The Greater Toledo Aquatic Club

The Greater Toledo Aquatic Club

The Greater Toledo Aquatic Club was first organized as a competitive swim program in 1967 by swimmer and coach Pete Malone, and formally incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit entity in 1972. Malone, who went on to lead the well-known Kansas City Blazers and various US National, International and Olympic teams, was the first of many fine coaches (including Ron Ballatore, Pete Kennedy and Ted Stickles), who brought GTAC to national prominence. One of the oldest and best known teams in the nation, GTAC continues to serve its original purpose of providing the finest comprehensive swim program in the area for swimmers of all ages and abilities:

2012 USA Swimming Silver Medal Club Excellence Award for 9th time since 2002
5 Olympic Trial Qualifiers for 2012
National Age Group Record Holders: 10 & under 200 m Free Relay (Kight, Kreger, Fields, Metzger) 2:05.70.
2011 USA Swimming Club Excellence Award for 8th time since 2002
Ohio Age Group Coach of the Year: Chris Pierson
Ohio High School Division I Men's Coach of the Year: Keith Kennedy
10 & un Girls Team Championships, 2011 JO Championships
2011 Speed Sectional Team Runners-up, Cleveland State University
National Age Group 11-12 Top Ten Swimmer Zhada Fields in three events
2010 3rd Place Combined Team, 1st place Women's Team, Speedo Sectionals, Purdue
Female Swimmer of the Meet and High Point Winner, 2010 Ohio JO Championships
6th place, 2009 Speedo Sectionals; Women's High Point Winner, Jacy Dyer
2009 Central Zone High Point winner Kelsi Berry; 100 free champion Matt Kaminski
2009 Ohio Regional Team Champion
2009 Top Performance at OH JO Championships in Northwest Ohio
2009 5th Place Men's Team at Speedo Sectional Championships, Ft. Lauderdale
Ohio State High School Champion 200 free; 2 Senior National Cuts, Roman Willets
Roman Willets signs with #3 Michigan; $2 million in collegiate scholarships since 2000
2008 Zones: Zhada Fields posts fastest 10 & under 50 backstroke time in US
Named a Level 4 Club by USA Swimming, the highest level in the Club Recognition Program, held by only 11 clubs currently in the U.S. (of over 2,000 clubs registered).
2008 Ohio LSC New Record, Men's 13-14 200 Medley Relay (1:42.19) by Rowan Williams, Phil Barone, Connor Trimble and Mike DiSalle; Individual State Champions Phil Barone (100 breast) and Zhada Fields (100 free, 50 fly and 50 free)
2007 Top 16 National Age Group Times by Maria Murillo and Connor Trimble
2007 U.S. Pan-Am Gold Medalist Katie Carroll
2007 Ohio State Champions Regan Bohm, Jamie Friderichs and Connor Trimble
2006-07 National Age Group Top 16 times by swimmers Maria Murillo and Connor Trimble
2005 Highest Personal Best Percentages in Ohio for Age-Group (83%) and Senior (72%) Championships
Gold and Bronze Medal Winner Beth Riggle, 2004 Paralympic Games, Athens, Greece
Since 2002: USA Swimming Club Excellence Award Winner--one of only 60 teams among 2800
World-ranked 2004 Olympic trial cut times by Katie Carroll, 200IM & 400IM, and Pat Kennedy, 100 & 200 back
Two Members of the 2004 US Paralympic Team (Beth Kolbe and Beth Riggle) competing in Athens
2003 & 2004 US Disability Championship Gold Medalists; United States record holders;
World Record Holder and World-Rankings by Beth Kolbe and Beth Riggle
2003-4 10 and under Ohio Age-Group Short Course Champions and 3rd place Combined Team (small team)
2002-3 Ohio State Age-Group Champions (small team); 4 Top-16 (13-14) Men’s Relays
2003 Ohio State Age-Group Long Course Runners-Up (small team)
2002 Midwest Sectional Women’s Runners-up and third place combined team with Meet Records in the Women’s 400 free relay and Men’s 100 back
2001 Midwest Sectional Women’s Champions and combined team runners-up
GTAC/Boys & Girls Club/Catholic Club outreach program to teach and promote swimming
Josh Project Swim Lesson Program for central city children to reduce drowning rates
WaterWorks one-on-one instructional program for children with disabilities and Paralympic training
Water Safety Education Program created for primary school children using "Brutus the Bulldog" curriculum
Most extensive, least expensive year-round lesson program - 1/4 teacher/student ratio

GTAC’s home base is the natatorium at St Francis de Sales High School and the 50 meter pool at Laurel Hills Swim Club. The day to day operations of the club are supervised by the head coach and coaching staff with the support of the parent booster organization which serves in many capacities for the benefit of GTAC’s swimmers and programs. GTAC is a member club of USA Swimming through the Ohio LSC where GTAC members currently serve as Webmaster, Meet Sanctioning Chair and NW Officials Co-Chair. On the national level, GTAC's Head Coach is also a National Coach for the US Paralympic Team and the Swim Clinician for the US Olympic Committee's Military Summit for wounded veterans. Our Assistant Coaches have served as Zone and Quad Coaches for the Central Zone. Since 2000, GTAC swimmers have gone on to compete at the collegiate level with such powerhouses as Texas, Tennessee, Michigan, Wisconsin, Notre Dame and many others, earning more thant $2 million in collegiate scholarships.

GTAC hosts at least four meets annually, including the Thanksgiving weekend “Turkey” Meet since 1972 and the GTAC Disability Open, an International Paralympic Meet. A complete Parent Handbook with all pertinent information for registration and participation can be found at the St Francis pool site. GTAC maintains a website at www.gtacswim.com

As a coach-run, parent-supported swim club, GTAC is dedicated to providing excellence to its swimmers through consistent, small-group, challenging training at each of its nine levels, in fulfillment of GTAC’s goal: To set the stage for swimmers of every ability to achieve their potential and strive for the next level. (Check out this great Toledo Blade article about GTAC and its programs!)

If you have questions about our training programs or wish to visit one of our practices, contact Head Coach Keith Kennedy at kkjrswim@yahoo.com or call our pool at 419-531-7121. Additional information about our coaches, practices and programs can be found on this website.

USA Swimming National Club of Excellence