KINGWOOD, Texas, October 18. FOR the first time in its history, the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) will be conducting voting for the 2008 NISCA Professional Awards online.<\/p>\n
The awards honor five members for Outstanding Service, and one each for the NISCA Hall of Fame and the NISCA Collegiate-Scholastic Award.<\/p>\n
Two people are currently up for NISCA Hall of Fame induction as Melvin Roberts of Tooele High in Utah and Paul Torno, previously of Bainbridge High in Washington, are vying for a coveted spot in the Hall.<\/p>\n
Roberts has been coaching at Tooele for 39 years as the boys coach and 36 years as the girls. During his time at Tooele, he has won 11 state championships and 30 region titles.<\/p>\n
Torno started the girls swim team at Bainbridge, and coached them from 1977-88. He won a state championship, six district championships and 10 league titles during his time there. He also was inducted into the Washington Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006.<\/p>\n
A pair of coaches are up for the Collegiate-Scholastic Award as both Tim Dowling of Glenbrook High in Illinois and Robert Erickson of St. Louis Park High in Minnesota are on the ballot.<\/p>\n
Nine coaches are up for five Outstanding Service awards:<\/b>
\nSteve Borowski, Kealakehe High in Hawaii
\nTim Cahill, Model Laboratory School in Kentucky
\nDavid Hanson, Bishop Hendricken High in Rhode Island
\nTom Harwood, Klein High of Texas
\nTom Hudson, Laramie Senior High of Wyoming
\nRobert Kane, South Park High of Pennsylvania
\nGary Kolpin, James Madison Memorial High of Wisconsin
\nSteve Riggs, Edmond Schools of Oklahoma
\nRobert Schlegel, Penfield High of New York<\/p>\n