Linck Bergen, Longtime Head Coach at Tualatin Hills, Fired

Linck Bergen

BEAVERTON – In a move that emerged earlier today, the Tualatin Hills Swim Club has decided to terminate long-time head coach Linck Bergen from his position.

Bergen, who just came back from coaching the club at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals, served as the head coach of the club for a decade after being promoted in 2004.  Previously, he spent five years as the head age group coach at Tualatin Hills.

Tualatin Hills president Jay Epperson confirmed the moved this afternoon to Swimming World.

“The Board of Directors decided it was in the best interests of the athletes and the club to make a change in the head coach position, and has implemented that decision,” Epperson said. “Out of respect for Mr. Bergen’s privacy, and because this is an employment matter, we will not comment further.”

The specific reasoning behind Bergen’s termination has not been revealed, and multiple attempts to contact Bergen have been unsuccessful.

According to Epperson, THSC’s assistant head coach Christopher Pfaffenroth is the interim head coach, and the club is currently conducting a search for a new head coach with Pfaffenroth being a viable internal candidate.

Bergen not only led the Thunderbolts into the short course championship season this month, he also served as a coach on the U.S. Junior National Team trip to the FINA World Cup alongside Nitro’s Tim O’Brien.

Bergen’s coaching resume begins back in 1986, where he first started as the head age group coach at Etobicoke Swim Club.  He coached there from 1986-88, before spending a year at the Blairwood Racquet Club in 1990-91.

He then served as the head coach of the Cape Girardeau swim team from 1991-93, before landing with the Napa Valley Swim Team as the head age group coach from 1993-96.

He has also coached six Olympians, including The Netherlands’ Inge De Bruijn and Chantal Grout, Japan’s Kaori Hamada and Junko Onishi, as well as Russia’s Igor Matchenko and Denis Pimankov.

During his time with the Thunderbolts, Bergen has coached several Trials, Nationals and Junior Nationals qualifiers.

Bergen’s father is Olympic coach Paul Bergen.  Tualatin Hills top event of the year, the Paul Bergen Junior International, underwent a name change last year to Thunderbolt Junior International SCM Championships following allegations from Olympic gold medalist Deena Deardurff Schmidt that Paul Bergen sexually abused her as a child.

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abs
abs
9 years ago

Paul Bergen’s son.

R Millane
R Millane
9 years ago

This is disheartening to hear! Best coach around , We can honestly say our family would be exiting this club because of this news. This man is the club, his leadership and context of excellence shows through and through. THSC will never be the same.

Linck Bergen
Linck Bergen
9 years ago
Reply to  R Millane

R Millane…if you only knew any of the facts, you would not be belly aching. If you were still with the club and knew what was going on, you might be leaving for other reasons.

R Millane
R Millane
9 years ago
Reply to  Linck Bergen

I am not sure who posted this comment – but I doubt it’s Linck.

Cam
Cam
9 years ago

Let’s all agree we are confused and expect to hear further details soon. I hope this does not turn into a fallout like Lake O. had 10 years ago. I hope the THSC/T-Hills/Thunderbolt legacy continues. I would expect the parents to call a board meeting to get the truth as soon as possible.

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