Federal Way Masters swim team head coach Wendy Neely was honored recently with the 2010 Kerry O’Brien Coaching Award. The United States Masters swimming award recognizes coaches across the country who help build membership in communities throughout the country. Neely was one of 10 coaches from around the United States to receive the award.

“My passion is swimming,” Neely said. “I really love working with adults. I believe every adult should know how to swim with ease, comfort and enjoyment. As the years go by, I continue to meet adults that are struggling with their swimming. My goal is to eliminate swimmers current stumbling blocks and move them forward to enjoy all that swimming has to offer — whether it is swimming for pleasure, rehabilitation or competition.”

Neely has been coaching master swimmers for 13 years. Along with the Federal Way Masters, Neely also coaches Tri Time Swimming, the Thomas Jefferson High School boys and girls teams and the Marine Hills Swim and Tennis Club’s swim team. In 2005, Neely received the Pacific Northwest Association of Masters Swimmers Coach of the Year award.

“The passion that you deliver to your program on a consistent basis through your inspiring efforts as a clinician, coach, mentor, and the dynamics that you bring to the deck as a coach for all, is exactly the level of commitment that builds teams into one of the many models we have for defining success,” O’Brien said.

The U.S. Masters Swimming Coaches Committee initiated the award in 2008 with the goal of recognizing coaches who are building membership in communities throughout the country. Originally named the Grass Roots Coaching Award, it has been renamed to honor O’Brien of Walnut Creek Masters, who embodies the passion, dedication, and heart that these coaches bring to the pool deck.

Federal Way Masters is an adult swim team, open to all levels of swimmers over age 18. It was initially created to maintain health and fitness through regular coached workouts. Federal Way Masters saw the need in the community to provide opportunities to achieve success and confidence in swimming at all skill levels.

The team offers workouts at the King County Aquatics Center, Federal Way Community Center, Fife Swimming Pool, Kent-Meridian Pool and Evergreen Community Aquatic Center. They also offer open water workouts at several lakes during the summer months.

For more information about Federal Way Masters, go to fwmasters.com.