About Us
The Team
The Belle Vernon Swim Club (BVSC) is a competitive swim team that has been swimming at the Belle Vernon High School for over 35 years. BVSC offers programs for children living in Belle Vernon and the surrounding areas to promote the sport of swimming.
John Highlands - Head Coach
Coach John Highlands brings a lifetime of swimming experience and over two decades of coaching expertise to our team. His journey in the sport began at just five years old, and over the next 18 years, he competed at the YMCA, high school, and collegiate levels.
John's coaching career spans 22 years, beginning as a student assistant coach at Bloomsburg University (NCAA Division II) from 1992-1995. He then served as Assistant Coach at Fairmont State College, WV (1995-2001), where he also founded the Fairmont Area Swim Team—a youth program that continues to thrive today, consistently supporting 75-100 swimmers annually.
For the next 14 years, John co-led the Laurel Highlands YMCA Swim Team, shaping swimmers into conference, state, and national champions across all age groups. His dedication has also helped countless athletes achieve All-American honors at various levels of competition.
With a passion for developing swimmers both in and out of the pool, Coach John remains committed to fostering excellence, teamwork, and a love for the sport.
Olena Primus - Assistant Coach
Coach Olena Primus joined the Belle Vernon Swim Club in the autumn of 2023. Swimming and water polo have always been at the center of her life. A native of Ukraine, Coach Olena began swimming at a young age but transitioned to water polo during high school. She excelled in both sports, representing her city's club team and the junior national team at various levels of competition. In the autumn of 2008, Coach Olena proudly represented the junior national team of Ukraine at the LEN European Championship in Chania, Greece.
In 2009, she made the move to the United States, where she enrolled at American River College in Sacramento, California. Here, she continued to compete in both water polo and swimming, using the latter to stay in prime condition for her water polo pursuits in the fall. Coach Olena's journey led her to conclude her athletic and academic endeavors as a standout player in NCAA Division II water polo at Notre Dame College of Ohio. During this time, she earned her degree in public relations and achieved All-American Academic honors.
Even while balancing the demands of college sports, Coach Olena consistently held part-time positions as a lifeguard and swim instructor. Her passion for teaching and coaching shone through when she worked at Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where she served as a Special Education Teacher and also contributed as an assistant swim coach.
Presently, Coach Olena resides in Belle Vernon with her family and dedicates herself to teaching at the Albert Gallatin Area School District.