Wendy Harris – August 2026 AOAP-Competitor Aquatic Professional of the Month
Uintah Special Service District 1
AOAP Competitor Aquatic Professional of the Month-August 2026
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For the past 37 years, Wendy has been dedicated to aquatics, with the last 20 years serving as Aquatic Manager for the Uintah Special Service District 1. Throughout her career, she has been passionate about creating safe, welcoming, and high-quality aquatic environments for patrons, staff, athletes, and our community.
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She has been fortunate to serve as a Michael Phelps IM Champion Coach and as a Special Olympics swimming coach. Also, she is the Utah Aquatics Representative for URPA. One of the greatest honors of her career has been representing Utah as a coach for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games and again for the upcoming 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. She also spent 17 years coaching high school swimming, helping young athletes develop both in and out of the pool.
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Professional development has always been important to her. She holds certifications as a Lifeguard (LG), Lifeguard Instructor (LGI), Lifeguard Instructor Trainer (LGIT), Water Safety Instructor (WSI), Water Safety Instructor Trainer (WSIT), and Level 1 Adaptive Swim Whisper. Most recently, she completed all three years of the AOAP Director School program, further strengthening my commitment to leadership and excellence in aquatics.
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She is grateful for the opportunity to work in a profession that allows her to make a positive impact every day. This nomination is a meaningful recognition of a career dedicated to water safety, education, leadership, and service, and she is deeply thankful for the colleagues, athletes, staff, and community members who have been part of that journey. Bailey, Kade and Everett, his dog, Max, and his wife of 16 years, Abbie.Â
THE AWARD
Competitor Aquatics Professional of the Month is a recurring AOAP feature shedding light on an Aquatics Professional who has risen above the competition. As with any item of recognition, Competitor Aquatics Professional of the Month is a subjective exercise meant to highlight one aquatic professional whose work holds noteworthy context – perhaps a manager who was clearly in the limelight, or one whose work fell through the cracks a bit more among other stories. If your favorite aquatics director wasn’t selected, feel free to submit their name and information below for future consideration (they must be a member of AOAP to be considered).
About Competitor Swim
Competitor Swim is a global leader in the manufacturing of competitive swim park hardware, racing lanes, and pace clocks. Established in 1960, the company has been a long-standing supporter of aquatic safety and professional excellence, proudly partnering with AOAP to recognize the dedicated professionals who keep our communities safe and active in the water.