The Other Side of the Podium: Olivia Smoliga on Confidence and Identity

In this episode of Lane One: Making Waves—produced in collaboration with the International Swim Coaches Association (ISCA) and supported by Swimming World—Olivia talks about a different kind of win: cultivating self-confidence that isn’t tethered to medals or times.

Smoliga reflects on Team USA, the pressure of performing as a pro, and the mindset pivots that helped her turn anxiety into growth. She also introduces In Depth Swim Academy, her new platform pairing on-deck skill work with classroom tools—visualization, goal-setting, breath work, and recovery—to help swimmers thrive in and out of the water.

“Results are feedback, not identity,” Smoliga says, urging athletes (and parents) to normalize strategic breaks, protect their joy, and build daily stillness as a performance skill. The conversation touches on open-water humility, the “Blue Mind” effect of being near water, and why community and values alignment matter as much as lactate tolerance.

ISCA’s mission to elevate coaching education and age-group development runs throughout the episode; Smoliga argues the mental tools typically reserved for elites should start early—so athletes stay in the sport longer and healthier.

Listen on Spotify here