Vince Mikuska appointed as Provincial Coach
Swim BC is proud to announce the appointment of Vince Mikuska as the new Provincial Coach. Vince will be responsible for the Provincial Team programs, as well as overseeing the Regional Training program.
“Swim BC is pleased to welcome Vince to the Swim BC family” said Executive Director of Swim BC, Mark Schuett. “We are very fortunate to have found such a diverse coach. Vince exemplifies his passion towards advancing BC swimming through his personal attention to each and every athlete that has come through his program. Vince will be bringing new and exciting ideas to the Provincial Team program as we build through the next quadrennial towards London 2012.”
The Provincial Coach is responsible for developing and delivering the Provincial philosophy aimed at international excellence, and the development of a comprehensive Provincial/Regional Training curriculum.
Key responsibilities include developing and leading all Provincial Team activities (camps, tours, testing, and competitions); communication, mentoring and visitations with club programs/coaches of Provincial Team athletes; and developing evaluation tools to measure short and long term success of the Provincial program and Regional Training models.
“I’m very excited to take up the challenge of the great program developed by Ken McKinnon” said Vince Mikuska. “I look forward to getting to see a lot of excellent programs in action, meeting more of the Provincial team swimmers and consulting with their coaches”.
Vince Mikuska has his coaching roots in Manitoba, taking on his first Head Coach role with the East Kildonan YMCA Stingrays in 1975, after graduating from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Vince migrated to British Columbia in 1985 (making it his permanent home) as the Head Coach of the Campbell River Salmon Kings. Mikuska left the island for the mainland, taking over the reigns as Head Coach of the Surrey Knights for the next five years. Vince then made the move to Chilliwack and has been coaching the Spartans Swim Club since 1990.
During the eighteen years spent with the Spartans, Vince has developed international talent, both able-bodied swimmers and swimmers with a disability. Mikuska’s coaching resume includes 1996 and 2000 Paralympian and world record holder Bob Penner, and national multi-medallist Brent Hayden.