As several Georgia Tech Olympic hopefuls competed in the trials and some qualified for the Olympics, one decorated head coach is glowing with pride and gratitude.
ATLANTA — As we approach the start of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Georgia Tech’s decorated head coach is glowing with gratitude as she coaches Olympic hopefuls.
Head Coach Courtney Shealy Hart is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and a former SEC and NCAA champion with the University of Georgia, breaking dozens of records. Hart has been Georgia Tech’s Olympic coach for 15 years.
“I’m incredibly grateful every day that I walk in here, I’m grateful to be here and to be able to coach these athletes and to be in this place, it’s a special place, I walk in and I smile every time,” she said. “For me, it’s absolutely 100 percent seeing these athletes achieve their goals and dreams. They give it their all, we work towards it, and when they do, it’s an incredible feeling for them.”
She spoke with 11Alive’s Cheryl Preheim, where she discussed the many Olympic hopefuls who have come out of the team.
“We reflect Georgia Tech very well as an institute. It’s a very culturally diverse institute. So it’s fun that our team reflects that as well, and it brings unique perspectives from around the world, and then we can help each other and be the best we can be,” Hart added.
The head coach said that since her Olympic participation, the sport has evolved, changing the way she trains her athletes. She added that mental preparation and nutrition were not really topics of discussion during her competitive years.
She also said social media has added a new level of challenges because of the number of people who can criticize athletes since her time in the sport.
While she reflected on how much swimming has changed since her Olympics, she added that the sport’s appeal is perennial at the Games.
“It’s the highest level of any sport, and it brings all the countries together, and you’re competing, you know, to represent your country, and it’s just an incredible event,” she said.
Hart shared one of his favorite experiences while competing in the world’s most prestigious Games.
“The first night I swam with Amy Van Dyke and Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres and we broke the world record. It was really cool. Then when the swimming was over, because it was the first week, we got to go watch other sports, and it was just awesome to go here with Team USA. The other sports were so much fun,” she said.
The head coach added that as she has more athletes, it’s a “full circle” moment adding that her goal was to “help elevate a program” when she first joined the team.
“Seeing these athletes work so hard because they’re so dedicated and they work so hard to achieve their dreams, it helps contribute a little bit to that, it’s something I’ll remember forever,” she concluded.
