Kevin Thornton

South Senior Division & Senior 1 Lead, South Shark 2 Lead

Kevin Thornton has been with SwimMAC since May 2022, bringing over 45 years of coaching expertise to his role as Lead Coach for the Senior 1 and Shark 2 teams at the South Latin location. With an M.S. in Exercise Physiology, Kevin’s approach to coaching is grounded in science-based training. As the lead coach for Senior 1, he focuses on preparing athletes for high performance, while his role with Shark 2 emphasizes training with purpose and building foundational skills necessary for senior division competition.

Kevin’s extensive background includes serving as head coach of Swim GSA from 1999 to 2002, membership in the North Carolina LSC, and contributing to U.S. Swimming's National Meets Committee. His accomplishments in the swimming world have earned him Hall of Fame inductions in Rhode Island and at Brown University, and he was also named a National U.S. Swimming Coach from 1994 to 1998.

Known for his focus on accountability and the importance of training versus survival, Kevin’s coaching philosophy is built around the idea of racing as the heart of the sport. At SwimMAC, his goal is to push athletes to strive for perfection, preparing them to excel at the next level, whether it’s high-performance training or college swimming. Kevin finds inspiration in great coaches like Jon Urbanchek, and he’s driven by a commitment to helping youth athletes reach their best, at any level they are willing to commit to.

For Kevin, SwimMAC represents a community where athletes can excel to be their best in all areas. One of his proudest SwimMAC moments came in his early months, realizing SwimMAC Carolina held the number one club status in the nation for Short Course, Long Course, Swim-A-Thon, and Academic All-Americans, a title maintained for three years running.

Kevin’s Favorite Quote: "Sometimes your best is not good enough. You must do what is required." — Winston Churchill