Piranha Swim Team Picks Jeff Conwell as Head Coach

PALM SPRINGS, California, October 19. THE Palm Springs, CA-based Piranha Swim Team Board of Directors is excited to announce that, after initial restructuring of our program, the acquisition of our new Head Coach Jeff Conwell.

Coach Conwell, who has spent the bulk of his coaching career with the Canyons Aquatics Club in Santa Clarita, will begin on deck with the Piranhas later this month. The Piranhas are very pleased to bring in a coach with such Team building skills as Coach Conwell. We were seeking leadership from a coach that has proven themselves and has the ability to build the base of our team, promote the sport in the entire Coachella Valley, and achieve and sustain competitive success regionally, nationally and internationally for the Piranhas. These are the very ideals of USA Swimming and we have full faith in Coach Conwell to do this in both the short and long term.

Coach Conwell comments: “The Piranhas are giving me the opportunity to gain the important club management experience I've sought after within a structure that ensures that I can be there for a very long time. In return, I bring the experience gained from my 14 years working at Canyons and the great things the team accomplished.” He went on to say: “It was not an easy decision to leave such a great organization, but in seeking to grow as a professional, I feel it is time to take on this new challenge in Palm Springs. This also affords me the opportunity to put down some roots for my family.”

Coach Conwell also brings with him the ability to elevate his athletes to some of the best NCAA swimming programs in the nation. In addition, he qualified 7 swimmers for the 2012 Olympic Trials as well as recently placing swimmers on the US Junior Team.

Coach Conwell's Bio speaks for itself: Coach Jeff Conwell began with the Canyons Aquatic Club as the Head Age Group coach in 1999. In 2005 he took over as the clubs Head Coach. In addition to being the Head Coach of the club he has been the Head Coach of the College of the Canyons Swimming and Diving program since 2006. Prior to joining Canyons, Conwell spent two years as an assistant coach at Cal State Northridge, an NCAA Division I program. Conwell's additional coaching stints include: assistant coach for CCAT/Class club swim team, head coach at Louisville High School, Crespi High School, and at Granada Hills High School, where he won a CIF championship and his swimmers set six CIF records in one year. Conwell was also an assistant coach at College of the Canyons for four years prior to becoming their Head Coach. Here at Canyons, Jeff's accomplishments include more than 300 national age group rankings – over 30 of those being No. 1 in the nation – 16 Southern California records, and one national age group record. Since Jeff became the head coach of the Canyons Aquatic Club, the senior groups have accomplished: 25 Junior National qualifiers, 13 National qualifiers, 8 Olympic Trials qualifiers, and one National Junior Team Member.

In 2009 Jeff was named to the USA Swimming National Select Camp Staff in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center and in 2011 participated in the USA Swimming Open Water Select Camp. Conwell previously was selected to coach the Southern California Swimming Western Zone team for five years beginning in 2000, and was named the Zone Head Coach during the last three years he coached the all star group of club swimmers, bringing home three straight team championships. Currently a member of the Southern California Swimming Board of Review and the Coastal Section Board of Directors, Conwell has also been an active player in Southern California swimming politics for several years.

Raised in Sacramento, Conwell competed for California Capitol Aquatics, home team of Olympian Summer Sanders, and coached by 1992 Olympic staff member, Mike Hastings. He also swam and played water polo at Jesuit High School in Carmichael. Conwell later attended Cal State Northridge as a scholarship athlete where he earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and served as team captain of their swim team. Coach Conwell and his wife Alicia, a well-established coach herself, will reside in Palm Springs.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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