Bill Boomer

William "Bill"/"Buzz"/"Boomer" Boomer was the head coach of the men's swim team at the University of Rochester from 1962 to 1996. Since the early 1990s, Boomer has been a technical consultant for the Stanford University swim team. Boomer was a coach for the 2000 US Olympic team. [cite news
last =West
first =Debra
title =A Swim School of Her Own
publisher =New York Times
date =2003-07-06
url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9407EED6163DF935A35754C0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all ]

Boomer had no experience coaching swimming when he started at Rochester. The graduate assistant to the track and field team had in fact never seen a swim meet prior to being offered the job.cite news
last =Melina
first =Lois
title =The Boomer Boom
publisher =Swimming Technique
date =Jul-Sep 2000
url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3871/is_200007/ai_n8918915/pg_1 ] In order to better understand his swimmers, Boomer studied how the human body reacted to the water in a pool. From there, Boomer developed swimming techniques similar to those used by aquatic animals, and those techniques would then be adapted by some of the best swimmers in the world. Boomer's techniques emphasize keeping the core body aligned properly to minimize water resistance.

Boomer and his coaching staff were named the 1998 UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. Boomer also coached the men's soccer team at the University of Rochester from 1965 to 1969, leading the team to a 24-26-3 record. [ [http://www.rochester.edu/athletics/MSoccer/Soccer_Media_Guide.pdf University of Rochester Men's Soccer 2007-2008 Media Guide] , p. 21] Boomer was inducted into the University of Rochester Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

Videos

He has a series of five videos that are known in the swimming world as the Boomer Chronicles. Filmed in 2000 by Bill Boomer and Milt Nelms on competitive swimming technique. The following series of videos outlines a revolutionary thought process because of the way he approaches aquatic based movement from its core.

Boomer Chronicles 1: Body AwarenessTeaches awareness of body segments. It's important information, but the whole series could have used higher production values and better editing. It will likely appeal to only the most serious students of swimming.

Boomer Chronicles 2: Assembling Aquatic Body Lines2000. This tape focuses on postural characteristics necessary for both survival and performance in land-based or aquatic environments. It begins with the specific alignment qualities necessary for bodyline assembly in both environments. The video concludes with a focus on assembling a functional aquatic bodyline.

Boomer Chronicles 3: ???Assembling Aquatic Performance Platforms on Boomer Boards - focuses on constructing a swimmer's aquatic chassis. This core framework or working platform contains our aquatic suspension system. Swimmers use this unitized suspension system as a stabilizing tool when managing aquatic environmental forces.

Boomer Chronicles 4: Aquatic StabalizationFocuses on how various swimmers, using the prone "X" posture on Boomer Boards, construct and operate their prone suspension systems. This video also illustrates how to construct a supine performance platform and its suspension system for aquatic stabilization.

Boomer Chronicles 5: ???

Notable Protegés

* Josh Davis, world record-holder and Olympic gold-medalist
* James A. Pawelczyk [cite news
last =Bradt
first =Steve
title =Jim Pawelcyzk's Excellent Adventure
publisher =Rochester Review
date =Fall 1998
url =http://www.rochester.edu/pr/Review/V61N1/feature2.html ] , NASA astronaut
* Jenny Thompson, world record-holder and Olympic gold-medalist
* Dara Torres, world record-holder and Olympic gold-medalist
* Amy Van Dyken, world record-holder and Olympic gold-medalist

Personal Life

Boomer and his second wife, Sally Fischbeck, reside in Clifford, Pennsylvania. He has two adult children from a previous marriage. As an adolescent, Boomer lost several fingers in a farming accident, and he credits coping with the incident as an integral part of shaping many of his life and coaching philosphies.

References

External links

* [http://www.rochesterswimming.com/boomer.shtml Rochester Swimming and Diving profile]