Dave Thomas, USA Swimming Coming to PST Friday, 10/26

Dave Thomas, the Southern Zone representative from USA Swimming will be visiting Plantation Friday, October 26. Dave will be giving a talk to our swimmers from 5pm-5:45pm and our parents from 5:45pm-6:30pm. He will be speaking on the pool deck.

Thomas has more than 30 years of coaching and sport development experience with both Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Thomas has been a sport development consultant with USA Swimming, where he concentrated his efforts on growing swimming in grassroots organizations, conducting educational and instructional clinics and working as the liaison between clubs and the national office on governance issues. He also served as the team leader, head coach and assistant coach for countless Olympic and Paralympic major, international competitions.

From 1985-2000, Thomas was the men's and women's head swim coach and aquatic director at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. While there, he helped lead his team to numerous conference titles and top-20 national championship finishes and increased the program's all-time win percentage.

From 1983-1985, he held the position of assistant coach of the women's swim team for the University of Iowa, where he coached several sprinters to All-American status and helped recruit student athletes.

Thomas earned a Bachelor of Arts in physical education from the Western State College and a Master of Arts in physical education from University of Iowa.