Coaches and Directors
I began my swimming career in Stockton, California at the age of 10 at Delta Valley Aquatics. I went on to qualify for Junior Nationals and was a High School All-American before going to Fresno State University to swim in 1992. In 1994, due to FSU dropping their men's swimming program, I got the opportunity to attend BYU where I went on to be a men's team captain and win a Western Athletic Conference team Championship in 1996.
After graduating from the "Y" in 1997 I began my coaching career in American Fork, Utah where I helped lead Hilltop Aquatics to their first ever state championship in 2001. In addition to team championships, I also coached NAG Top 16 performers as well as numerous Western Zones, Sectionals, and Junior National qualifiers. In 2001, I moved to Colorado to become the Head Age Group Coach with the AFA Falfins Swim Team.
In Colorado Springs, I branched out and got the opportunity to coach at both the High School and College level. At Rampart High School, several athletes achieved All-American status and the Rampart men won their first Metro League Championship in over 20 years. In 2003, the Air Force Academy added me to their staff where I led the men's and women's distance groups. In my two years there, athletes under my direction won individual conference championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships.
In 2005, I came back to Utah as the assistant coach at the University of Utah. In my time at Utah I was a part of Utah's first women's Conference Championship Team and built many lasting relationships with athletes I coached and recruited.
In 2008, the Wasatch Front Fish Market was formed and as the Head Coach of the team we have seen the team grow from a very close knit group of 9 athletes to the incredible family we are today. Since 2008 we have developed more than two dozen Junior National qualifiers, several senior national qualifiers and in 2015 qualified our first athlete for the US Olympic Trials. Our senior program established themselves as the premier senior program in the state an, and our age group program has won several Age Group Championships. The success that we have seen has been a reflection of a highly driven coaching staff that is goal oriented and knows the importance of planning and long term development of athletes at all levels of the team.
I have been fortunate to have been recognized over the years for the success of our athletes. As a team, we have been a USA Swimming Club Excellence Team 5 times, earning Bronze Medal status in 2012, 2013, 2017, and 2018. In 2019 we achieved our first Silver Medal status. In 2013, In 2017, I was named to the USA Swimming National Junior Team Coaching Staff and had the opportunity to see one of our athletes represent the USA in her first international competition. Locally, I have been recognized by my peers here in Utah as the Senior Coach of the Year 5 separate times (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017).
I have always had a heart for the young men and women that I have coached over the years. My commitment to them and their swimming careers is something that I take very seriously. The Wasatch Front Fish Market is committed to seeing young men and women dream big and succeed. And they will!
My competitive swimming career started at 7 years old at the Salt Lake Country Club. Competing every summer until I was 12, I decided to step up my swimming before starting high school and joined the Eagle Aquatics club team. I swam and played water polo through my time at Cottonwood High School, and was a varsity captain on both teams my junior and senior years.
This led me to play water polo at the Division 2 level at California State University, Monterey Bay for 4 years. Throughout my time as an Otter I earned the title of captain my senior season and All-American Athlete for the years 2014 and 2015. I studied Health and Human Services and graduated with honors in 2016.
Through my time in Monterey, I began coaching for several high school and club water polo club teams. Moving back to Salt Lake City in 2016, I was hired as Cottonwood High's assistant swim coach, and re-started the water polo program in the spring of 2017. I began coaching with Fish Market in spring of 2018, working with the National Development Group and Advanced Junior groups and have learned so much through the amazing athletes and coaching staff. Since then our age groupers have seen state championship titles, state swimmers on the top 3 podiums and high point awards, state records, age group zones and sectional qualifiers. I w as fortunate enough to be awarded the Age Group Coach of the Year award in 2022.
Most recently, I graduated from Westminster College in the Spring of 2020 with a Masters Degree in Community Leadership. My thesis focused on involvement rates of refugee students in athletics at the high school level in Salt Lake County. Aside from the pool deck I love to do anything that gets me outside including hiking, camping, and skiing. I'm a dog mom to Wallace, my sweet rescue mutt and Solo, a spirited boxer pup!
Go Big Fish!
Allen Jones started swimming competitively at age 12 in Herndon, Virginia where he grew up. His accomplishments include being a two time Junior National Champion (100 and 200 Breaststroke), U.S. National Qualifier, and 1996 US Olympic Trial Qualifier. He attended college at the University of Tennessee where he swam for four years. There, he was a four year letterman and team captain. He also served as a student assistant coach prior to graduating in 2001 with a degree in economics.
Allen’s coaching career has included all levels of swimming from summer swim teams to his many years of experience as a USA Swimming registered coach. He is also an ASCA Level 3 coach with a commitment to continuing his pursuit of coaching excellence. Allen serves on the Utah Swimming nominating committee as well as the Age Group Committee. He was selected as the Utah State Age Group Coach of the Year in 2014. Since joining Fish Market in 2011, Allen's swimmers have broken more than 20 State records and he has had several swimmers ranked in the top 10 nationally in various events. Allen lives in Sandy with his three sons. In his spare time he enjoys being outside, gardening and watching football and soccer.
