Hiea-Yoon Kang Named 13-15 NT Assistant Coach
by Alyssa Jacobs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Hiea-Yoon Kang has been named assistant coach for the 13-15 national team, USA Artistic Swimming announced today. Ludivine Perrin-Stsepaniuk, 13-15 national team head coach, believes that Kang’s technical knowledge will bring the squad to the next level. Kang’s first national team coaching appointment was in 2011 when she was appointed as the junior national team assistant coach. Since her first role, she has served as junior world and national team figure coach and consultant, 13-15 national team figure coach, 13-15 national team II head coach and 11-12 national team head coach.
Hiea-Yoon's coaching career began back in 2005 when she served as Cerritos Synchronettes 12&U Coach. In 2006, she started her own club, Long Beach Aquabelles, with two athletes who went on to become the 12&U Duet Age Group Champions. She moved her club to La Mirada in 2007 and the La Mirada Aquabelles were born. With just three years of coaching under her belt, she was awarded the 2008 Age Group Developmental Coach of the Year Award. In 2017, she earned West Zone Coach of the Year distinction. Kang has also coached and consulted with the Walnut Creek Aquanuts. Throughout her career, she has developed several athletes to achieve national team appointments. Currently, she is working on starting a club artistic swimming program at UCLA.
“I am confident that Hiea-Yoon will add valuable experience to the 13-15 national team coaching staff. She has been producing talented and quality athletes for years and her technical skills will definitely make an impact on our national team. I know she will complement our head coach, Ludi,well and work together with the senior national team coaches and myselfto build a synergy throughout the squads,” Lara Teixeira, High Performance Manager, said.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work with the 13-15 national team to create memorable experiences for the athletes this summer as we prepare for the Youth World Championships,” Hiea-Yoon Kang said.“Following an unprecedented season, I have no doubt that the athletes and coaches will be on fire and driven to work harder than ever before!”