Meet the newest member of Samo aquatics
Kira Bretsky, Staff Writer
The newest coaching addition to Samo’s aquatics department, Mohammad Khadembashi (’05), is one of the most experienced and well-known swimming coaches in Santa Monica. He has worked hard for years for his local fame and expertise: born in Iran, Khadembashi first found his love for swimming in a community pool at a school in his small town.
“I started swimming before I started school, when I was six or seven years old. Back in the day, swimming was just being thrown into the water and learning how to keep your head up,” Khadembashi said.
Khadembashi moved to California in 2003, between his sophomore and junior years of high school, and has been in Santa Monica ever since. He graduated from Samo in 2005, continued to Santa Monica College, and received a Bachelor of Science in political science and government philosophy at UCLA.
Khadembashi first began coaching at the Santa Monica YMCA in 2006. He moved his way up the ladder over a few years, and became the Aquatics Director at the Y in 2011. In later years, he worked at a few different local teams before landing with Team Santa Monica in 2017, and is now working part time with Samo’s aquatics program as of August of 2021. Khadembashi has coached beginners and higher level swimmers alike – he worked with the United States national junior team in 2019. He has previously coached Olympians and, as he confidently believes, is currently working with future Olympians.
Competitive swimming was not always a part of his schedule, however. Khadembashi never swam in competitions as a student athlete, and uses his unique perspective to his advantage while coaching.
“Competing was not something I was raised to do. It gives me a fresh eye that sees, and can be objective of, the sport; it’s not something that I’ve been taught, not something specific that I’m looking for,” Khadembashi said.
In the water, Khadembashi follows a teaching philosophy of player-coach bonds. Whether he is teaching young kids to stay afloat or young adults to compete, he has found that students work best when they can be friends with their mentors.
“Obviously, you’re not going to connect with everyone; personalities are different, or targets, our goals – everything is different, and that’s what makes life beautiful. But, the biggest thing you find in sports or any task is that connection. That’s what will drive you,” Khadembashi said.
Perseverance is also an essential element of performance, according to Khadembashi. He believes that athletes who are not determined will not succeed, no matter their athletic ability.
“We’re not fish, water is not the environment we’re used to, so there are certain things that you have to push yourself to do. There’s a lot of times that you’ll find talented athletes who could have enormous potential but either they’re not motivated or that is not their lifestyle. As a coach, you have to meet kids where their needs are. I often tell parents, ‘if somebody is pretending to sleep, it’s really difficult to wake them up’,” Khadembashi said.
Overall, Khadembashi has found that swimming is an activity that is beneficial for everyone. Even if a swimmer’s goal is only water safety, he encourages students to look at swimming from all perspectives.
“Outside of getting exercise, swimming uses all parts of the body and brain. It’s more than a competition or series of movements, it’s a really impactful experience. Plus, it’s fun,” Khadembashi said.
Samo’s new assistant swim coach, Mohammad Khadembashi, poses for a photo. Coach Khadembashi is a Samo alumnus himself and graduated in 2005.