HAST Head Coach / Executive Director

Kim Olson has been the Head Coach of HAST since 1987. She has lead HAST to numerous 'Class AA' State Championships and coached nearly 40 HAST swimmers to state championships. While coaching at HAST, she has taken novice swimmers developing their skills over many years to the national level. With over 25 years experience as a swimming coach, Kim brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to HAST. Her academic background and personal athletic achievements contribute to Kim's skills as head coach. Kim holds a Master of Education degree in Physical Education from the University of Minnesota. While attending the University, Kim was a Big Ten Finalist in swimming and track. She also competed at the AIAW National Swimming Championships. Kim was the first female inducted into Fridley High School's Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1995 she was voted by her peer's to receive the ASCA Minnesota Age Group Coach of the year. Again, in 1996 Kim received the honor for the Senior Coach of the year. Kim's philosophy of sport is stated in the HAST team motto: "We build skills for swimming, winning and life."

Assistant Coaches

Carmon Wallace graduated in 1989 from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a degree in Elementary Education. During her college years she taught swimming. Carmon got the opportunity to learn to swim when she was in 7th grade. She practiced everyday the summer she was given the opportunity to take lessons, eventually gaining the skills to join the school swim team. Carmon’s love for the sport of swimming is evident when she’s working with the young swimmers. She, herself, believes in the life-long impact learning to swim and/or participating on a swimming team can have on an individual. She has benefited from the positive attributes the HAST swim team has instilled in her own children. Carmon is the mother of six. She has home educated her children for 9 years. Over the years she has been active in her church taking roles such as chair of the children’s counsel, director of the Wednesday preschool program, and adult Sunday school coordinator. She is excited to be part of the HAST coaching staff. Her enthusiasm for the sport and her natural ability to relate to children make her a great addition to the program.

Julie Olson joined H.A.S.T. when she was 8 years old. Apparently, her mom had finally had enough of trying to get her to sit still while her older sisters were in the water. Even though the first few years of shivering through practice and getting disqualified by her mom every time she swam breaststroke were tough, she still loved swimming. After a few years, Kim talked her into teaching others through the “I Love to Swim” program, which she has now been doing for more than a decade. In high school, Julie was a team captain, section champion in the 200 I.M., and broke the school record in the 100 backstroke at the MSHSL State Meet. Her accomplishments earned her a swimming scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. While competing for the UWM Panthers she was voted Rookie of the Year, Most Improved, and was named a team captain her senior year. She also holds school records in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, and 100 butterfly. During her senior year she coached the Germantown Seahawks Swim Club and was their head coach for the summer of 2006. She graduated with a degree in History in May, 2007 and now spends her days working for Legal Aid. What little spare time she has is spent cheering for the Twins, training to race in the Disney World Half Marathon, and dreaming of running away to someplace with miles of beach and no snow. Julie believes that swimming should always be about having fun, making friends on other teams, and touching people out at the finish.