Texas A&M men’s associate head coach Doug Boyd will step down from his post at the end of this season. Boyd has been with the Aggies since 2004, after previous stops as a sprint coach for the Michigan women and the head coach at both Rice and UC-San Diego.
Prior to and during the infancy of his coaching career, which included stops at LSU and Indiana, Boyd was an elite sprinter in his own regard. He made the Pan Pac Championship team in 1989, the World University Games teams in 1987 and 1991, and was ranked 4th in the world in the 50 free in 1990 with a 22.46. From 1989-1992, he was a member of the USA Swimming National Team.
His next project will be the launching of a technique-driven website called SwimFever.com; he will be running the site out of Boston where his parents live. He will remain in contact with college swimming as a volunteer assistant with Boston Area college programs.
“This move has been really nine years in the making. When I left Rice and moved to Michigan to start Sprinter’s Paradise, that was what I really wanted to do,” Boyd said of the timing. Sprinter’s Paradise was a private technique-focused sprint camp he started in San Diego in the 1990’s with fellow elite swimmer Steve Crocker.
“Texas A&M was always meant to be a temporary gig for me, helping Jay mold a new program here and give him some added head coaching experience to his staff. I told him that I would commit one to two years here; obviously that turned into a lot more.”
Boyd hopes that his experience as a National Team member and a high-level coach will come together for SwimFever to create a unique perspective on training.
“Being on the National Team certainly was a goal of mine and it was great to get out and see the world. What I really never understood when I was an athlete, was why I was so into the cerebral theories and methodologies of swimming. That sort of stuff really excited me, and I guess I was just setting myself up subconsciously for a career and coaching. I would say my broad experiences as an athlete and coach have all lent to the desire for tackling this career move.”
As for how he evaluates his run with A&M, the competitive Boyd says he sees it as successful, but that he will always want more. “Our teams have been very successful in my mind. We have broken almost all the school records and continue to break them even after the 2009 suit year, which I think says the most about today’s programs,” Boyd said of the 9-year run. “Our goal for this was always to be a top ten program, so the frustration of key injuries (Boris in 2011 and Grant in 2012) the past two years has certainly left an empty spot in my extremely competitive nature.”
The Aggies were 13th at each of the last two NCAA Championships, with much of their scoring coming from their sprinters and the relay group that was Boyd’s focus.
The Aggies will take on their first ever SEC Championship beginning Tuesday evening in College Station.
he be coaching for BGSC (bernals gators) now! oh yeah!!! im in his group…can’t wait to meet him once hs swimming is over
Good luck Doug!!!!! Best wishes for continued success!
Maybe Texas A&M can make a move with their men’s team. They are in a holding pattern. They are faster than ever. But stuck somewhere between 10 and 20 in rank. Compare to the women’s team, where they have Olympians, American record holders, and NCAA champions. The SEC will not be kind to the mens team.