The Williams Lake Blue Fins Swim Club said goodbye to their beloved head coach earlier this month.
Chad Webb has been the heart and soul of the club since 1995 and has left an everlasting legacy with the Blue Fins. He is moving on to a new challenge, and assistant coach Amanda Nemeth has been promoted and will succeed Webb as new head coach.
Webb originally worked with the Blue Fins from 1995-2001, before rejoining the team just over a decade ago, and feels fortunate to have worked with some amazing athletes over the years. Countless all-time club records have been broken and many world-class swimmers have emerged from the club under Webb's guidance and leadership, but he is most proud of the growth and support the region has seen in the swimming community.
"My highlights in Williams Lake were increasing the club numbers significantly in the first few years," he said. "Throughout the years, we have always had great community support through word of mouth, donations and genuine interest in what our kids are doing from so many people."
Webb also highlighted the time he took Cale Murdock to the World Aquatics (formerly known as FINA, Fédération Internationale de Natation) Swimming World Cup in Toronto, where he watched a Williams Lake swimmer compete against the best in the world.
Despite being a small club, the Blue Fins have made waves on the national stage multiple times, which is a testament to how skilled Webb is as a coach and leader, according to Nemeth. He has influenced and impacted multiple generations of swimmers and coaches, and Nemeth says his presence will be missed not just by the club, but by teams all over the province as well.
"I have had a lot of pride in swimming and working for Chad," she said. "His technical expertise is incredible, an he has been a true leader on and ff the pool deck, both in Williams Lake and beyond."
She went on to add that Webb's ability to connect with people — swimmers, parents and coaches — is second to none, and that a strong connection is especially powerful in a sport like swimming. As a result, Webb has been able to push and encourage Blue Fins athletes to train and race well beyond their comfort zones.
"During the difficult conversations, he delivers those harder messages to our swimmers so well while still staying encouraging and positive," Nemeth said. "He believes in our swimmers and that belief in them shines through in everything he does.
Nemeth also said that Webb always brings fun to the pool as well, whether it's racing the kids, rocking out to tunes or his creative coaching metaphors, and always makes the kids smile.
A few years ago, Webb started the School District 27 Aquatic Program, and he is now moving over from the Blue Fins to give the program more attention and support even more kids through the sport of swimming. The program with high school students also provides 'learn to swim' lessons and swimming development to some elementary schools as well.
Webb explained that the program is still limited as to how much they can offer, but he is hopeful that it will continue to grow and is focused on making that happen.
Nemeth is thrilled and excited to have the opportunity to now lead the Blue Fins, as the club has always been a huge part of her life. She swam with the club from 1995 to 2006, where Webb was her first ever coach, and was a junior coach from 2004 to 2006. She also coached for the Williams Lake Special Olympics in 2006.
Nemeth returned to Williams Lake and the Blue Fins in 2019 as an assistant coach, and as Webb explains, she is more than ready to take over the reigns.
"[She] has a great grasp on the programs and [it] will be an easy transition, as most of the swimmers have already been coaches by her," he said. "She has a great positive attitude and knows that we have had success as a team in coaching the individuals, not the sport."
Nemeth has enjoyed working with different levels of swimmers and the next generation of coaches, and feels fortunate to have been supported in her professional development, which included a coach mentorship program last year.
"With Chad's guidance and support, my own professional development and my personal experience in the sport, I am ready and eager to continue to grow our club and help our swimmers become the best athletes and people they can be," she said.
Webb added that the team mantra for the past few years has been a quote from the American sports comedy-drama Ted Lasso about making the athletes the best versions of themselves, and Nemeth has no doubt in her mind that he will continue to do that no matter where he goes, and she strives to do the same.
