Bozeman Barracudas Swim Team : Coaching Philosophy

Coaching Philosophy

We believe that competitive swimming is an opportunity for youth to be challenged as an individual and develop teamwork. Challenges that a swimmer may be faced with are workouts, techniques, strategy and racing. As a coach I believe that all swimmers must work on all four areas of swimming. Also swimmers need to be able to interact with others in order to reach their goals. Each swimmer is important to the team and it is the coach’s responsibility to ensure that each goal of the swimmer and the team is met. Working on these skills is an essential part of lifelong health and fitness. Swimmers deserve to be encouraged to use swimming as a key to success in and out of the pool, and into a collegiate career. Every coach must see the potential in every swimmer and motivate them to achieve the highest success they desire. A coach must be knowledgeable, organized and empathetic in order to create a positive swimming experience.

We are here to support your needs. If your questions are related to workouts, meets, events, goal setting, and other swimming related needs, please contact one of the coaches. For all questions related to administrative, such as dues, safety, or policy issues, please contact the Head Coach or one of the board members.

Coaching Staff

Jade Sobek

Head Coach

I am excited to start my forth year as Head Coach for the Barracuda Swim Team! With my daughters, Malynn Tillie and Magdalene Grace, I have been enjoying our relativly new life in Bozeman, Montana. We are starting a new year and new short course season in hope of building on our 2012 Combined, Boys, and Girls Long Course Championships and 2012 Combined, Girls and Boys Short Course Campionships.

I swam for the Billings YMCA from the ages of 8-18. I also swam for Billings Senior High School and was a part of the State Championship team in 1999. I continued my swimming career at Denison University; where I competed at the National Championship meet 3 out of 4 years. I graduated with a major in Physical Education with an emphasis in Coaching. My course work has prepared me for the career I have always dreamed of, coaching swimming. After graduation I gained more experience as a collegiate coach for Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. I also continued my swimming experience on the Carthage Masters Swim Team. After completion of my Masters Degree in Education, I moved back to Billings, Montana and joined the coaching staff of the Billings Aquatic Club as the Age Group head coach, where I was for 3 years. I also spent one year as a personal trainer at the local gym, and two years teaching in the Health and Human Performance department for MSU-Billings.

As a Montana resident most of my life, I know of the great history that is associated with the Bozeman Barracudas. I look forward to being a part of that history, and helping this team to be a part of the competitive force of Montana swimming. I can’t wait to get our season underway and begin coaching for a group of swimmers that have shown their desire for success and have the potential to be the best in Montana!

Swimming Experience and Honors

Began competitive swimming at age 8 (1990).
Billings Senior High School swimmer. All-State and Letter winner all 4 years. State Champions 1999. Team Captain 2000.
Denison University Collegiate swimmer. 13-time All-American and 4 year letter winner. Team Captain 2004. National runner up in 50 Freestyle 2004, Division III Nationals.
Masters Swim Team 1 year in Kenosha, WI and 1 year in Billings, MT.

Coaching Experience and Honors

Assistant Swim Coach at Carthage College 2004-2006. CCIW Champions in 2006.

Age Group coach for Billings Aquatic Club. 2006-2009. State Championship Short Course: 2008-09 and Long Course 2008.
Masters Swim Coach for Masters of Billings Swim Team. 2008-2009. Co-Founder of Team.
Head Coach of Bozeman Swim Club September 2009-Present

Michelle Sobek

Team Manager / Head Age Group Coach

My husband and I enjoy sharing our experience of coaching together and have been coaching together since 2007. We have a beautiful daughters named: Malynn Tillie that was born May 26, 2009, and Magdalene Grace was born April 22, 2011 on Good Friday. I LOVE coaching the sport of swimming and am excited to pass on my passion and knowledge of the sport.

My swimming career started with the local YMCA team in White Bear Lake, MN. I gained so many incredible friends, many of whom I still have today. I became a dedicated year round swimmer at the age of 7, and have continued that over 20 years now as a coaching member of the Bozeman Masters Swim Team, and swimming on my own. I enjoyed swimming for my high school for 6 years and swam for Carthage College in Kenosha, WI where I graduated with a double major in Special Education and Elementary Education and a minor in religion. After graduation I began my teaching and coaching careers in 7^th grade Special Education and for the Kenosha Barracuda Swim Team. After 2 years I moved to Montana to marry Jade, I continued teaching and began coaching for the Billings Aquatic Club (2 years). Our move to Bozeman to coach the Barracudas has been an amazing positive experience all around. I continue to teach 1/2 time at Emily Dickinson, but my true passion lies in coaching and working with youth. Jade and I are thrilled to be able to focus on coaching in Bozeman and watch the team and swimmers grow and improve!

Swimming Experience and honors:

Began competitive swimming at age 7 in 1989, competed year round for YMCA, and later for STAR Swim Team (USA swim team)
White Bear Lake High School (MN) swimmer. Letter winner grades 7-12, Team Captain in 1999. Record in 200 Medley Relay.
Carthage College Collegiate swimmer. Letter winner 2 years.
Masters Swim Team 2 years in Kenosha, WI and 1 year in Billings, MT

Coaching Experience and Honors

Began coaching in 2005. Barracuda Swim Club, Kenosha WI 2005-2007, Billings Aquatic Club 2007-2009. State Championship Short Course and Long Course 2008, Short course 2009.
Masters Swim Coach for Masters of Billings Swim Team. 2008-2009. Co-Founder of Team. Coach for Bozeman Masters Swim Team (2010-present)

Coaching Philosophy:

I believe that swimming is an opportunity for youth to grow in physical, mental, and social endeavors. Swimming provides a competitive attitude that is geared both individually and toward a team. It is the job of a coach to cater to both these areas. A coach will provide guidance through workouts, education of technique and race strategy, team building, and through being a good role model. Swimmers of varying ability can all find success in the sport because it is so multi-faceted in areas of improvement. A coach will provide structured workouts that improve swimmers of varying abilities and age. Each swimmer is an important part to the team as a whole. A coach must teach responsibility towards the swimmers own personal goals and the team’s goals. A coach must also create an environment that is comfortable and encouraging to all swimmers no matter what the ability or level of the swimmer is. Overall, a coach must be someone that the swimmers trust to enhance their swimming experience.

Matthew A Luterbach

Assistant Junior/Senior Coach

Has been Coaching with the Bozeman Swim Club since June 2010.

Matthew W Johnson

Assistant Coach

Started Coaching with the Bozeman Swim Club since September 2012.

Swim with the Bozeman Swim club from age of 5 to 18.

Dylan M Gillespie

Assistant Coach

Began Coaching with Bozeman Swim Club in September 2012

Phillip Luebke

Assistant Coach / Substitute

Started on the Bozeman Swim club coaching staff September 2011

Phillip's competitive swimming career began at age seven and continued throughout high school and college. He started coaching a couple of years after graduating from college, spending one summer as the head coach of a masters swimming team, one season as the assistant coach of the girls swimming and diving team for Iowa City's two public high schools and five seasons as the head coach of the boys team for the same two high schools. After a decade away from the sport, Phillip joined the Barracudas coaching staff in the fall of 2011 and began swimming regularly again himself a few months later, joining the Bozeman Masters in the spring of 2012. In October 2012, Phillip founded Brilliant Swim Solutions (brilliantswim.com) to develop and bring to market innovative training aids for competitive swimmers, triathletes and their coaches. The company's first product is expected to launch in the summer of 2013.

Phillip lives north of Bozeman with his wife, Karen, his two sons, his stepdaughter, her daughter and two good-sized dogs. His stepson lives in Iowa. In-between swimming, coaching, starting a company and spending time with his family, Phillip enjoys mountain biking, listening to his favorite podcasts and playing Scrabble on his iPhone.

Swimming Experience and Honors

Began swimming competitively at age seven with the Ames Swim Club in Ames, Iowa (1978)
Swam competitively with the Mannheim Marlins in Mannheim, Germany (1978 - 1982)
Swam competitively with the Iowa City Swim Club in Iowa City, Iowa (1982 - 1990)
Swam competitively with Iowa City West High in Iowa City, Iowa (1985 - 1989)
- Four year varsity letter winner
- State meet qualifier (1988, 1989)
- Team captain (1988-1989)
- All-state
- Academic all-state
- Current school record-holder in the 400-yard freestyle relay
Swam competitively with NCAA Div. I University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa (1989-1993)
- Four year varsity letter winner
- Panther Academic Award recipient:
  - Director's Award (3.5-4.0 GPA) - three semesters
  - Coach's Award (3.0-3.49 GPA) - four semesters
- Academic All-Conference - Mid-Continent Conference (1990-1991)
- Season points leader (1990-1991 [tie], 1991-1992, 1992-1993)
- Team captain (1992-1993)
- "Bullet" Award / Most Valuable Swimmer (1992-1993)
- Set school records in the 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay
- Current school record-holder in 200-yard butterfly (UNI dropped men's swimming in 2002)
Competed in triathlons throughout Iowa (summers of 1990, 1991 and 1992)
Occasional masters swimmer
- National qualifier, United States Masters Swimming Short Course Championships (1999)

Coaching Experience and Honors

Coaching Staff, University of Northern Iowa Mini Swimming Camp, Cedar Falls, Iowa (1993)
Head Coach, Masters of Swim Technology, Iowa City, Iowa (1995)
Assistant Coach, City High & West High Girls Swimming Teams, Iowa City, Iowa (1995)
Head Coach, City High & West High Boys Swimming Teams, Iowa City, Iowa (1995-2000)
- Coaching Staff of the Year, Mississippi Valley Conference, Valley Division (1998-1999)
Coaching Staff, Iowa City Eels Swim Club Stroke Clinic, Iowa City, Iowa (1996-1997)
Camp Director, City High & West High Swimming & Diving Camp, Iowa City, Iowa (1997-2000)