Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics, a silver medal club in Tucson, Arizona, has named Emma Munsch as the program’s new head coach. Munsch officially took up the post about a month ago, and fills the spot previously held by Paul Stafford – who resigned from the position last summer.
Since June, current University of Arizona assistant Peter Richardson took over as the program’s head coach.
Munsch, formerly Emma Darlington, is a Tucson native and somewhat of a local legend in the area swimming community.
Darlington, who was a 2019 inductee into the Pina County Sports Hall of Fame, swam in high school at Salpointe Catholic. During her career there, from 2004 through 2007, she won a pair of state championships, both as a junior in 2005 (50 & 100 free). Throughout her high school career, she never finished lower than 5th place at the state championship meet in an individual event.
After high school, she swam for the University of Arizona, also in Tucson, where as a freshman she was a member of the program’s first-ever NCAA team championship. Darlington qualified for the NCAA Championships in all four years of her college swimming career, earning All-America honors in the 200 free relay in 2009, 2010, and 2011.
After graduating from Arizona, she began teaching history at her alma mater, Sailpointe Catholic, in the 2012-2013 school year. In February of 2014, she began coaching at Tucson Ford, eventually working her way up to Lead Senior Group Coach and Team Administrator. She stopped teaching in 2016 to work full-time with the USA Swimming club.
Tucson Ford has long been one of the ‘golden circle’ clubs in USA Swimming, producing a number of US National Teamers and Olympians. Among the better-known names to come out of the club’s age group ranks in the 2000s are Olympic medalist and former World Record holder Lacey Nymeyer, current Arizona State assistant coach Herbie Behm, and Arizona All-American Bryan O’Connor.
That’s in addition to a number of University of Arizona undergrads and post-grads that have represented the club in national competition.
Tucson Ford has won 9 Arizona LSC Senior Championships since 2010, including most recently the long course title in 2019.
I think Caitlin Leverenz swam with a really small club in the area, not FORD. Maybe she switched later on
No you’re right. Her sister, Brianna, swam there.
Also Caitlin Leverenz, another amazing individual, never swam with Ford but another club in Tucson.
Yay caitlin!
Wait is Caitlin a coach at Ford?
What a great hire. Amazing young woman who has always been passionate about what she does. So happy for her, Ford Aquatics, and the athletes that will have the opportunity to be led by such a fantastic coach. Congrats Emma.
These kids are so fortunate to be coached and mentored by this legend. GO FORD! GO EMMA!
About time!
I thought Pete was named Head Coach not interim?
He was
Peter was the head coach and resigned, you are correct.
Congrats! A shining example of giving back to your community.
Awesome…. best of luck Emma!