Monday, April 02, 2012

Where there's smoke...

...there's fire.

Swimming World reports that Kim Brackin is out as the UT women's swim coach. Read more here.

I doubt you'll hear anyone close to the program claim to be shocked. The past couple of months have been rough for the program.

UT's statement:

The University of Texas Women's Athletics Department today announced a leadership change in its women's swimming program. Effective immediately, Kim Brackin is no longer head coach. Matt Scoggin continues as men's and women's diving coach. Women's associate head coach Jim Henry continues his annual appointment until a new head coach is in place and future staff is determined. The search for a new head coach commences immediately.

Who will be the new head coach? Where will Brackin land? Let the speculation begin!

8 comments:

Lion King said...

Sorry, I'm way too busy to leave Paradise...

Anonymous said...

Maybe the other UT coach could take the position (Tennessee) - just a different shade of orange. Or maybe the Alabama coach?

Button said...

Neither will happen. My guess is they'd pay whatever it took to get the guy in maroon. No denying he's done a helluva job.

Lion King said...

Are you kidding? He'd never be able to set foot in CS again! But there IS the draw of 6th Street to consider...

Button said...

in fairness to jim, we should probably preface speculation with 'if they decide to hire from outside', right?

okay, here goes.

if they decide to hire from outside, they'd be nuts if they didn't have steve on their short list.

Anonymous said...

Looking at results from the season, it appears that Coach Brackin had plenty of talent, as Texas dominated A & M in early November. However, as we all know, in HS and NCAA Swimming, they do not give the big awards in Nov, and the Head Coach is responsible to have the swimmers ready to perform when it counts the most, at the end of the season.

Alas, her demise was that Texas did not perform, at a stellar level, at the end of the season, at either Big 12's or at NCAA's. With big opportunity (money, facilities, tradition) comes big expectations. Move over for the next Texas Women's Team leader to emerge. Male or Female?

There is never a replacement for experience, and just because you are the Assistant Coach on multiple National Championship Teams, does not mean you are ready to be "the one" to lead a Team to the National Championship...Given the results of the last 6 years, her demise was predictable, as University of Texas always expects a winner. Coach Reese has set the bar for that expectation.

It will be interesting to see if University of Texas Men's Swimming & Diving maintains their run of Top 3 NCAA finishes after Coach Reese steps down in the next few years.
Great Teams have Great Leaders...University of Texas will find that out after Coach Reese retires and they try to replace him and continue to get the same results.

Congrats to Coach Bultman and Texas A & M as they not only recruit well but "build" well from within.

Button said...

"There is never a replacement for experience, and just because you are the Assistant Coach on multiple National Championship Teams, does not mean you are ready to be "the one" to lead a Team to the National Championship..."

yes, kim worked with some great auburn teams. it didn't work out for her in austin, but i think she'll be successful elsewhere when the right opportunity comes up.

you gain quite a bit when you're on the same deck as coaches like marsh and reese, right?

assistant coaches like kris (ut) and ted (stanford) could step in and coach at a very high level. nothing wrong with looking at assistants who've been successful, right?

Anonymous said...

Correct on both items.