Head Coach - Swimming
Brian Blackwell
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Coach Brian Blackwell has established a continuous tradition of success as he enters his 11th season with Seneca Valley. Coach Blackwell holds a Level 3 coaching status with the American Swimming Coaches Association and oversees all aspects of the program.
In his previous 10 seasons at the varsity helm, Coach Blackwell has produced over 100+ District Qualifiers, a WPIAL Champion and Record Holder, and more than 2 dozen PIAA State medalists. In 2017, Coach Blackwell achieved his 100th dual meet win. He was named the 2019-2020 PIAA Boys Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year.
During Brian's swimming career, he was a Eastern Zone Gold medalist and Sectional Qualifier, the 2001 WPIAL AA 200 IM Champion, multiple PIAA State Finalist and earned All-American consideration. He attended Washington & Jefferson College where he swam competitively and earned All-PAC Conference Honors. Brian was a Dean’s List Scholar at W&J and earned a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Management. Brian, who works for Meritain Health, has 15 years of experience as a Business Analyst.
Coach Blackwell’s philosophy about swimming is finding the proper balance between technique, endurance and strength. He believes educating his swimmers about the methods and science of swimming is just as important as the execution.
Assistant Coach - Swimming
Lisa Wilson
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Coach Lisa is enthusiastic as she begins her 4th year with the Seneca Valley Varsity Swim & Dive Team. Through her time at SV, she has coached and witnessed some great moments by swimmers and divers - including those at WPIAL and PIAA championships.
Coach Lisa is also an Assistant Coach with the Seneca Valley Swim Club. In the beginning of her years with SVSC, she organized and ran the Learn to Swim Program. In early 2019, she helped coach SVSC swimmers at the Eastern Zone Short Course Age Group Championship. Coach Lisa coaches all ages and levels of swimmers within SVSC. Coach Lisa has also obtained Level 3 coaching status with the American Swimming Coaches.
Coach Lisa started swimming at the age of 8 with the Butler Y Swim Team and competed at the Y Districts and States meets through the years. In her high school years, she became a member of the Butler Varsity Swimming and Diving Team and competed at the WPIAL Championship meet. In her early years of swimming, Coach Lisa was a sprint freestyler. It wasn't until her later high school years that she competed in both breaststroke and I.M. events. During summers home from college, she taught private and group swim lessons at the Butler Country Club. She also was an Assistant Swim Coach for the Butler Country Club Swim Team. Coach Lisa graduated from Slippery Rock in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication. The same year she graduated from Duquesne University with a Paralegal Certificate. She worked as a Paralegal for law firms in Pittsburgh and Erie for 6 years.
Coach Lisa resides in Cranberry with her husband, Bryan and their 3 children (Alissa, an SV and SVSC swimmer, Brody, and Tristan).
Assistant Coach - Swimming
Kylie Swann
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Image & Bio forthcoming
Head Coach - Diving
Nancy Burgert Laslavic
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Nancy is entering her 6th season as the Seneca Valley Diving Team head coach. Coach Nancy and the team are looking to build on the program's great success. Under Nancy's direction, the diving team has had nine divers qualify for WPIALs and one qualify for PIAA States.
Nancy's history with swimming and diving started when she participated as both a diver and swimmer on the Massena Central High School’s swim team as an 8th grader. Her most memorable accomplishment was competing in the NY State competition at West Point. When her family moved to Pittsburgh, she competed for the North Allegheny High School diving team from 1978 to 1981. After high school, Nancy kept diving for fun and taught diving lessons to new divers aged 5 to 55.
Advice she often imparts to her own children as well as her players before they participate in activities is to "play hard, play smart, and have fun." This philosophy can be applied to sports or life in general. "Playing hard" is the work you do to prepare for your activity; "playing smart" is using your head while you’re doing it; and, "having fun" is making sure you enjoy each moment!
Nancy lives in Zelienople with her husband and three sons. She works as the business manager for RAL Industrial Support Services.