Kat Simonovic
Kat Simonovic
QUICK STATS
- Birthday: October 25, 1994
- Hometown: Mesa, Arizona
- Now resides: Chicago, Illinois
- College: Arizona State University
- Height: 5’3”
- Coach: Bob Bowman
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- NCAA individual qualifier
- NCAA Woman of the Year nominee
- Competed for Serbia in Rio De Janerio for the 2016 Olympic games, finishing 23rd in the 400 free and 30th in the 200 free
EXPERIENCE
Most people wouldn’t immediately jump to the word “underdog” when describing an Olympian, NCAA individual qualifier, and ASU top points scorer, but that’s exactly how Kat Simonovic characterizes herself. Standing at just 5’3”, Kat says she spent much of her career as the “bubble swimmer,” finding herself always on the edge of time cuts or finals heats.
“I quickly realized that in my athletic career, nothing coming my way was ever going to be a small obstacle. I had to dig deep in my arsenal and demand a lot of focus from myself, but I think that’s something that makes me different. I wasn’t born with all the tools, and I’ve had my share of failures.”
This underdog mentality is precisely what makes Kat a compassionate and relatable teacher in her clinics. A case study for the powerful effects of hard work, Kat is an expert at honing in on the fine details and helping participants capitalize on their natural talents. With her infamous scrappy mindset, Kat longs to simplify the “secret to fast swimming” by establishing a few essential pillars for success.
“Nothing is given to you in life. You have to work at your sport repetitively for an extended period of time. That’s the key. You take what you learn and then you implement it over and over again.”
Don’t let this simple take fool you; Kat backs up this holistic approach with an intense attention to detail right down to the micro-level.
“I swam middle distance freestyle, so race strategy is very important to me, and it’s something I emphasize with my swimmers. There’s always a strategic way to attack everything.”
From the subtleties of butterfly body position to the perfect freestyle catch, Kat has you covered. Even down to the mechanics of the flutter kick, for which she believes there exists a very specific technique, Kat knows how to claw for each and every advantage.
“I want to impart knowledge of things I wish I had known earlier in my swimming career. I remember representing Serbia at the 2016 Olympics, and I had this moment in the ready room where suddenly everything just clicked. I had this overbearing sense of confidence in that I knew how every stroke would feel and when it would hurt. I’ve been able to channel that kind of focus and visualization ever since in various parts of my life. The key is in preparation.”
If anyone is a guru in preparation, it’s Kat Simonovic. Do you want to learn how to nail down good habits and break down your races in order to play to your own strengths? There’s no way you won’t get faster with Kat. Sign up for her next clinic today!
Participant Feedback From Kat's Clinics
“Brett and Kat were great together, and gave great explanations on the drills!” -Ron, from Palos Hills, IL
“Tom and Kat were incredible. They are very relatable and friendly, yet firm. They made sure the kids really understood what they needed to do and most importantly, explained the ‘why’ really clearly. I am very impressed by both of them.” –Ratna, from Erie, PA
“My daughter learned so much from your instruction. The coaches getting in the water was very powerful.”
