Currently in his third fifth year, Nick Lakin has helped BLAST show continued success at all levels of the sport.  During that time, BLAST athletes have won over 70 state championships and set over 50 club records.  Over the past three years, 27 BLAST athletes have finished the year ranked in the top 16 in the nation, with 4 of those being national champions.  BLAST has also had success as a team this past year, by finishing 6th overall at the Central Zone Sectional Championships.  At those same championships the BLAST athletes finished first in the Men's Division.  BLAST also had 5 atheletes qualify for the US Open and 21 qualify for the Central Zone Sectional Championships during Nick's tenure. 

Nick has come to BLAST from New York and the Marist Swim Club.  While the assistant swim coach there, he coached two Olympic Trial qualifiers, 1 sectional champion, and 7 sectional qualifiers.  During that time he worked under Larry Van Wagner, who has been named the MAAC coach of the year several times and also received the American Swim Coaches Certificate of Excellence in 2001 and 2002.  Nick was also an assistant coach with the college team that won the MAAC Championship and was ranked in the top 10 of the Mid Major National rankings.

Prior to coaching at Marist, Nick was an assistant age group coach with the Fairport Area Swim Team.  There he worked with athletes ages 12 and under.  During this time he worked under Mike Kennedy and Marci Callan, both of whom have be recognized nationally for the coaching efforts.  Both Mike and Marci have been recognized as Niagara District Coaches of the Year.  Marci received the National Excellence in Stroke Technique, and Mike was named the 2000 National High School Coach of the Year.

During his college swimming career, Nick was awarded all four years with the Academic All Conference Award.  During his two years with Tennessee, the Vols finished top ten in the nation.  Also, during his two years with Marist College he was a 10 time conference champion and a team captain in 2002.  In that season, Nick led the men's team to a top ten Mid Major ranking and set 4 team records.

During his high school career at Fairport High School, he swam for the legendary Gary Clark.  In the three years spent in Fairport, Nick won 7 New York state titles and was an All American 11 times.  He captained the team in 1998, and also helped lead the team to 3 straight #1 New York State rankings.
 

Coaching Honors:

    2006 Iowa Senior Coach of the Year

    2004 & 2005 Selected as a USA Swimming Regional Select Camp Assistant Coach

    2005-2006 Iowa Swim Coaches Association Board Member

    2004 Iowa Zone Coach-Oxford, OH

    2003 Metropolitan Zone Coach-Sewell, NJ