College coach week: Expanding on Nothing
When College Coach Week began, there wasn’t much to it. No blueprint. No committee. Just an idea — a belief that a small window in December could be used for something bigger. That “down time” between college finals and winter break for club swimmers could actually be the perfect moment to connect two worlds that rarely meet face-to-face.
That first year, it was just Highlands Ranch Aquatics. A handful of college coaches. A new experiment. The idea wasn’t revolutionary — football, basketball, wrestling, and softball all rely heavily on in-person recruiting. I just wanted to bring that same energy to swimming. I started local, focusing on Colorado schools for easy recognizability, and honestly, I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm. Coaches wanted to visit. Families showed up curious. And something new took shape.
What I didn’t expect was the social component — how friendly and collaborative the college coaching world becomes once they step off their own pool decks. They exchanged ideas, stories, and laughs. The competitive edges softened into community.
In the second year, we expanded. I widened the invite radius to test interest from surrounding states and coaches I’d built personal connections with. The result was our first truly regional event — schools from every division level and four time zones represented. Coaches met swimmers and parents in conference rooms after practices, and conversations became genuine. They talked about training philosophies, recruiting challenges, and what college swimming really looks like.
I’ll never forget Coach Woody from Colorado State leading a private info session with four club swimmers. He spoke beautifully about the student-athlete experience, the demands of Division I swimming, and what kind of people succeed in that environment. It was the type of access and insight families rarely get.
A key observation emerged: during these visits, college coaches are not evaluating swimming. Unless a coach has contacted you ahead of time, you’re invisible in the water. What stands out is attitude — effort, focus, energy, and how you treat teammates. The real opportunities happen before and after the pool. I’ve seen swimmers turn those post-practice conversations into official visits and scholarship offers.
(Insert story: e.g., the USAFA coach requesting a private room to meet a swimmer and his family — that swimmer is now a first-year cadet.)
Last year, the event grew again. We added social opportunities for college and club coaches to connect beyond practice visits — dinners, informal meetups, and roundtable conversations. The scope expanded, and so did the impact. It became the largest, most diverse College Coach Week yet.
This year, the evolution continues. Coaches are asking to come back — some planning their winter recruiting travel around it. I’m expanding once more to include parent involvement through evening dinners open to college coaches, club coaches, and families. These mixers will be another chance to connect on a deeper level, to make recruiting more human and accessible for everyone.
Who knows what we’ll learn this time. But history tells me this — those who engage meaningfully are always the ones who gain the most. In today’s recruiting world, where roster spots are at a premium and competition is fierce, College Coach Week has become a difference-maker. The swimmers, coaches, and parents who take advantage of this opportunity aren’t just participating — they’re getting ahead.
