Nashville Aquatic Club head coach John Morse informed his team that he would be transitioning out of his role after 40 years leading the program, handing off head coaching responsibilities to associate head coach Doug Wharam.
Morse says his last day as head coach will be December 31. He plans to remain in Nashville and continue coaching for the time being while he and his wife Gweyn decide “what life will bring us next.”
NAC Families, Friends, and Alumni –
When I arrived in Nashville in 1982, I was just out of college, new to coaching, and lived in the Caulkins’ family basement. When I unexpectedly took over as the head coach of the club in 1984, little did I know it would be a place where I would spend the next 40 years working with a vast group of athletes and families.
You don’t spend 40 years without experiencing ups and downs – and we have had our share of both! At the end of the day, though, you don’t stay in the same place for 40 years without an incredible amount of support, care, and effort from our families, volunteers, and the coaching staff.
December 31 will mark my last day of Head Coach of the Nashville Aquatic Club. I will remain in Nashville, still coaching with the club, as Gweyn and I work to decide what life will bring us next.
On behalf of the Board, I am excited to announce that Doug Wharam will be our new Head Coach beginning January 1. He will be the 5th Head Coach in NAC’s 50 year history. I am excited for Doug and am confident he will continue to lead the club at the highest of levels.
I look forward to celebrating our 50th Anniversary as a club in 2025 and I hope everyone will come to celebrate with us Labor Day weekend of 2025.
Morse has written several chapters into the legendary history of the Nashville Aquatic Club. Taking over just after the Caulkins sisters left, he has coached more than 65 Olympic Trials qualifiers, four World University Games qualifiers, World Junior Championship qualifiers, 30 National Team and National Junior Team members, and, most recently, sisters Alex Walsh and Gretchen Walsh, who now train at the University of Virginia.
He has been named the Southeastern Swimming LSC Coach of the Year 11 times, was named the 2008, 2016, and 2018 USA Swimming Developmental Coach of the Year (along with Wharam for the last two).
Morse has also been on several international team staffs, including the Junior Pan Pacs teams as head coach in 2010, 2014, and 2016.
He will be succeeded by Wharam, who has been with the club for 14 years as associate head coach and senior coordinator. He has coached 15 swimmers who qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials as 18 & unders.
Wharam has also served on international staffs, including as an assistant at the 2019 Pan American Games and the head coach of the 2017 USA Swimming 18 & under World Cup team.
IN 2018, 2019, and 2021, Wharam was named the Southeastern Swimming Senior Coach of the Year, and in both 2014 and 2016, he was an ASCA/Fitter & Faster National Age Group Coach of the Year finalist.
Prior to his time at NAC, he was the director of competitive swimming with the Shenandoah Marlins Aquatic Club in Virginia, head age group coach and assistant senior coach at Seacoast Swimming in Providence, Rhode Island; head age group coach with the Waves of Wilmington in North Carolina, and assistant age group coach with Machine Aquatics.
He also spent stints as a volunteer assistant at Brown, Virginia, and Vanderbilt collegiate programs.
Thank you John for taking such good care of our NAC athletes. We appreciate what you did for our swimmers both on and off the deck. Congratulations Doug, the program will remain in good hands with you at the helm.
Congratulations, John on a wonderful career! Though, a short 5 years coaching at your side, I learned volumes at the original home natatorium, including rebuilding a pool heater, plugging leaky filters to learning how to construct a 4k warmup. I also acquired a vast training vocabulary and knowledge of our sport for which I am grateful.
Here’s to the sunny slopes of long ago and to all the fishing holes yet to explore!
JB
Congrats Morse on one hell of a run! I will miss those hot pockets you called dinner, but will not miss random calls from you all hours of the day asking about who’s getting it done. There are some great Morse stories out there (Pensacola, sledding down your hill…), but this is probably not the place to reminisce.
A great coach – and a cheapskate – I hope you get what you want my friend!
Hope you stay on deck – I do have a job in Bend if you want!
Hmmmmm….. Very interesting.
I have fond memories of my time on NAC in the early 90s. I wasn’t in John’s group, but two of my siblings were. I’m glad the club was able to recover after the Excel split, and I’m glad to see them back to being in the top tier of clubs.
On a side note, with the exception of his hair changing color, he looks remarkably similar to how I remember him 30 years ago!
Who was the head coach before Morse?
I think it was Ron Young who came from Pleasant Hill Swim Club. Prior to Ron was Paul Bergen. I’m not sure who the other was. Charlie Hodgson had stints at NAC but I’m not sure if he was ever the head coach.
Don Talbot coached NAC in the late 70s before he returned to Australia.
And Steve Bultman was Don’s assistant? Not positive on that!
John Best of luck on your new endeavors! Was always exciting to watch NAC over the years with you at the Helm!!!!
Legend