Worthington Swim Club

Coaching Staff

The Worthington Swim Club has professional and certified coaches committed to helping every swimmer reach their full potential.  Their combined experience in the sport surpasses 50 years.  Each coach has a specific purpose in the quality progression of this program.

Meet the Coaches

 Bernard Vrancken - Head (& All Around Nice Guy!) Coach

                                     (e-mail at coachbernard@worthingtonpools.com )

Head Coach Bernard Vrancken comes from the other side of the Atlantic. Coach Bernard is a native of Waterloo, Belgium where he swam on the national team. He came over to the US as a high school exchange student and became a freestyle and IM specialist. He was an All-American swimmer in the mid-distance and distance events for The Ohio State University. He graduated in 1995 with a degree in Marketing and International Business. Coach Bernard has 10 years of experience coaching high school and age group swimmers, including 3 years as assistant to previous Worthington Head Coach Scott Colby.

Heather Loge will work with the Age Group and Advanced Age Group programs.

Coach Heather has been swimming, and teaching swimming her entire life. She swam at Worthington High School for two years and went on to swim for The University of Akron. In the past, Heather has coached the Worthington Wave Swim Team, assisted with the 8 and unders for the Worthington Swim Club, and was a student assistant with The University of Akron's women's swim team. Heather graduated from the University of Akron with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, worked for a year and decided she wanted to pursue a career where she would help people and work with them face to face. She is back in school working toward a Doctorate in Physical Therapy at The Ohio State University.

  Angie Provo - Bronze & Silver Coach

                                    (e-mail at aprovo@columbus.rr.com )

Coach Angie is a Worthington resident who previously worked with Coach Scott Colby at the Bengal Tiger Aquatic Club in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  She coached swimmers ages 7-12 at that time and is familiar with his philosophy.  Angie also assisted Dublin Scioto High School boys and girls swimming.  A competitive swimmer from age 7 through high school, Angie brings an extensive background to our club.  Angie holds a Masters Degree in MIS earned at LSU and works full-time for AEP.  This is her fifth season at Worthington.

                                            (e-mail at water_godess45@hotmail.com )

Coach Stephanie has over 15 years of competitive swimming experience under various coaches including Coach Scott and Coach Bernard. She has coached for 6 years, most notably as the Head Coach of WAVES swim team this past summer. One sister, Valerie, swims in the Silver Group and another sister is a champion diver who will represent The Ohio State University starting this Fall. Coach Stephanie attends Columbus State and will transfer to OSU majoring in Education.

                                    and our newly created adult program.

Coach Amy has been a competitive swimmer since she was 6 years old. She moved to Worthington in eighth grade and began swimming for WOR, and then swam all 4 years of high school under Jim Callahan for Thomas Worthington. She is a previous holder of the varsity record for 100 yd fly and she was a member of the State Championship Team 1989 for both swimming and water polo. She was also a member of the state record Medley Relay team in 1989. Amy has more than 5 years of coaching experience as an age group coach and high school coach. Over the past few years, Amy and her husband Dan have started a family and Amy finished graduate school at OSU. She is an Exercise Physiologist as well as a Physical Therapist.
 

  Jim Callahan - High School Coach

Coach Jim has been the head coach of both TWHS and WKHS for the past 22 years.  He graduated from Solon HS, where he was a state finalist, then went to OSU graduating in 1981 with a degree in PE.  While at OSU, Coach Jim lettered 4 years and was captain his senior year.  Jim earned his MA degree in Sports Administration at Northeast Missouri State.  At NMSU his duties included asst. coaching, pool management, and teaching.  Since 1983 Jim has been with Worthington as a USA Swimming coach, water polo coach, HS coach and he teaches Physical Education at Brookside Elementary School.  He is also an avid Masters swimmer and has recently won several National Championships.   Coach Jim is married to Dara and has 3 children.

VOICE MESSAGES CAN BE LEFT AT THE COACHES OFFICE. (885-2680). MESSAGES ARE CHECKED MON-FRI EVENINGS BEFORE AND/OR AFTER PRACTICE. 

A tribute to Judith

And check out a GREAT way to Honor Judith at http://www.lapsforlifejag.com/index.html

Another page for a great WOR Coach (Scott), Click HERE.

Coaching Responsibilities

The Worthington Swim Club coaches supervise all competitive swim programs and exercise complete authority for all matters involving swimming training and competition. Specific responsibilities of the coaching staff include:

• assigning swimmers to training groups according to ability, maturity, and commitment;

• instructing swimmers on competitive swimming technique and racing strategies;

• designing training regimens according to sound scientific principles and group goals;

• deciding which events in a meet that a swimmer will compete in,

• offering constructive feedback and support to swimmers after competition;

• supervising warm-ups and assigning swimmers to relay teams at meets; and

• officially representing the Club on administrative matters at swimming meets.

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