SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State University swimming and diving head coach Dave Collins will serve as the Latvian men’s swimming coach for the Rio de Jeneiro Summer Olympic Games, the Latvian Olympic Committee announced recently.
Collins will coach Bears’ standout Uvis Kalnins, Latvia’s sole men’s swimming representative, at the 2016 Rio Games.
At MSU, Collins has led the Bears to four Missouri Valley Conference women’s championships and the men to a Mid-American Conference Championship. In 2012-13 – his first full season as head coach – Collins earned Coach of the Year awards in both the MVC and MAC. He would go on to earn the same honors in 2014. Collins, who enters his fifth year at the helm for the Bears, will now have the opportunity to not only attend, but coach one of his former athletes on the world’s biggest stage.
“I am very humbled to be given this opportunity by the country of Latvia,” Collins said. “Attending the Olympic Games has always been a dream of mine, but I never thought it would be as a coach. I am also grateful to Uvis for his years of commitment to our program and belief in me and our staff.”
After competing in London at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Kalnins served as an integral part of the MSU men’s swim team from 2012-16. Even though Kalnins had competed at the highest level of competition, Collins did not realize the level of success Kalnins would add to the program.
“It never crossed my mind. I knew we were getting a talented athlete and I hoped he would fit in well in our environment. To say he has fit in well is a huge understatement,” Collins said. “He has been an incredible leader with his work ethic from the day he stepped on campus. I have been equally as impressed that he has had all of this success while majoring in Business with a 3.8 GPA. He is one of a kind
Collins added that Kalnins’ success could also be attributed to the hard work and dedication put in by swimming and diving assistant coach Chelsea Dirks-Ham and strength coach Mitch Hauschildt.
“I am also very appreciative of Chelsea and Mitch, who have also dedicated a lot of time and effort into Uvis and his development," Collins said.
Under Collins’ instruction, Kalnins broke multiple school and pool records. Kalnins holds the school record in the 100m free (43.17), 200m free (1:35.02), as well as the school and MAC records in the 200m individual medley (1:44.03) and 400m IM (3:45.00). The four-time All-MAC First-Team honoree is looking forward to having Collins by his side at Rio de Janeiro for his second Olympic games.
“Dave and I have been working together closely for the past 4 years,” Kalnins said. “He is the person that led me into individual medley training, where I have had much success. It will be great having him with me at the Olympics not just because of the training preparation, but also for support and guidance.”
Collins’ responsibility as Latvia’s Olympic swimming coach will be to supervise Kalnins’ preparation and training going into the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
“Since we have worked together for so long and traveled together to many meets in the last 4 years, we have gotten to know each other very well,” Collins said. “One thing I want to make sure I do is not try to over coach him in the days leading up to his race. He is a very smart athlete and we will be looking to keep things pretty light and laid back in Rio. I will do my best to take it all in while there. I am looking forward to meeting the rest of the Latvian athletes and hopefully getting to some events to show my support.”
A former collegiate swimmer himself, Collins competed at Drury University where his squad claimed two NCAA Division II national titles and two NCAA runner-up honors. After concluding his collegiate career, the San Antonio native served as the head swimming and diving coach for Springfield Parkview and Ozark High School.
Prelims for the 200m IM begin Aug. 10, in Rio de Janeiro, where Collins will watch his now two-time Olympic swimmer compete for Latvia against the best swimmers in the world and one of the most decorated Olympic athletes of all time, Michael Phelps.
