Manta Rays hire new head coach

Decision comes after exhaustive two-month search

MOSES LAKE — It took two months to find a new head coach for the Moses Lake Manta Rays but everyone involved agreed on the most important thing, they got the man they think will take them to the next level. He is Jason Hart, currently head coach of the South Ridge girls swim team.

"We felt we hit the target right on with this candidate," hiring committee member Tony St. Onge said. "He has a real passion for the sport and experience to go with it and he works well with kids."

Hart attended college at Central Washington University and during a summer job with the Pasco Piranhas of the parks and recreation department.

"They told me I would coach."

He has stuck with it ever since.

After college he landed his first job in the Tri-Cities with the Channel Cats, a USA swim team. He later moved on to coach at South Ridge in their swim program.

He left South Ridge and had two more coaching stints with teams from USA swim. One of which took him to Coeur d Alene, Idaho where he took seven kids to Junior Nationals. He also has coached four swimmers to top 16 in the nation for their age groups.

In 2001 though he returned to the Tri-Cities and South Ridge high school, becoming the head coach of the girls swim team.

Before his arrival, South Ridge had never competed in a state finals meet. Hart changed that.

He coached the team to their first state appearance in 2002 where they finished 34th, their second state appearance in 2003 where they finished 17th and their third state appearance last year where they finished sixth.

Hart has been friends with current Manta Rays head coach Tony Preston for some time and that is how Hart found out about the Manta Rays search for a new head coach. It didn't take him long to turn in his resume.

"The (Manta Rays) pool situation is awesome," Hart said. "They worked a deal with the city and the high school to keep fees down."

He admits it's a somewhat daunting task to take over a swimming program on such an upsurge.

"It is a grind and the challenge is to keep that grind exciting for the kids," Hart said.

When he is coaching at practice, Hart said he is loud fun and smiling, while also preaching technique.

"In the end I am trying to make a connection with each kid and help them do what they are trying to do for themselves," Hart said. "The swimming just sort of happens. I want to let everyone know we are here for their kids and they should come try us out."

Hart began swimming when he was 6-years-old. He swam in USA swimming and was a five time zones swimmer, including team captain his final year in 91.

While in college Hart was a four-time NAIA All-American in distance freestyle, three years in the one mile and one year in the 500 meter. He was also voted most inspirational in 1995 and 1996.

Hart has a girlfriend, Cynthia and two small children, 2-year-old Samantha and 4-month-old Nathan. He intends to settle down and raise his kids in Moses Lake.

"I will stay quite a while," Hart said. "It is not a short term thing. (Moses Lake) is a nice community and that was one of the big drawing points."

Hart will remain as head coach of the South Ridge girls swim team for this season, saying he thought it was fair to the girls. His duties as head coach of the Moses Lake Manta Rays will begin in December.

St. Onge could not say enough about their new head coach.

"With his background, credentials and what he has done as a coach, we got lucky," St. Onge said.

He also said it was important to find someone that understood coaching the Manta Rays was a year long commitment. The hiring committee wanted someone that had coached Zones, the developmental level, high school level and has the personality that pulls people in.

"We feel like we are ready to take another giant step forward," St. Onge said. "We wanted to continue the tradition. We wanted someone that would keep us heading somewhere."

While at the Moses Lake Aquatic Center sign the contract, Hart, already started introducing himself to members of the Manta Rays and building those connections with the kids that he said are so important to him. Now he has a chance to nurture those connections for years to come.