When Lance Bergmann stepped onto the chlorine-scented pool deck at NMU, he brought more than a new face and a stopwatch—he brought a philosophy that challenges tradition. When Bergmann talks about coaching, it quickly becomes clear that winning races isn’t his only priority. For him, swimming is as much about shaping people as it is about shaping athletes.
“I think that, especially, part of our job is creating successful humans,” Bergmann said. “Sports in general teach you how to fail and how to be perseverant and know how to have grit. If we can create good, well-prepared human beings, the swimming part is going to take care of itself.”
Bergmann’s path to NMU wasn’t always clear-cut. While in high school, he was a two-sport athlete who eventually committed to swimming. Later, he competed at Eastern Michigan University, where he also studied education. After college, he balanced full-time teaching with coaching at the Bloomington-Normal YMCA Waves swimming club. While there, Bergmann used yoga to promote body mechanics and flexibility, restructuring their dryland program.
His coaching journey later took him to Eastern Illinois University as a volunteer coach, where he assisted with practice plans, video review and day-to-day operations. Bergmann’s next move landed him at Illinois College. Now, Bergmann has found home in Marquette, and he’s bringing a fresh approach with him.
“When I swam, we didn’t do a lot of rest, and we had a lot of injuries,” Bergmann said. “Now, I see rest and recovery as nearly 40% of the process, and the mental side is just as important. If you’re not ready physically and mentally, you’re not going to get everything out of practice anyway.”
Unlike traditional coaches who emphasize endless yardage, Bergmann is focused on treating athletes as people first. He values quality over quantity, designing practices around smarter, more technique-based training.
“I try not to think yards, yards, yards anymore,” he said. “It’s about making sure we’re being smart about rest and treating the entire athlete.”
What drew Bergmann to NMU wasn’t just the program’s success—it was the team culture.
“One of the things I loved about swimming was the bond between teammates,” he said. “When I came here, I saw a team that genuinely wants to be together, and that’s something you can coach from. Even if someone isn’t there yet athletically, if they have the right attitude and keep showing up, that’s when the real stuff happens.”
His passion for coaching comes from a deeply personal place. Bergmann left a stable teaching job, complete with a retirement plan, to chase his dream of coaching full time.
“I quit my job, moved my wife to the middle of nowhere and went all in on this,” Bergmann said. “But I knew this was what I wanted to do.”
Heading into his first season at NMU, Bergmann isn’t only focused on conference titles or national rankings. Instead, he’s building a foundation for long-term success.
“Even if we don’t win this year, if we do all the right things, we’re going to have a better chance down the road,” Bergmann said. “Process over outcome—that’s where I want our mindset to be.”
For Bergmann, coaching isn’t just about improving strokes or shaving seconds off race times. It’s about creating better people, encouraging a supportive team culture, and preparing athletes for life beyond the pool.
“I think just keep loving what you’re doing and being supportive of each other,” he said. “Everybody’s got their own stuff going on, and if we show up for one another, we’ll get through anything, in and out of the water.”
