Indiana University head swimming coach Ray Looze announced the hiring of Dr. Kirk Grand on Wednesday. Dr. Grand will serve as the assistant sprint coach for both the men’s and women’s swimming teams.
Along with his hiring to the swimming staff, Dr. Grand was also appointed the Associate Director of the Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming.
The Counsilman Center is named after James E. “Doc” Counsilman and honors his seminal work in developing the science of swimming. Doc Counsilman’s legacy to Indiana University is his unflinching pursuit of the scientific bases for swimming performance and his dedication to the use of academic research in that pursuit. As such, the Counsilman Center aims to continue to provide the swimming community with valuable information as a means to advance the sport of competitive swimming.
“We are excited to add Dr. Kirk Grand to our coaching staff, “ Looze remarked. At the beginning of this search process, my goal was to enhance our coaching staff on the pool deck, in recruiting and in the area of swimming innovation. With our current roster of athletes who range from varsity to Olympians and professionals, Indiana University is committed to its growth as a global hotbed for the sport of swimming. With the hiring of Dr. Grand, we honor Dr. Counsilman’s legacy and reconnect ourselves to the academic pursuit of swimming excellence which the Counsilman Center for Swimming research has contributed to since its inception. This is another positive step forward for our program toward Tokyo 2020.â€
Dr. Grand comes to Bloomington from Auburn University, where he served as an assistant coach for two seasons and a volunteer assistant coach for another three. At Auburn, Dr. Grand was the primary coach for 19 All-American swimmers and multiple-time SEC and NCAA finalists and qualifiers. Dr. Grand also served as a USA Swimming National Team coach in 2018.
“I am elated by the opportunity to be a part of something special at Indiana,†Dr. Grand said. “I am humbled to join a program with not only a rich tradition of excellence, but also one that has, and continues to have, a tremendous impact on the sport of swimming. Ray is the most hardworking and passionate coach in the country. I am excited and thankful to work with such an amazing staff and administration. Most importantly, I’m inspired to coach and learn from the best group of young people in the country.â€
At Auburn, Grand was the recruiting coordinator for the men’s team and also led and designed practices for the sprint group. One of those sprinters, Zach Apple, won the SEC title in the 50 freestyle and also won gold in the event at the 2017 World Championships. On the women’s side, Auburn won the SEC 400 freestyle relay championship in 2018.
Grand, who specialized in psychophysiology while earning his PhD from Auburn, assisted with the day-to-day functions of the Auburn swimming and diving program while the volunteer assistant. He presented evidence-based research to the team and lead mindfulness, self-talk, physiology and performance anxiety information sessions.
While at Auburn, Grand remained a research associate for the Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming and has also previously worked with the Longhorn Swim Camp.
Grand has been a USA Swimming Head Coach in Bloomington, Ind., designing training plans for athletes ranging from national level to learn to swim. From 2011-13 he was a head men’s high school swim coach and a swim technique instructor in Bloomington, winning Indiana High School Coach of the Year and National High School Federation Sectional Coach of the Year honors in 2012.
Grand graduated Cum Laude from Ohio State University in 2010 after being a member of the Miami (Ohio) University swim team from 2006-08. He earned his Master’s in Exercise Physiology, Human Performance from Indiana University in 2013.
Grand has been published in multiple publications as well as the book, The Science of Swimming Faster. He has also presented at the American Swim Coaches Association World Clinic on the limits to superior performance.
