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Bellwood-Antis varsity girls coach Jim Swaney has accomplished many things in his decorated coaching career. He has sent many of his players on to play in college, won several league titles, won two district championships, and even won a state championship while an assistant at Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School.

Coach Swaney’s latest milestone is reaching is the 400-win club, which he did last week with a win over Juniata Valley.

However, Swaney’s favorite part of coaching has nothing to do with statistical success but deals more with the personal relationships he has had with his players over the years.

“I have a lot of love for every player who has been in our program over the years. I still keep contact with a lot of these players even though some of them are in their 50’s,” said Swaney.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” said junior guard Alanna Leidig. “It’s cool because he told us he remembers every team from every special ball he has kept, so he will always remember us.”

It was the love of personal relationships he missed most when he left coaching from 2006-2010.

“To me the best part of coaching is building those relationships,” Swaney said. “When I was away from coaching for a few years, it wasn’t the games or the bus trips I missed, it was the practice time and the one-on-one with the kids. I really missed having that as a part of my life.”

Swaney, who still has many goals as a coach, has had one consistent goal throughout the years.

“My main goal is simple. Teach kids to play this game with a passion,” Swaney said. “Play hard, fast, and realize you will make mistakes. How you respond to those mistakes will determine the player you are. Teach kids that nothing in life comes easy.”

Junior guard Karson Swogger said her coach’s humility has made an impression on her.

“He’s very humble,” she said. “He always tries to go even to the elementary games and show his support for our teams.”

Coach Swaney began coaching when he was 23 years old, coaching the 7^th and 8^th grade team boys and girls team at Our lady of Lourdes in Altoona. After nine years of coaching junior high, junior varsity, and serving as a varsity assistant at BG, Swaney landed his first varsity head coaching job at Tyrone High School in 1988.

He found great success in his 18 years at the school by having a combined record of 278-194.

During the 1993-1994 season, when the Lady Eagles went 24-2, Swaney led the team to its first and only district title.

After Swaney’s last season at Tyrone (2005-2006) he took three years off of coaching before taking over at Bellwood-Antis during the 2010-2011 season and has found great success at the school.

He has an impressive record of 123-23, with a district tittle in the 2013-2014 season.

Coach Swaney and the Lady Blue Devils have their sights set on another district title this season.

Swaney said he has no intentions of retiring from coaching any time soon and even left the door open to possibly becoming an assistant again when his head-coaching days are done.

“Someday I can see me going back into the assistant coach role,” he joked. “I have told some of our players who have gone on to coach that I will be available someday for that.”