We recently sat down with Scott Kerr, the Head Masters Swim Coach, to learn more about himself, and the Masters Swim Team that he coaches here at the DAC.
Scott moved to Eugene in 1990, but is originally from Salem. He has been competitively swimming since he was 9 years old, and has had a passion for the water his whole life. He has finished between 40-50 triathlons and a Canadian Iron Man. Scott attended school in Florida for hospitality, going on a swimming scholarship, but couldn’t see himself working in the industry for long. A few years after moving to Eugene, he married his wife of 25 years, Tony. They have two sons together, Ian and Bryce. Both sons competed in swimming all through high school, and seem to share the same love of water.
He joined us at the DAC in September of 2022 as the Head Masters Swim Coach. Scott currently coaches all levels of adult swim lessons, the occasional child’s lesson, and the Masters Swim team. He finds fulfillment in teaching adults to overcome their fears and to learn and enjoy the water. Scott wants every person of every age “to enjoy the sport that I’ve been in love with my whole life”.
Don’t be intimidated by the Masters Swim name, all are welcome to join! US Masters Swim is a program where adults can swim competitively, though you don’t have to compete to join his class. Scott creates a practice that caters to each member attending. Scott exclaimed, “Masters is fun because it’s a social event as much as anything else”, to see friends, other athletes, and to break your personal record. To enjoy the sport, you don’t have to look at it as success or failure.
Our very own Masters Swim team recently competed in a weekend tournament in Bend, where they won 3rd place in their division! Nine members from the club went to compete, and signed up for any race they wanted; some raced once, and others six times. Congratulations to all that competed!
If you are interested in competing or attending a Masters Swim class, don’t hesitate to reach out to Scott at swimecsc@yahoo.com. He will make you feel welcomed and answer any questions you may have.
