Coaches & Directors

Coaching Staff

Craig L Charlson

Head Coach & Club Director

Coach Craig Charlson begins his 11^th year of professional swim coaching. He was hired in April 2009 as Head Coach and Club Director of Bearcat Swim Club. He brings a wealth of technical knowledge and expertise to our team.

Coach Charlson began coaching swimming in 1999 when he served as Volunteer Assistant at the University of Minnesota and Age Group Coach at Twin Cities Swim Team until being hired at Blackline Aquatics to be Head Senior Coach in 2003. During his three years at Blackline Aquatics he also was the Head Coach for Apple Valley High School and Assistant Coach at St. Thomas Academy High school. He then became Head Coach in 2006 at North Suburban Aquatic Club. Under Coach Charlson’s coaching and leadership, there have been dozens of Junior National qualifiers, High School All Americans, Senior National qualifiers along with some Olympic Trial qualifiers.

Coach Charlson believes in a strong IM/distance based training program. He believes with this type of training, the Bearcat swimmers can compete in any event offered. He is a firm believer in the long-term development of all swimmers. He feels that as a coach it is important to recognize and encompass the whole person. It is his goal as our Head Coach to provide all swimmers the best opportunity to reach their highest level academically, athletically and socially.

The Platteville, Wisconsin native graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Communication Studies.

Kate K Phifer

Head Age Group Coach

Kate has been coaching in Salem for 10 years. She’s been with the Bearcat Swim Club since the beginning, coaching age groupers through the senior level group. For the past 10 years Kate has progressed athletes all the way to the Olympic Trial level as well as the Junior National and Senior Sectional levels.

These days, Kate is a full time mom still coaching Bearcat age groupers, consisting of Groups 1,2 and 3. Her goal is to have her age group athletes achieve success at the state level up to the sectional level. Her main coaching phylisophy is to teach the little things to perfection and speed is a bonus!

Kate’s swimming career started in Las Vegas. She qualified for Junior Nationals at 15 winning the 200M IM. She qualified for Senior Nationals in IM’s and Backstrokes. Kate graduated with a bachelor degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno while on a full ride swimming scholarship. Her senior year, she was chosen to compete at the division I NCAA championship.

Kei Otawa

Senior Prep Coach

Kei began his coaching career in 2005 as a swim lessons instructor at the Willamette Swim School for two summers. He started coaching group 1, 2 and 3 in 2007 and currently coaches senior preps.

His swimming career began when he was 7 years old at his home town in Moscow , ID. As a member of the Moscow Swim Team, his achievements include: Age Group Regional qualifier for 3 consecutive years, Inland Empire Swimming Zone Team qualifier at age 10, Senior Sectional qualifier, Top 3 finishes at State and Districts for 4 consecutive years in Idaho High School Swimming.

After swimming for 11 years in Moscow , Coach Al Stephenson recruited Kei to swim for Willamette University . His accomplishments in college include: Top 3 finishes at Northwest Conference Championships for 4 consecutive years, team MVP for 3 consecutive years, J.H. Booth Award recipient, which goes to the senior male athlete who most exemplified and demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship and athleticism. Kei graduated from Willamette with a degree in Mathematics in 2007.

Chris Banas

Assistant Coach

Coach Chris joined the Bearcat Swim Club in September 2009. He recently moved here from Michigan where he previously was the assistant swim coach at Huntington Woods Aquatic Club near Detroit. Chris has competed in all levels of swimming, including swimming in college at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He specialized in distance freestyle and butterfly. Chris enjoys Detroit sports, snowmen and smoothies. He is living in Salem now and working for Oregon State University Extension Service. Chris is excited to coach our Senior 1 and Senior Prep Bearcat Swimmers.

Rebekah Wilcox

Assistant Coach

Coach Rebekah joined the Bearcat Swim Club in September 2009. She has been the Head Swim Coach at Sprague High School for the last three years and is excited for her fourth year at Sprague. Rebekah has also coached the Monmouth/Independence YMCA summer swim team the last four years as well as being an assistant at the North Coast Swim club for two years. Coach Rebekah is excited to coach our age group swimmers at the club and we are elated to have her join our coaching staff!