Panama City Swim Team names new head coach

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – The Panama City Swim Team announced the hiring of new head coach on Monday evening.

Below is the release sent to WMBB by PCST:

The Panama City Swim Team (PCST), a local competitive swim club operating under the guidelines of USA Swimming for the past 70 years, is thrilled to announce the arrival of its new Head Coach, Scott Fortier.

Scott Fortier joins PCST from his recent position as Head Coach of the St. Croix Dolphins and the Virgin Islands National Team in the US Virgin Islands. A native Floridian from the Panhandle, Scott grew up swimming competitively with the Area Tallahassee Aquatics Club, setting numerous club records that still stand today. His impressive credentials include being a 2012 US Olympic Trials Qualifier, Junior National Finalist, and Florida Swimming Record Holder. Scott attended the University of Alabama as a scholarship swimmer, and after an injury ended his competitive swimming career, he served as a student assistant coach for his final two years at Alabama.

Following his graduation, Scott moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he was a Volunteer Assistant Coach for Louisiana State University (LSU) and Senior Coach for Tiger Aquatics. During his two years in Louisiana, he managed swim meets with up to 1,000 swimmers and coached the LSU distance swim group. He then became a full-time assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati, later being promoted to Men’s Director of Recruiting. It was in Cincinnati that Scott met his wife, Caitey, whom he married in September 2022. In 2023, the couple moved to the Virgin Islands to take on international coaching roles.

Reflecting on his international experience, Scott said, “Traveling to five new countries for swim meets over the past year was a job of a lifetime, and getting to stand on the pool deck at the World Swimming Championships in Doha, Qatar was a moment I will never forget.”

Following the birth of their son, Adrian, in January, Scott and Caitey sought coaching opportunities closer to home. The Panama City Swim Team, coincidentally, was searching for a new Head Coach. The Board of Directors found Scott to be a perfect match. Brian Stahl, PCST Board of Directors President, stated, “Panama City and Panama City Beach are fantastic places to live, and the water is a huge part of many of our lives. We want the Panama City Swim Team to offer opportunities to teach competitive skills both in and out of the water, and we are excited to have someone with Scott’s talents and experience to lead our team.”

Scott’s message to the team’s swimmers is, “I can’t wait to get to work with you! As your coach, my goal is to help you gain a deeper love for swimming and to help you reach your dreams, regardless of the level you are at. I look forward to building lasting relationships with everyone who is a part of this program.”

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