Special to the Picayune

USA Swimming coach Ed Spencer visited West Austin Athletic Club last week while welcoming West Austin Aquatics to his select national organization.

Spencer is part of USA Swimming’s master coach consultant program, where four successful retired coaches travel to selected teams to exchange ideas on how to make swim teams and swimmers more successful.  

Spencer met with West Austin Athletic Club’s USA swimming and developmental coaches and spent time with the West Austin Aquatic swimmers.

Only 40 teams are chosen each year to participate in this program.  

“West Austin Aquatics was chosen for a visit because USA Swimming has identified it as an up-and-coming team,”   Spencer said.

He went on to praise WAA coach Janet Risser for her work and cited her as one of the country’s best coaches, helping young swimmers successfully bridge to the elite swim arena. He also commended WAA for having a full swim program. 

“It is unusual to find such a comprehensive program where every swimmer that walks through the door can find a good swim fit in a lesson, camp or team,” he said.  “A place [like WAA] includes a broad range of swim programs will build a base where swimmers of all abilities can set and meet goals.” 

Spencer talked with the swimmers, both with inspiring stories and providing information on current thoughts on stroke mechanics.

Spencer has been with this USA Swimming program since 2005. During his career as a club coach, he has won national team titles and led swimmers to be sectional and national champions as well as Olympic Trial qualifiers. His swimmers have represented the USA in the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Olympic games.

More information about USA Swimming can be found at www.usaswimming.org. More information about WAA can be found at www.wfly.com.