Swimming Canada continues to build toward their annual Big Splash awards show, and on Thursday announced the nominees for their Coach of the Year award.
See nominees for Swimmer of the Year here.
In contrast to their American equivalent at the Golden Goggles, Swimming Canada includes both Para awards at their show, in addition to separate coaching honors for men’s and women’s coaches (USA Swimming just gives a single coaching award). The coaching nominees run in direct parallel with the swimming nominees – each “Swimmer of the Year” candidate is represented by their trainer in the same category.
On the men’s side, this year’s nominees are Randy Bennett from the Victoria Academy, coach of Olympic silver medalist Ryan Cochrane, as well as Tom Johnson, coach of bronze medalist Brent Hayden at the Vancouver National Swim Centre.
Bennett also coaches Blake Worsley, a key piece of the Olympic Team, and Stefan Hirniak. Johnson also coaches Scott Dickens and Jordan Hartney.
Joszef Nagy, who coaches with Johnson in Vancouver, is a nominee on the women’s side of the pool for his work with Martha McCabe. Also nominated are Kevin Thorburn from Etobicoke for his work with National-Record-crusher Brittany MacLean and Erin Russell, both mother and coach to Sinead Russell.
In the Para-pool, the nominees on the men’s side include Pierre Lamy, coach of 19-time Paralympic medalist Benoit Huot who took gold, silver, and bronze in London; Reg Shaw from the Surrey Knights Swim Club, coach of the young Nathan Stein who took silver in the Paralympic S10 50 free; and Brad Mori, coach of 18-year old Paralympian Zach McAllister.
The men’s Para awards seem to have a heavy favorite in the Huot camp, the women’s award should be much more hotly contested. Reg Chappell from Ducks Swiming is the coach of Summer Mortimer, who earned 4 medals at her first Paralympics; that includes gold in the S10 50 free and S10 100 back. Also nominated is Peter Carpenter, coach of Valerie Grand’Maison at McGill University, who took silver in the 50 and 100 frees in London, though that didn’t quite live up to her 3 gold/2 silver performance in Beijing; and Gord Veldman, coach of Brianna Nelson
Ron Jacks will default as the Open Water Coach of the Year, as he coached Olympic 10km bronze medalist Richard Weinberger – the only nominee for Open Water Swimmer of the Year.
Swimming Canada also announced that Jesse Labelle, singer of hit songs like “Last Christmas” and “Easier” would be performing at the event.
OMEGA Coach of the Year Male Swimmer
Randy Bennett, Victoria Academy, Ryan Cochrane
Tom Johnson, Vancouver National Swim Centre, Brent Hayden
OMEGA Coach of the Year Female Swimmer
Jozsef Nagy, Vancouver National Swim Centre, Martha McCabe
Kevin Thorburn, Etobicoke Swimming, Brittany Maclean
Erin Russell, Blue Waves, Sinead Russell
BFL Coach of the Year Male Para-swimmer
Pierre Lamy, Piscine Park Olympic, Benoit Huot
Reg Shaw, Surrey Knights Swim Club, Nathan Stein
Brad Mori, Lethbridge Swim Club, Zack McAllister
BFL Coach of the Year Female Para- swimmer
Reg Chappell Ducks Swimming, Summer Mortimer
Peter Carpenter, McGill University, Valerie Grand’Maison
Gord Veldman, Island Swimming, Brianna Nelson
Swimming Canada Open Water Coach of the Year
Ron Jacks Pacific Coast Swimming, Richard Weinberger