There are a number of great people coaching swimmers in Central Oregon. Take advantage of their skills and knowledge by attending a practice at one of our pools (see Pools link at the left).
Coaches
Bob
Bruce coaches practices at Juniper Swim and Fitness Center in Bend
and serves as COMA's head coach. Bob is a Level 5 coach (of 5 levels) certified
by the American Swimming Coaches Association and has over 36 years of experience
coaching novice, age-group, high school, college and master's swimmers.
Bob served as the USMS head coach for the Ninth and Tenth FINA World Masters
Championships in New Zealand (2002) and Italy (2004). He was named USMS
2003 Coach of the Year and currently serves as the Coaches Chair for USMS.
Bob is also on the Board of Directors of Oregon Masters Swimming as the
Long Distance Chair. Currently, Bob is completing his Level 1 USA Triathalon
Coaching Certification. Bob received his B.S. from the College of Wooster,
earned his teaching credentials at Springfield College, and received an
M.A. in Exercise Science from the University of North Carolina. To contact Coach Bob click here.
Barb
Harris was a World Ranked swimmer as an age grouper and collegian,
winning an NCAA Division I National Championship title in the 50-yard Butterfly,
anchoring an American Record 200 Medley Relay, and earning a Gold Medal
in the World University Games. She earned a B.A. at the University of North
Carolina and an M.P.A. at Indiana University. Although she competes infrequently
as a Masters swimmer, when she does, she is usually ranked in the USMS Top-Ten.
Barb is currrently a Level 3 coach certified with the American Swimming
Coaches Association and completing the Level 1 USA Triathalon Coaches Certification.
She coaches mornings and weekends at Juniper Swim and Fitness Center. To contact Coach Barb click here.
In
1985 when she was 31, Debbie Gregoire (now
Douglas) competed in the first World Masters Olympic Games in Toronto, Canada.
She won four medals with times equivalent to when she was a 16-year-old
age group swimmer in Southern California. Her success as a masters swimmer
led to her first coaching job in 1987, and she’s been coaching ever
since. Today Deb is the head swim coach at the Athletic Club of Bend. She
has nurtured the novice (youth) team from one swimmer in 2001 to 135 in
2005, and she heads the three-coach master’s team, which includes
fellow coach and husband Michael Douglas. The highlight of her coaching
career came in 2000 when both the girls and boys at her Mt. View High School
team won state titles. Deb’s special love as a competitor is lake
swimming, and she hasn’t missed a summer since she was 27. Six surgeries
in the past eight years have limited participation in pool competitions,
but she promises to be back in peak shape soon. She says that she is lucky
to have found her gift, which she believes is teaching swimming to youngsters
and adults alike. “I make a difference,” she says. In addition
to her job at the ACB, she works at Highland Elementary School in Bend as
a secretary and media manager.
Ask
any local swimmer who’s the funnest guy at the pool and chances are
you’ll hear Rob Higley mentioned again
and again. A competitive swimmer off and on since the age of 7, the gregarious
Higley has earned the respect of fellow masters swimmers across the state.
In 2000, the Oregon Masters Swimming voted him its most spirited male pool
swimmer and in 2005 its most spirited male open water swimmer. Higley moved
to Bend in 1991 after spending eight years in the Navy as a helicopter mechanic.
He started swimming with the masters at Juniper to rehabilitate a hurt knee.
“I don’t break too many records,” he claims, “but
I enjoy it. He recently left his job as a machinist to work full time at
the Athletic Club of Bend where he heads the club’s masters program
and helps coach the age group team. He also works as a lifeguard, private
swim instructor, manager and at the front desk. He has served on the COMA
board as social chairman and vice president. He aspires to reach American
Swim Coaches Association Level 3 or 4 certification. “I like working
with people and teaching, and I think I can help folks swim better and enjoy
it.” Click here to contact Coach Rob.