Lynn Rhoades, coach of the Brighton Bullfrogs Swim Team, was honored as the 2006 Northern Colorado Swimming's Coach of the Year.
Yearly, the coaches of Northern Colorado Swimming honor one of their own for excellence in coaching. Lynn's goal as a coach is to "make swimming a sport the kids will enjoy for the rest of their lives."
Lynn's unique coaching style uses toys and games to make swimming fun and challenging. To help the kids learn to balance their bodies in the water, she has them swim on their backs with rubber ducks perched on their foreheads. To improve their lung capacity, they play underwater hockey. She uses another drill called "snowboard sculling" where the swimmers race each other whil standing on kick boards. It is not unususal for the Bullfrogs to swim a couple of miles each night at practice, so Lynn's special ability to keep practice interesting has won her the respect and admiration of her swimmers.
Heidi Heim, also a member of the Brighton Bullfrog Swim Team, was named Northern Colorado Swimming 2006 Female swimmer of the Year. Heidi attributes her love of swimming to the great coaching she received from coach Lynn Rhoades. Heidi is now a freshman at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden and wishes to major in biomedical engineering.. She will swim for the Oredigggers this year and hopes to make many contributions to the team.
Heidi is a 2006 graduate of Brighton High School and was captain of the swim team during her senior year. Heidi started swimming with the Bullfrogs at the age of 8. At age 15, Heidi earned her swim coach certification and joined the coaching staff of the Bullfrogs.
The Brighton Bullfrog Swim Team meets Monday to Friday, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Brighton High School Pool located at 8th Avenue and Southern Street, in Brighton, CO. The team is comprised of girls and boys through high school age. Youth that are interested in joining the team can make arrangements for try-outs with the coach during the practice times. The Bullfrog Swim Team is sanctioned by "USA Swimming."