Aug. 13, 2009
Courtesy of CollegeSwimming.Com
Brooklyn College Athletics announced the hiring of Eric Mitchell as their new head coach for their men's and women's swimming teams on Wednesday, July 29th.
Mitchell will be taking over a program that has been on hiatus since the conclusion of the 2003-2004 season, due to construction on the Brooklyn College campus, including the removal of the Plaza Pool. With the completion of the new West Quad Building, swimming is resuming competition as a club level team in 2009-2010, before returning to varsity status in 2010-2011, and Eric Mitchell will be in charge of the program's resurrection.
Mitchell has a wealth of experience in the pool as a competitor and a coach. He began his passion for the sport in Westchester, New York where he was born and raised, beginning competitive swimming at the age of seven with the Mount Kisco Marlins. As he continued with the sport, he had some remarkable achievements, including being a two-time NYSHS (New York State High School) championship finalist, an eight-time National Age Group qualifier and nine-time Junior National qualifier.
Mitchell then went on to swim at Old Dominion University, where he was a CAA conference championship finalist and was a two-time captain of the ODU squad.
Mitchell graduated from Old Dominion in 2002 and has since coached swimming at various club & scholastic levels with his most recent experience being the head coach of the Red Tide of New York City where he trains masters swimmers from ages of 18-65. With the Red Tide Mitchell has coached an Olympic Trials Qualifier, three United States Masters National Champions and a Masters World Record Holder.
In addition, Mitchell has served as the Aquatics Director at the Brooklyn Sports Club since 2006. Mitchell is certified with the ASCA in Level 4 USA-S as well as Level 2 Masters and is an American Red Cross certified lifeguard instructor. He is also a member of the American Swim Coaches Association, United States Swimming and United States Masters Swimming.