John Leonard to Receive Top Award from Interscholastic and Collegiate Coaches Associations

PHOENIX, December 22. JOHN Leonard, Executive Director of the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) will be the recipient of the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) and the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) 2005 Collegiate Scholastic Swimming Trophy, according to NISCA spokesman, Bill Stetson.

The award will be presented at the NISCA Awards Banquet, which will be held at the NISCA Convention Center at the Holiday Metrodome, 1500 Washington Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55454, Thursday, March 24, 2005, at 4:22 PM. The NCAA Championships will be held at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

The National Collegiate and Scholastic Swimming Trophy is conferred annually by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) and the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) in recognition of "the greatest contribution to swimming as a competitive sport, including protecting oneself and others in emergencies and as a healthful, [recreational] activity in the province of undergraduate and scholastic education in the United States:

John A. Leonard, American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA), Ft. Lauderdale, FL."

The award recognizes Coach Leonard for:

Leadership: local, state and national: From 1985 to the present: responsible for the development of all association programs and publications and the growth and operation of the 4,000-member association; member of the formation committee, World Swimming Coaches Association; executive director, World Swimming Coaches Association; member of United States Swimming Olympic International Committee; executive director of ASCA; responsible for the development of a nationwide Learn to Swim Program with 750,000 participants at 625 locations, a national certification program for swimming coaches, and the development of a coaches Code of Ethics.

Professional recognition and awards: He has received numerous awards in the field of competitive swimming, coaching and coaches' education; in 1995 he received the Athletes Appreciation Award from United States Swimming for his fight against performance-enhancing drugs in swimming.

Aquatic coaching experience: Aquatics director and head swimming coach of Lake Forest College and Swim Club (Lake Forest, IL) which had five USA national team members; served as one of the editors of the NISCA High School Coaching Manual; continues to work with NISCA in the area of coaches' education; 1990 USA vs. USSR Dual Meet, and 1989 USA Swimming Team, World University Games, Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 1970-78, Aquatics Director of City of Syracuse Parks and Recreation Department, which included 36 pools in the system; head swimming coach, Syracuse Chargers Swim Team, Olympic Athlete Development Program; 1978 – 84.

Coaching accomplishments: Head manager of 1991 USA Pan American Swimming Team; author of "Parent, Coach and Athlete," Levels 1-4 ASCA Certification Course, "Science of Coaching Swimming," 231 articles on competitive swimming and learn to swim, published in Swimming World and Swimming Technique, NISCA Journal and numerous others; has lectured in 25 nations and made over 1000 total presentations.

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