Cochrane Comets coach Randi Willisko

The Cochrane Comets have made such a splash this year their coach has been awarded for their swimming success.

Randi Willisko has been named the Development Coach of the Year by Swim Alberta and the Alberta Coaches Council.

It’s the second time Willisko has received this award, the first coming in 2004 with the University of Calgary Swim Club.

“This one feels a little bit different than my first,” she said of the accolade for her work with the Comets. “This one means a little bit more because we’ve grown the club and we’ve progressed as an entire club. It’s been pretty exciting.”

In her third year with the Comets, Willisko hasn’t just been treading water in Cochrane. Three Comets – Abby Dicastri, Carissa Alexander and Connor Matthezing – qualified for Age Group Nationals this year and competed in the event for the first time in club history. The team also finished third overall at the Long Course Alberta Age Group and Senior Provincial Championships.

She’s currently preparing Comets swimmer Christian Daniel for the 2011 Para Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

“It’s been a pretty big couple of years to be at the point we’re at now,” she observed. “Very fulfilling.”

And she’s not about to let her swimmers bask in the wake of their success for too long. She now has them stroking towards some lofty long-term goals.

“We’re looking to attend more age-group national championships down the road,” Willisko said. “We’re going to try and win the small-team (less than 50 competitive swimmers) provincials over the next few years.”

With 32 competitive and 36 non-competitive developmental swimmers, don’t be surprised if Willisko’s Cochrane Comets continue making waves in competitive swimming through 2012.

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