USA Swimming today announced an updated coach selection framework for all international competitions to which it sends a team. Historically, USA Swimming produced written coach selection procedures for United States Olympic and Paralympic (USOPC) Delegation Events (i.e., the Olympic Games and Pan American Games). For other international competitions, USA Swimming utilized an internal selection framework.

Starting in early 2024, collaborative discussions between members of the National Team Steering Committee, Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC), USA Swimming Board of Directors (BOD), and USA Swimming staff focused on implementing a written coach selection framework for the 2024-2028 quad cycle. Although the framework utilizes the same mix of objective and subjective criteria used historically for coach selections, the organization believes that a published document creates a more transparent coach selection process.

New to the framework for non-Delegation events is the use of a selection committee, consisting of the National Team Steering Committee Chair, two 10-Year Athlete members of the AAC or BOD (as appointed by the AAC), the USA Swimming National Team Managing Director (or designee), and the USA Swimming President & Chief Executive Officer. The new framework also includes an enhanced coach application with specific open-ended questions, to allow applicants to express in their own words why they are the right fit for each team.

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships application can be found here.  

Applications for the 2025 World Aquatics Championship head and assistant coaches are due March 1, 2025. USA Swimming will not consider coaches who do not submit an application before the March 1 deadline.

USA Swimming will select head coaches for the 2025 World Aquatic Championships ahead of the 2025 USA Swimming National Championships and announce all coach selections in conjunction with athlete selections on the final evening of the meet. USA Swimming will post athlete selection procedures and coach selection frameworks for the World Junior Aquatic Championships and World University Games in the coming weeks

Please contact Matt Barbini, National Team Director, Performance, with any questions about the updated coach selection framework.