“It nourishes and sustains us, it cleanses us, it heals us, it comforts us, it challenges us, it provides a place for exploration, and it inspires us...WATER!”
Joanne M Koury
My passion for swimming started at our neighborhood outdoor pool when summers were spent with my lifelong best friend Beth. We were at the pool every day from opening to late afternoon exploring water. Some summers, my family would visit relatives in the Caribbean, where I enjoyed the beautiful warm tropical beaches in Antigua. These early experiences instilled a love for the water. Even after 40 years of coaching swimming, it continues to give me great pleasure to share my passion for the sport with my students.
Credentials
Joanne is a USA Swimming and ASCA Level 3 coach. She has coached swimming for over four decades, and is trained in biomechanics, kinesiology, and sports medicine, plus attended coaching clinics with some of the top Olympic and Collegiate coaches in the United States. She was the Fitness and Aquatic Director for Lehigh Valley Racquet and Fitness Centers in Allentown, PA. and also managed three medical wellness centers from ground-breaking to opening. Joanne coached club and high school at Northampton Swimming (Northampton, PA), Scottsdale Aquatic Club (Arizona), PAAC (Allentown, PA), LVA (Bethlehem, PA), WSC (Allentown, PA), and Central Catholic High School (Allentown, PA). She earned her master’s degree in Exercise Science at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and in 1997, East Stroudsburg University Graduate School honored Joanne with the Alumni Award for Early Achievement after graduation for the international publication of the book “Aquatic Therapy Programming: Guidelines for Orthopedic Rehabilitation” (Human Kinetics Publishers, 1996). In addition, she held certifications with the American College of Sports Medicine, American Red Cross, American Council on Exercise, and the Aquatic Exercise Association and wrote for various journals, including Aquatics International, North Scottsdale Lifestyle Magazine, SWIMSWAM/Volleyball MOB, Lehigh Valley Hospital Magazine, and the Lehigh County Medical Society Journal.
My Swim Places: Arizona, Utah, California, Texas, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania
I was the principal vendor for the Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center in Daytona Beach, for which Joanne managed the health and wellness center project. I found her to be extremely “on task” and very focused. She worked tirelessly to get the facility open under deadlines. I observed her involvement with the many details of opening the new facility and her timely interaction with Hospital staff, contractors, vendors and the many stakeholders involved in the project. I saw firsthand her versatile skill set as she managed wellness operations, hired employees, developed protocols for members, provided marketing leadership and engaged the membership. Joanne has wonderful credentials and is rich in experience in professional fitness operations. She applies this education and experience with a hands-on approach that is necessary to the get the job done right. She literally goes the extra mile for the organization and the membership. — Jerry Napp, FitRev
