Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Welcome to Pilot Aquatic Club. New coach hired in TN -- my old swimmer

Big swim news, a bit further south. Jim Rumbaugh got hired as the head coach of a big club, Pilot.
Welcome to Pilot Aquatic Club

Jim Rumbaugh has accepted an offer to be the next Head Coach of Pilot Aquatic Club.

Jim signed a four year contract this afternoon and is assuming the Head Coach position effective immediately.

Jim interviewed for the position last Monday. After going through the interview process a unanimous decision of parents assisting with the search and the Board was reached to offer Jim the position as Head Coach.

Jim comes to us HIGHLY recommended by John Trembley and Matt Kredich. He has most recently been serving as Head Coach of Tennessee Aquatics and as a volunteer assistant coach for the Men's Swimming program at the University of Tennessee. He also coached seven years at Dynamo Swim Team in Atlanta and also served as Head Coach of Lompoc Tsunami Swim Team in Lompoc CA. He was a team captain of the University of Tennessee Men's team for two years, was a five time All-American. Jim is married and is a 3rd degree black-belt in Taekwondo and is an avid golfer.

Jim will be introduced at the Membership meeting tomorrow, Tuesday September 16 at 6:00 pm at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center.

Please join me in welcoming Jim to the Pilot Aquatic Club family.
Way to go Jimmy!

Too bad we don't have a slew of programs like this in our region. It would be great to have him home as a swim coach. But, it just isn't happening here.

I was able to coach Jim was a high school senior, at Plum High School. He set two WPIAL swim records, beating one classic record by Mel Nash in the 100 back. At states he won 2 gold medals, 100 back and 200 IM. He was .01 from the state record in one event and broke the state record in the other.

The great thing about Jimmy's senior year of swimming was that he went faster at Jr. National than he did at the PIAA Meet -- as I had hoped and predicted.

We'll need to get to Knoxville for a swim meet in the months and years to come.

Jimmy swam USA Swimming (club swimming) for the JCC Sailfish, the same team where my sons swim now.

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