26 Coaches Compete for 4 Spots on USA Swimming Coaches’ Advisory Council
Ballots have been sent out to registered USA Swimming member coaches for the election of four open seats on the USA Swimming Coaches’ Advisory Council. Coaches who have not received the email are encouraged to check their spam inbox, as some messages have been flagged as junk mail.
A total of 26 coaches are competing for a position on the influential advisory board, which represents USA Swimming’s 18,000 member coaches in the organization’s decision-making processes. The committee, initially formed in 2022, includes 12 coach members, six athlete members appointed by the Athletes Advisory Committee, and two staff liaisons (Joel Shinofield and Maggie Vail).
This year, four seats are up for election, as the terms of committee chair Tim Bauer of Tennessee Aquatics, Adrian Damasco of First Colony Swim Team in Houston, Mary Liston of Rockwood Swim Club in St. Louis, and Terry Stoddard of Pasadena City College and Swim Pasadena in California are set to expire. With the exception of Liston, all incumbents are running to retain their seats.
The Coaches’ Advisory Council gained significant attention last year when it published a public letter calling for changes within USA Swimming, following growing tensions between coaches and CEO Tim Hinchey. That letter, issued alongside a similar one from the American Swimming Coaches’ Association, is seen as a pivotal moment that contributed to Hinchey’s departure from the organization shortly thereafter.
Diverse Pool of Candidates
The slate of 26 candidates reflects a diverse range of coaching experience, from high-profile names who regularly send swimmers to the U.S. Olympic Trials to those who work primarily with age group swimmers. Candidates come from a wide geographic spectrum, with representation from both powerhouse swimming programs and regions less traditionally associated with competitive swimming.
Several candidates are former elite swimmers themselves, including Rhi Jeffrey, who won Olympic gold in 2004, and Bryce Bohman, a former professional swimmer. One candidate, Paul Murphy, is even a Masters coach.
The committee’s primary role is to advocate for the diverse voices of USA Swimming’s membership, from newcomers to seasoned veterans. The committee has also been tasked with addressing challenges within the swimming community, such as the unification of staff and membership, an initiative that was launched during the committee’s April meeting.
The council’s most significant authority is its decision-making power over the Coaches Assignment for all USA Swimming committees, a responsibility granted to them by the House of Delegates this fall.
The 26 Candidates:
- Jeff Arce – Head Coach, Rise Aquatic Club, Illinois
- Andrew Austria – Age Group Coach, Plymouth Whitemarsh Aquatic Club, Pennsylvania
- Tim Bauer – Head Coach, Tennessee Aquatics, Tennessee
- Bryce Bohman – Lead Gold 2 & Silver Coach, NCAP West, D.C. area
- John Bruenning – Lead Gold & National Assistant, Sarasota Sharks, Florida
- Lucas Curotto Ferreira – Head Coach, Gwinnett Aquatics, Georgia
- Adrian Damasco IV – Senior Coach, First Colony Swim Team, Texas
- Tarrik Daou – Head Coach, Daland Swim Team, California
- Dave Dorak – Head Coach, Glacier Aquatic Club, Montana
- Chrissy Gentry – Head Coach, Lakeside Aquatic Club, Texas
- Mark Gole – Head Coach, Northwest Arkansas Aquatics, Arkansas
- Ross Hedrick – Head Coach, Nu Wave Swim Club, Louisiana
- Rhi Jeffrey – Head Coach, Atlantis Aquatics, New Hampshire
- Andy Kershaw – Head Coach, University of Miami, Florida
- Alexis Keto – Associate Head Coach, Bolles School Sharks, Florida
- Catherine Leach – Head Age Group Coach, Tide Swimming, Virginia
- Kyle Margheim – Head Coach, Sioux Falls Swim Team, South Dakota
- Paul Murphy – Masters Coach, Greater Tampa Swim Association, Florida
- MacKenzie Novell – Assistant Coach, Fort Collins Area Swim Team, Colorado
- Alan Pfau – Futures, TAG 2 Coach, TAC Titans, North Carolina
- Mike Salpeter – Associate Head Coach, Tide Swimming, Virginia
- Jeffrey Scrivener – Head Coach, Columbia Aquatics Association, Maryland
- Richard Shipherd – Head Coach, La Mirada Armada, California
- Jeremiah Stanton – Head Coach, MAKO Aquatics Club, New Mexico
- Terry Stoddard – Head Coach, Pasadena City College/Swim Pasadena, California
- Steven Tatgenhorst – Head Coach, CHAWP Swim Club, California
