Jeff Olsen
O'Connor Panther Aquatics Coach

Jeff.Olsen@nisd.net

ASCA Certification - Level 3

Jeff Olsen may be one of the most accomplished teacher-coaches in Northside history.  As an age group swimmer, Jeff was a many time TAGS champion and state record holder in freestyle and backstroke and even a national age group record holder in the 13-14 boys 200 meter freestyle.  His high school career was highlighted with two Junior National championships and five gold medals at the 1985 U.S. Olympic Festival.  In college, he was a Southwest Conference champion, an All-American in the 200, 500 and 1,650-yard freestyle, and a member of two NCAA National Championship teams with Coach Eddie Reese at the University of Texas.  He was named to three USA National Teams, winning a silver medal in the 200- meter freestyle and anchoring the USA’s gold-medal winning 800-meter free relay at the 1987 World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.

After a career as a newspaper and military journalist, Olsen has equaled his swimming success as a coach.  In 2005 he guided the Lake Travis H.S. boys team to a third-place finish at the UIL State Championships, highlighted with a state title in the 200 free relay.  In 2006 & 2007 he guided the Highland Park H.S. girls team to back-to-back UIL State Championships.  The 2006 team saw 11 individuals score points at the state level.  Three HP relay teams won gold during Olsen’s tenure, with two girls and one boy winning a total of five state titles in the same span.  He's been named the TISCA Class 4A & Under girls state coach of the year and the Dallas Morning News state coach of the year.

Coach Olsen holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Texas, and has taught at both the high school (Advanced English IV and Pre-AP English I & II) and college (freshman composition and sophomore American and British literature) levels.  He is constantly seeking out new information in both the classroom -- attending professional development such as the New Jersey Writing Project and initiating graduate-level study in history through Sam Houston State Univ. -- and the swimming pool, which includes serving as a counselor at the SMU and Texas A&M swim camps over the past three summers.

Jeff is married to Susan Olsen, who is currently working on her teaching degree through Texas State University.  He has four children: Olivia, 16, a 2008 high school graduate who twice qualified for Regionals in the 200 free at Cedar Park Vista Ridge; Mark, 11, and Gretchen, 6, who have both shined in U.S.S. and summer-league competition; and Heidi, 4, who is patiently waiting for her opportunity to hit the competitive waters.