Dave Griffore, the head coach of the Emory & Henry College Women's Swimming program, took some time out from recruiting recenly to give us a little insight on his plans for the first varsity year of women's swimming coming to campus in the fall of 2012.

Click here to learn more about Coach Griffore.

How did you end up Coaching at Emory & Henry College?

My wife and I had a dream to live in a little mountain town called Damascus, Va. Her parents have a home there and we used it as a vacationing spot for years.  She had a job opportunity that would allow us to make the move so we took the chance. I left coaching at Penn State University and we moved to the mountains. I was very fortunate to be hired in the Admissions office here at E&H and a year later I was back in coaching.

What is your vision for the new Emory & Henry Swimming Program?

Most people see swimming as an individual sport; however, I see it as a team sport, especially at the college level. It is my job to provide our student-athletes with an environment where they can succeed. I truly feel that what that means is providing them with a chance to contend for conference championships every year. Once we build the program to get us there, I would like to see us making an impact at the national level.

Why do you believe that E&H can provide that successful environment?

Emory & Henry can provide a great balance between academics and athletics. Most student-athletes want an overall college experience. I found out after 15 years of being involved in the big schools that they do not provide an overall college experience like the smaller, more personable colleges do. E&H offers great academic scholarships as well, which allows a student-athlete to earn a degree from a private liberal arts college that is affordable. We also enjoy a beautiful 334-acre campus. Put all this together and it makes Emory & Henry College truly unique.

What do you feel will be your biggest challenge?

We cannot be successful unless we can get our potential student-athletes on campus. Once they visit, I feel very confident that they will see all of the great things that E&H will be able to offer to them. I feel that it is important that the student-athlete experience the one-on-one attention and focus that E&H provides from the very beginning and the opportunity to see how they can individually thrive in a supportive environment, as well as in a team setting. If I am unable to talk with them face-to-face on campus, it is difficult to demonstrate these smaller school strengths and how a custom fit college experience would benefit them. 

What do you enjoy most about college coaching?

It is a great opportunity to help support student-athletes in all aspects of their lives. There is so much learning and growth that takes place both in and out of the classroom on a college campus. As a coach, we get to assist and guide them through many of the different learning avenues that they will encounter during those four years.

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