Former Auburn University head coach Brett Hawke is replacing Mark Schubert as the director of high performance at The Swim Team (TST) in Lake Forest, California.
Hawke has spent the last year in nearby Irvine as an online coach, working with fellow sprint enthusiast Dave Salo before he left to take the associate head coach job at Arizona State in May. The 49-year-old Australian spent more than a decade at Auburn, helping the Tigers win an NCAA title while head coach Richard Quick was away from the team battling a brain tumor.
Schubert’s TST group is coming off a mixed showing at the U.S. Olympic Trials last month. David Johnston made his first Olympic team courtesy of his runner-up finish in the 1500 free (14:52.74). Tokyo Olympian Michael Brinegar scratched out of the 1500 free before news broke of his four-year doping suspension. There’s also Marwan El-Kamash, a 30-year-old Egyptian, who is competing in the 800 and 1500 free at the Paris Olympics.
Schubert launched TST in 2021 after retiring from nearby Mission Viejo. He took a six-month leave of absence in 2022 to coach in China. According to Schubert, he resigned from TST due to a conflict over compensation of his assistant coaches and is looking for another job.
TST’s pro group will likely look very different next month with Hawke taking over for the distance-oriented Schubert. Tryouts for TST’s elite developmental group will take place on Saturday morning, August 17, at El Toro High School. Hawke wrote on his Instagram that a “new pro team drops in Southern Cali September 2nd. Apply within. #la2028”
Hawke won three SEC titles at Auburn, earning conference’s Coach of the Year honor in 2012. He resigned in 2018 after the Tiger women finished 16th at the NCAA Championships and the men placed 12th. The Auburn men placed top 10 in each of Hawke’s first eight seasons, but they placed 12th at his last two NCAA Championship meets. Their 98.5 points in 2018 were their fewest since 1992, when Auburn finished 15th and scored 85 points.
As a swimmer, Hawke was a two-time Olympian for Australia in 2000 and 2004. His lifetime best in the 50 free (22.07 from the 2004 Olympics) stood as the Oceanic record for four years before Eamon Sullivan blazed a world record of 21.28 in 2008. Hawke swam at Auburn from 1996-2000 and helped the Tigers capture a pair of national crowns.
Will SwimSwam provide live coverage of the tryout?
SwimSwam doing him dirty with this pic lol reminding him of what he once had
No drug testing in Masters’ swimming. Wouldn’t be surprised if the juice did him dirty.
Baldness and head roundness are both side effects of anabolic steroids. Would also explain his behavior.
IDK I probably shouldn’t be accusing people of steroids without failing a test, but he just did it to Pan on his IG story so I guess it’s fair.
Brett’s such a clout chaser! Just trying to attach his name to people. “They’re all my friends” lol
One thing is certain in the likely event that MA moves to train with him: engagement bait training content galore for at least a few years. I’m so ready for some of the dumbest takes we’ve ever seen presented in a way that makes it seem like Brett, Peter Andrew, and MA are reinventing the wheel.
Is Brett allowed to be around kids? Remember that weird January 6 Instagram post he had?
Flaming hot take for LA 28: Peter’s and Brett’s egos collide like nuclear fusion and MA quits swimming and makes the Olympics in 2028… for surfing. He takes home a Silver
It *really* is looking like MA is going to join this group. He just abruptly moved to OC.
What about Peter Andrew?
Here’s my thoughts as a former collegiate swimmer and as someone who knew many athletes that swam for Mark.
I haven’t heard a single good thing about Mark’s training. Additionally, back in 2021 I witnessed him verbally reprimand a swimmer (who I won’t name) for not wearing a MVN suit during a meet warm. He screamed at her so loud that everyone on the deck went silent and stared in shock. I was very close to saying something to him. As far as the doping, I’ll just say looking at the distribution of times of how his swimmers perform during the year, it’s incredibly inconsistent. Obviously, this could be due to a variety of factors, but his close relationships with… Read more »
Eagerly awaiting Steve Friederangs 12,375 word response to this
Winner Winner. My favorite comment of the day!
As a TST parent, the controversy and dramatic change from distance to sprinting emphasis is bewildering. The club leadership didn’t email the membership about the hire for almost a full day after it was “announced on Instagram”. Subsequent questions, like the ones naturally brought up here, have been unanswered. We are talking about youth swimming, right? Riiiightt!
Looking at Hawke’s websites, it’s all about $$$. Everything is for sale.
Being an entrepreneur and with his resume, why he is turning to club coaching?
With the vitriol and derision expressed by previous commentators to this article, I have to ask myself as a parent why would I let him coach my kids when there are so many good coaches in SoCal.
This is indicative of the broader problems and sport, of which swimming is among the worst examples.
Bad dudes keep getting more-and-more chances because they once coached a fast swimmer.
If you want to let Brett keep working with adults, fine. Those adults can make their own choices if they want to put up with him.
But KIDS?? Yikes. BIG yikes. Didn’t realize this was going to include kids.
This is a business decision for Tim Teeter. I’ve always liked Tim, and I think the vision is one worth pursuing, but I can’t figure out why he keeps hiring such unlikable coaches.
Bradley Schumacher made the decision after having a conflict with Schubert over remuneration for the assistant coaches. Schubert gave up his salary six months ago to benefit his assistants however Schumacher did not follow thru with his commitment. Both Schubert and long time assistant Fernando Soraggi Jr left the club. Schubert is NOT RETIRED! Just looking for a job.
I wish Brett good luck. He is a good guy and a good coach!
Mark Schubert coming into the comments to tell us that Brett Hawke is a “good guy” is my favorite meme of 2024 lol. IYKYK
speaking in the third person no less. I’m sure there are clubs who would hire him today.
Schumacher is a legend and gave you an opportunity as a washed up old man. How dare you talk badly of him
Dudes more of an influencer participating in engagement baiting on social media rather than successfully coaching a team (which hes proven to be unable to do)
Can we get a follow up article on how this try out turns out?