My name is Kelly Gilmore and I am the volunteer coach at Loyola. I have been coaching this team since the fall of 2007.
I would like to take the opportunity to give you some information about me and how I run my team.
I volunteer my time to coach this team for many reasons. In April of 2007 I suffered an Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury, although I may not look disabled, I have had permanent affects from it. I started volunteering as a way of building up my endurance and because I knew that the school did not always have a swim team. I also wanted to show teenagers that people with disabilities can do anything they put their mind to, they just have to adapt to each situation. And that even when something bad happens to you, you can persevere and go on, be happy and find new things to do in life.
The second reason is that I graduated from Loyola and was on the swim team from my first year till I graduated. I also volunteer my time is because I believe in athletics in schools, they build confidence, team spirit and more. I also know that if I didn't coach the swim team, that unfortunately there isn't a teacher that would take it over. It is a lot of work, and no one knows competitive swimming, and they don't have the time to learn and take it on.
Due to the fact that I am a volunteer at Loyola we have to have a teacher supervise practices at all times, and because I don't work at Loyola my only form of communication with the students outside of practices is via email. Both students and parents are welcome to email me about anything that comes up during the season. All I ask is if anyone mis-understands something said in an email, or is confused, PLEASE either email me back or talk to me about it at practice. It is easiest for me to explain as I am the one writing the emails.
At Loyola, we do not hold try-outs for the swim team, we believe that anyone that loves swimming and wants to come out and try the competitive aspect of it is welcome. All I ask is that each swimmer try their hardest at practices and meets. That they build up their confidence in their abilities as a swimmer. I want each swimmer to look at where they were at the beginning of the season (stroke ability and speed) and be happy with what they achieved by the end of the season. I want to help each swimmer achieve their personal best.
However, I do expect all my swimmers to not only respect me, but the teachers who give up their time to supervise. That they follow the rules, take responsibility for their actions and try their hardest.
I am the kind of coach that will treat the swimmers as adults, to help them learn what it is like in the real world for when they get a job or go onto further education after high school.
I am a very approachable person, if any of my swimmers need to come talk to me about a sensitive issue or anything. However, I do have ADD and sometimes have a hard time reading the expressions on peoples faces. So I find it very important that my swimmers come talk to me if for any reason they have taken something I said the wrong way, because not only do I have trouble reading their facial expression (which would generally tell me that) but I have short term memory problems. So if they don't come talk to me right away there is a 95% chance I won't remember what was said a week later. I won't be upset, I would be very happy to sit down and talk to them about it. It helps me out if they come to me right away, it actually frustrates me and makes the situation worse if I have to hear about it from someone else.
I look forward to working with this years team and hope that the swimmers enjoy it as much as I do!