Candidates vie for vacant North Whidbey swim coach position

With the loss of the Aquajets swim coach, North Whidbey Park and Recreation officials are scrambling to find a replacement.

Longtime coach Neil Romney was terminated from his position at the John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool several weeks ago and pool leaders are wading through the pool of potential applicants.

“It’s been a productive search so far,” said Bill Walker, executive director for the North Whidbey Park and Recreation District.

He said the district has received around 20 replies and 10 to 15 of those replies are from viable candidates.

About a half dozen of the candidates are based in the Pacific Northwest and someone as far away as South Africa applied for the position, Walker said.

The candidates had to fill out a questionnaire over the weekend and returned them by Monday for a committee composed of park board members, parents and the interim swim coach Bob Miller. Phone interviews will take place after Thanksgiving.

Swim club members were shocked earlier this month to learn Romney, who had been coach for 10 years, lost his position coaching the Aquajets.

His termination came weeks after the district administrative assistant Vikki Robinson was terminated from her position.

The district is under a deadline to find a replacement for Romney.

Miller is scheduled to leave his position as interim coach in mid December.

Walker said the committee wants to find a highly qualified person to coach the competitive team.

Because of this, Walker said a contingency plan will be developed if a replacement coach isn’t found before Miller leaves his position.

 

Contact Whidbey News Times Staff reporter Nathan Whalen at nwhalen@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5058.

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