President's Message

June 9, 2008

As another year comes to a close, we our most pleased to announce at this time our new head coach for 2008/09 season: Rick Whitson. Currently, Rick is the head coach of the Bow Valley Riptides Swim Club in Canmore, Alberta. His position with the PASS Club will commence on August 1st, 2008. In 2004 Rick married Krista Meyers, and last summer their daughter, Annabelle Rose Meyers-Whitson was born in Banff on August 5th, 2007. Krista is a native of Regina, Saskatchewan, and they are excited at the prospect of returning to her home province. In 2005 Rick accepted the position of head coach for the Bow Valley Riptides Swim Club. The Riptides was established in 2004. During his three years there, the club’s enrolment increased in size by 75%. In 2006/07 Alberta’s Coaches Council voted Rick as Alberta’s 2006/07 Age Group Coach of the year.

Rick comes to us with a lot of swimming and coaching experience. Rick is originally from Knoxville, Tennessee where his coaching career began in 1986. Rick’s mentor is John Trembley (former UT swimmer known as the fastest man in the world), Head Coach of the University of Tennessee Men’s swimming & Diving Team. Rick said that, “JT motivated me to become a career swim coach. I worked with JT at UT 1996-97 as an assistant coach”. Rick is an American Swim Coaches Association Level 3 coach, and is currently working on completing ASCA Levels 4 and 5. Since moving to Canada in 2004, he has continued his education and is in the process of completing the requirements for Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) Level 3.

In his 19 year coaching career, Rick has coached in several states in the U.S.A. including swim clubs in Tennessee, Georgia, Montana and Mississippi. In addition to coaching, Rick swam for Eastern Kentucky University in 1982-83. Rick was in a motor vehicle accident at the age of 19 years. He was the passenger in the car and has a spinal cord injury as a result of the accident. His swimming career continued though and in 2004 he was a U.S.A. Paralympics Trials qualifier and medalist and was a U.S.A. SWAD (swimmer with a disability) National Champion.

One of Rick’s references, Jamie Connors, Head Coach of the Calgary Patriot’s Swim Club said that:

"Rick has plenty of experience and is a very good swim coach. Rick attends most of the Patriots meets so I get to see him in action and he is always a positive influence on his swimmers and his swimmers have shown great improvement under his care. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with Rick at his pool as I conducted a camp in Canmore a couple of years ago and he creates a fun and challenging environment for his athletes."

Rick should have no trouble fitting in with the Saskatchewanian way of life. Not only did he marry a girl from Saskatchewan, but interestingly enough, Rick’s childhood friend in Knoxville, Tennessee was born in Saskatoon in 1963!

We are looking forward to next year as we know that Rick, along with our assistant coach, Roger Boucher, will continue to motivate our swimmers to strive for success and continue to lead us to the podiums!

Have a great summer and we look forward to seeing you at registration this fall!

Keith & Janice McLeod
President & Vice President
Prince Albert Sharks Swim Club Executive