Bruce Woodbury
New Trier High School
Impact Statement
Woodbury led New Trier to multiple state championships over the duration of his career. He’s coached over 100 All Americans.
Biography
Coaching at a school that has been a swimming powerhouse for nearly a century, and remains home to the NHSCA National Boys Swimming Coach of the Year in 2005, Mark Onstott,
Woodbury made his own mark on the school. He retired for the final time this spring after leading the Trevians to their second consecutive state title, and their 11th overall under Woodbury in three separate stints as coach.
In 1970, when New Trier was two separate high schools, Woodbury arrived at New Trier West High, eventually launching a girls swimming team in 1977. He coached the West boys team to a third-place state finish in 1980, the best finish in program history. When the two schools reunited for the 1981-82 school year, Woodbury became the girls swimming coach, leading the Trevians to seven consecutive state titles from 1982-88.
He retired after that season, but took the reins again in 1997 for another five-year stint, and after three consecutive state runner-up finishes, won two more state titles in 2000 and 2001 before again stepping down. Onstott assumed the girls head coaching duties, but when he stepped down after the 2005 season, Woodbury returned for one final stint, completing it with titles in 2011 and 2012. His teams also finished second six times.
In 2009, the Illinois Swimming Association created the Bruce Woodbury Hall of Fame Award to recognize outstanding coaching of girls swimming in the state.
In 2019, Woodbury was among the inaugural class of inductees to the newly minted Athletic Department Hall of Honor. Additionally, the Illinois Swimming and Diving Association’s Girls Hall of Fame Award has been named in his honor. The award is given to an individual(s) who have promoted girls swimming in all levels through their leadership and achievements.
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