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Sports

Gimme 5: Barracudas Swim Coach Neuman Teaches Value of Hard Work

Think swimming is easy? Oak Forest Barracudas coach Dave Neuman begs to differ and explains how, through discipline, anyone can succeed in the pool.

Oak Forest Barracudas coach Dave Neuman doesn’t mind admitting that when it came to his swim career, he didn’t come off with that much natural talent.

Neuman is a 2009 graduate of Oak Forest High School. He swam at Oak Forest, and now he swims on the club team at Florida State, where he will be a junior next year. He’s made a career for himself with hard work and dedication.

“(Swimming’s) taught me the value that hard work and dedication can really get you get you far,” Neuman said. “I realized that I didn’t come off with natural talent, and so I realized that if I worked hard I could be just as good as those kids that had natural talent.”

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Now, Neuman is imparting that wisdom to the Oak Forest Barracudas as a coach when he’s home from school for summer break. While the Barracudas have every swimmer work with every coach, Neuman said he specializes in distance training and backstroke.

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