CALDWELL, Idaho – College of Idaho athletic director Reagan Rossi has announced the hiring of former Treasure Valley Family YMCA CEO Jim Everett as the new head coach of the C of I men’s and women’s swim program.
Everett replaces Christine Mabile, who left the College last month to become an assistant coach at the University of Missouri.
A 10-time Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion, three year co-captain, four year Most Valuable Swimmer and first swimmer inducted into the Albion College Hall of Fame, Everett served as head swim coach at the Marietta YMCA in Ohio and the Boise Y Swim teams – taking both programs to Nationals for the first time. Everett coached multiple athletes who went on to become national champions, including one who was an Olympic Gold medalist and world record holder. Though he spent 41 years working for the “Y” – including building the Treasure Valley facilities into some of the best in the United States, coaching was his calling.
“I have truly come full circle,” Everett said. “I began as a swim coach and to have the opportunity to return to this calling is a dream come true!”
After retiring from his post at the YMCA in December, Everett was not sure what was next, but he knew it had to be something that aligned with his purpose and passion.
“I am so excited to coach in such a special place,” Everett said. “I am thankful to (associate athletic director) Marty (Holly) and Reagan (Rossi) for the opportunity and I know I will learn a lot from them and the rest of this amazing coaching staff. I was blessed to have some coaches that had a tremendously positive impact on my life. I want to help provide to student-athletes what was given to me in my collegiate swimming career. I am pinching myself that I now have the opportunity to have this second calling in life.”
Everett is no stranger to Caldwell and the C of I. He helped drive the campaign to build the Caldwell Family YMCA, and he also served as a member of the College’s Board of Trustees.
“To have a person of Jim Everett’s character become our swim coach is a tremendous coup for the College,” Rossi said. “His passion for the College and his passion for the City of Caldwell is something no one can match. I know that our student-athletes will excel and thrive under Jim’s tutelage.”
Everett inherits a program on the rise. The Coyote women have placed in the Top-10 at the NAIA Championships each of the past three seasons, while the men placed tenth at the 2016 national meet.
“Christine did a great job in building our swim program,” Everett said. “Our team has set the bar high after a great 2015-16 season, and I am ready to get to work to prepare for another outstanding season. Helping to develop great human beings is the priority, and fortunately, winning and having athletes swim fast is not in conflict with that priority.”
The College of Idaho has a 125-year-old legacy of excellence. The C of I is known for its outstanding academic programs, winning athletics tradition and history of producing successful graduates, including seven Rhodes Scholars, three governors, four NFL players and countless business leaders and innovators. Its distinctive PEAK Curriculum challenges students to attain competency in the four knowledge peaks of humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field—empowering them to earn a major and three minors in four years. The College’s close-knit, residential campus is located in Caldwell, where its proximity both to Boise and to the world-class outdoor activities of southwest Idaho’s mountains and rivers offers unique opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. For more information, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.
Swimming news courtesy of College of Idaho Swimming & Diving.