Neil Romney, Head Coach, neilromney@gmail.com; 405-315-7060 (please contact Coach Neil with questions about RACE)
With over 30 years of coaching experience with all ages and abilities from learn-to-swim to Olympic Trials, Coach Romney emphasizes a positive team culture that esteems diligent and deliberate practice while providing athletes the instruction, training, and inspiration to pursue excellence. He also serves as head coach of the Warren County Swim and Dive Team, a role that allows him to integrate the interscholastic and club swimming schedules and training progressions for the benefit of all aquatic athletes in the community.
An ASCA Level 4 coach, Romney has served as the Pacific Northwest Head Zone Coach and been selected as the Pacific Northwest Association of Masters Swimmers Coach of the Year, Pacific Northwest Swimming Age Group Coach of the Year, Oregon High School Coach of the Year, and Oregon Age Group Coach of the Year.
Romney holds an MA in English Literature and an MS in Exercise Physiology from Central Washington University and has taken doctoral coursework focuses in Exercise Science, Mammalian Physiology, and Molecular Biology. He has also taught coaching-related college courses in kinesiology, physiology, and sports psychology and published articles in American Swimming and Journal of Swimming Research.
Andrew Allan, Head Age Group Coach, andrew@raceaquatics.org; 239-438-6031 (please contact Coach Zig to schedule a tryout)
Andrew “Zig” Allan brings has over 10 years of coaching experience. His goals are to develop water-safe children, teach swimming skills and build deep fitness, and build upon RACE’s history of competitive success. Coach Zig also serves as head coach of the Southland Summer League team and assistant coach for the Warren County Swim and Dive Team.
Coaching Experience and Accomplishments:
Head Age Group Coach with Swim Florida - Naples for over 6 years.
Qualifiers Florida Swimming Age Group Championship Meet
Qualifiers NASA Elite Showcase Classic.
Qualifiers for the Florida Swimming All-Star Meet
Florida Swimming LSC Short and Long Course Top 10 rankings
High School (Assistant Coach): Seacrest Country Day School
Boys team District Champions
Team Qualified Regional level swimmers
Team Qualified State level swimmers
Personal Swimming Experiences:
Swam for University of Alabama competing in Middle Distance Freestyle events (100, 200, 500)
- Swam at the SEC Championships
Swam competitively for 12 years with Swim Florida
Swam 4 years at Lely High School
Personal Swimming Accomplishments:
*Achieved US Open Time Standard (for the newbies, just below Senior Nationals and Olympic Trials)
*FSPA All-State Invitational Champion 200 Freestyle
*Set Lely High School Records in 200 IM, 100 Free, 200 Free 100 Fly and 100 Breast
*Lely High School MVP four years,
*District Champion
*Regional Champion
*4-year State Qualifier
Education: Studied Business Management at University of Alabama
Additional Coaching / Training Experiences:
USA Swimming Southern Region Coaches Clinic
USA Swimming Diversity Select Camp at US Olympic Training Center, attendee.
Lifeguard Certified
Favorite Quotes:
"Every practice is an opportunity to get better."
"Don't just go through the motions, everything has a purpose."
"Those who look outside dream; Those who look inside are awake"
Bill Powell, Silver/Bronze Coach
Coach Powell lettered for the Western Michigan swim team from 1957-59 and was team captain in 1959. He was a Mid-American Conference finalist in the backstroke three straight seasons and earned his bachelors and masters degrees from Western Michigan.
Coach Powell began his coaching career in the Michigan High School ranks and was named the Michigan High School Coach of the Year in 1968. As the WKU head swim coach from 1969-2005, Powell led his men’s teams to 330 dual meet victories, second highest of all time nationally. He has earned 11 coach-of-the-year awards, including being named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year four times.
He retired from his head college coaching duties in 2005 after 36 years on the Hill. He has since been named to the Western Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame and had the WKU Pool named after him. Beyond all the victories and accolades, however, Coach Powell is known and respected for helping develop the character and talent of the many student-athletes he has coached over the decades. In addition to sharing his 7+ decades of swimming expertise with RACE, he continues to coach the Bowling Green Country Club in the summer and teach swim classes at WKU.
Lauren Miller, Swim Lesson Coordinator, lessons@raceaquatics.org (please contact Lauren for more information on lessons or to schedule a lesson)
Lauren has a long history in aquatics including competing herself as a high school and club swimmer as well as assistant coaching.
- Swam for Lakeside Swim Club from age 8-18
- Swam for North Oldham High School for all 4 years
- Assistant coach for Wolf Creek Swim Team (summer league) in 2016 and 2017
- Head coach for Southland Family Club (summer league) in 2018
- Swim lessons Instructor and Lifeguard at WKU Preston Center 2015-2017
- Started at Race in January of 2017
Mekaela Miller, Swim Lesson Instructor
Mekaela is a life-long swimmer. She swam for Glen Oaks as a child and Lakeside Swim Team for 8 years. Mekaela has been a lifeguard for 3 years, has given private swim lessons, and coached summer league for the Glen Oaks Swim Team.
