By RICK PETERSON 
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time coaching greats in 14 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July 15, with the Top 10 in all categories announced in July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best swimming/diving coach click on https://linkto.run/p/DKXJ2JDD while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
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Former Seaman state champion boys coach Rod Garman and longtime former Washburn Rural coaches Elaine Pardee and Jeff Handley lead the list of contenders for the No.1 spot on the TopSports.news Shawnee County Best of the Best Coaches list in swimming and diving.
Rod Garman
Elaine Pardee
Jeff Handley
Garman, now an administrator with the Kansas State High School Activities Association, led Seaman to the 2018 Class 5A-1A boys state team championship while Pardee launched the highly-successful boys and girls swimming/diving programs at Washburn Rural and Handley continued Rural's tradition as a city and Centennial League power before turning the reins over to current coaches Jordan Metz and Bob Burdick, who won city titles this past season.
Seaman's Bernie Tuck led the Vikings to a fourth-place 5A-1A state finish in 2022 while many other current and former city coaches have also made their mark in the pool.
Candidates are listed at https://linkto.run/p/DKXJ2JDD while readers also have the option of writing in a name of other deserving coaches.
Vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have served as a head coach or assistant at one of the county's high schools.
Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes will be accepted through July 15 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in July and August.
NEXT UP: Tennis (Ballot will be posted on July 7).
