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Benson Spurling Head Coach |
Benson enters his 18th season with CAC this year. In addition to overseeing the entire coaching staff and training regimen, he is also responsible for developing our Senior and National swimmers. A native of Tennessee, Benson started his swimming career at the Knoxville West Side YMCA. During his high school career, he qualified for Y Nationals and gained All-American honors his senior year, placing third in the State Championships in the 100 yd. Backstroke. He then swam for four years while earning a Bachelor of Business Administration at Eastern Kentucky University. Benson began his coaching career in Cincinnati when he founded the Clermont County YMCA Clippers swim team in 1986. While coaching there, he earned his teacher Certification in Physical/Health Education and a Master's in Education from Xavier University with a thesis on the effects of mental training on athletic performance. Benson assumed the position of Head Coach of CAC in 1990. Since that time, he has successfully led CAC to be recognized as one of the top competitive swim teams in the Midwest and State of Ohio. Among his swimmers are international competitors and 2008 USA Olympic Trials competitors Elliot Keefer and Nick Thoman. He is also serving as Vice Chair of the Ohio Coaches Association. Benson and his wife Shelli, have two children, Andrew and Lisa, who both swim for CAC. Contact Coach Benson at bspurlingcac@fuse.net |
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Kevin Rachal Sr. Assistant Coach |
Kevin has been coaching with the CAC Seahawks since 1996. For the 2008-09 season he will continue his focus on the T1 and T2 training groups and is Head Age Group Coach. Kevin, a native of Centerville, Ohio, started swimming competitively when he was five years old. In 2002, Kevin received outstanding recognition as Ohio's Age Group Coach of the Year. A graduate of UC, with a degree in Information Systems - Marketing - Management, he has returned to swimming with the Ohio Masters Program. Away form the pool, Kevin likes to participate in all types of sporting activities. Contact Coach Kevin at cackevin@aol.com |
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Ken Dunlap Assistant Coach |
The 2008-09 season will be Ken's sixth season with CAC. He was named Ohio Swimming's Age Group Coach of the Year in July 2006. Ken will be primarily responsible for the A3 training group. Ken’s
swimming career includes 10 years with Foxcatcher Swim Club and 4 years
with
Ken’s
coaching/teaching experience includes 5 years as the Head Coach of the
Mariemont Aquatic Club, 5 years as the Head Coach of the Turpin Hills
Swim Club and 4 years as the Head Coach of the
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Ben Clark Assistant Coach |
This will be Ben's 18th season as a Seahawk -- first as a swimmer and now as a coach. After working with the coaching staff in 2002-03 and pursuing other interests during the 2003-04 year, Ben is a valued member of the CAC coaching staff. He will head the A2 training group and assist Coach Rachal with T1's. Ben began swimming in 1987 as a Miami Hills Dolphin in the Seven Hills Summer League, and became year-round swimmer for CAC one year later. Ben is a graduate of Saint Xavier High and Ohio University, where he majored in Telecommunications and Political Science. Ben was recently appointed Head Coach for the Indian Hill High School swim team. Contact Coach Ben at employbenc@yahoo.com |
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David Plummer Assistant Coach |
CAC Assistant Coach Sr./National
Groups David comes to us having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Minnesota. David had a much-decorated swimming career at Minnesota. He swam for long time Minnesota Coach Dennis Dale, who is very highly regarded nationally. Some of the accomplishments from David’s career include being a full 4-year scholarship recipient, a 4-year letter winner, Senior Captain, and helped lead his team to the Big Ten Conference Championship in 2005 and 2007. He was a 14-time NCAA All American and 8 time individual finalist at the NCAA Championships. As a member of USA swimming, David competed in the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand and the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, British Columbia. He was a 2004 Semi-Finalist at Olympic Trials-Long Beach and was top 8 in both the 100 and 200 Back events at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Omaha. David’s experience as a coach includes working the last three years with the swim camps at the University of Minnesota as Swim Coach and Camp Counselor. David also worked with the local USA age group team Edina Swim Club in the summer of 2007. Please introduce yourself and welcome David to the CAC swimming family when you see him on deck. Welcome aboard, Coach David. Contact Coach David at Plumm006@gmail.com |
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Katie Busse Assistant Coach |
T-1 and T-2 Practice Groups Katie competed at Division I University of Evansville where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She swam all 4 years for the Evansville Purple Aces and earned MVC Scholar Athlete award three years. Katie is very knowledgeable in the areas of stroke mechanics, training, dryland activities, and injury prevention. She is eager to be a part of our team and grow as a coach. Katie grew up in Cincinnati and swam for Lakota West High School where she was Team Captain and earned the Most Valuable Swimmer Award, as well as the Spirit Award for two years in a row. She also swam at the Blue Ash YMCA and competed at the Long and Short Course YMCA National Championships. Katie was the Assistant Swim Coach with the University of Evansville for the 2007-2008 Season. Under the guidance of Head Coach Rickey Perkins, she was responsible for daily coaching activities of NCAA Division I athletes. Her duties included: stroke instruction, practice implementation, creating dryland workouts, overseeing weight lifting workouts, recruiting, meet set-up and entries, organizing travel arrangements, and communicating with athletic trainers and professors. Katie has also been the Assistant Swim Coach at Windwood Swim and Tennis Club in West Chester during the 2004-2008 summer seasons. Katie will be a great addition to our T-1 and T-2 groups’ coaching staff. Please introduce your self and welcome Katie to the CAC swimming family when you see her on deck. Welcome aboard, Coach Katie. Contact Coach Katie at Kmbusse@gmail.com |
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Liz Schoborg Assistant Coach
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We are excited to welcome Liz Schoborg to our Coaching staff. Liz will be assisting Head Coach Benson Spurling with the Sr. /National Groups and occasionally coach Kevin with the Transition 2 group. Liz grew up in Cincinnati and attended Oak Hills High School. She swam for the Gamble Nippert YMCA as an age grouper. Liz then went on to swim in college at the University of Missouri where she won many honors. She was her team’s Most Improved Swimmer in 2003 and Team Captain in 2005-06. Liz was the recipient of the inaugural Coach Goldfarb Excellence Award. Liz was the Big 12 runner-up in the 200 fly 2004 & 2006 and NCAA provisional qualifier. Liz was the Big 12 Performer of the year in 2004 and 2006. She is the School Record Holder in the 100 Fly, 200 Fly, 400 Med. Relay, 200 & 400 Fr. Relays. An outstanding student athlete Liz was 1st team All Academic big 12 2006. Having studied abroad in Australia in the fall of 2006 Liz graduated in May of 2007 with a Bachelors of Psychology. Coach Liz coached with the Total Fitness summer club in Missouri and well as coaching the University Mizzou Swim Camps, Liz is very excited to be a part of the CAC program. Please welcome Liz to our team. Contact Coach Liz at lizschoborg@hotmail.com
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Laura Koehne Assistant Coach
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We are excited to welcome Laura Koehne to our Coaching staff. Laura will be assisting Ben Clark and Ken Dunlap with our A-2 & A-3 groups. Laura was born and raised in Cincinnati and attended college at Elon University. She teaches Biology at Indian Hill High School and likes to run in her spare time. Laura swam as an age grouper, and has coached summer league (Windwood Warriors) and winter USA Swimming with the (Sycamore Flying Fish). She was a lifeguard for 8 years at Windwood Swim and Tennis and managed/head coached at Lawndale Swim and Tennis in North Carolina. She is looking forward to a great season and can't wait to be a part of the CAC team! Please welcome Laura to our team. Contact Coach Laura at lkoehne@gmail.com
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Paige Bainum Assistant Coach
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Our coach Paige Bainum will be working with our A-1 group. She grew up in Palo Alto, California south of San Francisco. She has been swimming since she was two years old and up through High School. She was a life guard and taught swim lessons at the Palo Alto YMCA and the Sharon Heights Country Club in California. Paige received a BBA major from the College of Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati in 2005. Her husband Brian Bainum of Williamsburg, Ohio and their new born son, Xavier, live in Mt. Washington, Ohio. Paige enjoys traveling throughout the world and watching her son explore and grow. She is very excited to join the CAC family. Contact Coach Paige at kpaige1@juno.com. |
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Kim Trotta Baldasare Assistant Coach Head Coach - Hawks |
This will be Kim's fourteenth year as a CAC coach, and she has coached at every level within the program. This year, Kim will continue her work developing competitive swimmers for the Hawks. Kim began swimming at age 9 for Gamble Nippert YMCA. Her swimming career includes Anderson Barracudas and then Xavier University, where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. Kim's coaching experience began in 1989 at Madeira Swim and Tennis Club. She then joined Cincinnati Aquatic Club in the fall of 1989. In 1996 Kim left the Seahawks, only to return again in 2001 and become the head coach and coordinator for the Hawk program. Contact Coach Kim at btb_ktb@fuse.net |
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Jill Toennis Assistant Coach |
2008-09 will be Jill's seventh season as an assistant coach for the Hawk program. Jill was an age group swimmer in the YMCA program until she entered high school. During college and after, Jill coached for seven years at the Blue Ash YMCA working with children ages 5-13. Jill is also beginning her third year as the head coach for the Indian Hill Middle School swim team. Additionally, Jill works with the American Red Cross, where her duties include teaching CPR and swim lessons. Contact Coach Jill at Toennis@cincinnatiredcross.org |