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Former Catalina coach joins SFU swim team staff

Aug 22, 2017 | 7:37 AM

The former head coach of the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club is joining the university sports ranks.

Mandi Smith has joined the Simon Fraser University Clan as the new assistant coach with their swimming and diving program.

SFU is the lone Canadian university that competes in the NCAA.

“We are very excited to have an outstanding coach join our staff. Mandi is a proven professional who will bring a great combination of experience and energy. She is highly competitive and has a strong winning record,” Clan head coach Liam Donnelly said in a release.

“SFU is a world-class university program and I look at this as an opportunity to work with high-level athletes,” said Smith.

This past year Smith coached the Pacific Sea Wolves club in White Rock after eight years as head coach of the Catalinas.

Smith has worked with Canadian Paralympian and world record holder Tammy Cunnington, and Canadian junior national team member, Rebecca Smith, who swam on Canada’s world championship 400 mixed medley relay team.

In 2014, Smith was one of five coaches nationally selected by Swim Canada to be a part of its inaugural Select Coaches Group program, a mentorship and development program for Canadian swim coaches. She was also a selected coach to the Canadian Junior national team for the 2015 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships and an Australian tour leading up to the world tournament.

Smith has coached multiple provincial teams as well. Most recently, Smith was named Alberta’s Junior Female Coach of the Year (2014-15) and one of Team Alberta’s coaches at the 2013 Canada Summer Games and 2011 Western Canada Summer Games.