Bob Bowman Named ASCA “Coach of the Year”

By Phillip Whitten

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 7. NORTH Baltimore Aquatics Club coach Bob Bowman was presented with the coveted "Coach of the Year" award at the annual convention of the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA), being held from Sept. 4 – 8 in the Big Easy. With over 1300 coache in attendance, it is one of the largest gatherings at an ASCA convention in history.

The Coach of the Year award was presented to Bowman by last year's winner, Peter Banks.

The award is presented anually to the individual whose coaching has contributed the most toward American swimming excellence at the world level. The award recipient is selected by the ASCA Board of Directors. This year, there were 10 strong nominees.

Bowman coached Michael Phelps to two world records in the 200 meter butterfly in 2001. The first, 1:54.92, was set in March at the USA Swimming Spring National Championships in Austin. Phelps was still three months shy of his 16th birthday when he set the mark, becoming the youngst American male ever to set a world record in swimming.

In July, at the World Championhips in Fukuoka, Japan, Phelps lowered the record to 1:54.58 en route to the gold medal.

At the USA Swimming Summer Nationals in Clovis, Calif., Phelps did not swim the 200 fly, but won national titles in the 100 fly (53.15, 52.98p) and 200 IM (2:00.86).

Ferstle Wins Media Award
Minnesota journalist Jim Ferstle was the winner of the ASCA Media Award for his work on the drug issue. Since 1999 Ferstle has tirelesly distributed articles on the drug issue in swimming published in newspapers and magazines from around the world to a growing list of journalists, coaches and other activists and scholars of the issue.

Other Coaching Awards
Clayton Cagle, coach of the Fleet-Cypress Fairbanks Swim Club in Texas on the ASCA bronze award for having been a recipient of the ASCA Award of Excellence for a period of ten years.

Thirty-four coaches earned recognition as an "Age Group Coach of the Year":
Gary Crowe………………..Alaska
Ed Hadley…………………Arizona
Evan Johnston……………..Arkansas
Russ Marsh………………..Colorado
Brooks Ensor………………Connecticut
Ruby Horgan……………….Florida Gold Coast
Holly McClain……………..Florida Gold Coast
Reid Yamamoto……………..Hawaii
Donnie Buh………………..Indiana
Kevin Stone……………….Metropolitan
Brad Vickers………………Mississippi
Scott Berry……………….Missouri Valley
Mike Lane…………………New England
Bram Montgomery……………New England
Carol Bruzzi………………New England
Jamie Pascale……………..New England
Susan Pascale……………..New England
Mike Blackburn…………….New England
Jimmy Phillips…………….New Mexico
Alan Levy…………………Oklahoma
Sean Hutchinson……………Oregon
Neil Romney……………….Oregon
Lisa Dahl…………………Pacific Northwest
Owen Molenaar……………..San Diego-Imper. Valley
Brian Fitch……………….Sierra Nevada
Swana Hart………………..South Carolina
Bill Spargue………………South Carolina
Lindsie Micko……………..South Dakota
Sharon Churchin……………South Texas
Mike Sansavera…………….South Texas
janet Oles………………..Utah
Bridget Edwards……………Virginia
Jay Brinson……………….Virginia
Paul Bennett………………Wyoming

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