Assistant Head Coach

Carl Simonson

Carl Simonson is the Assistant Head Coach of the University of Calgary Swim Club.

Since 2012, his dynamic approach to athlete engagement and careful attention to the program have contributed to the ongoing growth of UCSC's culture and performance.

Carl has been coaching in Alberta since 1992. Before joining UCSC, he served as Age Group Head Coach of Edmonton Keyano Swim Club and Head Coach of Olympian Swim Club, where he led teams to Junior National and Western Canadian Championship Titles. He also acted as Head Coach for Team Alberta at the 2009 Canada Games. In 2018, Carl completed the NCCP Advanced Coaching Diploma program through Calgary’s National Coaching Institute.

Known for his collaborative approach to coaching, Carl has led UCSC to three consecutive National Titles (2021-2023) alongside Mike Blondal, Dave Macdonald, and the rest of the UCSC Coaching Staff. Carl has placed athletes on numerous national teams including the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships and the 2023 World Championships. In recent years he has placed several athletes on Junior National teams and was selected to the Coaching Staff for the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships and the 2023 World Junior Championships.

Carl has been recognized for his coaching efforts numerous times by Swim Alberta including being named National Age Group Coach of the Year for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons and receiving the Outstanding Contribution to Coaching (Larry Nielsen Memorial) Award following the 2017-18 season. His work extends to support swimming at both a Provincial level as a member of Swim Alberta committees and a National level as a member of the Canadian Swimming Coaches Association (CSCA) Board of Directors.