George Minkel - Head Coach

          Apart of Thunderbird Aquatic Club starting September 2018 has qualified swimmers for:

• PNS Age Group Championships- 2018, 2019, 2020,2021,2024,2025
• PNS Senior Championships        -2018, 2019,2022,2023,2024,2025
• Northwest Regional Age Group Championships - 2019, 2020,2023,2024,2025
• USA Speedo Sectionals               - 2019, 2020,2022,2025
• USA Futures                                 -2019, 2022

Prior to Thunderbird Aquatic Club, coaching in Illinois Coach George assisted the develop of age group swimmers swimmers to qualify at the Illinois Age Group Championships, Senior Championships, and NSCA Junior Nationals in 2016, 2017, 2018 as senior sssistant coach and 13 -14 lead coach. He was invited to participate at the USA Swimming National Select Camp 2017.

Prior to coaching swim, Coach George attended Southern Illinois University on a walk-on agreement. While swimming, he earned two Bachelor’s degrees – Sport Administration and Recreation Management. Selected as team captain his Junior and Senior seasons while earning a scholarship his senior season from the coaching staff. Has been coached by former USA National Open Water and Egyptian Olympic Coach Rick Walker, Olympic Trial qualifier and 1992 US Open finalist Deryl Leubner, and has been a teammate of four Olympic representatives from around the world