Coach Amanda

My background in competitive swimming began when I was 5 years old. When I was 16 the swim team was disolved and I had to travel to Kansas City to swim. There I swam for the Clay Platte Y Piranhas (currently the Blue Wave), for 2 years. I finished out my career back in Saint Joseph when the team was reformed in 1996.

At the age of 14, I began assistant coaching for the Pony Express Swim Team, working with the younger swimmers. When I moved to the team in Kansas City, I continued to assistant coach, working again with the younger swimmers. After leaving the swimming world for 5 years, I began coaching again. This season will be my 5th season. Currently I have my level 2 certification, and will have my level 3 by the end of the year, and level 4 by the end of the season. I have also taken courses and have done research to further my education to be the best coach I know how.

My philosophy on competitive swimming is: We work hard and enjoy the results of our training. Swimming is a demanding sports, be prepared to work hard. The results will surprise you.

My goal as a coach is to teach all swimmers to set and achieve their own personal goals; learn respect for themselves, their teammates, and others, and to learn and improve each stroke one lap at a time.

All workouts are produced to enhance the skills and stroke techniques needed to excel in each event we compete in. During the season we also talk about water safety, play games and learn to wrok together as a team in an individual sport. This is an individual sport. 99% of your races are individuals, however, without your teammates pushing you, encouraging you, and cheering you on, you can not achieve your goals. The most improtant part of swimming competitively is we have FUN.