Cincinnati Marlins head coach and CEO\u00a0Chris Wolford<\/b> announced his resignation to become the Sports Performance Director for South Carolina Swimming.<\/p>\n
Swimming World<\/em> obtained a copy of the announcement sent out to its friends and members by the team\u2019s president.<\/p>\n After 16 years as the Cincinnati Marlins Head Coach, Chris Wolford has announced his intention to step down effective April 1.\u00a0 Please join the Board of Directors and Coaches in wishing Coach Wolford and his family all the best in his next challenge as Sports Performance Director for South Carolina Swimming.<\/span><\/p>\n During his tenure with the Marlins, Coach Wolford made an impact on a significant number of swimmers, families and coaches.\u00a0 His steady hand has taken the Marlins from 175 swimmers and 6 coaches to today\u2019s 500+ swimmers, 25 coaches and 4 training sites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While Wolford was Head Coach, Marlins swimmers qualified for the Pan American Games, World University Games, Olympic Trials and numerous National Junior Teams.\u00a0 Marlins\u2019 swimmers captured over 16 Junior National Titles, Junior National Meet Records, as well as 13 National Age-Group Records.\u00a0\u00a0 Additionally, the Marlins were the 2006 Men\u2019s Junior National Team Champions and have won 14 Junior Olympic team titles setting over 100 LSC records.<\/span><\/p>\n As the Marlins forge ahead into championship season, Coach Wolford and the Marlins coaching staff will remain focused on our swimmers, guiding them to achieve individual and team goals.\u00a0 The families of the Marlins should also know that we will be immediate and diligent in our search for the next Marlin Head Coach to carry out the Cincinnati Marlins rich tradition of excellence in swimming.<\/span> Wolford was longest serving Head Coach <\/span>in Marlins\u2019 history. \u00a0The team grew to over 500 swimmers with satellites in six locations outside of its home base at the Keating Natatorium on the Xavier High School campus.<\/p>\n Wilford penned the following letter to his staff:<\/p>\n Coaches & Staff,<\/span><\/p>\n I am writing to let you know that this will be my last season coaching with the Cincinnati Marlins.\u00a0 I have resigned my position effective March 31, 2017.\u00a0 It has been an honor and a great source of professional pride to have led the Marlins for over 16 years.\u00a0 It has also been my great honor to have been associated with such a great group of coaches.\u00a0 The caring, dedication, and knowledge of the people I get to work with every day is hard to imagine by anyone outside of the Marlins.<\/span><\/p>\n All good things come to an end.\u00a0 I am extremely proud of the organization I have built here and I am extremely grateful for all you have done to make my visions reality.\u00a0 That being said, after 16 years I have doubled the longest tenure of any previous Marlins\u2019 coach.\u00a0 Just as there are reasons I have made it longer than anyone else, there are costs that take a toll on me and my family.\u00a0\u00a0 I feel it is time for me to move on to new challenges and opportunities.\u00a0 I also feel it is time for a new face of the Marlins with fresh ideas and energy to take the team from where we are to new heights as a team and organization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I truly appreciate all you have done for me and the Marlins.\u00a0 I have learned so much from each of you. Whether it was a specific drill or a passing comment about working with parents, by observing the work you do I have become a better coach and CEO.<\/span><\/p>\n I will be leaving the Marlins to become the new Sports Performance Director for South Carolina Swimming.\u00a0 In this role I will provide guidance and direction to coaches, parents, boards of directors & athletes throughout the state.\u00a0 I hope to expand the sport in South Carolina as I have with the Marlins.\u00a0 I continue to wish the best for the Marlins and all of you as you have all meant so much to me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/span> The Cincinnati Marlins were founded in 1961.\u00a089 girls were selected for the team the first year, with 77 boys joining the following year.\u00a0Keating Natatorium was built in 1969.\u00a0Keating is a 50-meter indoor facility with seating for approximately 1000. \u00a0\u00a0It contains a full-service concession area, men\u2019s and women\u2019s locker rooms, a weight room, hospitality room, coach\u2019s offices, and a meet room.\u00a0The pool can be converted to two 25-yard competition pools through the use of a bulkhead.\u00a0The Marlins and Keating Natatorium host approximately 20 swimming competitions a year.\u00a0The parents and volunteers have years of experience and are known for hosting quality competitions.<\/p>\n The Marlins have placed 18 swimmers on the U.S. Olympic Team since\u00a01968.\u00a0Team members have broken numerous National and World Records.\u00a0In 1980 the team captured the United States National Championship.\u00a0That year, six Marlins\u2019 swimmers were named to the U.S. Olympic team, more than from any other team.\u00a0Sadly, those six swimmers were unable to compete in the Moscow Olympics because of our nation\u2019s boycott of the games.<\/p>\n The Marlins have also developed some of America\u2019s greatest coaches.\u00a0Six former Marlins coaches have been named to Olympic Coaching Staffs. Since 1971, the Marlins have won over 30 Summer & Winter State Championship.\u00a0The team has been named Junior National Team Champions in 1983, 84, 97, 98, 99, and 2000.\u00a0In 2005, the Men\u2019s team placed first, the combined team second.\u00a0Swimming World Magazine named the Cincinnati Marlins 1999\u2019s Best Age-Group Team in America. In 2006 and 2007, the Marlins were designated as a Gold Medal Club by USA Swimming (our governing body).\u00a0This distinction is given to only the top 16 teams in the nation based not only on swimming performance, but the organization\u2019s structure, professionalism, and contribution to the sport of swimming.<\/p>\n Marlin Swimming Success By The Numbers\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Notable alumni<\/strong><\/p>\n The Marlins have been home to many accomplished swimmers, including 25 Olympic<\/span>\u00a0qualifiers.<\/span>\u00a0Together, they have won 23 Olympic medals.<\/span><\/p>\n Notable Historical staff<\/strong><\/p>\n The Cincinnati Marlins website contributed to this story.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cincinnati Marlins head coach and CEO\u00a0Chris Wolford announced his resignation to become the Sports Performance Director for South Carolina Swimming. Swimming World obtained a copy of the announcement sent out<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":236681,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[59998,34432],"class_list":["post-236677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-usa","tag-chris-woldorf","tag-cincinnati-marlins"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n
\n Sincerely,<\/span>
\n Bob Prangley<\/span>
\n Cincinnati Marlins Board President<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n Chris Wolford<\/span>
\n Head Coach<\/span>
\n Cincinnati Marlins<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nAbout the Marlins<\/h2>\n
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