Meet Our Coaches
The Gator Swim Team prides itself on the quality and depth of knowledge of its coaches. Our progressive, developmental and competitive age-group training methodology creates a supportive team environment that emphasizes personal achievement at each swimmer's highest level of ability, from stroke school to championship competition. Each Gator coach holds certifications in First Aid and CPR, as well as a variety of other certifications such as Water Safety Instructor, Lifeguard, and Safety Training for Swim Coaches. Most importantly, as registered members of USA Swimming, each Gator coach has continuously been through one of the most comprehensive training and certification programs for youth coaches of any sport in the United States, and they are here to support your swimmer.
Steve Franklin, Head Coach
Head Coach Steve Franklin has been coaching swimmers of all ability levels since 1974. Prior to becoming a coach to pursue his true passion of teaching kids the sport of swimming, Coach Steve was an accomplished swimmer himself: he was an AAU and YMCA state champion, YMCA national finalist and a three-time State High School Championship finalist. He continued to swim competitively even after his career as a coach took off, and more recently he was an YMCA Masters National Champion and a USMS Masters National Finalist.
A member of the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA), during his long career he coached the Zones teams for Indiana and Missouri, was the Paralympic National Coach Advisor for 15 years, acted as Head Coach at the National Special Needs Camp, and twice has been an Assistant Coach at National Distance Swimming Camps.
Coach Franklin's training philosophy, which emphasizes a strong work ethic and discipline, has helped his swimmers to constantly perform at their best within their own ability levels, accomplishing goals from continuous personal improvement and best times to winning local and regional championships to qualifying and competing at the national and international levels. Over the course of his long career, he has coached AAU national champions, YMCA state champions and national finalists, USA Swimming LSC champions, Junior National finalists, Senior National Finalists, Olympic Trial qualifiers, YMCA and USMS Masters national champions, Paralympic American and World recordholders, and over 90 national Top-16 swimmers and relays (including 12 national top-100 all-time swims). Many of these were achieved during his tenure at the Gator Swim Team, since 2002, and most recently the Gators have had their first National Age Group #1 ranked swimmer.
Despite his impressive accomplishments, Coach Steve does not lose sight of the most important thing in his career: his passion for teaching kids the sport of swimming, helping them achieve their goals. Coach Steve and his wife Debbie have five children and reside in Jackson, Missouri.
Sally Loughary, Assistant Coach
Coach Sally lives in Jackson with her three children Shay, Coleton and Haylee, and has taught preschool for the past 20 years. She grew up in Kennett, Missouri, where she was a member of the Kennett Swim Team. After graduating in high school, she went on to attend college at Central Methodist, returning during the summer breaks to coach the swim team she grew up with. Sally finished her college education at Southeast Missouri State University and moved to Jackson, Missouri, in 1989. In May of 1992 she began coaching the Barracuda Swim Team in Jackson, where she stayed for 8 years until the Barracuda year round program was merged with the Gators' in 1999. Coach Sally is very excited to be involved with the Gator Swim Team again developing young swimmers.
Lizzie Schmidt, Assistant Coach
Lizzie (Elizabeth) Schmidt joined the Gator Swim team in 2005 and swam with the Gators until fall 2011. Lizzie qualified for the state high school championships in her Freshman, Sophomore and Junior years and is a captain of the Lady Tigers of Cape Central this year. She has helped coach kids during Summer League over the past few years and she is also a Red Cross certified lifeguard who has worked at the waterpark and the Municipal pool for the last two years. The breaststroke is her favorite stroke.