As the high school swimming season begins, Columbus North finds itself without a head coach for the time being.
Logan Schaefer, who has led the Bull Frogs and Donner Swim Club for the past five years, is leaving to take a position as head age group coach with the Mason (Ohio) Manta Rays. Thursday will be his last day at North.
Schaefer and his wife Lindsay, who was an assistant coach, have a 4-month-old son, and they wanted to be closer to Lindsay’s family in the Pittsburgh area.
“Ultimately, I’m trying to move closer to my wife’s family,” Schaefer said. “The opportunity presented itself to do that, as well as connect with a new team. I don’t know if it’s a move up or move down, but ultimately, we’re trying to get closer to family.”
Schaefer led the Bull Frog boys to Conference Indiana and sectional titles in 2019. The boys finished second in the conference each of his other four years, and the girls were runner-up in 2019 and 2020.
“I think we’ve grown high school swimming,” Schaefer said. “I think kids have known that if they join our program, commit to hard work and teamwork and have a positive attitude, they can really grow as athletes and grow as young people, and that’s something I feel proud of.”
North athletics director Brian Lewis is in the process of interviewing candidates for the high school position. Traditionally, the high school coach and the Donner club coach have been the same person.
Practice for high school girls swimming began Monday, and practice for boys swimming starts Nov. 8. North’s first meet for both boys and girls will be Nov. 23 at home against Franklin.
“I know they have the tools within them to compete at the highest level,” Schaefer said. “It’s not easy leaving a program that you’ve poured a lot into. But I have to keep my priorities in line, ultimately.”
