The Cranbrook Tritons Swim Club is looking for a head coach to lead the team next season.
The current coach Dave Chisholm has been with the club more than 15 years and is retiring at the end of the season.
“Dave’s dedication to the club and its swimmers is outstanding,” said Kara Zandbergen, president of Cranbrook Tritons Swim Club.
“The time and effort he has given to the club is something special and we’ve been very lucky to have a coach of his commitment and calibre.”
The club has nearly 80 swimmers from beginner to intermediate level.
The head coach job is a part-time position but is no little feat. While it includes planning practices, there is much more.
“The head coach also has a lot to do with the assistant coaches and helping them plan their practices and mentoring them,” said Zandbergen.
“The head coach really helps develop the long-term vision and plan for the club.”
The non-profit organization is run by a board of directors and has two paid assistant coaches and one volunteer that is also part of the staff.
For the job, the club is looking for a minimum of two years coaching experience, National Coaching Certification Program Level 2 or Level 1 with the ability to get their Level 2 by February 2020.
“We want a head coach that is passionate about the sport of swimming and can pass that excitement on to the swimmers and teach them,” said Zandbergen.
Creativity is also an aspect that the club wants to see in their coach.
“We are looking for a very innovative teaching style and long-term commitment,” said Liz Archibald, vice-president, Cranbrook Tritons Swim Club.
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The club, which has been around since the 1970s, has seen the success of their athletes not only in awards and medals, but personal goals the athletes set for themselves.
“Over the years our club has had swimmers compete at provincial, national and international levels. Many have gone on to swim at the university level,” said Zandbergen.
Archibald echoed those same words that while the team has competitive swimmers, every kid has their own goals and ideas of success.
“There are many goals for a swimmer,” she said.
“If you went into the pool right now and asked a swimmer what their goal was, they would probably tell you it was all different. While it’s competitive and it’s a team sport it is a very individual sport.”
Zandbergen, who has her own kids in the club, has seen the impact the Tritons can have on the children.
“I truly believe in the sport of competitive swimming and what it teaches kids,” she said.
“They are committed and they work so hard. It builds on physical fitness, confidence and independence. They set their own goals and work towards them. My kids have found some of their best friends in the pool —with all of the time they spend swimming back and forth, they find plenty of time to talk and joke around, laugh and build connections”
The club has been successful for all these years not only because of the coaches, swimmers and parents, but the volunteers as well.
“We don’t have to ask other clubs for help, we just fill [volunter spots] with our own club,” Zandbergen said, explaining that the swim meet is a good example of the support.
More information about the club and what they are looking for in a new coach can be found on their Facebook page Cranbrook Tritons Swim Club.
jessica.dempsey@cranbrooktownsman.com
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