Coaching Staff
Doug Rusk
Head Swimming Coach
Doug Rusk joined Longhorn Aquatics in February of 2009, after coaching swimming for 24 years mostly in the Pacific Northwest. He wants to see his Longhorn swimmers aim for National and International goals, focus on competing successfully at the highest level of their abilities, and prepare for continued success at the collegiate level. He notes, “I believe setting high standards for training and competition is crucial, and that we always need to look for ways to get better. At each step of a swimmer’s career, I think it is most important to develop the habits necessary for future success, and that all the coaches and training groups in the program have to be coordinated in this.”
Before joining TXLA, Doug was the head coach of Salmon Bay Aquatics in Seattle, Wash., for 18 years. While there Doug had unprecedented success for a team of only 95 members, with swimmers competing successfully at the National level every year since 1993. This included seven Junior National Champions and nine top-eight finishes at the Nationals and Olympic Trials. In 2008-2009 alone, two of Doug’s swimmers on the USA National Junior Team, Amber McDermott and Annemarie Thayer, were among the top 15-16 year olds in the country. McDermott, 15, was the high-point winner at the 2008 Short Course Juniors.
Doug’s passion for swimming goes back to growing up in Bloomington, Ind., and watching the great Indiana teams of the late 60s and early 70s. He says, “I was fortunate enough to have exposure to the legendary Doc Counsilman and many of his great swimmers over those years.” Going on to be a competitive swimmer for 18 years, Doug was a Senior National Qualifier for eight seasons. In the mid 70s, his family moved to San Jose and he swam for De Anza under Bill Rose. In college, Doug swam two years at Southern Illinois University under Bob Steele (1982-1983), where he was a NCAA Division I qualifier and an All-American. He finished his swimming career training under Jim Steen with Total Performance (1987-1988), and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and mathematics from Allegheny College. Doug and his wife, Alice Shelly, have one adorable daughter, Maren.
Mike Laitala
Assistant Senior Coach
A Texas native, Mike swam for the University of Texas from 1996-2000, and graduated with a degree in Kinesiology in 2002. In 2000 he competed at the U.S Olympic Trials in the 200 breaststroke.
Mike has been the Assistant Coach of the University of Denver Men’s and Women’s Varsity Program. In 2009, the Denver men’s team claimed the first Sun Belt Conference swimming and diving team championship in school history. Laitala’s coaching expertise helped Denver improve and excel in many events. Denver won Sun Belt Conference titles in Individual Medley events all five years of Laitala’s stint there, rewriting the school record book accordingly, and qualifying many for U.S. Open, Jr. Nationals, and Sr. Nationals.
Prior to coaching at Denver, Laitala was an assistant coach for the University of North Texas during the 2003-04 season. There he helped guide Bethany Pipes to the Mean Green’s first individual Sun Belt Conference championship in school history. The previous 2002-03 NCAA season, Mike served as volunteer assistant coach with the University of Texas men’s team, which finished as the runner-up at the NCAA Championships.
Whitney Hedgepeth
Master’s Swimming Head Coach
Whitney Hedgepeth was a 21-time All-American and a three-time NCAA Champion during her collegiate career here at The University of Texas at Austin. She was both a freestyle and backstroke swimmer and won two medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. She also competed at the Pan-American Games and the Summer Games in South Korea in 1987 and 1988, respectively. After her achievements in Atlanta, Whitney retired and decided to coach. She now holds the position of head swimming coach of our Master’s program which consists of many triathletes and former professional swimmers. In addition, Whitney was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Honor in 2007.
Tom Andrew
Assistant Coach
Tom Andrew graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2007 with a degree in human development and family sciences. For his practicum, Tom acted as the assistant coach to the national team and trained the Junior Longhorns for Longhorn Aquatics. Tom is in his third year of coaching for Longhorn Aquatics. Prior to 2007, he coached at the Greater Northwest Gators Club and Swim America in San Antonio for four years.
During his time at the university, Tom was co-captain of the UT Water Polo team between 2005 and 2007, on the Texas Division All-Conference Team in 2003-2006 and the Texas Division MVP in 2004. He earned three letters in swimming and water polo in high school at Marshall High School in San Antonio. In the 2001-2002 swim season, he was named District Swimmer of the Year and an All-American in the 100 yard back.
Bridgette Rhoades
Assistant Coach
Bridgette Rhoades comes to Longhorn Aquatics with 18 years of competitive swimming experience. Since starting with Longhorn Aquatics she has coached an array of ages, and groups including Masters; from STAGS qualifiers to National qualifiers. On the Longhorn deck she brings a great deal of spirit and enthusiasm to the team.
Bridgette, a native of Erie, PA, swam and played water polo at Slippery Rock University. A four-time letter winner and co-captain, Bridgette was a 100 and 200 backstroke specialist. She graduated from Slippery Rock in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education for grades K-12, and a minor in Aquatics.
Bridgette began coaching an age group summer league in 1998. She continued coaching throughout college and made her way down to Austin in 2005 via the Longhorn Swim Camp where she was a camp coach/counselor. Since living in Austin, she has become the head coach for Circle C Seals summer league, a multi-faceted instructor through the American Red Cross, and the team liaison with AISD.
Assistant Swim Coaches
Eddie Reese
Assistant Coach
512-471-1384
Email Eddie
Kris Kubik
Assistant Coach
512-471-7184
Email Kris
Kim Brackin
Assistant Coach
Jim Henry
Assistant Coach
