JACKSONVILLE, Florida, September 12. THE American Swim Coaches Association and the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour partnered this year to create the first Age Group Coach of the Year award, picking one top American coach from a list of 10 deserving finalists.
This year’s winner is Beth Winkowski of the Dynamo Swim Club. She talked with SwimmingWorld.TV shortly after accepting her award:
Here’s more information on Coach Winkowski, from the Dynamo Swim Club website:
Coach Beth began coaching at Dynamo in the fall of 2004. She is responsible for the Senior 2 swimmers as well as the development and direction of the Chamblee Staff. Prior to Dynamo she was the Head Coach for 12 years at Portland Aquatic Club in Portland, Oregon where she began her professional coaching career. Beth has coached state, sectional, and zone champions at an individual and team level. She also assisted several swimmers in earning National Top 16 rankings, Junior and Senior National qualifying times.
Coach Beth’s coaching strengths include: detailed and analytic stroke instruction with an eye towards body awareness, a creative and demanding training regime, and good communication with parents and athletes. She accomplishes all this while recognizing the athlete as a whole person who benefits from the permanent life lessons learned by children who participate in organized athletics.
The other nine Age Group Coach of the Year finalists:
Allison Brol, Huntsville Swim Association
Heather Fort, WAVES Bloomington-Normal YMCA
Tom Himes, North Baltimore Aquatic Club
Robert Jenkyns, Lake Country Phoenix Swim Club
Jackson Leonard, Gator Swim Club
Rosemarie Lockie, Comets Swim Club
Matt Pelletier, The FISH
Ruth Stocks, Tualatin Hills THunderbolts
Doug Wharam, Nashville Aquatic Club