Jeff Commings began his swimming career in St. Louis when he was 4 years old, where he was literally thrown into the water at a local Boys’ Club. After the initial floundering, Jeff took to the water with ease and joined the Boys’ Club team. The basic philosophy was to teach proper technique from the very beginning, learning all the strokes. A year after his introduction to swimming, he signed up for his first meet.

Jeff continued to excel, winning his first trophy at 6 for the 25 fly. It wasn’t long before butterfly began to disagree with his growing body, and he found a natural talent for the breaststroke. After rising in the local ranks, he made a name for himself on the national scene with a Top 16 ranking among 11- and 12-year-olds in the 50-meter breast. His teen years saw dramatic improvement in the sprint breaststroke, rising from fourth place at the state championships his freshman year to state champion and record holder his junior year.

The year 1991 was Jeff’s breakout year. It started with a run at the national high school record in the 100 breast in February. He fell just short of it, becoming the third-fastest all-time high school swimmer in the event at the time. The following month, he won the bronze in the 100-meter breast at the national championships, as well as a berth on the Pan-American team traveling to Cuba. At that meet, Jeff won the bronze medal.

Jeff attended the University of Texas-Austin on a full scholarship under the tutelage of Olympic Coach Eddie Reese. His repertoire expanded there to the 200 individual medley and, reluctantly, the 200 breast. His highest placing at the NCAA championships was third in the 100 breast his sophomore year. He would end his college career an eight-time All-American, USA Swimming National Team member and four-time conference champion in the now defunct Southwest Conference.

Jeff attended two Olympic Trials, in 1992 and 1996, but did not make the Olmpic Team. After the 1996 Trials, Jeff moved to Colorado Springs to train under renowned coach and former world record holder Jonty Skinner. Jeff retired from elite swimming in 1998.

In 1999, Jeff discovered masters swimming and initially used the workouts as a way to stay in shape, vowing to never compete in another high-stress meet. That vow didn’t last long. At the 2003 masters national championships, Jeff won five events and set his first national record in the 100 breast. The following summer, Jeff set a world record in the 100-meter individual medley.

Another national record followed in 2004. Jeff took a break from competition to prepare for the 2006 Masters World Championships. The training paid off as Jeff won three individual events (50 and 100 breast, 100 back) and was part of a national-record setting medley relay. He also broke the world record in the 50 breast.

Jeff continues to train with the Tucson Ford Aquatics masters team in preparation for upcoming meets.

After Beginners, he continued to work his way through the Y’s learn-to-swim sequence. He liked swimming and continued to learn as much as he could. It was a sport Glaser seemed to do well, which was noteworthy.

When Geoff was eight, a friend invited him to try out for the local swim team, the Bloomington Normal Swim Club, an AAU-Swimming club in central Illinois. He and his brother decided to go. He could barely make the multiple 25 yard freestyle cuts; multiple lengths felt colossal. Nevertheless the coach, a former Pan-American backstroke champion and Brazilian swim star, let him onto the team.

To say that Glaser clawed his way to the top would be an understatement. His first award was a pink 6th place ribbon for the 200 freestyle -- last place. It was a miracle he even finished. He determined he would one day have a blue ribbon. This would take time.

Geoff devoted himself to swimming, and he loved it. By the time he was ten, he won high-point. Still, the swimming practices seemed long. Over time as he became stronger workouts became more tolerable. He competed on a regular basis in AAU Swimming and belonged to two teams during the summer. Each year he improved.

By the time Geoff graduated from high school, he was All-Conference, All-State, and All-American Consideration. He excelled in the 50 and 100 freestyle events and managed to swim a good 50, 100 and 200 fly as well.

While in college, Geoff swam for recreation. But after graduation, he took up swimming again, this time as an open water / marathon swimmer. In 1987, he swam the English Channel by relay and won the Garnet-Martin Relay Trophy from the Channel Swimming Association. He continued other ocean swimming events through his mid-twenties.

Geoff returned to swimming again in his mid-thirties, this time with a renewed sense of himself as a swimmer. Competing in world masters swimming events, he earned several FINA Top Ten World rankings in sprint, mid-distance and long-distance freestyle events.

During his time as a swimmer, Geoff began teaching and coaching nearly 25 years ago and continues to coach and teach individuals, groups, and teams. He is excited to be a Co-Founder, along with Jeff Commings, of Dolphins of the Desert Swimming Academy.

For the best swimming lessons in Tucson, call 520-883-0151 to reserve your lesson now