Anthem Dolphins hire new swim coach

STAFF REPORT ~ 6/22/2011

The Anthem Community Council has hired Helen Casseday as the new coach of the Anthem Dolphins Swim Team. Casseday will be responsible for teaching, training, and motivating all swimmers at all skill levels.
"I am thrilled and honored to be the head swimming coach of the Anthem Dolphins," Casseday said. "I'd like to thank Coach Axel {Birnbrich}, who has built one of the best competitive swim programs in the state. I am excited to build on the past success of the Anthem Dolphins and look forward to continuing to build a swim program everyone can be proud of."

Casseday becomes the head coach of the Dolphins after spending the past six years as an assistant coach with the team. She was responsible for training the 12 and under team members on all four strokes, developing them into well rounded swimmers.
Casseday began swimming competitively at an early age for the South Plainfield Swim Club in South Plainfield, New Jersey. She was a four-year swimmer on the Skidmore College swimming team and was captain her senior year. She swam individual medley (IM), backstroke and freestyle, and graduated with a B.A. in mathematics.
Casseday has received the following accreditations: WSI Certification, Level 1 and Level 2 Coaching, Lifeguarding, Water Safety and First Aid. Casseday and her husband, Paul, reside in Anthem with their two children Ryan and Emily, who are both state qualifiers on the Anthem Dolphins Swim Team.
Casseday will work with assistant coaches Karen Foley and Jason Schmeltzer to make the program successful and give the simmers the support and training they need to meet their goals. “Anthem is a wonderful community and the Anthem Dolphin swimmers and their families are exceptional,” Casseday said.
The Anthem Dolphins Swim Team is a competitive, year-round, USA swim team that was started in July, 2000. The swim program has continued to grow over the years to a team that is 140 swimmers strong. Swimmers range in age from 5 years old to senior level swimmers (high school age group).