USA Swimming announced its head coaches for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in a live video broadcast today, a broadcast you can watch above.
Olympic swimmer and beloved commentator Rowdy Gaines introduces the video before National Team Director Frank Busch introduces head coaches David Marsh and Bob Bowman.
From our earlier report by Tony Carroll:
With 291 days remaining before the start of the 2016 US Olympic Team Trials and 330 days before the opening ceremonies of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, USA Swimming has officially named the 2016 US Olympic staff. Sources have confirmed that David Marsh has been selected to lead the women’s team while Bob Bowman has been selected as the head coach of the men’s team. This is the first time either coach has been named the head coach of the US Olympic team. The official announcement will be made at 12 noon EST.
As of August 28th, SwimMAC Carolina leads the country with the highest number of post-grad swimmers qualified for the Olympic Trials. David Marsh’s Team Elite features prominent American swimmers such as Ryan Lochte, Micah Lawrence, Cullen Jones, Camille Adams, Tyler Clary, Jimmy Feigen, Matthew Josa, Kathleen Baker, Madison Kennedy, Tim Phillips, Katie Meili, and Mark Weber, among other international swimmers.
This will be Marsh’s fourth time as a member of the Olympic staff. He was first named an assistant to the Olympic team staff for the 1996 games, and was again named to the team in 2000. His third Olympic Games as a member of the staff was in 2012.
Bob Bowman has coached the most decorated Olympian of all-time, Michael Phelps, and will likely lead fhim again into his fifth Olympic Games. In the midst of his comeback, Phelps secured the fastest time in the world in three events during the 2014-2015 season and is a favorite to make the Olympic team this summer. He recently moved to Tempe, Arizona and was named head coach of Arizona State. The American stars joining him in tempe for the Olympic year will be Phelps, Allison Schmitt, David Nolan, Chase Kalisz, Cierra Runge and Frank Dyer.
This will also be Bowman’s fourth Olympic games as a member of the staff. He has served as an assistant at the last three Olympic Games, among other international swimmers.
National Team Directtor has the final say on any certified coach.
How do you get chosen to be a coach? Do you have to apply? How many people are usually considered for the job?
Seem like solid enough choices. Just curious to know what the politics of the selection process are. Who got overlooked (for one reason or another)?
A bit off-topic: what ever happened to mark Schubert? He did a decent enough job in 2008.
Amazing choice,
it looks like US has only one coach left in whole country and its Marsh,
US women’s team will do great next year, some how Marsh will take all credit for it.
Schubert was the US national team coach in 2008, the job of Frank Busch today.
He wasn’t the olympic head coach.
And in 2008 only the men did well. It was pretty bad for the women.
I always “sort of” liked Mark going back to when I first met in the late 70s. He was a fighter and had a long string of success. What I hazily remember is a few things (former swimmers, coaches, US Swimming administrators) coming back to bite him after the 2010 PanPacs. I think Mark claimed a “I’m off my meds” defense (or some such) for his allegedly erratic behavior [please correct me if I’m wrong]. Just curious whatever happened to him. He was a fighter, and always wanted to win.
from Wikipedia:
“Mark Schubert is an American swim coach and was USA Swimming’s National Team head coach from June 2009 until November 2010. He took a paid leave of absence from his role with USA Swimming in September 2010, and was later terminated from his position.[1] He is currently the head coach and CEO of Golden West Swim Club, and is the head coach of swimming at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California.”