Waddell Named Swim Coach For Jets

MADISON- The newest coaching position to be filled at James Clemens High included Molly Waddell who comes to the Jets’ athletic program as head swim coach.

“I’m super excited about this opportunity as James Clemens has a strong program in place and I want to grow our program to even higher levels,” said Waddell. “I’m ready for the challenge.”

Waddell, 24, joins James Clemens after teaching two years at McAdory Elementary School in Birmingham and was a swim coach at the Greystone YMCA. She is a registered Level 2 USA swim coach and looks forward to continue the marvelous swim results within the Jets’ program.

“With my experience in USA Swimming I worked with swimmers who went onto to Olympic Trial events and because of that I feel I know better how to set up my program here at James Clemens,” she said.

Waddell takes the new position that was vacated after Kate Wade, who had worked at the Central Office of Madison City Schools and was the Jets’ head coach, took the position of assistant principal at Discovery Middle School.

A graduate of Florence High School in 2012 where she was among the top eight in the state each of her six years of swimming for the Falcons’ swim program, Waddell took to the pool in college at Birmingham Southern strictly as a freestyle swimmer where she was the No. 1 position swimmer in the 50, 100 and 200-meter races. She was a three-time Southern Athletic Association champion even while suffering a severe problem with a tibia (lower leg) that was painful especially during flip turns. The bone would, at times, pop out of place. The rare medical dilemma was something she was born with.

“I also broke my ankle when I was 12 years old and coming back from that was tough, but I think those experiences make me a better coach as I understand what it takes to succeed,” said Waddell. “I truly think I can carry on the winning tradition at James Clemens.”