43:09]