July 1, 2025

Dear Friends of Fitter & Faster,

I’m excited to share a meaningful step forward for Fitter & Faster: Coach John Nelson has officially joined our team as Director of Education & Performance.

The work John leads in this role touches nearly every aspect of competitive swimming: grassroots development, swimmer education, coach support, club success, and even career paths for college and elite athletes. His impact will be felt not only by the swimmers in each camp, but also by the coaches, teams, and facilities who count on us as an extension of their year-round efforts.

John is a lifelong coach, leader, and student of the sport. For over 20 years, most recently as Head Coach and Director of Competitive Swimming at the York YMCA, he led one of the most effective programs in the country. With a roster of fewer than 100 swimmers, his team consistently developed Junior National champions, National Junior Team members, and back-to-back YMCA Nationals women’s titles. That success wasn’t built on volume, but on technical insight, purposeful progression, and a clear understanding that no two athletes are the same.

Now, he’s bringing that expertise to Fitter & Faster.

In his new role, John will lead our team of more than 150 clinicians across the United States and Canada. His focus is on strengthening how we develop, support, and grow our clinician team so that every camp we produce delivers maximum value to the swimmers and teams we serve.

His responsibilities include:

• Ensuring clinicians are fully prepared to deliver impactful camps that complement the year-round training goals of both host teams and the coaches who recommend their swimmers to attend.

• Matching clinician strengths and teaching styles with each camp’s specific objectives and athlete profile

• Building stronger relationships with elite athletes and college programs to bring in new clinician talent, especially those with a blend of competitive excellence and a desire to teach and inspire

• Giving former Fitter & Faster participants who swim at a high level a path to give back through instruction

• Supporting the long-term professional development of elite athletes—many of whom are future coaches—through mentorship and deeper engagement with the broader swimming community

As John shared:

“When I hosted Fitter & Faster camps as a club coach, I was impressed by how seamlessly they fit into our long-term training plan. These weren’t cookie-cutter clinics—they were efficient, effective, and deeply aligned with what we wanted our swimmers to learn. I’m excited to work with our clinicians to deliver that kind of value on an even greater scale.”

This leadership addition reflects our evolving role in the sport. Fitter & Faster has become part of the fabric of American swimming—and we’re well on our way to doing the same in Canada. At the most recent U.S. Olympic Trials, 26% of all competitors had participated in a Fitter & Faster camp. We expect that number to exceed 50% by 2032.

And the impact goes beyond athletes. Many of today’s successful coaches got their first experience teaching and leading on our pool decks. With John’s guidance, we aim to continue nurturing that pipeline, giving talented swimmers, aspiring coaches, and educators the support and structure they need to grow in ways that benefit the sport for years to come.

I’d also like to thank my longtime friend and colleague, Mark Hesse, who recently returned to USA Swimming’s Team Services division. Mark has played an important role in supporting our clinicians and helping us build strong relationships with teams across the country. His professionalism, care, and thoughtfulness have left a lasting impact—and I’m grateful for everything he brought to Fitter & Faster over the years.

With more than 150 camps scheduled in August and September—and many more this fall—we’re entering our busiest season yet. And we’re doing it with even more structure, clarity, and commitment to excellence.

If your team is already working with us: thank you. We’re excited to keep growing together. If you’re a parent whose swimmer has attended our camps—thank you for trusting us. We hope to see you again soon. And if you’re new to Fitter & Faster, there’s never been a better time to explore what we can bring to your club, your swimmer, and your community.

More to come.

Regards,
David Arluck
Founder & CEO
Fitter & Faster Swim Camps