Brent Rutemiller Honored With NISCA’s Collegiate Award
Brent Rutemiller took swimming coverage to new heights when he took over as publisher of Swimming World Magazine.
For decades, he developed the groundbreaking swimming coverage in the monthly magazine, and concurrently, as a daily presence online at swimmingworldmagazine.com.
Rutemiller was honored with the Collegiate Award, given by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA), during the NCAA Division I Women’s Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Unfortunately, because of health reasons, Rutemiller was not able to attend in person. He has been in an ongoing battle with cancer and has fought it into remission multiple times, an inspiration to the world of swimming.
“I want to thank the NISCA Board of Directors and those on the awards committee for selecting me to receive the prestigious Collegiate Award,” Brent Rutemiller said in a prepared statement. “I wish I could be there to receive the award in person, but for unforeseen health reasons, I am not able to attend.
“This year’s award is important because it recognizes the relationship between the media and aquatic sports on the interscholastic and collegiate level. Although this award is given to me, personally, it is the culmination of years of work by the entire Swimming World Magazine staff. I accept this award on behalf of the staff at Swimming World for all their efforts to promote high school and college swimming. Thank you for this great honor.”
In addition to his role at Swimming World, which began in 1985, Rutemiller took over the helm of the International Swimming Hall of Fame in November of 2017 and led the resurgence of the Hall of Fame as well as the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, which has been completely revamped in the past couple of years, including an unprecedented 27-meter diving tower.
As a journalist, he led Swimming World to a powerful combination of breaking, in-depth and page-turning swimming news.
Vehement about distributing the news in an intriguing, accurate, and ethical way, Rutemiller has been dispensing valuable information to the swimming audience since 1985. He has had a microphone in-hand to report on some of swimming’s most momentous moments and has become a familiar on-site voice of the sport.
Here are some of the other ways Rutemiller has left his mark on the sport.
● He is a certified Level 5 American Swim Coach who coached at many levels and served as a National Team Coach for United States Swimming.
● During Brent’s first 10 years as a head coach, his various teams in Kentucky and Indiana recorded five undefeated seasons and 11 championship titles.
● Brent started his second decade of coaching as the Stroke Coach for the Mission Viejo Nadadores in 1986 and helped lead them to a National Long Course Championship.
● In 1988, Brent moved to Phoenix, Arizona. He was hired by Dennis Pursley to coach and work with the architects to help design and directly supervise the construction of a multi-million-dollar sports training complex financed by Charles Keating. Upon completion of the facility, he began coaching young elite athletes for the Phoenix Swim Club. In less than one year, the team won two Arizona State Age Group Championships, set numerous state records, and more than 30% of his athletes achieved National Top 16 rankings.
● In 1990, Brent was hired by the Scottsdale Aquatic Club to build a comprehensive competitive program sponsored by the City of Scottsdale Parks and Recreation Department. In less than two years, the team captured first place in the 1991 USS Long Course Arizona Age Group State Championship and the 1992 USS Long Course Senior State Championships while producing 10 Junior National qualifiers, 3 Senior National finalists, numerous National Top 16 rankings and High School All-Americans.
● Rutemiller’s roots in Greater Cincinnati are strong, having grown up in Northern Kentucky and graduated from Covington Catholic High School in 1974, where he is now a member of their Sports Hall of Fame. He swam at Eastern Kentucky University, graduating in 1978. Rutemiller was a member of the original Cincinnati Marlins back in 1963. He went on to coach Brookwood Country Club with Frank Busch in the late 70s before becoming the Aquatic Director for South Dearborn High School in the early 1980s.
● Rutemiller moved to Southern California in the mid ‘80s where he began a publishing career as the creator of a series of animated educational cartoon characters called the AquaZoids, which appeared in 147 countries and were eventually translated into three languages.
● Rutemiller retired from coaching in 1995 after becoming a National Team Coach for USA Swimming to pursue a career in marketing and publishing with Swimming World.
● Rutemiller and his wife Ellen raised three children and they all currently live in Phoenix, Arizona.
Terrific person to work for as well. He has fought many courageous battles, not the least of which is the latest with cancer. Congrats on the award, Brent.
Great to see this & his being recognized for his contributions! . Continue doing well with your cancer battle.
Wow Brent, I didn’t know you did all that!!!
That’s impressive!