The American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) has announced that Coach Dave Gibson and Coach Tim Hill will be inducted into the ASCA Hall of Fame as the Class of 2026. The induction ceremony will be held on September 10 during the ASCA World Clinic at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando.
The ASCA Hall of Fame honors coaches whose careers have made a lasting impact on the sport of swimming through excellence in coaching, leadership, and service. Gibson and Hill join an elite group of coaches whose contributions have shaped generations of swimmers and elevated the profession.
Coach Dave Gibson has devoted over 51 years to coaching and developing swimmers at the club, high school, collegiate, and national levels. He is currently Head Coach at Swim Fort Lauderdale, where he founded and built the program into a USA Swimming Level 4 Club, growing it from 100 to 200 competitive swimmers. Under his leadership, Swim Fort Lauderdale has produced multiple Olympic Trials athletes (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024), Junior National Team members, a Junior National Champion, a Junior Pan Pac Bronze Medalist, and numerous Florida High School State Champions.
Gibson previously led Phoenix Swim Club and Mecklenburg Aquatic Club (SwimMAC Carolina), producing multiple Junior National Champions, Olympic Trials swimmers, National Junior Team members, and Olympians—including Ricky Berens, 2008 & 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist in the 800m freestyle relay. Earlier in his career, he coached at Fort Wayne Aquatics where he developed & coached 1988 Olympian Steve Bigelow. Before that he held collegiate and YMCA coaching positions, earning Coach of the Year honors in Indiana, North Carolina, and Arizona.
A Level 5 ASCA coach and recipient of the ASCA Gold Medal Coaching Award, Gibson has served on numerous USA Swimming National and Junior National Team staffs and served on the ASCA Board of Directors. His career reflects a deep commitment to athlete development, coach mentorship, and growing the sport at every level.
Coach Tim Hill has an extraordinary record of success spanning more than four decades, with accomplishments at the club, collegiate, national, and international levels. He coached at Southern Illinois University (1980–1985) and Arizona State University (1985–1999), leading teams to multiple Top 10 finishes at Women’s NCAA Division I competitions. During his tenure, 50 swimmers earned more than 140 All-American honors, along with 34 Academic All-America distinctions, and included several NCAA Division I champions—among them the first woman to break the 1:00 barrier in the 100 breaststroke. Hill also coached multiple Olympians and World Championship medalists.
At the club level, Hill has directed programs such as the Sarasota Y Sharks, Joliet YMCA Jets, First Colony Swim Team, Tidewater Aquatics Club, Piranhas Swim Team, and now Sharks Swim Club, consistently developing Junior National qualifiers, National Champions, and Olympians. Notably, he guided two women’s 24-hour relay teams to world-record performances and has been repeatedly recognized as Coach of the Year at the state, collegiate, and national levels.
Hill has served on the ASCA Board of Directors (2022–present), as well as on college, local LSC, and YMCA national boards. He has contributed as a USA National Team coach and played an influential role in coach education through his Quantum Leap Swim Clinics. He has published numerous articles, presented at national and international coaching forums, and consistently demonstrated a commitment to advancing the sport, mentoring coaches, and creating opportunities for swimmers of all ages.
“Coach Gibson and Coach Hill exemplify the very best of our profession,” said ASCA CEO Jennifer LaMont. “Their impact goes far beyond wins and records—they have shaped athletes, mentored coaches, and contributed meaningfully to the growth of swimming. We are honored to recognize their extraordinary careers with induction into the ASCA Hall of Fame.”
The ASCA World Clinic, taking place September 9–12, 2026, will bring together leading coaches from around the world for four days of education, connection, and celebration of the sport. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is a highlight of the event, recognizing those who have made enduring contributions to swimming.
For more information about the ASCA World Clinic and Hall of Fame, please visit www.swimmingcoach.org.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with ASCA. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
