Caren Barnes, Head Coach 2004-present
Caren Barnes is entering into her 17th season as the Head Coach of the Bradford Family YMCA Barracuda Swim Team. Barnes joined the YMCA staff in 2003 as a volunteer coach when she moved from the Philadelphia area with her family. Since then, she has helped the team find great success in both the Northwest Pennsylvania YMCA Swim League and throughout the 3 Districts in Pennsylvania.
During her time here, Caren has helped the Barracuda Team grow into one of the most successful YMCA teams in the Western PA district. The team presently holds 48 records in the NWPA Swim League which it is a member. She has coached 9 swimmers to multiple state championships who have also established 7 state records. The swimmers have set 20 Western District records. Four swimmers have been recognized by the National YMCA as being in the top 10 in YMCA swimming for their age group the past 3 seasons in multiple events. She has also gotten the team involved in USA swimming in which they participate in the Niagara LSC.
The Barracuda Team is a member of USA Swimming. In this circuit Caren has coached two swimmers to become Scholastic All-Americans. Other accolades include Top Female Swimmer in Niagara LSC in 2019 and 2020 and an additional female swimmer in the Top 5. Two Barracuda Swim Team members have qualified for USA National Junior Championships and the USA Summer National Championships. Caren also trained an Olympic Trial Qualifier. The team has had a National YMCA Short Course Championship in 4 individual events and a repeat champion in 2 of those events.
Prior to her coming to Bradford, Caren coached for 15 years at the Brandywine- Coatesville YMCA where her own children swam. All four children swam for the YMCA and then went off to college and competed. Her two oldest are now swim coaches at the collegiate level.
Caren is a physical therapist at BRMC and uses her knowledge to develop appropriate dryland training for the team.