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| Bob Bruce |
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| Jodi Shilling |
Bob Bruce and Jodi Shilling, College of Wooster alums who have made outstanding contributions to the coaching profession at various levels, will each be honored with the Paul V. Barrett Award on Saturday, Feb. 10, the W Association proudly announces. The presentation will take place during halftime of the men's basketball game between Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan University.
Bruce, a 1970 graduate of the College, served as a founding coach of the Wooster Swim Club in 1967 and has coached in multiple club and collegiate environments since, including as an assistant at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and as head women's swimming coach at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. As the current aquatics coordinator at the Bend Metro Park & Recreation District in Bend, Ore., Bruce has been directly involved in the development of swimming & water polo programs and initiatives at the local, state, and national levels, headlined by his service at United States Masters Swimming, the FINA-affiliated national governing body for adult swimming, for which his involvement has spanned from 1996 till present day in multiple roles. In 2013, among other notable accomplishments, Bruce was honored with the inaugural USMS Open Water Service Award for his significant contributions in promoting and building excellence in open water swimming, and in 2003, Bruce was honored as USMS National Coach-of-the-Year. Currently, Bruce chairs the USMS Open Water Committee.
Shilling, who stayed in the area after graduating in 1999, has amassed a 162-104 coaching record in 11 seasons at the helm of the Waynedale High School volleyball team. Behind an 18-4 regular-season record in 2017, Shilling led the Bears to their second straight Wayne County Athletic League title and third in the last five seasons, the only three in the program's history. In addition, Shilling has twice been named WCAL Coach of the Year (2013, 2016). Prior to Waynedale, Shilling served as the jayvee volleyball coach at Smithville High School, where she averaged 18 wins in seven seasons. Beyond the high school realm, Shilling has coached a Junior Olympic volleyball team each year since 1999, with groups ranging from 12 to 18 years old. In addition, she continues to organize local "Volley for a Cure" fundraising games in support of breast cancer research.
The Barrett Award seeks to recognize Wooster graduates who have made significant contributions as a coach of any sport at any level (professional, college, high school, youth, etc.), factoring in both on-field success and off-the-field impact.