Mark Randall - (Swimmer / Coach) University of Alabama, South Africa

“I have had the privilege of knowing Sonya as an athlete and a coach for the last 20 years. She helped me to understand the sport of swimming from a perspective of learning how to let things flow naturally and not to force the outcome, but rather to focus on the details that will ultimately lead you to be the best that you can be. She taught me to understand myself and how I needed to best prepare for competition. Sonya always went the extra mile for her athletes to make sure that they were in the best position to be successful. The same can be said as she has moved in the role of mentor. She is always willing to answer questions and discuss topics at length until you have a greater understanding of a topic. She challenges you to think critically and asks you questions that will ultimately help all the puzzle pieces to fit. I will always be grateful for the time that Sonya always took with everyone that she came into contact with and helping me to really understand how the mind and body ultimately need to work together to get your peak performance.”