Swim Coach gets hired for another gig

Tom Burchill formerly of Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club (Pittsburgh, PA) and Carmel Swim Club (Carmel, IN) has taken a position with Lancaster Aquatic Club, Lancaster, PA.

Too often, in Western PA, as well as other parts of the nation, we "EAT OUR YOUNG." Tom did a wonderful job as a swim coach, locally. He built up the program. He is a dynamic young coach. He moved out of state. His career hit a bump in the road. But now he's back in PA with a new team.

Good for Tom. Good for those in Lancaster and even throughout PA. I'm glad he is back home, sorta.

But I worry about the ways we treat our young coaches. We have problems in these areas and our systems are frail.

In other coaching news, not at all associated with anything -- the outcome of the bean-ball coach is now known. The judge ordered him to jail for one to six years. This is the guy who lost grips with what sports is all about and instructed a kid to hurt another, on his same team, before a baseball game. What a mess that was. The coach goes to jail to think about that for some time. As he was being escorted away, as show on TV, he still had this 'clueless attitude.'

Furthermore, a swimmer and son of fellow coach is now in a cast. He hurt his hand while playing goal in practice with the high school soccer team. Ouch. The Carlynton HS boys team is #1 seed in the WPIAL class AA. You can play soccer with your arm in a cast in high school. We'll see how the swim season goes, in a few weeks to come.