- April 19, 2024
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Coach David Carrig instructs a swimmer as he nears the end of the race. Photo courtesy of Scott Korfant
Seabreeze swim coach David Carrig. Photo by Ray Boone
Luke Korfant dives into the pool at the start of a race. Photo courtesy of Scott Korfant
Luke Korfant, captain of Seabreeze High School’s boys swim team, has swum for the Sandcrabs for four years. In his first three seasons with the team, the Sandcrabs won a combined three meets under then-head coach Lisa Bennett. So far in 2018, the Sandcrabs have won five meets — in large part to their new head coach: retired U.S. Coast Guardsman David Carrig.
“Coach Carrig pushes us really hard,” Korfant said. “And he doesn’t take crap from anybody.”
Carrig, who retired from the Coast Guard a little over a year ago after 30 years of service, has been a competitive swimmer for most of his life. The 50-year-old still is, last competing in open water swimming in the Pan American Master Championship in early August. He also trained with Steve Lochte’s team, the Daytona Beach SPEED.
Lochte, who is the father of 12-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte, recommended Carrig for the open coaching position at Seabreeze. He was hired in May 2018.
“I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into,” Carrig said. “I feel like I know enough about this sport that I could be really proficient at coaching it. ... I wanted to take some of the knowledge that I’ve learned from my coaches in the past and some of my own philosophy that I’ve developed and see if we can make it work.”
Carrig joined the Coast Guard when he was 20. He’s been in command three times, including his last position at a search-and-rescue station in Ponce Inlet. He draws off his experience in the Coast Guard to help with coaching.
“A lot of being in command or in charge of a unit is motivating people,” he said. “My key philosophy when it comes to leadership is that there’s more to it than just telling them what to do. It’s about investing your time in the kids’ lives, letting them know you care about them and letting them know you’re there to help them.
“I’m not here to help myself. I’m not getting rich doing this job. I’m here to hopefully make a positive impact in these kids’ lives.”
And although it’s his first time ever in a coaching position, the transition has been smooth thanks to his familiarity with most of the team’s athletes. The Sandcrabs boys team never had more than 10 swimmers in previous years, making it difficult to compete in dual meets, where high roster numbers are almost a requirement. The boys now have 13 swimmers on their roster.
And during their first meeting before the start of the season, Carrig made his expectations from them very clear: They were going to train harder than ever before.
