Sometimes, Shauna Manning finds it hard to believe she has been coaching the Kentville Marlins summer swim team for as long as she has.
“Some of the kids, I remember when they started swimming as small children,” the Coldbrook woman says. “Now some of them are driving.”
This summer will be Manning’s eighth season as Marlins’ head coach, and her 10th season coaching with the club overall. It may also be her last.
“I’ve been accepted into social work at St. Thomas University this fall,” said Manning, who turns 24 in June. “I’m looking forward to it. I was at UNB for five years, so I know the area.”
In the pool
Manning’s own swimming career began with the Marlins, where she spent two summers before moving to the Wolfville Tritons team at age 10.
She remained with the Tritons until she graduated from Central Kings at age 18, then was recruited to UNB, where she swam for five years.
Manning has now “retired” from competitive swimming.
“I haven’t swam competitively since February of 2013,” when she completed her AUS eligibility.
Coaching career
Manning got her first experience coaching while she was swimming with the Tritons. At the time, she trained with the Marlins in the summers. When she was 14, she got her first taste of coaching as a volunteer assistant coach with the Marlins under Missy Spencer and Scott Lovat. The next year, she was co-head coach with Colin Stacey.
In 2007, she became head coach in her own right, and has remained in that position every summer since then.
“I’ve watched a lot of the kids grow up,” she said. “They’re like family to me. I love everything about it, and I’ve always gotten along great with the parents.”
That hasn’t been Manning’s only coaching experience either.
“All five years I was at UNB, I coached from September to April with the Fredericton Aquanauts, then I’d coach the Marlins in the summer.”
After graduating from UNB in 2013, Manning enrolled at NSCC Kingstec, where she is currently in an advanced diploma program in Addictions Community Research. She also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, an organization close to her heart, and with Chrysalis House.
She has also continued to coach the Marlins in off-season training sessions all winter on Monday evenings at the Nova Scotia Youth Centre in Cambridge.
Looking forward
At St. Thomas, she will be studying toward a Bachelor degree in social work.
“They only take 45 students per year. I applied to both Dal and St. Thomas, but I’ve already decided I won’t be going to Dal. I’ve already spent five years in Fredericton. I love the area. It’s a city, but not a big city.”
While she is in Fredericton, Manning hopes she’ll be able to coach again.
“I might coach again with the Aquanauts, and maybe even help out with UNB. I’ll know better once I get my school schedule how much time I’m likely to have.”
Manning isn’t totally ruling out possibly coaching the Marlins again, although she admits that with her schedule, it might be hard to commit even short-term. However, she said, coaching young swimmers is something she loves.
“I’d really like to keep coaching as long as I can, as long as they’ll let me,” she said.
“(The Marlins) are in a really good place right now. They have a great organization, with lots of support from the parents. Being here as long as I have, I got used to doing a lot of things. It’s nice to have the help and support. It’s awesome, but a little weird, too, at times.”
Wherever her life ends up taking her, Manning is sure swimming will continue to play a part in it.
“I’m sure, in some shape or form, I’ll always be involved.”
Sometimes, Shauna Manning finds it hard to believe she has been coaching the Kentville Marlins summer swim team for as long as she has.
“Some of the kids, I remember when they started swimming as small children,” the Coldbrook woman says. “Now some of them are driving.”
This summer will be Manning’s eighth season as Marlins’ head coach, and her 10th season coaching with the club overall. It may also be her last.
“I’ve been accepted into social work at St. Thomas University this fall,” said Manning, who turns 24 in June. “I’m looking forward to it. I was at UNB for five years, so I know the area.”
In the pool
Manning’s own swimming career began with the Marlins, where she spent two summers before moving to the Wolfville Tritons team at age 10.
She remained with the Tritons until she graduated from Central Kings at age 18, then was recruited to UNB, where she swam for five years.
Manning has now “retired” from competitive swimming.
“I haven’t swam competitively since February of 2013,” when she completed her AUS eligibility.
Coaching career
Manning got her first experience coaching while she was swimming with the Tritons. At the time, she trained with the Marlins in the summers. When she was 14, she got her first taste of coaching as a volunteer assistant coach with the Marlins under Missy Spencer and Scott Lovat. The next year, she was co-head coach with Colin Stacey.
In 2007, she became head coach in her own right, and has remained in that position every summer since then.
“I’ve watched a lot of the kids grow up,” she said. “They’re like family to me. I love everything about it, and I’ve always gotten along great with the parents.”
That hasn’t been Manning’s only coaching experience either.
“All five years I was at UNB, I coached from September to April with the Fredericton Aquanauts, then I’d coach the Marlins in the summer.”
After graduating from UNB in 2013, Manning enrolled at NSCC Kingstec, where she is currently in an advanced diploma program in Addictions Community Research. She also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, an organization close to her heart, and with Chrysalis House.
She has also continued to coach the Marlins in off-season training sessions all winter on Monday evenings at the Nova Scotia Youth Centre in Cambridge.
Looking forward
At St. Thomas, she will be studying toward a Bachelor degree in social work.
“They only take 45 students per year. I applied to both Dal and St. Thomas, but I’ve already decided I won’t be going to Dal. I’ve already spent five years in Fredericton. I love the area. It’s a city, but not a big city.”
While she is in Fredericton, Manning hopes she’ll be able to coach again.
“I might coach again with the Aquanauts, and maybe even help out with UNB. I’ll know better once I get my school schedule how much time I’m likely to have.”
Manning isn’t totally ruling out possibly coaching the Marlins again, although she admits that with her schedule, it might be hard to commit even short-term. However, she said, coaching young swimmers is something she loves.
“I’d really like to keep coaching as long as I can, as long as they’ll let me,” she said.
“(The Marlins) are in a really good place right now. They have a great organization, with lots of support from the parents. Being here as long as I have, I got used to doing a lot of things. It’s nice to have the help and support. It’s awesome, but a little weird, too, at times.”
Wherever her life ends up taking her, Manning is sure swimming will continue to play a part in it.
“I’m sure, in some shape or form, I’ll always be involved.”
