RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 11 MARK Toburen has been named as the Head Coach and Director of Competitive Swimming for the YMCA of the Triangle Area (YOTA) effective Sept. 1. Toburen takes over after former head coach Ron Turner recently took the head coaching position at Irvine Novaquatics in Calif.
Toburen begins his new role after a 10-year tenure with YOTA, having recently been Assistant Director of Competitive Swimming/Senior Coach with the program. Toburen assisted in producing many of the programs top athletes, including 2005 USA National Junior Team member Charlie Houchin and numerous YMCA All-Americans and Top-16 qualifiers. Toburen is the current N.C. Swimming ASCA Senior Coach representative, and has been on the USA Swimming Regional Distance Camp coaching staff. Toburen also has served as a N.C. Southern Zone Coach and garnered an invitation to be a member of the coaching staff of the YMCA Altitude Training Camp held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. In addition, Toburen was nominated for the 2005 NCS Age Group Coach of the Year Award.
As a swimmer, Toburen grew up competing for the Winston-Salem YMCA and was a nationally-ranked distance freestyler and North Carolina state record holder in several events. Toburen swam for North Carolina State under ASCA Hall of Fame member Don Easterling.
Toburen holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Engineering from N.C. State University. He also is a long-standing member of the American Swim Coaches Association and currently is an ASCA Level 4 certified coach.