Emma Munsch
Head Coach
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Emma Munsch has
been with FORD since 2014. During her time with FORD
she has coached athletes to achieve qualifying times
for State Championships, Sectionals, Junior and Senior
Nationals, and Olympic Trials. She has developed nationally
ranked swimmers, Junior National finalists, and State
Champions. She has also helped numerous FORD athletes
achieve their goals of furthuring their swim careers in
college. In 2018 she was selected to serve as the
Assistant Women's Coach for the NCSA All-American team in Dublin,
Ireland. She is thankful to be able to do what she loves and work
with an awesome group of kids at FORD.
Emma is a Tucson native who has
grown up in the Tucson swimming community. She started to
swim competitively during the summers with the Tucson
City league, later moved on to SAAA, and made the big jump to year
around swimming for FORD when she was 14. She attended
Salpointe Catholic High School, and swam for FORD Aquatics from
2004-2007. During her High School Career, Emma was a multiple
time State Champion, Sectional Champion, and JR National
finalist specializing in sprint freestyle. She was
also a member of the 2007 NCSA Junior National All-Star
Team.
After high school she attended and
swam collegiately for the University of Arizona where she received
a B.A in History, minor in Psychology, and a Masters Degree in
Teaching and Teacher's Education. During her career at the
University of Arizona she was an NCAA qualifier all four years,
two-time NCAA All-American, three-time PAC-10 Champion, two-time
Olympic Trials qualifier (2008 & 2012), USA Swimming National
Champion, Co-Captain, and a member of the 2008 Pac-10 and NCAA
Championship team. She is a member of the University of
Arizona, Pima County, and Salpointe Catholic High School Sports
Hall of Fame. Along with coaching, Emma taught World
History, AP and Honors U.S History, and Psychology at Salpointe
Catholic High School from 2012-2016.
When not on the pool deck, Emma
loves spending time with her husband Kevin (UA Swim Alum), daughter
Katherine, and her two Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
Matt Barber
Head Age Group Coach and Senior Coach
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Matt Barber joined Ford Aquatics in August 2018 working
alongside Coach Austin. Before moving to Tucson, Coach Matt grew up
in Houston, Texas where he started swimming at a very young age.
During his swim career in Texas, he was a multiple state champion
specializing in freestyle and butterfly events. He also competed on
a number of different junior national teams including the 2008
World Youth Team; 2009 Jr. Pan Pacific Team; 2009-2010 National
Youth Team; and 2010 NCSA All-Star team in Dublin, Ireland.
After high school Coach Matt attended and swam collegiately at
the University of Arizona where he majored in Business Management
with a minor in Sustainable Built Environments. During his
collegiate career Coach Matt was an NCAA qualifier all four years
and a three-time All-American. He also competed at the 2013 World
University Games in Kazan, Russia. While at the University of
Arizona, Coach Matt qualified for the second time (2008) Olympic
Trials during the 2012 Olympic year.
During the day Coach Matt is the VP of Operations for a local
toy design company, PlayAbility Toys. When he is not working or
coaching, he enjoys the outdoors, watching NFL Football, and
spending time with his wife, Sarah and dog, Stetson. Coach Matt is
eager to pass down his knowledge of the sport to the hard working
and passionate kids at Ford
Paige Martin
Raptor and Age Group Development Coach
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Paige Martin is originally from Phoenix, Arizona and has been
swimming competitively since she was 8, when she started swimming
with Sun Devil Aquatics. Paige swam competitively for her high
school’s varsity team all 4 years that she attended, Mesa
Aquatics Club and later, Scottsdale Aquatics Club until she moved
to Tucson after high school graduation.
Paige has been coaching with ford since January of 2018 and has
assisted with all groups at the Age Group level, ranging from the
bronze and developmental groups to Silver, Gold and Elite. She is
currently studying biochemistry, physiology, and math at the
University of Arizona, and plans to pursue a career in the medical
field after she graduates.
Jim Stites
Head Coach Masters Swimming
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Jim has served as the Ford Masters
coach since 1990. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he followed
legendary Arizona coach, Frank Busch to Tucson when Frank first
made his move to the desert. Since becoming the head masters coach,
Jim has grown the program from 30 swimmers to more than 140.
Jim swam in college at the
University of Cincinnati. He continues to swim, cycle, and run. Jim
runs both the morning and noon workouts.
