Dick Shoulberg is the Head Coach and Aquatics Director at Germantown Academy as well as GAAC (formerly known as Foxcatcher). He has represented the United States as coach in international competitions including the World and Pan Pacific Championships and the Pan American and Olympic Games. Honored as American swim Coach of the Year by the ASCA in 1982 and 1989, Mr. Shoulberg has produced eleven Olympians: Maddy Crippen, Alex Fung, Guy Yimsomruay, Dave Wharton, Dave Berkoff, Sean Killion, Karin LaBerge, Dan Jorgenson, Trina Radke, Erika Hansen and Sue Heon. He has also coached over 150 All Americans and numerous Senior and Junior National champions and finalists. In 2000 he received the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) Hall of Fame Award.
Experience
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1969 to present—First Aquatic Director and Head Coach of the Girls and Boys Swim Teams at Germantown Academy .
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1969 to present—Established and remains Head Coach of the Germantown Academy Aquatics Club (GAAC).
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1969 to present—Aquatics teacher for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12; 5-6 classes per day—teaches learn-to-swim, lifeguard certification, and fitness training programs.
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2007 - Head Coach USA Pan-Pac Team (Brazil)
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2006 - Head Coach USA World Youth Championship Team (Brazil)
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2002 - Head Coach USA Pan-Pac Team (Japan)
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2001—Head Women’s Coach Goodwill Games
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2000— USA Olympic Advisory Coach (Australia)
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1997—Assistant Men’s Coach United States of America Pan-Pacific Team.
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1993—Head Women’s Coach United States of American Pan-Pacific Team.
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1992—Assistant USA Olympic Swim Teach Coach.
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1991—Head Women’s Coach USA Pan-American Team.
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1989—Head Women’s Coach USA Pan-Pacific Team.
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1988-90—USA Women’s National Team Coach.
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1988— USA Olympic Advisory Coach.
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1987—Assistant Coach USA Pan-Pacific Team.
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1986—Assistant Coach USA World Championship Team.
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1985—Assistant Coach USA Pan-Pacific Team
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1983—Assistant Coach USA Pan-American Team
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1981—Head Manager USA National
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1968-1969—Head Swim Coach Boys & Girls Roxborough Area YMCA
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1958-1968—Head Swim Coach Girls Norristown Area YWCA
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1960-1972—Head Swim Coach Boys & Girls Mermaid Swim Club
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1958-1959, 1961-1962—Served in the United States Army
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1958—Head Swim Coach Boys & Girls Penn Square Swim Club
Professional Awards
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Member of the Olympic International Development Committee
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NISCA Coaches Hall of Fame
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2001- Present - Board of Directors, American Swim Coaches Association
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2003 - Inducted into Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame
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2000—Recipient of the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) Hall of Fame Award.
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1996—Recipient of the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) Collegiate-Scholastic Award.
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1989 and 1982—Recipient of the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) Award.
Team Awards
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Since 1980 the team has finished in the top eight at Senior Nationals.
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2005, 1994, 1992, 1987, 1986—Women’s National Prep School Champions
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1986, 1985—Men’s National Prep School Champions
Coach of Olympians
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2000—Coach of Olympians—Maddy Crippen, Alex Fung and Guy Yimsomruay
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1992—Coach of Olympians—Dave Berkoff, Dan Jorgenson, Sean Killion, Dave Wharton
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In 1992 Coach Shoulberg put the most male swimmers on the US Olympic team
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1988—Coach of Olympians—Trina Radke and Dave Wharton
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1984—Coach of Olympian—Sue Heon
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1980—Coach of Olympian-Karin LaBerge
Coach of Swimming Record Holders
Under Coach Shoulberg's leadership and training, two of his swimmers have set World Records and over eight swimmers have established American records. Many of the swimmers in his program have set numerous National and High School Records. Since 1969 he has produced over 250 Prep/High School All-American swimming student-athletes both at GA and from area schools.
Memberships
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1969 to present—NISCA member
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1984 to present—Olympic International Operational Committee (OIOC)
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1996 to present—Member of USS All-American Committee
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1997 to present—United States Swimming Steering Committee (USS)
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1991 to present—Member of the USS Rules Committee
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1989 to 1992—Vice President of ASCA
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1987-1988—United States Swimming Steering Committee (USS)
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1980—Middle Atlantic Coaches Representative
Additionally, Coach Shoulberg has served on many local swim association committees and national committees since the late 1960s.
Speaking Engagements
Coach Shoulberg has spoken at swim clinics worldwide over the past twelve years, which include the following countries: Australia, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Guam, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain , Thailand, United States, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Publications
Coach Shoulberg has contributed a chapter on Individual Medley Training to The SwimCoaching Bible. He has had numerous articles published in the following publications: ASCA Magazine, NISCA Magazine, Swimming Technique, and Swimming World.
GA Awards
Personal
Lives with his wife in the Philadelphia suburban area where they have four grown children.
Read more...
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Dick Shoulberg Inducted into Montgomery County Hall of Fame
- 2003
- The January 2007 issue of Swimming World Magazinefeatures Coach Dick Shoulberg, Germantown Academy’s legendary swimming coach. This profile focuses on the philosophy of a man author John Lohn describes as “one of the elite coaches of the world,” but who four decade of GA students also know as their beloved “Mr. Bonehead.” The article reveals that this coach who produces Olympians, National Champions and High School All Americans still views his most important role as the academy’s aquatic director teaching five classes per day.
“I love coming to work every day, but I wouldn’t call is work. My life has been enriched from being here, I am blessed.” Shoulberg is quoted as saying. The coach hopes to instill this same passion in his students. The heavily recruited Olympic hopeful Alicia Aemsigger ’06, who chose Princeton University as much for the proximity to Coach Shoulberg as the academic opportunities, comments in the article that “He cares about us as swimmers, but he cares more about us as people.”
View the in-depth interview with Coach Shoulberg and Teresa Crippen ’08 posted on Swimming World Magazine’s web site. (See Swimming World TV)
The Swim Coaching Bible, by Dick Hannula (Coach Shoulberg contributor)
GA Swimming & Diving Coaches
Head Coach: Richard W. Shoulberg 1760
Assistant Coaches: Chris Lear, Jim DiFranco, Peggy Bradley
Head Diving Coach: Colleen Boland