Jackson named new Sandpoint swim coach

SANDPOINT — Greg Jackson was hired as the new Sandpoint High School swim team head coach on Tuesday, replacing longtime coach Mike Brosnahan and becoming just the second coach in the highly-respected program’s history.

Jackson knows the Bulldog program well, swimming for Brosnahan in high school in the late 90s before going on to compete at the next level for Linfield College. He’s spent the last 10 years as an assistant under Brosnahan, so he knows the ins and outs of the job well and knows he has some big shoes to fill from the coach who started the program.

“The program has been successful. One of the best things I can bring is continued stability,” said Jackson, noting he’s learned a lot from Brosnahan. “Our coaching philosophies are very similar, keep that easy flow from club to the high school program.”

Jackson was an accomplished backstroke and individual medley swimmer at Linfield from 2000 to 2004, registering some of the top marks at the time in the Northwest Conference. After college he was a water polo head coach in Salinas, California, before a two-year stint as an assistant swim coach at Linfield.

After spending the last 10 years as an assistant at Sandpoint, he’s excited for the opportunity to continue to work with young athletes.

“It’s always been a great joy to be around the kids, be part of that atmosphere,” admitted Jackson. “The success of the kids is a feel good for me. It makes my heart full.”

That feel good success should continue, as Sandpoint routinely finishes among the top 4A teams in the state. With the thriving Sandpoint Sharks club program, which now includes Jackson’s kid, the past success at Sandpoint should continue into the future.

Jackson’s philosophy of coaching revolves around the student-athlete having a great experience.

“Creating good, positive relationships in and out of the pool,” said Jackson of his style. “Work on performance and technique, using the body the ways it’s meant to be used, to do what we want it to do.”

Some of the best coaches in all sports are promoted from within the program, and Sandpoint athletic director Kris Knowles was happy to find a quality replacement for Brosnahan, who stewarded the program for its first 25 years.

“We are very excited to have Greg step up and take over the program,” said Knowles. “Greg will continue to grow the program and have it at a state level competitively.”