Chad R Thomsen
Head Coach
Email
I
have been involved with competitive swimming for 19 years
and have trained under some of the best National team head coaches
in the world. The majority of my swimming career was done back in
my home country of
Canada
. I
competed for the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club out of
Edmonton
,
Alberta
. Before
I left
Canada
for
college, I had been competing for the Canadian Jr. Team/National
Team for 3 years. I was a 4 time National Champion, World Cup
Champion and a U.S. Open Champion. I have competed in 2 Olympic
trials and narrowly missed the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in
the 100 breaststroke. I attended 2 years of
college at the
University
of
Hawaii
where I
competed in two Division I National Championships. I was a 4 time
NIC Conference Champion and was named team captain my sophomore
year. From there I moved on to complete my university degree in
Public Recreation Administration at
South Dakota
State
University
. While
competing for the Jackrabbits, I set 9 university records and was
named team captain of the men’s team my senior
year. I strive to bring my
experiences and knowledge of this sport to our team on a day to day
basis. I have now been coaching Snowfox for the last two years. I
was named Head Coach in September 2008. Since then, I have helped
lead the team to 2 State Championship Titles and have
been selected as a Team South Dakota Coach for the summer 2009
Central Zone Championships in
Grand Forks
,
ND
.
Paula M Gordon
Developmental Coach
Email
Greetings! My name is Paula Gordon and I
have been coaching Snowfox since 1999. I began as a part-time
assistant coach and have served in many coaching capacities ever
since!
My swimming career began when I was ten
years old as a charter member of the Brookings Swim Club. I swam
for BSC for eight years, an then swam for the South Dakota State
Jackrabbits from 1979-1983. I managed to break a few records for
the Jacks and in 1981 was named the North Central Conference
Outstanding Women Swimmer.
I am also a teacher at Brandon Valley ,
where I’ve been teaching Physical Education for the past 26
years!!! I currently teach PE at Valley Springs Elementary and Fred
Assam Elementary. I truly enjoy working with young
people!
My husband, Rick, and I have three
children, Paul, Haley and Jack, who have all been members of
Snowfox over the past twelve years. Paul is now a student at the
University of Iowa , where he swims for the Hawkeyes, and Haley and
Jack attend Washington High School in Sioux Falls . Rick’s
daughter, Kelli, has two children who are learning to swim through
SwimAmerica. We are truly a swimming family!
Because I teach during the day, I work
mostly with the Junior and Senior swimmers, but also help with AG 1
& 2 at least one day a week. I enjoy leading dry-land,
correcting technique and encouraging each swimmer to reach their
personal goals. I find it very rewarding to watch swimmers improve
through hard work and perseverance. Swimming is an awesome sport
and I am delighted to be involved with such a wonderful team,
Snowfox!
Jennifer Boom
Developmental Coach
Email
My interest in the sport of swimming began
roughly six years ago as I began my undergraduate degree at South
Dakota State University . I swam with the masters group in
Brookings and competed in a number of meets both in South Dakota
and Minnesota before I began coaching masters. I transferred to
finish my undergraduate degree in exercise science at the
University of Sioux Falls . While in Sioux Falls , I spent two
seasons coaching with the Sioux Falls Seals and swimming with the
masters swim team. I returned to South Dakota State University to
complete a masters degree in sports science. While there I coached
the masters swim team, taught with Swim America, helped coach the
Brookings Swim Team, and was placed as the president of the Prairie
Masters Swim Team. I completed two years of a teaching graduate
assistant ship where I taught Wellness 100, created and took the
position of aquatics coordinator for the HPER pool, and substituted
for the PE 100 swimming class when needed. My research topic
focused on building and maintaining aerobic capacity through water
exercise, specifically water jogging. I thoroughly believe in the
importance of physical activity and water-based exercise has always
been my focus! In May, I accepted the position of Aquatics Director
at the Sanford Wellness Center . I have been an employee there for
over three years working in almost every department. My passion,
however, is still competitive swimming! I plan on competing this
winter and continuing to compete in triathlon! Yes, I do all three!
I enjoy working with individuals of all ages and helping them reach
their full potential!
