Mike and Carol Rose, swimming and diving coaches from Brookfield, Wisc., have announced their retirement after a decorated 43-year career between Brookfield East and Brookfield Central High Schools.
The two coaches met in 1983 at Brookfield East High School. Mike coached boys’ swimming from 1983 to 1997, and simultaneously served as an assistant coach for the girls’ team at Brookfield Central in 1983 and 1984. He was named the head girls’ swimming coach at Brookfield East in 1985 and has held that position ever since.
Mike’s boys’ team won a WIAA state championship title in 1996 and finished as runners-up in 1994, 1995, and 1997. His girls’ teams won three straight state titles from 2019 to 2021, and were runners-up in 1997 and 2022.
Notable swimmers under Rose include Reilly Tiltmann (Virginia), Abby Wanezek (Wisconsin), Maggie Wanezek (Wisconsin), and Caroline Wanezek (Wisconsin commit, 2026), Lucy Thomas (Stanford)
In total, Mike Rose coached 79 High School All-Americans (individual and relays) and 54 WIAA state champions. He was named the NFHS National Girls Coach of the Year twice (2019, 2021) and the WISCA Coach of the Year multiple times for both boys’ (1991, 1992) and girls’ (2019, 2020, 2021, 2023).
Carol served as a diving coach at both Brookfield Central and East for both boys’ and girls’ teams.
She was honored as the Boys Diving Coach of the Year in 1995, and Girls Diving Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2021.
“Together, Mike and Carol shaped not only championship teams, but generations of student- athletes who learned the values of hard work, teamwork and character.” said Ben Westphal, the Brookfield East Athletic & Activities Director in an article by The Freeman, “Their influence extends far beyond the pool deck, and their legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Brookfield community and Wisconsin high school athletics for years to come.”
