MCC swim coaches visit China

HUANGZHOU, China. - MCC swimming and diving coaches Dan and Tim Dubois recently completed a trip to China on an informational and cultural exchange.

The Huangzhou Bureau of Sports (Chinese National Sport Development Program for city of Huangzhou) and Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics were official Chinese hosts and covered all expenses once the coaches arrived in China. The invite was in response to a successful visit from a Chinese delegation to MCC last spring.

The purpose of the visit was to enhance understanding in innovative training methodologies, strengthen new friendships between coaches and administrators, and discuss formalizing future cooperation between the two universities. Dan and Tim worked on deck with coaches and athletes, many of whom represented China in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

"The wealth of information and ideas we absorbed will directly benefit our student-athletes next year and for many years to come," said Dan Dubois. "The impact to our swimming program is immediate and far-reaching. It was a professional development activity that strengthens our coaching credentials.  Our student-athletes benefit most directly from that."

In addition, the coaches acted as ambassadors for MCC. The Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics has expressed an interest in opening a wider college community partnership with MCC, and Dan and Tim were hoping to be the first step in an ever-increasing, college-wide relationship with Chinese universities. This would include potential Chinese student-athletes of all sports coming to MCC to study and compete.

"Our trip to China allowed us to share and gather competitive swimming knowledge and methodologies and build on new and existing friendships," Dan Dubois continued.  "Hopefully, our experience will foster new possibilities and strengthen the desire to complete a bridge between us."

The Chinese delegation was impressed with its tour of Monroe Community College and its athletic facilities last spring. MCC Director of Athletics Skip Bailey, the swim coaches, and college administrative representatives enjoyed lunch and hopeful discussions about cooperative plans for the future.

Dan Dubois is confident that the trip and this new relationship will help Monroe Community College in the future.

"My hope is that we have opened the door to a university in China that is interested in developing more opportunities for cultural exchange," the 17^th-year head coach said. "This exchange is not limited to our swimming program.   The opportunity is there to pursue a much broader college-wide partnership."