(updated Sept. 23, 2020)
Peter Carpenter was appointed aquatics manager and head coach of the McGill University swim team in September, 2009 and now enters his 12th season in 2020-21.
The 46-year-old native of Pointe Claire, Que., is a two-time recipient of the U SPORTS Fox 40 men's coach-of-the-year award, winning in 2018 and 2020. Has has also merited similar honours four times at the RSEQ conference, winning the women's category after league titles in in 2012 and 2020, along with the men's award for conference crowns achieved in 2018 and 2020.
A recipient of Petro-Canada coaching excellence awards in 2010 and 2012, Carpenter was also honoured by the Club de la médaille d'or in October, 2012 and was named coach of the month for September 2012 by the Institut national du sport du Quebec, for his work with McGill swimmer Valérie Grand'Maison, who captured one gold medal and two silvers at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
He brings to McGill a different philosophy and enthusiasm, creating an environment that is centered on fun, hard work and team spirit. In his first year at McGill, a dozen swimmers qualified for CIS national championships - five more than the previous year. In his second year (2010-11), he produced 19 CIS qualifiers. The next year, McGill qualified 20 athletes for the Nationals.
Carpenter, who holds a Level 3 license from the National Coaching Certification Program, also counts Canadian Olympian Tobias Oriwol and McGill star Steven Bielby among the young swimmers that he helped develop.
Prior to joining McGill, he guided the Pointe Claire swim club to seven national titles in various age categories from 2005 to 2009. He also coached the Quebec provincial team to nine gold medals, 12 silver and 16 bronze at the 2009 Canada Summer Games in PEI.
A long-time resident of the West Island region of Montreal, Carpenter attended Royal West Academy, John Abbott College and Concordia University, where he graduated in 1997 with an arts degree, majoring in geography.
