Benson Spurling
Head Coach Senior/National Group
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Benson Spurling
Head Coach & Senior/National Group
Email bspurlingcac@fuse.net
Benson is currently in his 27thseason with Cincinnati Aquatic Club. In addition to his administrative duties, overseeing the entire coaching staff and training regimen, he is also responsible for developing and leading our Senior and National groups swimmers training.
A native of Tennessee, Benson started his swimming career at the Knoxville West Side YMCA. During his high school career, he qualified for Y Nationals and gained All-American honors his senior year, placing third in the State Championships in the 100 yd. Backstroke. He then swam for four years while earning a Bachelor of Business Administration at Eastern Kentucky University.
Benson began his coaching career in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1980 at the summer club level. He found a passion in developing young swimmers of all ages. He move to Cincinnati with his wife and he founded the Clermont County YMCA Clippers swim team in 1985. He developed the Clippers quickly while having the team finish 6th at the LC YMCA National. While coaching there, he earned his Teacher Certification in Physical/Health Education and a Master’s in Education from Xavier University with his thesis on the effects of mental training on athletic performance.
Benson assumed the position of Head Coach of CAC in 1990. Since that time, he has successfully led CAC to be recognized as one of the top competitive swim teams in the Midwest and State of Ohio. He served 18 years as Vice Chair of the Ohio Coaches Association as well as the 9 years Ethics Chair.
The Seahawk Team has grown from 80 swimmers to over 200 swimmers and has gone from 33rd place at the Age Group 14 & under Junior Olympic to finishing as high as 2nd place several times. The Seahawk’s 15 and Over swimmers won the USA Ohio Senior State Championships Team Titles in the Men’s, Women’s and Combined Standings in 2014 season. Having finished runner up in 2013 & 2012. In addition to these accomplishments the Senior Seahawks Team has consistently finished in the top 10 at the Central Zone Sectional Championships and have had several swimmers compete at the USA Jr. National Championships.
Many of Coach Spurling’s swimmers are swimming and breaking records at the college level. Several Seahawks have competed in 2004, 2008, 2012 & 2016 USA Olympic Trials. In 2011 the Seahawks were very excited when three of our Seahawks (Nick Thoman, Elliot Keefer & David Plummer) all made the World Team and competed in Shanghai China. Spurling’s Swimmers have won individual titles at every level including Age Group J.O’S, H.S State, Ohio Seniors, USA Sectional, USA Nationals & Most recently back to back Olympians Nick Thoman & David Plummer represented the USA in the London 2012 & Rio 2016 Olympic Games. David won the Bronze medal in the 100 meter backstroke and a Gold medal in the 400 medley Relay in Rio 2016. David had the 2nd fast 100 time in the world in 2016. Nick Thoman won a Silver Medal in the 100 meter Backstroke and a Gold Medal in the 400 Medley Relay in London 2012! Nick also held the World Record in the 100 SC Meter Backstroke and was the American Record holder in the 50 & 100 yard Backstroke events.
Benson and his wife Shelli, have two children who both swam for the Seahawks- Andrew & Lisa who both swam and graduated from Ohio State University. Lisa just finished coaching with the CAC Senior and National Groups. She has returned to Ohio State to work on her graduate studies.
To contact Coach Benson you can email bspurlingcac@fuse.net or call the office at (513) 474-9461.
Kevin S Rachal
Associate Head Coach T1/2 Group
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Coach
Kevin is now in his 19th year with the CAC Seahawks as the
associate Head Coach. For the 2016-2017 season he
will continue his focus on the T2 and T1 training groups.
Kevin, a native of
Centerville, Ohio, started swimming competitively when he was five
years old. In 2002, Kevin received outstanding recognition as
Ohio’s Age Group Coach of the Year.
Coach Kevin has
successfully coached in every level of the CAC program!
He has coach two Olympic medalist (Nick Thoman & David
Plummer), multiple top 16 swimmers & state champions! Kevin
works to inspire athletes to be their best while working within the
"TEAM FIRST" philosophy!
A graduate of UC, with a
degree in Information Systems – Marketing – Management,
he has returned to swimming with the Ohio Masters Program. Away
form the pool, Kevin likes to participate in all types of sporting
activities. Kevin and his wife Cristi have two sons,
Jackson (12) & Thomson (8) who both compete for the
Seahawks!!! Contact Coach Kevin at cackevin@aol.com
Ken Dunlap
Assistant Coach – A3 Group
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The 2010-2011 season will be Ken’s 8th year with CAC. He was named Ohio Swimming’s Age Group Coach of the Year in July 2006. Ken will be primarily responsible for the A3 training group.
Ken’s swimming career includes 10 years with Foxcatcher Swim Club and 4 years with Germantown Academy which are coached by Dick Shoulberg. After gaining All- American honors, Ken then swam 4 years for the University of Virginia where he earned his Masters in Teaching. In 1992 Ken was ranked 23rd in the World Rankings in the 200 Meter Butterfly and finish 2nd at the US Nationals. He was an Olympic Trials Qualifier in both the 200 Meter Butterfly and the 400 Meter Freestyle.
Ken’s coaching/teaching experience includes 5 years as the Head Coach of the Mariemont Aquatic Club, 5 years as the Head Coach of the Turpin Hills Swim Club and 4 years as the Head Coach of the Mariemont Junior High School . Ken teaches Math in the Indian Hill School System. Ken and wife Amy have two daughters, Kiley and Mackenzie. Contact Coach Ken at kdunlap@ih.k12.oh.us
Ben Clark
A-3 LEAD COACH/SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT
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Coach Ben was a Seahawk swimmer for 10 years and has been coaching with the CAC program since 2004. That's almost a quarter-century of red and black pride! Ben was a Junior Olympic-level swimmer as an age-grouper, and finalist in multiple events at Ohio Senior Championships during his high school career. At 14, he was a member of the 1994 CNCA National Championship team.
He has coached at every level in the CAC program and is entering his 5th year leading the A3 training group. Coach Ben enjoys coming up with new and creative ways of teaching technique, skills, and habits. He challenges and motivates all A3 swimmers in different ways to reach their potential as they build a strong foundation for a long swimming career. Coach Ben is passionate about developing young swimmers into great people, and enjoys watching our athletes succeed at each stage of the program.
Clark has coached dozens of swimmers to their first Junior Olympic or Zone qualifying times, and the A3 group has continued to be a key component to CAC Age Group Championship teams under his leadership. His groups have produced several Ohio JO top-8 finishers, as well as relay depth in the 10 & under age groups. The success of the group over the last year led to Coach Ben being nominated for the Ohio Age Group Coach of the Year award in 2016.
Ben and his wife Megan, also a former Seahawk swimmer, have two children and live in Loveland. Maren will turn 3 this season, Maxwell is 9 months, and both keep Coach Ben busy outside the pool. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Clark enjoys creating CAC team apparel, current events, and is a huge college football fan.
He is a graduate of Saint Xavier High School, Ohio University, and Xavier University.
Cynthia M Donovan
Transition Assistant Coach
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Coach Cynthia started her swimming career with the CAC Seahawks at age 5 and is the definition of a true Seahawk! Cynthia graduated from CAC and continued her swimming career at Miami University where she swam under Mark Davis. Cynthia had a magnitude of success at Miami included 4 trips to the MAC championship meet. Cythia returned to the pool in the 2015 - 2016 and trained with the transition group! Cynthia had an tremendous impact on the entire transition group!
Cynthia will take her expertise to the pool deck this season and assist the transition and senior group! This will be Cynthia's first season coaching but will continue her long history with CAC! WELCOME CYNTHIA!
Emily A Thomas
HAWK COORDINATION
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This
marks Emily's first year with the Hawks program as well as the
Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Emily
is a former UC Bearcat swimmer where she was a record holder as
well as team captain. She was a breastroker and sprint freestyler.
She received her college degree in Communications. She was
previously a North Canton Hoover Viking, where she gained
All-American honors and was state runner-up.
Coach
Emily enjoys working with all ages and thrives on challenging yet
encouraging the competitive spirit of all of her
athletes.
Emily is the co-owner of Benefit Studio where she is a personal
trainer and group fitness instructor. Her and her husband are both
former UC athletes and just had their first child, Ivy Lynn Thomas.
Contact Coach Emily at Emily.misanik@gmail.com
Emily A Thomas
DRYLAND & STRENGTH COACH
Email
This
marks Emily's first year with the Hawks program as well as the
Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Emily
is a former UC Bearcat swimmer where she was a record holder as
well as team captain. She was a breastroker and sprint freestyler.
She received her college degree in Communications. She was
previously a North Canton Hoover Viking, where she gained
All-American honors and was state runner-up.
Coach
Emily enjoys working with all ages and thrives on challenging yet
encouraging the competitive spirit of all of her
athletes.
Emily is the co-owner of Benefit Studio where she is a personal
trainer and group fitness instructor. Her and her husband are both
former UC athletes and just had their first child, Ivy Lynn Thomas.
Contact Coach Emily at Emily.misanik@gmail.com
Megan Koester
A-1 Lead Coach
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Megan started swimming with CAC when she was 7 years old. She
continued through high school at Ursuline Academy, and college at
Wittenberg University, holding top times in breastroke and
IM.
After college, Megan moved to Boulder, CO where she resided for 3
years working for a gluten-free food company. With her heart split
between the mountains and midwest, Megan accepted a job she enjoys
very much, working at Cintas in product development. Over the
past two years back home, Megan bought a house and got married. She
and her husband, Ben, and dog, Lucy, live in Kenwood.
This will be Megan's first season coaching the A-1 swimmers and
she's excited to be on deck! Megan teaches Spinning(R) and
HIIT classes at Tri-Health once a week in her free time and
continues to swim with Blue Ash Multi-Sport team in the early
mornings.
