Jana Glas recently joined BISP as a Swim Academy Coach who will mainly oversee the bronze squad. Jana most recently worked at the German Olympic training centre with the performance junior team. We took some time to ask her a few questions and get to know her better. 

What is your role as a swim coach and how do you anticipate students and parents will connect with you? 

Sharing the joy of swimming and empathy are key as we get to share practice and the progress that comes with it every day. That’s why I see myself as part of a triangle – students, parents and coaches or coaches team. Communication is the path to success, so I’m always up for open and direct communication and am happy to answer questions or have a quick chat to help out. 

What do you enjoy most about working in education?

I mostly enjoy that nowadays it’s more like mentoring. Whether it’s practice or social life related, I enjoy guiding and supporting students through their tasks and seeing and being part of their growth through every step and every success.

What attracted you to BISP?

I was impressed by the school, its philosophy and the variety of opportunities on campus from the first moment I read about it. It’s well organised and structured, too, which I like a lot. Teaching the students integrally supports my approach, so I thought it to be the perfect place to live and do what I enjoy the most – being a swim coach.

What’s a professional skill, or area of interest, that you’re keen on developing at BISP? 

My interest is in supporting my team by helping build a broad and strong base of young swimmers who share a passion for swimming and competitive swimming. I gathered a lot of experience from my previous coaching positions as well as my own swimming career. 

Having coached all levels and ages, I have learned to be flexible to use different approaches to be able to pick up students at their skill level and teach according to that and their goals.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

Swimming and the gym are of course still part of my time off work, but I also like to read to expand my horizons, learn about new skills or languages, or go for a little adventure and see where the journey will take me. During vacation, I like to enjoy quality time with family and close friends.

What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why?

Taking the time to listen to the athletes, enjoying a well-structured process in every detail that comes with the sport and my ambition to always learn more and improve. I was pretty much all about that as a swimmer, but couldn’t thrive as my coaches weren’t able to support this and my needs, so as soon as I became a coach, I got to implement it and with time I got good connections with my groups, was able to share the passion and quickly got students to enjoy the process and thrive as a team.

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

Trust the journey life is taking you on, appreciate the ups and downs and the different people you meet on your way – they’re all there for a reason, for a new lesson and will pave your way forward. You only have one life, make the best out of it,  stay creative and inspire.