Sports

Trenton Girls Swim Team Get Hall of Fame Coach

After 42 years of coaching, Coach Jim has figured out a way to motivate his athletes to strive for excellence in and out of the pool.

Throughout the hundreds of girls who've called James Lawrence coach, the 2013 Trenton High School girls swim team get to call him Michigan High School Coaches' Association Hall of Fame Coach James Lawrence. 

To avoid wasting precious practice time, the girls typically refer to Lawrence as "coach" or "Coach Jim."

As the weather turns from hot to cold the girls swim team have begun practicing indoors, but before the blue skies turned gray the girls honed their skills at the Trenton Aquatic Center, where Coach Jim shouted playful instruction into the warm morning air last week.

Coach Jim's style of coach is somewhat unorthodox  His coaching style isn't as hardcore as other coaches. He smiles a lot and the girls seem to respect him, and genuinely enjoy being near him.

After 42 years of coaching Coach Jim has figured out a way to motivate his athletes to strive for excellence in and out of the pool.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 11:22 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16.


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