Q&A WITH COACH

CATHERINE KASE

A distance swimmer herself, Catherine Kase has found her calling as a college and well-respected open water coach. Her first USA Swimming assignment began in 2005. In Tokyo, she will direct American swimmers for the third time as head Olympic open water coach.

BY MICHAEL J. STOTT

Q. SWIMMING WORLD: How did you get your start in the aquatic life? A. COACH CATHERINE (VOGT) KASE: I started in Clearwater, Fla. at age 10 after riding horses and running track. Swimming was measurable, and I remember enjoying my friends on the team. When I was 13, my coach, Rico Maschino, told me I was a distance swimmer. Even though I was not very good, I enjoyed the attention!

SW: Who were your early influences? CK: My junior and senior year in high school, I swam with Randy Erlenbach at the North Carolina Aquatic Club in Chapel Hill. I lived and went to school 90 minutes away in Pinehurst. My mother drove me to daily practice, allowing me to train, swim competitively and aspire to be the best I could be. The team was very welcoming, and I loved the training and repetition. After college, Randy helped me get into a coaching mindset.

SW: You were a scorer for UNC at the ACC Championships in the 1650. CK: My college roommates made fun of me because I loved practice and all things swimming. During my junior and senior years, I stayed after college practice and coached the little NCAC kids and summer league—that was fun! I am a much better coach than I was a swimmer.

SW: You have terrific relationships and trust with your athletes. How have you cultivated those bonds? CK: At UNC, I majored in education and psychology—so, for me, coaching is all about relationships. The Carolina family taught me how important it is to connect with people, and I saw firsthand incredible coaches and leaders at UNC.

I just look at the pool as my classroom, and I think about each individual, what motivates them, what their goals are, and I try to understand who each swimmer is as a person. That better informs me how I can challenge, communicate and understand what they are trying to achieve.

The fun part is watching the journey. The process is different for everyone, but done right, it can be a mutually beneficial investment for coach and athlete.

SW: At UNC, you swam and coached with Frank Comfort and Rich DeSelm. Why the move to USC? CK: Frank Comfort taught me about caring for people and expecting excellence in the classroom and the pool. I worked with Frank for one year and with Rich for two. We had a blast. Luckily, I got to work with talented, hard-working swimmers like Whitney Sprague, Tyler Harris, Chip Peterson and Joe Kinderwater, among others. Knowing what it took to be in the distance group, I wanted to make sure we had fun, and I took pride in the work!

At the end of 2008, I was really comfortable in my position, and I had already been to open water World Championships in 2005, 2006 and 2008. When Dave Salo at USC—someone I had always admired—offered me a position, I knew it was outside my comfort zone. However, I wanted to see the Pac-10 and be part of a team and conference with a storied history—one with international and national success.

SW: How did that move improve your coaching chops? CK: I started coaching club/age group kids in Mississippi and North Carolina, then made the jump to college. At USC, I was fortunate to help Dave (Salo) and Jon

Coach Catherine Kase

Head Coach U.S. Olympic Open Water Team Boise, Idaho

• University of North Carolina, B.A., elementary education, 2000 • Associate head coach, University of

Southern California, 2008-20

• Head open water coach, U.S.

Olympic team, 2016, 2021 • Head open water coach, Tunisian

Olympic team, 2012 • Head open water coach, U.S.

World Championship team, 2009, 2013, 2015 (team winner), 2019; assistant open water coach, 2005, 2006, 2008

• Head open water coach, U.S. Pan

Pacific Championship team, 2006, 2014

• Head open water coach, U.S. Pan

American Games team, 2007, 2011

• Assistant coach, University of North Carolina, 2005-08

• Assistant coach, Cape Carteret (N.C.) Currents, 2003-05 • Head/assistant coach, Meridian (Miss.) Swim Association, 2002-03 • Head coach, South Run Winter

Swim League (Fairfax, Va.), 2002

In addition to her coaching responsibilities over the years, Catherine Kase serves as chair of the USA Swimming Open Water Steering Committee and is a member of the FINA Coaches Committee. In 2020, she was the recipient of USA Swimming’s Women in Swimming Award.