Courtesy of FAST, a SwimSwam partner.
Ocala, FL – Florida Aquatics Swimming & Training (FAST) names Brian J. Schrader as Head Swim Coach at the elite facility opening in March 2022. As Head Coach, Schrader is responsible for all operational aspects of the swim team while coaching swimmers to attain their personal best.
With a decorated coaching career that encompasses coaching age-groupers, camps, and collegiate athletes, to extensive international experience, Schrader will be the first Head Coach at the brand-new facility. “I am thrilled to join the Circle Square Foundation and their commitment to building the United States’ newest world-class aquatic center in Ocala, Florida. I want to thank them for supporting the community as well as the world of high-performance swimming. I could not be more excited about this opportunity and look forward to developing and leading programs to support the vision of FAST. I am eager to start with the mission of providing free swimming lessons for all third graders, developing age group swimmers into great people and better swimmers, and facilitating high-performance training and elite athlete support.”
Schrader currently serves as the Lead Assistant Coach for the Cali Condors with the International Swimming League. The Condors won the 2020 League Championships, which yielded 18 American and 5 World records in Budapest, Hungary.
Coach Schrader brings extensive high-performance coaching experience. He has served as an assistant coach to Head Olympic Coaches Eddie Reese (University of Texas), Jack Bauerle (University of Georgia), and Gregg Troy (University of Florida), winning NCAA Team Championships at the University of Texas and Georgia. Schrader has also served on the 1996 Olympic staff for the USA Swim Team and as a coach for the U.S. Virgin Islands at the 2004 Olympic Games.
Schrader was Head Coach at the University of Denver for 13 seasons from 2006-2019, where he coached the men and women teams to win 17 conference titles. Under Coach Schrader, several athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships and were named All-American. During his time at Denver, Schrader was honored as Summit League Coach of the Year nine times and a five time Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year. He received the Glenn S. Hummer award from USA Swimming for his contributions to Open Water Swimming.
Coach Schrader was most recently Director of Performance at the University of Iowa. He coached the team to break 18 school records in two seasons and produced multiple NCAA qualifiers and All Americans.
Coach Schrader is currently an ASCA Level 5 Coach and holds a National Strength and Conditioning CSCS certification and a Master’s and Undergraduate Degree from the University of Texas.
Circle Square Foundation Trustee Kenneth Colen says, “We are thrilled to have such a high caliber coach to lead the competitive and other swimming programs at FAST. Besides his professional accomplishments, Brian is very personable. He takes great interest in developing swimmer’s talents so that they can become their very best. This kind of performance mindset is carried beyond the pool and into that person’s life and career.”
FAST will have indoor and outdoor pools to maximize space and allow warm-up and cool-down swims during meets. The natatorium will feature an indoor 10-lane 50-meter/25-yard Olympic competition pool, deck space for up to 800 swimmers, and over 2,000 spectator seats. The Myrtha Pools 2020 Olympic Trials warm-up pool will be the outdoor competition pool. The 7- lane 50-meter/25-yard/25-meter competition pool will provide swimmers the opportunity to train like champions. The outdoor pool offers 700 fixed bleacher seats with additional viewing from the second floor covered viewing area. A splash pool with lounge seating and shade is available for younger swimmers. The facility will also house an indoor dryland fitness center, state-of-the art scoreboards, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and community meeting spaces.
FAST is located within the master-planned community of Calesa Township in Ocala, Florida, and will be open to all swimmers in March 2022. Please visit FloridaFAST.com and follow us on social media (@swimfloridafast). For training inquiries, please email [email protected].