Since 1986, the U.S. Masters Swimming Coach of the Year award has been presented at the U.S. Masters Swimming annual convention to a USMS registered coach who demonstrates excellence in five areas: club and individual accomplishments, publications, contributions to U.S. Masters Swimming and the LMSC, letters of support, and long-term contributions to Masters Swimming.
2018 recipient – April Cheadle
Club – Puget Sound Masters
Workout Group – Bainbridge Aquatic Masters
Read more about April and her achievements in the below-linked document:
April Cheadle was named 2018 USMS Coach of the Year at the United States Aquatic Sports annual convention.
On September 29, Cheadle was named 2018 USMS Coach of the Year at a packed awards banquet at the United States Aquatic Sports annual convention in Jacksonville, Florida.
There’s no question Cheadle has the background, expertise, and well-earned credentials of an elite US Masters Coach. A lifelong swimmer herself, Cheadle swam for the University of Washington, qualified for the Pac-10 Championships all four years, and earned a spot on the NCAA 800 freestyle relay team. One of only 29 USMS Level 4 Certified Coaches in the nation, she’s attended and taught countless clinics and training seminars and guided hundreds of swimmers through meets of all sizes, from small regional competitions to international events. A two-time recipient of the PNA Coach of the Year Award and the prestigious USMS Kerry O’Brien Coaches Award, she’s also no stranger to tributes and accolades.
To really understand what makes April special to the people she coaches and leads in meets, and why Bainbridge Aquatic Masters (BAM) has grown from 69 to 180 swimmers in just a few years, you have to talk to the athletes April coaches. April has served as Head Coach to Puget Sound Masters at both short-course and long-course USMS national meets six times since 2012, and the following praise comes from those national athletes and BAM athletes.
“For April, coaching is not just about conditioning and times and places, she truly cares about the swimmers as people. My experience at Nationals is always bettered by April’s presence. When April is the coach, I know everything will go great!”