Kim Brackin, who last week parted ways with the University of Texas, has landed at Austin’s NITRO club team, where she was introduced to the swimmers today.
This in the least answers the question about where she will be training Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry until London. Nitro head coach Mike Koleber described the relationship as a “friendly invitation” for Brackin and Coventry to use a few lanes, though no formal employment relationship exists at this time. He said that he didn’t know Brackin that well yet, but that he wouldn’t shut the door to anything down the road.
Nitro’s National-level group is currently coached by Tim O’Brien, who echoed Koleber’s statements that the relationship is more of a “professional courtesy” than anything else.
Nitro, headed by coach Mike Koleber who is quickly turning into a legend nationwide, is one of the best age group programs in the country. They have won the last four Texas Age Group state championships – the program is only 5 years old – and in the past few years have started to build an outstanding high school group as well – in the class of 2012, they sent 9 swimmers on D-1 scholarships, including two to Georgia. Another Nitro swimmer, Sydney Torabi, signed a letter of intent to swim for Brackin at Texas last fall.
Brackin said last week that she would stay in Austin for the time-being and welcome her husband back home from military service.
So is Brackin just coaching Coventry there or is she also coaching some of the kids? My impression is that she’s getting space and resources but it’s not an actual “job”, although I may have misread.
That’s correct. For now, just coaching Coventry there.
Agreed that Nitro one of the best clubs in the entire country. Fantastic vision among that group of coaches with great leadership.
What a nice change for Brackin, not having to deal with parents.
Damn. Just so everyone knows, Nitro is a coached owned club.