Welcome to new USA Head Coach: Amy Behm
The TJCC Stingrays are proud to welcome our new Head Coach for USA Swimming and aquatics director Amy Behm. She brings new energy and swimming experience to our pool. Please read on to find about the fantastic qualities and qualifications that she brings to the Stingrays.
Swimming Accomplishments: Throughout Amy’s age group, high school and college swimming career, she set several school, State, Regional (now referred -to as “Zones”) and one Junior National record. She consistently ranked in the top 25 of her age group in several events- including breaststrokes and IM’s. Beginning as a 6&Under, Amy’s first NM state record occurred in the 50m free (while swimming breaststroke) and continued thru her age group career. In 1978 at the AAU Junior National Short Course Championships held in Durham, NC, Amy set a Jr National record in the 200 IM. Because of her performance at this National meet, Amy was invited to train with the US Developmental Swim Team the following summer in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center. Here she met George McMillion who was instrumental in recruiting Amy to attend and swim for Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. Amy swam for SMU for 2.5 years on a full swimming scholarship and set school records in the 200 IM, 100 breaststroke and 400 Medley Relay. She received All-American honors as well. Amy qualified for the 1980 Olympic Trials in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 100 and 200 meter breaststroke. Unfortunately, the United States boycotted this Olympics due to the US protest of the Russians invasion of Afghanistan. The following summer Amy swam for Schroeder YMCA out of Brown Deer, Wisconsin and finished 8th in the 400 IM at the USA Sr National Swimming Championships held in Brown Deer, WI.
From 1998-2007, Amy was Head Coach for St. Michael’s High School in Santa Fe, NM. She was named the “2007-2008 New Mexico High School Swim Coach of the Year” and was New Mexico’s National NISCA Representative. Under her leadership, this small private school’s team (750 total enrollment - 7th thru 12th grade) grew from 4 socially oriented swimmers to over 50 disciplined, dedicated, team-oriented swimmers. Numerous school records, three NMHS state records, two HS All-Americans, one NMHS Swimmer of the Year, and one NMHS Coach of the year honors were recorded while Amy was Head coach for a short 9 seasons. Overall team rankings achieved were 3rd place for boys and 5th place for girls in a state where all HS swim teams, regardless of size, competed in one State Championship meet (5A-A). While coaching at St. Michael’s, Amy was an assistant coach at Kirtland Aquatic Club at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, NM for two years.