This is Coach Michael's tenth year at MAX Aquatics. Before joining the MAX Coaching staff in 2009, Coach Michael competed for UC Berkeley's Men's Swim Team and Team USA’s Olympic Development Triathlon Team, giving him a wide variety of training backgrounds.

Coach Michael grew up in Glendora and trained at Industry Hills Aquatics Club, before being recruited to UC Berkeley’s Swim Team (#1 NCAA) as the second fastest distance recruit in the country. (From 2004-2008) At CAL, his senior year he captained the team that went 11-1 to finish second in the Pac-10 and helped recruit the team that later became back-to-back National Champions.

His swim experience consists of many USA Swimming Nationals, a NCAA Championship, and Olympic Trials; Coach Michael brings knowledge in the sport from the highest level. At the highest level of his success he was ranked 55^th in the world for his 1500m Free in 2006.

After 2008 Olympic Trials he retired from the sport of swimming to become a part of Team USA’s Olympic Development team for triathlon. While training, he coached directly under CAL Head Coach Dave Durden as the Grad Assistant Coach during the 2008-2009 season. Competing for tri's brought him back down to Southern California to start coaching with Jan Lopez and MAX.

Metro Committee’s Age Group Coaches Chair 2012 - 2014

Metro Committee's Diversity Chair 2015-2016

Metro Committee's Vice Chair 2015-2016

Southern California Swimming’s Diversity Chair 2014 - 2016

Southern California Swimming's Vice Chair 2015-2017

Southern Caliornia Swimming's Chairman 2017-2020

2014 Assistant Manager for CA/NV vs. Itoman Japan Team

2014 Southern California Swimming's METRO committee's Coach of the Year

2015 Southern California Swimming's METRO committee's Coach of the Year

He is very enthusiastic to bring his knowledge of the sport and continue to grow the MAX Aquatics family!

Coach Michael can always be found body surfing some waves at the beach. 

With over 30 years of experience in competitive swimming, I’ve gained a deep understanding of the sport, from the excitement of winning to the dedication it takes to succeed. MAX Aquatics stands out to me for its unwavering commitment to cultivating the next generation of swimmers, and I’m proud to be part of that effort.

My swimming journey started early, inspired by my father, an open water swimmer. By the age of 5, I was already competing with the Shanghai Sports Club at the Foreign YMCA Headquarters. I went on to win titles at the Junior Nationals in the '80s, and eventually represented my state during the growth of Chinese swimming in the '90s.

After hanging up my competitive goggles after the 1996 Olympic Trials, I dove into a project manager role with the Shanghai Administration of Sports, working on major events, sports facility construction, and Olympic Game bids. I then founded the first club swim team in Shanghai Pudong, where I served as Executive Director and head coach.

While exploring opportunities in the financial industry on Wall Street, I continued my passion for swimming by teaching at the local YMCA and supporting children with special needs. I also volunteered as an official for Southern California Swimming and coached at MAX Aquatics. More recently, I’ve trained in US Masters Swimming and competed at local and international level meets to inspire young swimmers in my community.

To me, coaching is about more than just teaching technique. It’s about cultivating discipline, passion, and a love for the sport. I focus on tailoring training to each swimmer's needs, helping them grow while having fun. My goal is to encourage every swimmer to reach their full potential and, above all, enjoy the journey!

Professional Experience
Vice Chair                                 Metro Committee, Southern California Swimming   2024 - Present
Head Coach;Silver&SD Coach MAX Aquatics  2019 - Present 

Official                                      USA Swimming 2018 - Present 
President & Head Coach           Shanghai Pudong Swimming School 1997-
Vice Chair                                 Shanghai Pudong Swimming Association 1996-
Sr. Lifeguard Instructor             Shanghai Swimming Association
Registered Swimming Coach    CSA
Referee/Official                         CSA
 
Education
B.S. in Kinesiology with emphasis in Exercise Science
Summa Cum Laude Shanghai University of Sports

Highlights:

2019  USA Swimming  Life Member Award
2019 FINA World Masters Championships - Gwangju Korea: 50M Fly 11th; 100M Fly 12th
2018 UANA Pan American Masters Championships - Orlando FL: 100 Fly 13 th ; 200 Fly 11th
2018 Rose Bowl Masters Meet: 200 Fly 1st; 100 Fly 2nd; 50Fly 4th
2017 US Masters Southwest Zone Championships: 100 Fly 2nd; 50 Br 4th
2001 & 2000 FINA World Cup Official
1990-1996
    China National Championships Top 10  Qualifier
    National Southern Region Top 3
    China Workers Games Top 3
    National University Games Top 3
1986-1990
    Junior National Championships Top Qualifier
    China National Age Group Titles

My name is Steven Paing. I live in Arcadia, CA. I’ve been swimming since I was 3 years old. I’ve only swam in 2 different teams in the US, Arcadia Riptides Swim Club and MAX aquatics. Now that highschool swimming is done, my desire to nurture a newer generation of swimmers has led me to search for the job of a coach. My goal as a coach is to improve an individual athlete’s technique. Suffering from burnout in the past, I want to prevent future kids from feeling the same way I did.  I’ve had experience with a variety of coaches that taught me different values in the sport and I want to pass on my knowledge to the younger swimmers.