Courtesy: Birmingham Blue Dolphins
The Birmingham Blue Dolphins (BBD) of Michigan are pleased to announce Chris Wolford as its new CEO and Head Coach. Chris takes the reins from legendary Coach Kevin Fogarty, who led the program through significant growth and tremendous success over his 40-plus-year career as the Head Coach of the team.
Wolford comes to BBD having successfully led several other legacy swim programs, including a long tenure with the Cincinnati Marlins and, most recently, New Trier Aquatics of Illinois. In the early 2000s he coached both the Marlins and Greater Toledo Aquatic Club to Junior National Titles. Chris’ athletes have represented Team USA internationally, set seven National Age-Group Records, and earned numerous Junior National Championships and Olympic Trials qualifications.
“Chris’ collaborative leadership approach, his commitment to continuing to build a team in which every swimmer can reach their personal potential, combined with elite-level coaching and operational expertise, made it clear that he was the right individual to lead the next chapter of BBD”, said BBD Board President Nicole Schwartz.
In June of 2025, BBD became an independent team after having been a YMCA-affiliated program since its inception in the 1960s. Coach Kevin Fogarty returned to the program from retirement to manage the Dolphins through the transition on an interim basis while the board engaged in an extensive and international search to identify a new leader.
In communication to the team, Wolford said, “With BBD’s transition into an independent club, we have a unique opportunity to build upon the incredible foundation established by Kevin Fogarty over the club’s many years as a YMCA team. I am confident that we are going to write an amazing new chapter for this team. BBD has a storied history of success, and I am thrilled to start driving our future.”
BBD is one of the oldest competitive swim organizations in the Metro Detroit area. With over 325 athletes ages 5 to 18, the program was named a “Bronze Medal” Team by the USA Swimming Club Excellence Program in 2023 and 2025. BBD has produced a host of individual YMCA National Champions, USA Junior National and Olympic Trials qualifiers and achieved numerous team State and YMCA Zone Championship titles. In recent years, alumni of the program have competed at the college level for programs such as Notre Dame, Navy, University of Michigan, University of Louisville, West Virginia University, Denison University, University of Illinois Chicago, Boston College, Swarthmore College, Hillsdale College, John Carroll University and Colby College.
Having known Kevin Fogarty for almost 50 years and having been coached by Chris Wolford, I gotta say, this is a fantastic hire. Their coaching styles and philosophies, while not identical, are similar enough to create a smooth transition.Congrats to Chris and BBD.