A swim coach in Red Deer for eight years, Mandi Smith has made the next big step in her career.
Smith, a nationally recognized coach was named an assistant of the Simon Fraser University Clan swimming and diving program on Friday.
“We are very excited to have an outstanding coach join our staff. Mandi is a proven professional who will bring a great combination of experience and energy. She is highly competitive and has a strong winning record,” said Clan head coach Liam Donnelly.
She spent last season coaching the Pacific Sea Wolves in White Rock after successful tenure in Red Deer.
Smith was the 2015 Swim Alberta Junior Female Coach of the Year as well as the Outlying Community Coach of the Year and National Age Group Coach of the Year.
In 2014 she was one of five coaches named to Swimming Canada’s inaugural Select Coaches Group and in 2015 helped lead the Canadian Junior National team at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships.
Simon Fraser is also the only Canadian university that competes in the NCAA will head to their first meet of the season in Seattle in November.
“SFU is a world-class university program and I look at this as an opportunity to work with high-level athletes,” Smith said in an SFU press release.
Smith is no stranger to high-level athletes either. She helped coach Canadian Paralympian and world record holder, Tammy Cunnington and Canadian junior national team member, Rebecca Smith, who competed with Canada’s world championship 400 metre mixed medley relay team.