The Panama City Swim Team, also known as PCST, was founded 71 years ago to grow the swimming community in Bay County. As a young swimmer from Tallahassee, I saw this team as the gold standard of what a club swim team in the area should be. I remember all the fun I had as a young swimmer at the PCST summer swim meets. What could be more fun than swimming outside at Frank Brown Park, so close to the beach??
It is wild to think back to all those memories as a young kid and appreciate that I am now the Head Coach of the Panama City Swim Team. Before coming to this job, I was the Head Coach of the St. Croix Dolphins in the US Virgin Islands, in addition to the US Virgin Islands National Team Coach. When my wife, Caitey, and I saw that the position of Head Coach for PCST had become available, we knew in our hearts that I was meant to apply for it. We had recently welcomed our first child, Adrian, into this world, and we saw it as the perfect opportunity to return close to home. More importantly, I saw it as an opportunity to grow this great program back to what it used to be. Without ever visiting Panama City Beach, my wife moved here based on faith in God and trust in myself. In just over one year, it already feels like home, and we know that it is exactly where we are meant to be.
I grew up swimming for Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club, surrounded by great coaches and teammates. During high school, I qualified and swam at the 2012 USA Olympic Trials in the 200 Butterfly. I finished 52nd overall out of 230 swimmers in that event. Following high school, I signed a swimming scholarship with the University of Alabama, but my college career was cut short due to a career-ending injury. At the time, this news was earth-shattering, but I believe it was the start of my call to coach.
I started coaching at the age of 15 with my ATAC team, making coaching the only job that I have ever had. Following my injury in college, I became a student coach at Alabama before taking a position at Louisiana State University and working with the local club swim team, Tiger Aquatics. After 2 years at LSU, I ended up at the University of Cincinnati as an assistant coach and men’s recruiting director. In Cincinnati, I also met my wife, Caitey, and we got married there. After four great years with the Bearcats, we decided to move to St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. After gaining experience as a head coach with the St Croix Dolphins, I got the position as the Panama City Swim Team Head Coach, and I couldn’t be happier.
Panama City Swim Team, a part of USA Swimming, is a highly competitive program with nationally ranked swimmers. It is a team where swimmers can further develop their skills and grow in their swimming abilities. Thanks to a great coaching staff, we have quadrupled the number of swimmers competing at our Southeastern Swimming Championships this year. Not only did we increase the number of swimmers at this meet, but our team broke 4 all-time meet records.
In addition to our main swim team, we also offer programs for swimmers of all ages and skill levels, including swim lessons, middle school swimming, and Summer Splash, which is a 7-week program designed for kids interested in joining the swim team, but who want to have a “trial run”. This year, we have over 75 swimmers participating!
My goal with Panama City Swim Team is to make swimming accessible, helping as many kids as possible to gain confidence in the water. Being a beach city, it is important to make sure everyone can be safe in and around the water. I am excited about the growth of this program and am thankful for the opportunity to rebuild this team back to the great program that it once was.
