Head Coach: Kerry Miles (photo coming soon)

Hello Coho Swim Team!

I am extremely excited to be coaching the 2012 summer season. I have been living in New Zealand for the past three years and am looking forward to returning to the Bow Valley. Some of you may remember me from my past in Canmore where I coached for the Coho, Rip Tides, and Masters, taught as a substitute teacher and was a lifeguard for the Recreation Centre. For those of you who don’t know me, I would like to share my competitive swimming background with you.

I began competitive swimming when I was twelve and continued to swim until my 4th year of varsity eligibility. During that time I helped my relay team break the Canadian Record in the 4 x 50 medley relay, took part in Olympic Trials, Summer Games and ranked top ten, including first in 50 and 100 freestyle, in Canada in various events in varying age groups.

I have been teaching swimming for seventeen years, and have held a variety of competitive swimming coaching positions. Recently I coached for a local club in Gisborne, New Zealand called the Comet Swim Team. I mainly coached age group swimmers but had the opportunity to co-coach the national squad. My last Canadian swim coaching job was as the head coach for the Bow Valley Rip Tides Swim Club. During my time with the Rip Tides, I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach at Provincials, Jr. and Sr. Nationals and witness our athletes break Provincial and National records.

Although I am a qualified Secondary Physical Education Teacher and personal trainer, I am focused on pursuing my passion for coaching and am eager to continue my career in Canadian swimming.

I am a technically focused coach who believes strongly in incorporating successful learning opportunities for athletes in a fun environment. If athletes participate in a positive environment they will achieve positive things. Athletes should be guided to reach their goals and develop individually at their own pace, but should be challenged to succeed by getting out of their comfort zone in a safe and encouraging way. Some of the main goals for Coho this year are:

• Coaches are to help all swimmers reach their full potential for the season.
• Create, review and incorporate individual and team goals throughout practice, events and swim meets.
• Use “test” sets with purpose and use them to see where we are and where we need to be. Do them at regular intervals.
• Swim fast PROPERLY
• Coho swimmers to have the best turns, starts and finishes during practices and swim meets.
• Improve total athletic fitness.
• Enhance team spirit.
• Provide a great social outlet
• Create great listeners
• Be “time aware” (learn to read pace clock, know your times, and know what your goal times are).

I look forward to meeting you all and having a fun, successful swim season.

Sincerely,

Kerry Miles

Assistant Coach: Ben Bronsch (Photo coming soon)
Hi! My name is Ben Bronsch (I am also cool going by Darth Ben).
My swimming life began waaaaaaaay back at the age of 6 as I attempted my first Red Cross swim badge. I took me 4 tries before I could get it as I was frightened of the deep water and of putting my face in the pool. Thanks to my parent’s patience (and many grey hairs), I overcame the fear and began to eat through the Red Cross program.
When I was 8 years old my parents were advised to put me and my younger brother in the Canmore Coho swim club. I was not a fast swimmer but I learned allot during my two years in the club. We then moved to Saskatchewan where I swam with the Battleford Kinsman swim club for 2 years. After our brief stay, we moved back to Canmore. I was now 14 and decided to swim with the Coho one more time before swimming year round. I had a great summer season under Kerry Miles and then joined year round swimming. I would swim with the Bow Valley Riptides for 4 years (all through high school) before hanging up the full time training suit and starting coaching.
I did not ask to become a coach for the Riptides or the Coho…it just sort of ‘fell into place’. Next thing I know, I have been coaching the Riptides 10+U program for 3 years and the Coho’s for 2 summers. Swimming is a huge part of my life and always will be. I love to train on my own time at lane swim and absolutely love coaching kids.
My coaching style (and philosophy) is built on three pillars: being firm, fair, and fun. I am firm; I will not pick favourites or let some kids ‘bend the rules’. Everyone plays by the same book. I am fair; every kid in the club gets an equal chance to grow, learn, and succeed. I am also fun; you need to enjoy coming to the pool…not dread it.
I have nearly completed level 2 coaching (under the new NCCP) and am also certified as an NLS lifeguard. I also love reading swimming and coaching books in my spare time. I have grown and learned so much this fall/winter and am VERY eager to work with the Coho swim for a 3rd summer (and hopefully for many, many summers).
My personal interests (aside from swimming) include filling (and eating) bulk food at Nutters, playing video games, anything to do with Star Wars, watching movies, listening to music, and writing.

Assistant Coach: Alex Pasemko (Photo coming soon)

I cant wait for another season of Coho to begin!! I have been involved in many sports since I was a youngster. From karate to swimming. I swam with Coho in the summer of grade 6. I started because I completed all my swimming levels from 1-12, and after that I wanted to stay in the water and go further. So I heard of Coho by just coming to public swim. I remember my first day, they gave me a swim cap, and I looked at it, saying “now why would I put a plastic bag on my head…?” First of all it looked funny, and I didnt know how to put it on! To this day I still snap my head! My first summer with the club was great so I kept swimming for another year after that. In the end of the last year I decided that I need more, I want to go further than provincials and Alberta Summer games! Riptides came around that following year so I switched clubs and swam for Ray at the time. I swam for Riptides since grade 8 to 11. I was improving and constantly breaking personal bests. In my first year I made it to age group nationals, and placed top 15 in 50fr and 50 fly. By this point Fly was my stroke!! Every year after that I was ranking higher in finals, to when I was placing top 8 in 100 FR, 50 FR 100fly, and 50 fly. As you can tell, Im a sprinter and if you give me anything over 200m sink. In my second last year is when I was at my peak performance. The biggest highlight of that year was the silver medal in 50fly at age group nationals (I tied with another girl) I watch that video of my swim every once in a while, and I start missing swimming more and more. I swam for one more year after that, then hung up the goggles. ( I literally hung the goggles in my room. hah) It was one of the most hardest decisions to make to stop swimming, but I was in grade 11, and wanted a social life and wanted to look in my future with volleyball, its was something I didnt have for 4 years. In grade 12 I played club volleyball in Cochrane, and during a premier got scouted to come play for Lethbridge College. Volleyball is my secret weapon, I love the sport but Im hard on myself,thats one of the many things that swimming has taught me. PUSH YOURSELF! I am in my second year of exercise science and loving it! Still playing ball. I payed left side, but now Im a middle. I will be returning next year to play one more year, and finish my diploma! I have been looking into swimming for a university out east…so I may just have to put the goggles back on. I never give up on opportunities that come my way! This is my life in a nut shell, and I cant wait to get in the pool and start changing lives, making friends, competing, and best of all having fun! I’ll see you in the pool!!!

Alex Pasemko