The swimming community mourns the passing of Kati McDermott, coach with Orinda Aquatics.
McDermott died on Feb. 20, 2025, at age 55, after a battle with cancer.
“Kati lived to coach, and had an innate ability to nurture young swimmers and to care about everyone. It was truly her soul’s work, and her life blood. In Kati’s world, it was not coach and athlete, it was family,” said Don Heidary, a fellow Orinda Aquatics coach.
The club announced her death with a tribute on Instagram, full of photos, moments and comforting words.
“Coach Kati lived a life that was rare. She loved her work with a deep passion and sought every day to help the team in any way possible,” the club posted. “Coaching and her precious young athletes were her life blood. She treasured her time with Orinda Aquatics, where she considered everyone a part of her family. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for each of them. She was incredibly proud of her Junior group and engaged them in ways few coaches do. Kati created an entry point for OA swimmers that was full of energy, nurturing, and love. This was again evident at our recent Neptune Invitational, as you could see the pride and excitement in her as she watched them compete and interact.
“Kati’s reach went much further than the Junior group, as she was very close to, and very instrumental in, the swimming lives of many of the senior group swimmers. Kati was the coach who championed Orinda Aquatics and encouraged young swimmers to make the move to the team. She believed in these swimmers and guided them to Orinda Aquatics, knowing it was the best place for them to thrive both as athletes and individuals.”
Prior to joining Orinda, she coached at Alto Swim Club (formerly Palo Alto Stanford), and was at Peak prior to that. She has been responsible for All-Star teams in PacSwim and has coached the NCS Championship Carondolet Swim Team. She developed a swim school and clinic for competitive swimmers while coaching in San Ramon, and was the Camp Director at Stanford Campus Recreation Association (SCRA), coaching the recreational swim team and teaching lessons to swimmers of all ages.
It is that legacy that the Orinda Aquatics family hopes will continue with the lessons learned from McDermott.
“Her spirit, strength, and unwavering passion for swimming will live on in all of us. Kati was LOVED by ALL, and her absence will be profoundly felt,” the post continued. “Kati, thank you for your love, dedication, and inspiration. We know you will always be looking over us. Our hearts and prayers are with the McDermott family and the entire Orinda Aquatics community.”
