At Holland Aquatic Center, our facilities are awesome and so is our staff. In this We Are HAC! series, we’ll introduce you to the people who love to teach, coach, protect, serve and inspire here. Our amazing team, almost 100 strong, is passionate about empowering healthy, connected lives through aquatics and wellness programming. Meet them here in this blog series and in-person at Holland Aquatic Center!
Dan Christian is an upper Midwest man through and through. Born in Wisconsin, raised in Michigan and Ohio, besides the geographic consistency of his upbringing, he has another constant in his life, too — Dan has never been too far from the water. And as HAC’s Operations Manager of Instructional Programs, that affinity for aquatics has served him, and his students, very well.
Arriving at HAC in August of 2021, Dan previously worked with the Charlotte (MI) public school system as its aquatic supervisor from 2013 to 2021. His commitment to swimming and instruction began early — as a competitive swimmer starting at age 8 through his high school years, as an English education major in college, and even a crew team member at Ohio University. Dan holds a master’s degree in recreation and sports administration from Kent State University, too, a program that continued to foster his love for helping people stay healthy through an active lifestyle.
Dan oversees a staff of 17 swim instructors in HAC’s wide-ranging instructional program. From parent-child classes, to Little Swimmers, to school district-associated for children in grades K-5 and private adult swim lessons, he enjoys watching over 5,000 kids and adults annually find their sweet spot in the water. He also works closely with Mac Swimmers, an introduction to competitive swimming program for kids 7 to 14. Through it all, Dan especially enjoys how his role at HAC helps the Holland community learn to appreciate and value the benefits of knowing how to swim.
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Favorite Movie: The Goonies. “I love everything about this movie. I just have great childhood memories when I watch it.”
Bucket List Items I Most Want to Accomplish: Complete a full distance Ironman. “I can pull off the 2.4-mile swim right now with no problem, but I need to work on the running (26.2 miles) and biking (112 miles) for sure.”
If I Could Live Anywhere, I Would Live in … A cabin on a lake with a dock where I could do a cannonball after my morning coffee
You’d be Surprised to Know This About Me: I start listening to Christmas music in October
Biggest Fear: Spiders
Things That Bring Me Joy: Being around my wife and family
Favorite sport: American Football. “I am a diehard Cleveland Browns fan.”
What Attracted Me to Work at HAC: “I had been to HAC as a coach during MHSAA State finals, and I was impressed by the facility and how well the event was managed. Every member of the team at HAC was professional and passionate about providing a great experience in aquatics.”
“I like being part of a great team and seeing the impact we have on the community by providing play, sport, and instruction.”
Dan Christian