DAMASCUS, Maryland, September 18. ONE of the nation's leading swim clubs today announced its new name and owner: CUBU has become the Nation's Capital Swim Club (NCAP) under the ownership of Thomas E. Ugast who was named its chief executive officer last month. Along with the name change, the organization also has adopted a new logo that integrates images of a swimmer and the Capitol Dome inside a red, white and blue circle to project the Club's new identity.
“The last couple of months have been a challenging time for our Club, coaches, swimmers and facility partners,” said Tom Ugast, the Club's CEO . “Our new name and ownership build on the many changes we've already made that reflect our uncompromising commitment to the safety of our swimmers, while preserving the talents and strengths that have made our Club one of the country's most successful for years. ”
The Club now known as NCAP just completed one of its best seasons in its 34 year history:
* Katie Ledecky, one of the Club's 20 Olympic trials qualifiers, won an Olympic Gold Medal and set the American Record in the 800m Freestyle
* The Club won USA Swimming's Virtual Club Championship for both the short course season (3rd year in a row) and the long course season (2nd year in a row)
* The Club also won team honors at the 2012 National Club Swimming Association (NCSA) Junior Nationals, and Super Sectionals meets
* Coach Yuri Suguiyama was named the Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS) Age Group Coach of the Year, and was nominated for the American Swim Coaches Association National Coach of the Year
* Ledecky and Ellyn Baumgardner were named to the USA Swimming National Team
* Andrew Seliskar and Carsten Vissering were named to the USA Swimming National Junior Team, and Seliskar also was named to the USA Swimming Junior Pan Pac Team
USA Swimming, the national governing body for swimming in the U.S., has approved NCAP's change of ownership and name. NCAP currently has more than 2,000 swimmers at 15 facilities led by 25 full time and 65 part time coaches.
Ugast is a Washington, D.C. native who's worked with the Club now known as NCAP for 6 years, serving as it chief operating officer prior to becoming its chief executive. He brings 25 years of private sector sales and marketing experience to his new role along with a deep passion for swimming. Ugast swam for American University where he was a 4 year letterman and captain during his senior year. He has 10 years of experience as a swim coach ranging from summer leagues to USA Swimming competition.
Pete Morgan, who took over as the Club's Head Coach in July, will continue in his role in the revamped company. Morgan has been with the Club since it started in 1978 and leads NCAP's program at the Burke training facility. He has been on the USA Swimming national team staff for 17 years, and the personal coach of many team members, most notably Olympic Gold medal winner and former world record holder Ed Moses. Morgan is the Club's main liaison on national team matters, and works with its senior coaches on the senior team plan for both the short and long course seasons.
“As we have worked to chart the future of NCAP in the past month, we've been extremely heartened by the understanding, support and counsel we've received from our families and facility partners, for which we are enormously grateful,” Ugast said. “I also want to thank our coaches who came together to make the difficult but necessary changes in the Club, on top of their significant championship season coaching duties. Our Club has remained strong primarily because of the talents and dedication of our coaches, and the trust they have earned from their swimmers and families.”
The name and ownership change are the latest in a series of changes the Club began making in late July. The Club's founder and CEO, Rick Curl, stepped down and was replaced by Ugast. The Club then established a segregated account and retained a fiduciary to protect its funds, and met with swimmers, parents and facility owners to discuss these changes and its commitment to protect swimmers and the future of the Club. Ugast said he will be working closely with USA Swimming's Safe Sport program in the months ahead to further strengthen NCAP's own programs and help make the Club a national leader when it comes to the protection of swimmers, families and facility partners. He noted that the Club may consider more extensive background checks for coaches and volunteers, and training on issues facing the swimming community including appropriate use of social media. The Club also plans to distribute a handbook covering many of these issues to all families next month.
“Our swimmers are excited for the new season and proud to be part of one of the nation's most successful swim clubs,” said Jeff King, Head Coach of the NCAP sites in Alexandria, Virginia. “Along with taking on a new name, we also will be taking our pride and history with us.”
2011-2012 Season Highlights:
* Katie Ledecky won an Olympic Gold Medal in an American Record time in the 800m Freestyle, and won the Phillips 66 Performance of the Year Award for her swim
* 20 swimmers qualified to compete at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials
* Set 9 National Age Group Records
* Set 70 Potomac Valley Individual Records, 31 Potomac Valley Relay Records
* Won USA Swimming's Virtual Club National Championship for Short Course Yards (for the third year
in a row)
* Won USA Swimming's Virtual Club National Championship for Long Course Meters (for the second
year in a row)
* Won Combined and Women's Team Titles at 2012 NCSA Junior Nationals
* Won Combined, Men's and Women's Team Titles at 2012 “Super Sectionals”
* Ledecky and Ellyn Baumgardner were named to the United States National Team
* Andrew Seliskar and Carsten Vissering were named to the United States National Junior Team
* Seliskar also was named to the United States Junior Pan Pac Team and was the highest scoring male
at Summer Junior Nationals
* Yuri Suguiyama was named the PVS Age Group Coach of the Year and nominated for the American
Swim Coaches Association National Coach of the Year
* 13 PVS Outstanding Athletes (for 2010-?‐2011) (out of 22 total) (the most of any club in PVS)
* 25 USA Swimming Scholastic All-?‐Americans (the most of any club in PVS). There were a total of 41
Scholastic All-Americans in PVS
* 70 PVS Scholar Athletes (for 2010-?‐2011) (the most of any club in PVS)
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