Jim McLaughlin named swim coach of the year

The storied legacy of Weston High School’s swimming and diving program added another milestone this year, with Head Coach Jim McLaughlin named the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s boys swim coach of the year.

The honor adds another feather in the swim cap of the five-year coach.

McLaughlin, 52, is just the third coach in the 53-year history of Weston High School’s swim program. Since he took over the reins from decorated coach Claude Valle in the Covid-afflicted 2020 season, McLaughlin, the school’s math department head, has maintained the program’s high standards.

Under his guidance, the Red Tide have won five state championships, with the boys taking three in a row from 2022 to 2024, and the girls entering this season as back-to-back defending state champions.

McLaughlin said while he is honored to receive the recognition from the MIAA, the award is a testament to the work the student-athletes put in each year, as well as the dedication he and his three assistant coaches have for the Red Tide.

“It’s super nice to be recognized for the work the coaches have put in, and all the swimmers,” he said. “It’s a recognition that the team has done some impressive things over the last few years.”

Prior to serving as head swimming and diving coach, McLaughlin coached basketball at Weston High School for a few seasons beginning in 2000, and began serving as an assistant swimming coach in 2009.

Athletic Director Michael McGrath said McLaughlin’s dedication to the swim program has been meaningful for the many students who have swum in the pool.

“He’s been in the Weston Tide program for many, many years and he’s had great tutelage from Claude Valle, who, I think, is the best to walk the deck at Weston High School. Jim has taken all of that and added his own little twist,” McGrath said. “I respect him and his staff tremendously because they put every ounce of everything they have into this program, and it shows.”

While working 12- to 13-hour days during the season can be a challenge, McLaughlin said seeing students mature is one of the things that brings him back every year.

A former college swimmer, McLaughlin said he loves coaching the swim team because it is a “very numbers-driven sport.”

“As a math person it appeals to my math brain of figuring out matchups and lineups, and trying to maximize points,” McLaughlin said. “The fun part is it doesn’t matter if you’re the best swimmer in the pool or the worst swimmer in the pool. You can drop some big time and see that work pay off, which is really cool.”

His key coaching philosophy is ensuring students see the big picture in life. While swimming is just one aspect of the kids’ busy lives, it is an opportunity to teach them the “value of hard work and persistence.”

Swimming is different from other sports, as it provides fewer opportunities for team-building and socializing because so much time is spent in the water. To balance that, McLaughlin said one of his highest priorities is to instill a sense of community among the approximately 80 students participating in the sport each year.

“Kids have got to enjoy being there, in swimming especially. It’s a lot of work. The training you’re doing, your face is in the water, your head’s down, you’re naturally not talking to other people, except when it’s in between sets,” he said. “There has to be a conscious effort to build community and make people feel like it’s a place that they want to be and they want to be a part of.”

In approaching training, McLaughlin said he and his staff “focus on the quality of yards” students have swum in the pool, which emphasizes better technique and prevents injuries by protecting students’ shoulders from overuse.

McGrath added McLaughlin’s teaching position is key to his success, as he can connect with students both in class and in the pool. While he’s a strong coach, McGrath said McLaughlin is also “one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.”

“He has a very easygoing personality, which I think suits our program well … He’s easy to talk to and I think the kids appreciate that,” McGrath said. “He makes every person on that team feel like they are the most important person on that team, which I think is an amazing trait.”

As the Red Tide prepare to take to the pool this winter, McLaughlin said the boys will be a young, but exciting squad focused on development, while the girls have a “solid returning group” poised to make a splash.

“It’s a big honor to be coaching this program with such a history of excellence,” he said, crediting program founder Pete Foley and Valle, his predecessors. “It’s fun, and it’s also pressure to carry on the tradition, that standard they set so high.”