Russ Kasl

Head Age Group Coach, Shark Division & Shark 1 Lead, Dolphin Division & Dolphin 1 Lead

Russ Kasl has been an integral part of SwimMAC since 2002. Based at the Latin location in South Charlotte, Russ is dedicated to mentoring and guiding the development of coaches and swimmers across all 14 & Under practice groups. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role, including the planning of training programs, overseeing meet selections, organizing camp opportunities, and educating parents—all aimed at helping SwimMAC athletes reach their very best.

Russ holds a Master of Education in Exercise Science and began his coaching journey in the Cleveland, Ohio area, where he earned the Lake Erie Swimming Coach of the Year in 1997. Since joining SwimMAC, Russ has earned that honor twice more as the North Carolina Swimming (NCS) Age Group Coach of the Year in both 2021 and 2024.

With core values centered on commitment, perseverance, teamwork, and self-reliance, Russ embodies loyalty and reliability that he instills in his swimmers and fellow coaches. His strengths lie in race planning, training strategy, and a teaching approach that emphasizes skill-building and resilience to support SwimMAC’s approach to build and sustain a championship-level program at the highest levels of which we are capable.

Russ is inspired by mentors who shaped his own development, including his parents, influential high school teachers, age group/college coaches, and SwimMAC colleagues who have enriched his journey. His regular message of “get better’ is something he shares daily with the swimmers he coaches, whether it is a topic for in the water or out. For Russ, SwimMAC is more than a place of work; it is a community that has shaped much of who he is and given him the opportunity to give back to the sport that has been central to his life.

Raised in Parma, Ohio, Russ’ background, and experiences are woven into his approach to coaching. Whether creating meaningful curriculum or designing a visual history of SwimMAC's achievements, he aims to inspire a sense of responsibility and pride in his athletes. One of his personal beliefs is to “celebrate the highs, persevere through the lows but always remember that most of life is spent in the plateaus.” This helps steady his course in life, work, and allows him to help teach those in his charge to be the best of which they are capable.