Smith College Celebrates Kim Bierwert’s 40th Season

Photo Courtesy: Smith College Swim and Dive Instagram

On Saturday, October 22, Smith College celebrated Coach Kim Bierwert‘s 40th season with the Pioneers. Bierwert is the longest tenured member of the College’s coaching staff, having served as Head Swimming and Diving Coach since 1977.

In his career at the women’s college in Northampton, MA, Bierwert has coached hundreds of athletes. Bierwert’s skill set is vast, as he has had incredible success with divers, pool swimmers, and open water athletes. His teams have won over 175 meets and he has produced over 30 All-Americans, three of them National Champions. The team has made an NCAA Division III National appearance in 21 of the last 30 years.

While at Smith, Bierwert has been honored as New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference and New England Women’s Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association Diving Coach of the Year. Additionally, he was a member of the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Committee for four years, including two years as Chair. He has also served on the College Swimming Coaches of America Associate Board of Directors.

Photo Courtesy: Paige Christie

Despite all of the recognition, Bierwert’s swimmers know that his success is better measured in relationships and memories than in statistics and awards.

“The consistency throughout the generations of Smith swimmers and divers has created an incredible bond between alumnae and present students. [The bond] is getting to know, work with, and get pushed towards excellence by the same person, Kim, for 4 years. The legacy and team traditions Kim continues to foster have created this unity whether you were under Kim’s coaching in his 1st year or his 40th.” said 2015 graduate Paige Christie.

Rachel Dean, a member of the Class of 2013, described how Bierwert shapes such meaningful relationships with his student-athletes, “He invested in us and saw our potential in the pool and outside of it, more than we could see for ourselves. Kim wanted us to know our worth and value beyond any performance in the pool during our formative years at Smith.”

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Photo Courtesy: Cece Arrison

While his interactions with his athletes are memorable, his skill set is equally impressive. Few college coaches are as knowledgable about what happens on the boards as they are about what goes on in the pool.

Cece Arrison, a 2016 NCAA Division III National diving qualifier shared, “Kim is the most outstanding coach I have ever had because he balances a complete knowledge of the sport from every aspect. He understand the mental challenges, the physics of a dive, the motivation for different individuals, and the experience to be able to approach teaching from many angles.”

“Kim is exceedingly good at motivational speeches; as a diver, he can give a team speech that makes me want to swim faster,” she added.

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Photo Courtesy: Paige Christie

His coaching prowess extends into open water. The youngest person to ever complete the Eight Bridges Marathon Swim, Christie also completed a successful English Channel crossing in August 2014. She was Smith College’s sixth successful crossing.

Christie reflected on the pivotal role her coach played in that success,

“A 100% successful solo crossing English Channel coaching rate is unheard of….Especially given the swimmers’ very different time periods of completion, different personalities, and various swimming resumes. Yet, there was one common denominator…Kim. For a person to stand the entirety of an English Channel crossing, a 11+ hour event, without water breaks, food breaks, bathroom breaks or stretching breaks, is dedication in its truest form. To have coach Kim’s eye contact made me feel a power that is indescribable. I knew I wasn’t alone. I knew he was equally committed and would give his 110% if I was willing to give mine. That’s more than being a coach.”

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Photo Courtesy: Paige Christie

Under Bierwert’s guidance junior Abby Bergman joined the ranks of Smith’s Open Water swimmers this summer with a successful crossing of the Catalina Channel. In addition to the distance workouts he provided and his support for her endeavor Bergman spoke about Bierwert’s role in her college career, “He is not only a coach but a teacher and from him I have learned lessons about teamwork and determination that I will use for the rest of my life.”

With Bierwert’s leadership, the Pioneers will swim and dive into the 2016-2017 season beginning this Saturday when they host Westfield State and Mount Holyoke College at the Smith Relays.

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