The Mecklenburg "Center of Excellence" in Charlotte, NC

New Mecklenburg Aquatic Club (MAC) CEO David Marsh wants to run a swimming facility to attract new swimmers and keep them there.

"It is always a challenge to offer the appropriate level of training to allow youngsters to progress without creating programming that would cause burnout." Marsh said.

"MAC's program has many of the needed ingredients … I'm excited about building on the current programming, creating some new programs, and truly offering each young person the opportunity to challenge themselves to be their very best."

The MAC will also be upgrading its existing equipment with equipment from Colorado Time Systems as well.

Marsh states that in many programs, swimmers do not return to their clubs after high school — they stay away at college. He believes having a group of the best swimmers in high school, college, and post-graduate levels at MAC will do two things:

• Enable younger swimmers to see top level athletes at the pool day in and day out and help clarify what they need
• Meet the training needs of the elite athletes to develop them as Olympic medalists.

"This atmosphere puts a very clear face on the end goal. With model swimmers in the program, younger swimmers watch them train and understand they are on a journey that will take time and persistence to accomplish," Marsh said.

"Each Olympic medalist has been built one lesson at a time; the process of hard work day in and day out brought them to this high level of success. Centers of Excellence focus on producing Olympic caliber medalists. The pursuit of those medals makes them better swimmers."

New Standards

Marsh intends to "raise all the boats by raising the whole ocean" and in doing so is setting a new paradigm in competitive swimming regionally in the Carolinas as well as nationally. He is intent on high standards, and is being very open with information in hopes that other clubs will likewise establish Centers of Excellence.

Marsh said efficient management of data and accurate stats as major factors that enhance athlete performance, and also enables coaches to remain focused on coaching.

Marsh said teams enjoy visiting pools that utilize CTS display boards because they have the opportunity to get data instantly. This gives the coaches the chance to study swimmers while they are racing instead of taking down times. Marsh also said that reliable timing "is instantaneous" with CTS equipment.

Immediate readouts are strong coaching tools to instantly give athletes data for a more clear understanding of how they are performing and how to improve. Moreover, name recognition for swimmers, coaches and distinguished visitors on the scoreboards at competitions and practices is motivational and easily accomplished.

Jeff Gaeckle confident

MAC Board of Directors President Jeff Gaeckle is happy to have attracted a coach of Marsh's caliber. Marsh has the combined endorsements of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and USA Swimming.

"Our goal will be to create an elite component that will impact directly the USA medal efforts in the '08 and even more comprehensively, the '12 Olympics," Gaeckle said. "The program will also develop an infrastructure that will further support athlete and coaching development within a total non-profit business model.

"This infrastructure will be directed toward the highest levels of excellence while benefiting the club top to bottom and serving to introduce new swimmers to our great sport in an appropriate manner," Gaeckle added.

Gaeckle affirms MAC's intent to embrace the substantial interest shown by the Charlotte / Huntersville business and educational communities to partner in order to accomplish both educational and vocational goals for their elite athletes.

"These two sectors of the community won't just talk about it, they'll do it! That, as much as anything, makes this dream possible. Very few people are ever in our position to represent our country in competition."

He is excited about helping these swimmers rise as competitors and at the same time develop life skills in a unique environment. "We're very interested in addressing program availability for the minority sector of swimmers and really are taking this thing to another level for kids who participate in our program."

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