TNYA Coaches: Sean Smith

Sean grew up in a swimming family in Oklahoma. At 17, he qualified for the United States National Junior Team, representing his country on the international stage. After high school, Sean left Oklahoma to represent the Wildcats at the University of Arizona in 2000; two years later, he transferred to Rutgers University, where he swam to multiple Big East titles specializing in distance freestyle and IM events and was named Big East Swimmer of the Year in 2005. After graduating, Rutgers hired him as an assistant coach for the Scarlet Knights, and Sean stayed in the position for one year.

Sean moved to New York City in 2006 and is currently the chief of staff at Imagine Swimming, New York City’s premier children’s swimming school, where he primarily works with hiring and training the more than 80 teachers at the school.  His in-depth understanding of teaching the fundamentals of swimming on a day-to-day basis makes him able to work with the full range of swimmers, from the least experienced all the way up to the most serious competitors.

Sean also helped found and is a board member of Generation Out Athletes, an LGBT student-athlete support network. He also volunteers for the Trevor Project.