Olympic head coach David Marsh is parting ways with SwimMAC, the club he’s led for the past decade. A joint statement from Marsh and SwimMAC termed the move a mutual agreement to “part ways.”
That’s according to a report from The Charlotte Observer today. SwimMAC gave the statement to The Observer Wednesday night, noting that the separation would be “effective immediately.”
Marsh was the women’s head coach for Team USA at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He’s coached one of the nation’s most prominent professional groups at SwimMAC, while also serving as the head coach and CEO of the North Carolina-based club. The club announced he’d be stepping back from the CEO and head coaching roles earlier this year, and would be working to “redefine” his role with the club.
Marsh hasn’t yet commented about his future plans (UPDATED below with a statement from Marsh’s camp), but indicated to The Observer that he’d have more information in the next few days. The Observer also reports that Marsh plans to continue coaching in the Charlotte area and plans to keep coaching the Team Elite program out of Queens University.
The Observer report suggests that Team Elite, which houses SwimMAC’s sizable pro contingent, could be splitting off from the SwimMAC club, perhaps free to move elsewhere in the country along with Marsh. At the moment, though, the group appears set to stay in Charlotte.
The 58-year-old Marsh has been with SwimMAC since 2007. Prior to that, he’d been with Auburn University, winning 7 men’s and 5 women’s NCAA team titles between 1990 and 2007.
Update: Marsh and Team Elite have provided a statement. Their full press release is below:
David Marsh, 2016 Head U.S. Women’s Olympic Swim Coach and 10 years the CEO and Director of Coaching for SwimMAC Carolina, and the SwimMAC parent Board of Directors have reached an agreement to formally end their relationship.
Coach Marsh led SwimMAC to unprecedented levels of improvement and success during his tenure. The 18 & under program went from a mid-level club to one of the best and deepest USA Swimming teams in the country, staking claim in the Top three of USA Swimming’s Club Excellence Program for the last five years. At the age group level, Coach Marsh implemented a technique focused program that has now become the model for countless teams around the globe. Marsh was named USA Swimming’s developmental Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2014.
At the Senior and Elite level, Coach Marsh established and created the first USA Swimming Center of Excellence, now known as Team Elite. While medals are the goal for Team Elite in the pool, the highest calling for a Team Elite member is to be a great role model for young swimmers and other age-group swimmers throughout the community and LSC.
In 2016, Marsh placed more Olympians on the U.S. Olympic team than any program in the country, with Marsh leading the entire U.S. Olympic team to the most medals in modern history. If Team Elite were a country, they would have placed 3rd in the medal standings, putting Charlotte on the global swimming map.
Select highlights for SwimMAC under Coach Marsh’s leadership include:
2008 Olympians
- Mark Gangloff – Gold
- Cullen Jones – Gold
2012 Olympians
- Cullen Jones – Gold
- Davis Tarwater – Gold
- Nick Thoman – Gold, Silver
- Cammile Adams
- Kara Lynn Joyce
- Micah Lawrence
2016 Olympics
- Kathleen Baker – Gold, Silver
- Anthony Ervin – Gold, Gold, Team Co-Captain
- Jimmy Feigen – Gold
- Katie Meili – Gold, Bronze
- Ryan Lochte – Gold
- Cammile Adams
USA Swimming
- 38 National Champions
- 27 Junior National Champions
- 233 Academic All-Americans
Coach Marsh commented, “I am extremely proud of the program we have developed over the past decade. My goal when I moved to Charlotte from Auburn University was to elevate the club swimming experience by establishing a Post-Graduate Training center that would serve as an inspirational and tangible experience for thousands of youngsters in the Carolinas. I also have valued many of the coaches that have faithfully and patiently employed this program to turn it into a true comprehensive “big club” model for our great sport. It has been great to grow my own family and the SwimMAC family during the last decade.”
Says Huntersville Mayor John Aneralla, “Coach Marsh has elevated the swim community in the north Meck area to unparalleled heights. His expertise and innovative approach to coaching swimming has improved the environment for swimming for years to come. However, most importantly, he and his family have integrated themselves throughout the community creating a lasting legacy beyond the swimming pool.”
Marsh’s Wife, Kristin has also greatly impacted the local swimming community by starting and developing the Pine Lake Preparatory Swimming, as well as the Track and Field programs. She recently won the All-Divisions Coach of the Year award for North Carolina. David and Kristin are proud to have spent many years raising their children in the area: Aaron, a Junior at Queens University of Charlotte, Alyssa – Sophomore Swimmer at Duke University, and Maddie a Junior in high school at Pine Lake Prep.
Coach Marsh’s immediate plans include leading Team Elite and its national caliber athletes to the USA World Championship Trials and subsequent FINA World Championships in Budapest this summer. Marsh will also launch his first ever clinic, consulting, and lesson program, bringing his talents to those beyond the athletes at MAC. Team Elite and Marsh will be launching their first clinic on June 9th – 11th in Charlotte. Please contact Amy Kosofsky below for additional details.
David Marsh: Emily White for Whitesmith Entertainment – [email protected]
Team Elite: Amy Kosofsky – [email protected]
Problems are beginning to repeat themselves in San Diego. History and reputations just might catch up with him there.
I worked at MAC for 5 years as a Coach. I was on deck with Marsh pretty much every day for 3 summers (one exclusion was 2016 as he was preparing for a little thing called the Olympic Games). But, I was an age group Coach, not an elite Coach and I was witness to DM on deck with Elite during age group practices 4 mornings a week at Moss Creek with DM and TE helping Senior practices, stepping into Age Group workouts. I’m not sure what this whole “the age groupers never felt his presence” BS is coming from. Maybe down at the Latin location, but up in the North his presence was very much felt. Latin location didn’t… Read more »
We moved to Charlotte for non-swim reasons, and picked MAC because it was pretty clearly “the” club in town. The culture and philosophy sounded great. Coach Marsh and our kids’ coaches expressed a clear and compelling vision for how to train Junior (AG & Senior) swimmers. The kids’ swim experience has been very positive in that context, and I have been an active volunteer (but not a BoD member).
A few years back, Marsh hired BD Drawz as Exec Director, and there began a buzz about bigger and better things, including developing more lane space in Charlotte. Drawz seemed to concentrate on governance stuff and possibly other things that didn’t seem to impact anything related to the Junior swimmers. Meanwhile,… Read more »
I would agree with one of the earlier posts – I don’t believe MAC was a “Mid-level club” upon David Marsh’s arrival. Coach Marsh attracted Team Elite talent to the area and I’m sure the David Marsh brand attracted many age-group/senior-level swimmers both in and out of State to come to MAC with the thought that they would be developed under the direction of one of the top coaches in the sport. Case in point – just research the MAC senior rolls. Several of the top seniors are not “home grown” MAC swimmers that came up through the ranks. They are imports from other clubs and other states who came to the Charlotte area probably not by chance, but specifically… Read more »
It is time for the Alum to step up and call out this board of directors. Marsh was consumed with using us to help the younger swimmers and our practices were consistently attended by coaches learning from Marsh. Our first meetings where “if you are not willing to help make the age groupers at SwimMAC better then this is not the place for you”. I even signed a contract pledging this.
After talking with families that I have grown close to, they even say that they see the board writing on the posts below trying to manipulate the view. Coach Marsh, we stand by you, thank you for driving excellence and creating a Gold Medal experience. Quoting you, “We… Read more »
In order to make the age group swimmers better it is imperative that Marsh at least show up to some of their practices. The mission statement is “empowering YOUNG PEOPLE to be champions in life through excellence in swimming”. If this is the statement that DM lives by, then why did the young people not feel his presence. Yes, we are all aware that he did amazing things for team elite, but as a former swimmer, I can vouch for the fact that I saw Marsh on deck only a hand full of times during my 10+ years at Mac.
Simply showing up when the cameras are around is just not enough. It is a shame that DM (and… Read more »
I thought DM was recently hired to run the Israel National team.
Nit enough money in Israel. Perhaps Iraq.
After reading lot of these comments it seems Marsh would be best qualified for a university program or for Team USA. It sounds like the club model doesnt serve his strengthes ot interests very well. Also, for those of you who think parent board teams are the downfall of the sport, (some are) many coach owned teams have issues as well and are often compelled to clean house every now and then.
“””After reading lot of these comments it seems Marsh would be best qualified for a university program”””
No offense….but….Ya think??
If you meant sarcasm by that post it would have been the GOAT SwimSwam comment. Sadly, I think you were serious.
The Huntersville Mayor that is mentioned in the article is accused of an ethics violation for accepting gifts including a free membership to a country club. First of all, why even mention or put his comment in the article/press release/statement? And why chose one who has accepted gifts (aka bribes) on the job?
Actually it was the previous mayor not John who appears to accepted a free membership. A little research and facts go a long way.
The Huntersville Mayor mentioned is not the one accused of an ethics violation. It was the previous Mayor.