Hargrave Military Academy is committed to swimming and diving. The pool, which is housed in the Onishi-Davenport Aquatic Center, is a heated 50-meter indoor pool which includes 22 25-yard lanes, and has one three meter and two one meter diving boards. It also has a fully equipped athletic weight training center. This facility allows for national championship competitions to be held at the school.
Practice is geared toward the successful athlete who is willing to endure a tough training schedule to be the best.
Additionally, Hargrave Cadet swimmers can train and compete in USA Swimming sanctioned programs.
Hargrave Aquatics is a member of USA Swimming, Inc., which is the national governing body for amateur swimming in the United States. Virginia Swimming, Inc. (VSI), which is the local governing body, sanctions age and ability specific competition throughout the year. USA Swimming also determines who represents the United States in swimming during the summer Olympic competition.
Between 2007 and 2009, Hargrave Military Academy’s Varsity and USA swimmers broke more than 20 Hargrave records. Four Cadets achieved the All-American Rank and eight Cadets qualified for Junior National Championships. On a yearly basis Hargrave swimmers have received the VIS Conference Championships under Coach Simonov’s program.
Coaching Staff
Head Coach Larry Simonov (simonovl@hargrave.edu) 434-432-2681, FAX 434-432-8514.
Coach Larry Simonov came to Hargrave after working with the successful Raleigh Swimming Association (RSA) the Junior National Championship Team of 2004-2005, in Raleigh, North Carolina where from 2003-2006 he served as a senior coach.
Previous to joining RSA, Simonov owned and served as the Aquatics Director and head coach of Oaks Aquatics Academy, a USA Swimming club for Oaks Christian High School in California.
Before coming to the United States, Coach Simonov served as head coach and administrator for the Soviet Union’s national swimming program at the Red Army Olympic Swimming Center in Kiev, Ukraine. This program included over 3,000 athletes and support personnel. All swimmers, from beginners to Olympic athletes were represented in his program.
Furthermore, Coach Simonov is a successful trainer of top athletes including former USSR National Record Holders and multiple National champions, US National Record Holders, US National Championships, Olympic medalists, and World Record holders. For ten years Simonov was the head coach for the most successful Olympic swimming center in the former Soviet Union. He is also a two time USA Junior National Championship Swimming Club coach for 2004 and 2005.