Laura Polhill
Age Group / Senior Coach
Laura is entering her ninth year of coaching the Marlins. She lives in Brewster, NY home of the Brewster Bears. Laura’s son, Drew, is an alumnus and former captain of the Marlins swim team and is currently attending the University at Buffalo where he is a member of the swim team. Her daughter, Ali, has been an integral member of the team for the past 10 years while her husband, Brad, is a parent volunteer who you may see at the timing console at our home meets.
Laura fully understands the dedication and hard work that come along with being a competitive swimmer. She, along with fellow coach Dan Levy, is a member of the Westchester Masters competitive swim team from September to June. As with anything Laura does, she worked very hard at her craft and her dedication paid off when she achieved all personal life time bests at the US Masters Nationals in Coral Springs, FL in May of 2006. There she thrilled in meeting Olympians Rowdy Gaines and Dara Torres. While her coaching duties and family obligations have curbed her participation recently, she hopes to continue to swim with the team when time permits.
Laura is a certified water safety instructor (WSI), certified pool operator (CPO), and has received accreditation with the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA). During the USA Swimming Short Course and Long Course seasons, Laura takes great pride in working closely with Marlins swimmers on their technique and race strategy. You will find few coaches that can match her enthusiasm for the sport, her positive energy, and dedication to the improvement of the performance of the swimmers that she instructs (no matter what their level of expertise).
During the summer months, Laura coaches the Willowbrook swim team in the Northern Westchester Swim Conference. Since she has taken over the helm in 2000, Willowbrook has been crowned division champions 8 out of 9 years losing only one swim meet along the way! Willowbrook has compiled a 44-1-1 record under Laura’s guidance and is consistently the top Northern Westchester Swim Conference finisher at the Westchester County Championships (“Counties”) in August.
Most of all, however, Laura wants all the swimmers to remember to have fun, be positive, and enjoy being a “Marlin”. It is an experience that you will enjoy and take with you for the rest of your life.
Good luck to everybody in the 2008-2009 season.
TMYLM