Steamboat Springs Head Coach Patti Worsley Retires After 23 Years

On July 28th, Patti Worsley announced her retirement as head coach of the Steamboat Springs swim team.

In Steamboat Springs, a mountain town known internationally as a ski destination, Worsley coached the local swim team for 23 years.

Worsley began her coaching career in 1999 when she became a part-time coach for Steamboat Springs, which started as a summer program known as the Lightning swim team. Throughout the years, Worsley developed the small, summer team into a year-round program of 80 swimmers.

She raised two sons, Blake and Cole, who were competitive swimmers. Blake graduated from high school in 2005 and Cole finished in 2009. Patti trained Cole from 2006 to 2009 when she was head coach of the Moffat County High School swim team. The brothers went on to swim for the University of Denver’s Division I swim program.

Blake excelled in swimming and qualified for the 2012 London Olympics. Since Patti was born in Vancouver, Canada, Blake had dual citizenship and was able to represent Canada. He competed in the individual 200 free and 800 free relay at the Games.

One of Steamboat Springs’ impressive swimmers from this summer was Ivy Ladrow. The 14-year-old swimmer was selected to join the Colorado team at the 2022 Western Zone Age Group Championships held in Elk Grove, California. She raced in the 50, 100, and 200 free, 100 fly, and 200 and 400 free relays. She ranked the highest in the 50 free with a 7th-place finish and a personal best time of 28.06.

Patti completed her tenure as Steamboat Springs’ head coach at the CSI 12 and Under Long Course State Championships that took place from July 29-31. This was a nostalgic conclusion to her coaching career because that was the first meet Worsley brought Blake to compete in. 

There has yet to be a new head coach named, but there are seven assistant or part-time coaches on staff this fall.

The team is using the retirement as an opportunity to launch a capital campaign called It’s in the Water. The plan is to reconstruct the lap pool and kiddie play area in the late summer of 2023.