Turner To Take Reins at Novaquatics

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 3 YMCA of the Triangle Area (YOTA) coach Ron Turner will be tabbed as the new head coach of Irvine Novaquatics, according to sources obtained by Swimming World Magazine. Turner replaces Dave Salo, who left to take the helm of the University of Southern California swim team. This is the first of many moves across the nation as the club coaching ranks experiences a domino effect. Recent departures include Dave Gibson leaving Mecklenburg Aquatic Club and Dennis Pursley moving to Mission Viejo from the Brophy East Swim Team.

Salo, one of the nation's top club swimming coaches for more than 15 years and a former Trojan assistant coach, was named head coach for USC's men's and women's swimming teams on April 21.

He replaced Mark Schubert, who assumed USA Swimming's head coach position after guiding USC swimming for the past 14 years.

Salo has coached Olympic medalists such as former Trojans Lenny Krayzelburg and Gabe Woodward, Aaron Peirsol, Amada Beard, Staciana Stitts, Colleen Lanne and Jason Lezak.

Salo guided the Novas to numerous Junior National and U.S. National team titles as well as several age group championships. He was tabbed 2002 U.S. Swimming Coach of the Year after leading the Novas to U.S. Spring and Summer national titles.

In addition to his work with the Novas, he has served extensively at the national level, including head coaching assignments for the United States at the 2005 World Championships (men) and the 2001 Goodwill Games (men). His assistant coaching duties for the U.S. include the 2004 Olympics (men), 2003 World Championships (men and women), 2002 Pan Pacific Championships (men), 2000 Olympics (women) and the 1999 Pan American Games (women).

Nova swimmers and alums who trained under Salo have consistently dotted the roster of U.S. national teams, often in starring roles. Peirsol, the world record holder in the 100 and 200 backstroke, is a two-time Olympian and won 2004 Olympic gold medals in the aforementioned events. Beard is a three-time Olympian with seven medals, one of many elite breaststrokers who have come under Salo's tutelage. Lezak, a four-time Olympic medalist in two appearances, is among American's greatest sprinters.

Besides duties with the Novas and the U.S. team, Salo served as co-head coach at Orange Coast College from 2000 to 2004. The Pirates won the 2003 California state title and Salo was honored as state Co-Coach of the Year. Also in 2003, he became the Founding Director of Aquatics at Soka University in Alisa Viejo, Calif., where he recently completed his second season with the Lions.

Salo joined the Novas after five seasons (1985-90) working under legendary USC swimming coach Peter Daland. He helped guide Troy's men's team to five Top 5 NCAA finishes, including second-place marks in 1987, 1988 and 1990. Troy also had perfect dual-meet records in 1988, 1990 and 1991. Among the USC swimmers he helped coach were NCAA champions and Olympians Dave Wharton and Dan Jorgensen.

Salo graduated from Long Beach State with a B.A. and M.A. in exercise physiology and also served as an assistant women's swimming coach there in 1981 and 1982. He earned his doctorate in the same field from USC in 1991.

Salo swam for Santa Rosa Junior College from 1976 to 78 before transferring to Long Beach State.

Turner brings 20 years of coaching leadership to the Novaquatics program, much of that on the national level. Since Turner's arrival at YOTA, the program has produced three YMCA National Top-10 combined team finishes, including winning the combined Team Title at the 2006 short-course YMCA National Championships. YOTA swimmers have won 17 individual YMCA National Champion titles, 6 Women's Relay National Champion titles, 2 Men's Relay National Champion titles, a Rookie of the Meet swimmer at 2004 Spring U.S. Nationals, a top-10 finalist at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials, 4 Olympic Trials qualifiers, 10 U.S. National qualifiers, a 2005 U.S. National Junior Team member, a 2004 U.S. Select Camp participant, and a 2005 U.S. Swimming 18 and under National Champion. Turner has been acknowledged for these accomplishments by being selected as the 2006 YMCA National Coach of the Meet recipient, the 2004 and 2006 N.C. Coach of the Year, named an Assistant Coach for the 2005 U.S. Select Camp, and was awarded the 2005 ASCA Award of Excellence. Turner recently served as a keynote speaker for the 2005 USY Coaching Clinic and the 2005 North Carolina ASCA Clinic.

Previously, Turner coached for 6 years at the collegiate level. As head assistant coach for the Indiana University women's swimming team, Turner helped the program to the 2003 Big Ten Championship. While in Bloomington, Turner coached numerous NCAA All-Americans, a World University Games medalist, and NCAA finalists. Prior to Indiana, Ron served as an assistant coach for the University of Tennessee's women's swimming program, where the Lady Vols enjoyed three top-20 finishes. At UT, Turner assisted in coaching NCAA finalists, SEC Champions, and 2 Olympians.

Prior to Tennessee, from 1991-97, Turner served as the satellite location head coach of Chattahoochee Gold Swim Team in Atlanta, Georgia. Turner was instrumental in building the club from 50 swimmers to more than 300 in the course of his tenure there. While with Chattahoochee Gold, Turner coached numerous state and regional champions, top 16 qualifiers, Southern Zone champions and record holders, as well as Junior and Senior National qualifiers and finalists.

In 1993, Turner attended the United States Swimming Coaches College at the Olympic Training Center. He served as a board member for the Georgia chapter of the American Swim Coaches Association and was involved with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

Turner served as the head coach for the 1995 Southern Zone Team and was a coach at many national age-group camps. He frequently appeared as a guest speaker at clinics in Georgia, and was a keynote speaker at the 1996 Southeast American Swim Coaches Association Clinic. Turner's hard work and effort resulted in him being nominated as a candidate for 1996 Georgia Coach of the Year.

Prior to his stint in Georgia, Turner served as the senior coach for the Harbison Aquatic Team in Columbia, S.C. While there, Turner coached Junior and Senior National Qualifiers, as well as a Junior National Champion and a National Junior Team member. Early in his career, he served as an assistant coach for the Indian River Club Team (Ft. Pierce, Fla.) from 1987-89, and the Murraywood Swim Club (Cola, S.C.) from 1986-87.

Turner is a certified Level 4 coach (level 5 educated) and a long-standing member with the American Swimming Coaches Association.

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