Shortly after we broke the news earlier that Cristina Teuscher was stepping down as the head women's coach at Yale to take a job on Wall Street, she copied me on the following letter to her friends and colleagues, outlining her decision (published with permission).
It's a difficult decision, especially for someone who's been such a big part of the swimming community for so long, to make this move, but it's one that many people at many levels face every year. Especially in an Olympic year, we'll see people at a similar fork across the country.
The administration will be looking to make their next hire quickly, and the job should be posted today on the Yale website (look for it here). This says that at least for the time-being, the programs will continue separately, with Tim Wise at the helm of the men. Anybody with questions on the position can email Barbara Chesler at Barbara.Chesler@yale.edu.
The note is below:
This past week, I accepted a position as Senior Manager of leadership training and employee development at Ziff Brothers Investments. Although it may seem as a leap in terms of industry, this position will allow me to continue to focus on my passion for coaching while giving me the opportunity to work with some of the top leaders in this country.
I have been loving my job here at Yale, which has made it hard to take this next step. I've come to a huge fork in the road in my life and in order to be true to myself and my passions, I need to take this next leap now. Although I won't be directly involved in the swimming world, I hope to still be involved in the periphery. Thank you to all who have been so encouraging and helpful.
As for the women’s swimming and diving program here at Yale, we are going strong. With Joan Weaver's leadership as a captain next season, Yale Women's Swimming and Diving will be a fierce force. This is the most exciting year yet in the new chapter of Yale swimming, and the leadership that needs to be there to continue to move forward is already alive and thriving within this team. It was evident to me this past February at Ivy Championships and many of the women have already spoken to me about how it will continue.
I will be here through the summer, continuing to recruit and train our women for Olympic Trials. So, I will see you around!