Coaches

COACHES

COACHING STAFF
Nothing has a greater influence on the quality of children’s sports than the excellence of the coach. The Oregon City Swim Team staff is comprised of highly experienced coaches. They, as member coaches in USA-Swimming, have access to the most comprehensive training and certification program for coaches of any youth sport in the United States. Certified coaches in USA-Swimming programs posses training and experience in the physiology and psychology of swimming development. Our coaching staff provides assurance that the time your children spend in swimming will be quality time

Erica Clower (Head Coach and CEO)
I relocated to Portland, Oregon in the fall of 2002 from the San Francisco Bay area and began teaching lessons for the Oregon City Parks and Recreation department. After watching the swimmers come and go for two months, I started coaching for OCST. I bring over 20 years experience in aquatics as a swimmer, coach, and instructor, to OCST.

Growing up I swam as a USS swimmer for Aquawolves Swim Pack out of Denver, CO. That, combined with four years of high school swimming, prepared me for collegiate swimming at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. I graduated from Trinity in 2000 with a BA in Economics and a BS in Engineering Science. I moved that fall to California where I began my master's degree in Petroleum Engineering and officially turned in my goggles for rugby boots. I completed my master's in the fall of 2002 and left California for the slower paced (and wetter) life of Portland.

When I'm not at the Oregon City pool I'm usually spending my time on the rugby pitch (with Oregon Rugby Sports Union) or working in my yard (when it's sunny). I have very much enjoyed my time so far with OCST and look forward to being a continuing part of its growth.

Picture coming soon

Chris Ware (White, Red Group & Pre-comp Coach)

Hello! My name is Chris Ware, and I am the new Assistant Head Coach for the Oregon City Swim Team. I recently moved to the Portland area with my wife, Brandi, after living in Vacaville, California, where I coached for the Vacaville Swim Club for the past three years. My passion for swimming originated through swimming lessons in Anacortes, Washington. I developed my passion through USS swimming with the Thunderbird Aquatic Club, also in Anacortes, and eventually the Tri City Channel Cats in Kennewick, Washington. As I grew, I developed a strong passion for all sports, and participated in a variety of them, including football, basketball, and running. As the only freshman on my high school's Varsity track team, I gave up swimming to pursue running. Oh, the mistake I made!

After high school, I served our country in the US Navy and had the opportunity to travel all over the world, including two six-month deployments to the Middle East. I eventually landed at Travis Air Force Base in California. Shortly after arriving in California, I re-ignited my passion for swimming and briefly volunteered with the Solano Aquatic Sea Otters until I was offered a part-time position coaching novice swimmers ages 9-13 (Blue group) with Vacaville Swim Club. I eventually took on another group-the Junior group-composed of 11 to 12 year olds who had made a commitment to excelling in the sport of competitive swimming. I had the privilege of coaching several Far Western finals qualifiers and one swimmer who earned a place on the Sierra Nevada LSC Western Zone Team. After serving in the Navy for almost 10 years, I ended my commitment and began coaching with the Vacaville Swim Club full-time, which included coaching with the Master's program and as a Master's coach, I was able to coach 2006 FINA World Championship qualifiers.

I am excited to be a part of this team and look forward to teaching and guiding your swimmers as they reach for their goals as competitive swimmers and more!

COACHES RESPONSIBILITIES
The coaches' job is to supervise the entire competitive swim program. The Oregon City Swim Team coaching staff is dedicated to providing a program for youngsters that will enable them to leam the value of striving to improve oneself-"to be the best you can be." Therefore, the coaches must be in total control in matters affecting training and competition.

1. The coaches are responsible for placing youngsters in practice groups. This is based on the age, maturity and ability level of each individual. When it is in the best interest of a swimmer, he/ she will be placed in a more challenging training group by the coach.

2. Sole responsibility for stroke instruction and the training regimen rests with the Oregon City Swim Team coaching staff. Each group's practices are based on sound scientific principles and are geared to the specific goals of that group.

3. The coaching staff will make the final decision concerning which meets Oregon City Swim Team swimmers may attend. The coaching staff also makes the final decision concerning which events a swimmer is entered into.

4. At meets, the coaching staff will conduct and supervise warm-up procedures for the team. After each race, the coaches will offer constructive criticism regarding the swimmers performance. (It is the parent's job to offer love and understanding regardless of their youngster's performance)

5. The building of a relay team is the sole responsibility of the coaching staff.

The coaching staff is constantly updating and improving the Oregon City Swim Team program. It is the swimmers and parents' responsibility to make the most out of the excellent opportunity this program provides for success in swimming.

TEAM STRUCTURE
In addition to emphasizing long-term rathre than short-term results, it is also important that we establish training groups of swimmers who are compatible in respect to abilities, commitment levels and goals. Unfortunately, this is not always the most convenient approach to take, but it is always the most productive.

At each level, the goals and objectives are specific and directed toward meeting the needs of the swimmer. The long-term goal of total excellence is always in mind. As each child is different, he/she will progress at his/her own rate. The coaching staff recognizes this fact by making team assignments based on a swimmer's physical, mental, and emotional level of development.

PRACTICE GROUPS(Click for practice group information)

Head Coach/Elite Coach Erica Clower

White, Red Group, & Pre-comp Coach Chris Ware

OCST phone (503) 655-4169

E-mail coachatOCST@hotmail.com

COACHES
COACHING STAFF Nothing has a greater influence on the quality of children’s sports than the excellence of the coach. The Oregon City Swim Team staff is comprised of highly experienced coaches. They, as member coaches in USA-Swimming, have access to the most comprehensive training and certification program for coaches of any youth sport in the United States. Certified coaches in USA-Swimming programs posses training and experience in the physiology and psychology of swimming development. Our coaching staff provides assurance that the time your children spend in swimming will be quality time

	Erica Clower (Head Coach and CEO) I relocated to Portland, Oregon in the fall of 2002 from the San Francisco Bay area and began teaching lessons for the Oregon City Parks and Recreation department. After watching the swimmers come and go for two months, I started coaching for OCST. I bring over 20 years experience in aquatics as a swimmer, coach, and instructor, to OCST. Growing up I swam as a USS swimmer for Aquawolves Swim Pack out of Denver, CO. That, combined with four years of high school swimming, prepared me for collegiate swimming at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. I graduated from Trinity in 2000 with a BA in Economics and a BS in Engineering Science. I moved that fall to California where I began my master's degree in Petroleum Engineering and officially turned in my goggles for rugby boots. I completed my master's in the fall of 2002 and left California for the slower paced (and wetter) life of Portland. When I'm not at the Oregon City pool I'm usually spending my time on the rugby pitch (with Oregon Rugby Sports Union) or working in my yard (when it's sunny). I have very much enjoyed my time so far with OCST and look forward to being a continuing part of its growth.
Picture coming soon	Chris Ware (White, Red Group & Pre-comp Coach) Hello! My name is Chris Ware, and I am the new Assistant Head Coach for the Oregon City Swim Team. I recently moved to the Portland area with my wife, Brandi, after living in Vacaville, California, where I coached for the Vacaville Swim Club for the past three years. My passion for swimming originated through swimming lessons in Anacortes, Washington. I developed my passion through USS swimming with the Thunderbird Aquatic Club, also in Anacortes, and eventually the Tri City Channel Cats in Kennewick, Washington. As I grew, I developed a strong passion for all sports, and participated in a variety of them, including football, basketball, and running. As the only freshman on my high school's Varsity track team, I gave up swimming to pursue running. Oh, the mistake I made! After high school, I served our country in the US Navy and had the opportunity to travel all over the world, including two six-month deployments to the Middle East. I eventually landed at Travis Air Force Base in California. Shortly after arriving in California, I re-ignited my passion for swimming and briefly volunteered with the Solano Aquatic Sea Otters until I was offered a part-time position coaching novice swimmers ages 9-13 (Blue group) with Vacaville Swim Club. I eventually took on another group-the Junior group-composed of 11 to 12 year olds who had made a commitment to excelling in the sport of competitive swimming. I had the privilege of coaching several Far Western finals qualifiers and one swimmer who earned a place on the Sierra Nevada LSC Western Zone Team. After serving in the Navy for almost 10 years, I ended my commitment and began coaching with the Vacaville Swim Club full-time, which included coaching with the Master's program and as a Master's coach, I was able to coach 2006 FINA World Championship qualifiers. I am excited to be a part of this team and look forward to teaching and guiding your swimmers as they reach for their goals as competitive swimmers and more!
COACHES RESPONSIBILITIES The coaches' job is to supervise the entire competitive swim program. The Oregon City Swim Team coaching staff is dedicated to providing a program for youngsters that will enable them to leam the value of striving to improve oneself-"to be the best you can be." Therefore, the coaches must be in total control in matters affecting training and competition. 1. The coaches are responsible for placing youngsters in practice groups. This is based on the age, maturity and ability level of each individual. When it is in the best interest of a swimmer, he/ she will be placed in a more challenging training group by the coach. 2. Sole responsibility for stroke instruction and the training regimen rests with the Oregon City Swim Team coaching staff. Each group's practices are based on sound scientific principles and are geared to the specific goals of that group. 3. The coaching staff will make the final decision concerning which meets Oregon City Swim Team swimmers may attend. The coaching staff also makes the final decision concerning which events a swimmer is entered into. 4. At meets, the coaching staff will conduct and supervise warm-up procedures for the team. After each race, the coaches will offer constructive criticism regarding the swimmers performance. (It is the parent's job to offer love and understanding regardless of their youngster's performance) 5. The building of a relay team is the sole responsibility of the coaching staff. The coaching staff is constantly updating and improving the Oregon City Swim Team program. It is the swimmers and parents' responsibility to make the most out of the excellent opportunity this program provides for success in swimming. TEAM STRUCTURE In addition to emphasizing long-term rathre than short-term results, it is also important that we establish training groups of swimmers who are compatible in respect to abilities, commitment levels and goals. Unfortunately, this is not always the most convenient approach to take, but it is always the most productive. At each level, the goals and objectives are specific and directed toward meeting the needs of the swimmer. The long-term goal of total excellence is always in mind. As each child is different, he/she will progress at his/her own rate. The coaching staff recognizes this fact by making team assignments based on a swimmer's physical, mental, and emotional level of development. PRACTICE GROUPS(Click for practice group information)
Head Coach/Elite Coach	Erica Clower
White, Red Group, & Pre-comp Coach	Chris Ware
OCST phone	(503) 655-4169
E-mail	coachatOCST@hotmail.com