Bob Bowman Captures Record-Breaking Fifth ASCA Coach of the Year Award; Five Others Inducted Into Hall of Fame

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, September 7. BOB Bowman received his fifth Coach of the Year award from the American Swimming Coaches Association at this evening's awards banquet at the Riviera Hotel & Casino.

Bowman's previous honors came in 2001, 2003, 2007 and 2008. He had previously been tied with Richard Quick and Mark Schubert for the most ASCA Coach of the Year awards, but now stands alone as the most-honored coach in the 41 years of the award.

“I accept this award on behalf of everyone at North Baltimore Aquatic Club,” Bowman said in his speech in front of a crowd of his peers. “I love coaching because it's all about hard work, discipline and routine, all the things a lot of us enjoy. But what I really love about coaching … is the relationships we have with these kids and helping them develop.”

Bowman's accomplishments as a coach in 2012 included putting Michael Phelps on his fourth Olympic team and Allison Schmitt on her second Games squad. There, Phelps and Schmitt combined for 11 Olympic medals. Phelps won six (four gold, two silver) while Schmitt won five (three gold, one silver, one bronze).

Bowman was among an impressive finalist list of eight other American coaches that guided swimmers to medals at the London Olympics: Rick DeMont (coach of Matt Grevers), Dave Durden (coach of Nathan Adrian), Teri McKeever (coach of Dana Vollmer, Natalie Coughlin and Caitlin Leverenz), Dave Salo (coach of Rebecca Soni, Ricky Berens and Jessica Hardy), Todd Schmitz (coach of Missy Franklin), Yuri Sugiyama (coach of Katie Ledecky) and Jon Urbanchek (coach of Tyler Clary).

Also at tonight's ceremonies, five coaches were inducted into the ASCA Hall of Fame:

Jay Fitzgerald, current coach at Pine Crest School, former coach at Santa Clara Swim Club, Cincinnati Marlins, Dad's Club and University of Alabama;

Karen Moe Humphreys, former head women's coach at UC-Berkeley;

Jack Ridley, former coach at Chinook Aquatics;

Don Sonia, former coach at Glendale Swim School and Philadelphia Aquatic Club;

Gregg Troy, current coach at University of Florida and Gator Swim Club.

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