USA Swimming Staff to Undergo Staff Change After Beijing Olympics

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, May 22. USA Swimming will officially announce a shake-up in its science department as Performance Science and Technology Director Jonty Skinner and Sport Science Director Genadijus Sokolovas are slated to leave the national governing body after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Jonty Skinner and Genadijus Sokolovas have offered valuable consultation and support to our nation's athletes and coaches, for which we are very grateful for their dedicated service," USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus told Swimming World. "The National Team Division will be restructuring around the philosophy and plans of National Team Head Coach Mark Schubert. With this restructuring, Jonty and Genadijus will finish their service to USA Swimming Aug. 31, 2008. Jonty and Genadijus have both been key contributors in our tradition of success, and we are grateful they will be part of the team as we set to make history in Beijing."

Here are the USA Swimming bios of Skinner and Sokolovas for some background information on the pair:

Jonty Skinner
Jonty Skinner coordinates all testing tracking and assessment of National Team athletes. In addition he is in charge of organizing technical support for National Team coaches and athletes at national and international competitions, and overseeing the framework of communication that delivers information to the coaching population.

From 1994-2000 Skinner served as USA Swimming's Resident Team Coach, which involves coaching some of the nation's top swimmers at the elite national and international level. Prior to his arrival at USA Swimming, Skinner served head coach of the men's and women's swimming teams at the University of Alabama. Skinner was elevated to the head position after serving as an assistant coach for two years. Under Skinner's guidance both the men's and women's swimming programs finished in the top 10 nationally in 1994. That same year Skinner won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Women's Coach of the Year award.

From 1981-1988, Skinner served as head coach at the San Jose Aquatic club, where he won five junior national championship team titles and one national championship team title. Prior to his coaching experience in San Jose, Skinner was head coach of the University Aquatic Club in Tuscaloosa, Ala. for three years.

Skinner has coached various athletes to 18 national titles, 18 Olympic gold medals and he has produced two Kipputh Award winners. During his swimming career, Skinner captured four national titles and was the world record holder in the 100m freestyle from 1976 to 1981. In 1986 he was recognized by the swimming world when he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Born in Cape Town, South Africa and a graduate of the University of Alabama, Skinner currently resides in Monument, CO. He has two daughters named Cleone and Cydney.

Genadijus Sokolovas
* Undergraduate degree in Physical Education and Sport from Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education (1979-83). Worked with the Specific Power Analysis System to characterize land/water power in swimmers and modern pentathletes; Developed the program of testing in swimming and modern pentathlon.

* PhD from Russian Academy of Physical Education, Swimming Department Moscow, Russia (1984-87). Worked on development of mathematical models in swimming; Used physiological, biochemical, and pedagogical testing programs to assess adaptation in swimming to different workload; Developed computer training design based on changes in working capacity.

* Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, Swimming Department, Head of Labor of Swimming Physiology, Scientific Advisor of Lithuanian Swimming (1987-1992). Developed and implemented complex, stage and effective testing programs for competitive swimmers; Investigated adaptation of swimmers to different workloads during a season and career training; Designed first completed computer training programs in swimming (1990); Taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Swimming Training Methodology; Coached swimming team at Lithuanian Academy of Physical education.

* Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, Head of Swimming Department (1990-92). Developed swimming coaches curriculum for Bachelors Degree at Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education; Taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Swimming Training Methodology.

* Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, Dean of Coaching Faculty, Scientific Advisor of Lithuanian Swimming, Modern Pentathlon and Track & Field, The Head of Labor of Computerization in Sport (1992-2000). Developed coaches curriculum in various sports for Bachelors and Masters Degree at Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education; Co-authored Doctoral Degree Curriculum in field of Physical Education and Sport; Taught theory and methodology of swimming, computerization in sport, introduction to coaching, and sport theory for Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. students; Optimized training strategies in swimming, running, race walking, modern pentathlon and triathlon; Developed and implemented testing programs for management of athletes preparation in swimming, running, race walking, modern pentathlon and triathlon; Developed mathematical models of adaptation of athletes in career, seasonal, and weekly training; Created computer database for competitive swimmers, which includes analyses of performances, test sets, time trials, parameters of specific endurance and power as well as individual seasonal and weekly computer training design; Created computer training design for swimming on World Wide Web.

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