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Martina's Coaches
Steve Collins
Biographic Data: Born Dec. 12, 1954 in
Youngstown, Ohio, Collins attended Eastmoor High in
Columbus, Ohio. Collins and wife Toni, an SMU
graduate and CPA, were married July 1, 1989. Their
twin daughters, Kate and Hanna, were born on June
18, 2001
In
September 1995, when Martina first joined Steve's
SMU squad, she hardly imagined that she would become
such a collegiate and world swimming star. Under
his skillful coaching Martina developed from a
"finalist" swimmer into a "medal threat" in all of
the major championships. Almost all of her
international medal accomplishments came while
training at SMU with Steve and Lady Mustangs. He
also assisted Martina at the three Olympic Games
1996-2004.
Steve
has been a head coach of SMU women's swim team
since 1985. From 1995 until May 1998 he was
assisted by Dorsey Tierney who later accepted a head
coaching position at Indiana University. From 1998
until summer 2001 her place was taken by Erica Quam
who left SMU to coach the women's team at Washington
University. In the fall of 2001
Christie Shefchunus has joined the lady's Mustangs coaching stuff as
a new assistant. Christie has accepted a
position at University of Miami in summer 2006. She
was replaced by Dominique Diezi in August
2006. Dominque is a Swiss Olympian (2000) and North
Western graduate.
Steve has extensive international coaching
experience. His SMU swimmers have earned medals at
the Olympic Games, World Championships, World
University Games, European, Mediterranean, and
African Championships. He has also served as the
USA coach at the national training camps from
1986-92.
A 1977 graduate of Florida State, Steve swam the
free and back events for the Seminoles and captained
the Florida State team his senior year. After his
graduation he attended graduate school at SMU and
served as a graduate assistant under former SMU
swimming coach George McMillion from 1977-78. A
two-time NCAA Coach of the Year, Collins has led the
Ponies to a top four finish at the NCAA
Championships nine of the past 12 years. Before
arriving at SMU, he served six years as head coach
of the South Carolina swimming program.
Other Coaches: Věra
Čamborová (1985 - 1994),
Ladislav Hlavatý (1995), and
Darina Moravcová
(1980-85 and in the present time when Martina
trains in Slovakia and travels internationally)
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