Ron Aitken, Todd DeSorbo, Nathan Manley Earn USOPC Coaching Honors
Swim coaches Ron Aitken, Todd DeSorbo and Nathan Manley were recognized by the USOPC on Wednesday as coaches of the year for 2021.
Manley was named the Paralympic Coach of the Year. Aitken was recognized as the Developmental Coach of the Year. DeSorbo is the College Coach of the Year.
The three are among eight coaches in five sports recognized by the USOPC. They were nominated by national governing bodies to the USOPC Coach of the Year Recognition Program and selected by a USOPC panel.
“Coaches play an instrumental role in the success of athletes, both on and off the field of play,” Rick Adams, the USOPC chief of sport performance and NGB services, said in a press release. “These deserving individuals dedicated their time, energy and resources into the wellbeing and preparation of U.S. athletes, who put on exemplary performances representing Team USA. It’s an honor to recognize these individuals who supported their athletes.”
Manley worked with 16 athletes at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as U.S. Paralympics Swimming’s resident coach. His athletes include Rudy Garcia-Tolson, Evan Austin and Morgan Stickney, while many more athletes flocked to Colorado Springs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Manley helped the U.S. set three world records and win 15 golds and 35 total medals at the Tokyo Paralympics.
DeSorbo, the head coach of the University of Virginia, was an assistant to the U.S. team in Tokyo. He saw four swimmers collect four Olympic medals at the Games. He also led the Cavaliers to the 2022 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship for the second consecutive season.
Aitken has turned Sandpipers of Nevada, which he’s been the head coach and CEO of since 1994, into a national powerhouse. He placed three swimmers on the U.S. women’s team for the Tokyo Olympics, distance stars Erica Sullivan, Bella Sims and Katie Grimes, the former two taking home silver medals, plus Bowe Becker on the men’s squad. Sandpipers was one of 21 clubs to earn Gold Medal Club status from USA Swimming in 2021.
Other honorees include Olympic Coach of the Year Karch Kiraly, who led the U.S. women’s volleyball team to gold in Tokyo; Volunteer Coach of the Year Mary Murphy of Madison Speedskating Club; Service Provider of the Year Kara Kessans, a physical therapist and trainer with the women’s volleyball team; Coach Educator of the Year Phil Edwards of USA Field Hockey; and sports psychologist Randy Wilber, winner of the Doc Counsilman Science Award.
While I have worked with all the athletes mentioned at some point in their careers, John Payne at TAC prepared Morgan Stickney for the podium in Tokyo and the staff at Purdue should be credited for Evan Austin’s medals last year.