One Week Out: Small-Group Sessions with Herbie Behm & Gregg Troy at 2026 ASCA World Clinic — When Scarcity Becomes Strategy

Orlando, early September. Rosen Centre Hotel, third-floor hallway, a young coach leans against the wall, staring at his phone. He just received an email notification: the three-hour small-group sessions with Herbie Behm and Gregg Troy are nearly full. He hasn't had time to read the full content, hasn't had time to ask colleagues whether it's worth the money. He only knows one thing: if he doesn't register within the next 48 hours, this opportunity will disappear.

I have witnessed similar scenes at many World Cups, many major competitions. People look at the goal; I look at the pass ten moves before. And here, ahead of the 2026 ASCA World Clinic, that pass is the way the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) is orchestrating a narrative of scarcity — a sophisticated strategy that most attendees don't recognize.

Context: The ASCA World Clinic, the largest annual event for swimming coaches in the United States, will take place from September 9-12, 2026, at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando. With more than 60 sessions and approximately 50 speakers, this event has long been a familiar destination for coaches from local clubs to national teams. But this year, there are two important differences.

First, the clinic's theme is "Grassroots to Podium: It Starts With Us" — a clear strategic signal: ASCA wants to elevate the professional status of coaches, especially those working at the grassroots level — where children touch the water for the first time.

Second, and more importantly, this is the last opportunity for coaches to be certified under the old system before ASCA launches a completely redesigned certification system on November 2. In other words, this year's clinic is not just a learning event — it is the bridge between two certification eras.

I have spent 34 years observing the sports industry, from my early days writing about swimming to covering the Olympics and World Cups. I have witnessed how sports organizations use scarcity to drive behavior. And I can tell you: what ASCA is doing with these small-group sessions is a classic lesson in the art of creating value through limitation.

Look at the product structure. While the main conference has more than 60 sessions with about 50 speakers — a massive menu where anyone can choose — the small-group sessions are deliberately limited. Three hours, a small group, two elite coaches. Not a one-hour lecture before hundreds of people, but a truly interactive space where attendees can ask questions, explore methodology, and go deep into the thinking of those who have built the most successful training programs.

This is the key point I want to emphasize: the value of the small-group sessions lies not in the content — it lies in the interactive structure. A one-hour lecture before 200 people, no matter how excellent, is still one-way communication. The listener sits there, takes notes, maybe asks one or two questions if lucky. But three hours with a small group is a completely different structure: it forces attendees to participate, to think, to confront their own assumptions.

I remember the 2026 World Cup, when I sat in the press conference room in Russia and witnessed how local journalists noisily asked questions without thinking. They asked to hear their own voices, not to get answers. The small-group sessions at ASCA are designed to counter exactly that. There is no room for noise. Only substantive exchange.

But let's step back and look at the bigger picture. This scarcity is not accidental. It is a strategic tool.

For years, I have watched how sports organizations create value through limitation. Major tournaments limit the number of participation slots. Top clubs limit the number of scouts. Prestigious academies limit the number of students. Scarcity creates demand, and demand creates perceived value.

ASCA is applying exactly that principle. By limiting the number of attendees in the small-group sessions, they are not just creating a better educational product — they are creating a product with higher perceived value. And when perceived value is high, people are willing to pay more.

Interestingly, the promotional article never mentions price. No numbers. No price list. Only assertions that these sessions are "invaluable" and the "most valuable three hours." This is a deliberate sales tactic: value first, price later. Once you are convinced that something is invaluable, the number on the invoice becomes relative.

I have seen this tactic work in many fields, from football to technology. And it works especially well when combined with a hard deadline — like November 2, the launch date of the new certification system.

Let's talk about Gregg Troy. With decades of program-building and athlete development, Troy is one of the most influential coaches in the history of American swimming. He served as head coach of the 2026 US Olympic team, having developed names like Ryan Lochte, Caeleb Dressel, and Katie Ledecky. His presence at a national clinic is a clear signal: ASCA wants to attract not just young coaches new to the profession, but also veteran coaches seeking innovation.

As for Herbie Behm, with his foundation at Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida — one of the most prestigious college preparatory programs in the country — he represents the talent development pipeline. The pairing of Troy (pinnacle, Olympic) and Behm (grassroots, development) creates a duo that covers the entire coaching career spectrum: from the first days a child touches the water, to the moments of standing on the Olympic podium.

This is the "Grassroots to Podium" message made concrete through specific people.

But I want to offer a contrarian perspective. While everyone is focused on the scarcity of the small-group sessions, I want to ask: does the real value actually lie there?

Look at the data. The promotional article asserts that these sessions will help attendees "make tangible progress toward their professional goals." But not a single number is provided. No data on past attendee satisfaction rates. No testimonials from coaches who have attended before. No certification pass rates. All we have are assertions from the organizers.

I learned from the 2026 data whirlwind that: numbers don't lie, but people do. And when a promotional article doesn't provide any numbers to support its strong claims, I start asking questions.

That doesn't mean these small-group sessions have no value. On the contrary, I believe they have tremendous value — but that value lies in the structure, not in the promoted content. Three hours of direct interaction with a legendary coach like Gregg Troy is a rare opportunity. But the real value depends on the attendee: Have they prepared questions? Are they willing to confront their own assumptions? Have they brought real situations from their program to discuss?

A small-group session only has value when the attendee knows how to exploit it. And that is something no promotional article can guarantee.

Now, let's talk about the most important aspect of this story: the certification system transition.

On November 2, 2026, ASCA will launch a completely redesigned certification system. The promotional article calls this year's clinic the "last chance" to be certified under the old system. This is a hard, verifiable deadline — and it is the strongest decision-driving element in the entire story.

But let's ask: what will happen to coaches who already hold certifications under the old system? Will they be recognized under the new system? Will they have to pay additional fees to transition? Will they have to complete supplementary courses?

The article doesn't mention any of these. And this silence is notable.

I have followed many system transitions in sports — from rule changes to competition structure changes. And I know that: when an organization doesn't disclose details about a transition, there is usually a reason. Maybe they haven't finalized the plan. Maybe they want to avoid confusion. Or maybe they are using uncertainty as a tool to drive behavior.

"Last chance" is a powerful message. It creates urgency. It makes people act. But it also raises the question: why this urgency? Why isn't ASCA announcing details about the new system right now?

The answer might be simple: they want to ensure maximum attendance at this year's clinic. By creating a hard deadline, they turn clinic attendance from a choice into an urgent need.

This is not an accusation. This is how organizations operate. I have seen this in football, in swimming, in every sport I have followed. Scarcity and deadlines are the most effective behavior management tools.

But as someone who has spent 34 years verifying data before making judgments, I want to offer advice: ask ASCA directly about transition details. Don't just rely on the "last chance" message. Ask: Will my certification be recognized? Will I have to pay additional fees? Will I have to complete supplementary courses?

And remember: if you are a coach considering attending this clinic, make your decision based on the real value of learning, not on the fear of being left behind.

Because ultimately, what matters most is not what certification you hold in your hand. It's whether you know how to read the lane, read the athlete, read yourself.

It took me three years to understand: the whirlwind is not to be feared, but to be ridden. And this year's clinic, with all its scarcity and urgency, is exactly such a whirlwind.

Look at the bigger picture. ASCA is in transition. The new certification system launches in November. The "Grassroots to Podium" theme reflects a long-term strategy to elevate the professional status of coaches. And the small-group sessions are a test of a new revenue model — a premium product that could be scaled in the future.

If these sessions succeed — if they sell out and receive positive feedback — we can expect ASCA to expand this model. Perhaps there will be more small-group sessions in future clinics. Perhaps there will be intensive sessions with other legendary coaches. Perhaps this model will spread to other countries — I can imagine Swimming Australia or British Swimming adopting a similar model.

This is how the sports industry develops: one organization tests a new model, and if it succeeds, it becomes the new standard.

But there is another possibility. If the small-group sessions fail to meet expectations — if attendees feel those three hours weren't worth the money — then ASCA's reputation could suffer. The claim of the "most valuable three hours" could become a double-edged sword.

This is the biggest risk in this story. And it's beyond ASCA's control. Because the value of an interactive session depends on both sides: the teacher and the learner. ASCA can control the quality of the teacher — and with Troy and Behm, they have chosen the best. But they cannot control the preparation of the learner.

A small-group session with Gregg Troy will only have value if attendees come with smart questions, real situations, and a willingness to confront their own assumptions. If they come with a passive mindset, waiting to be inspired, they will leave disappointed.

I have witnessed this many times in my career. I have seen talented athletes fail because they didn't know how to exploit their potential. I have seen excellent coaches unable to convey knowledge because they didn't know how to listen. And I have seen golden opportunities wasted because people weren't prepared.

So, if you are considering attending these small-group sessions, here is my advice: prepare. Don't come with the mindset of an audience. Come with the mindset of a participant. Bring real situations from your program. Write down the questions you haven't found answers to. Be willing to face the truth that maybe you've been doing things wrong for years.

Because that is the real value of these small-group sessions: not that you learn something new, but that you realize what you've been doing wrong.

And that is an invaluable gift.

But remember: scarcity doesn't create value by itself. It only creates demand. Real value lies in what you do with the opportunity.

I will end this article with a question, not an answer. Because that is how I have learned to see the sports world — and the world in general.

The question is: when you stand before a scarce opportunity, are you chasing it out of fear of missing out, or are you chasing it because you know what you will do with it?

The difference between those two answers is the difference between someone controlled by the market and someone who controls the market.

And in the sports industry — where everything can be measured, from swimming speed to conversion rates — I have learned that: the most successful people are not the fastest runners. They are the ones who know exactly where they are running.

Come to Orlando this September. Attend the small-group sessions if you have the chance. Take advantage of the certification deadline if it fits your plans. But don't let scarcity drive your decision.

Let real value — the value you can create for your athletes — be your guide.

Because ultimately, that is the only thing that matters.

And that is something no promotional article can tell you.