"As a parent, finding a knowledgeable coach who was dedicated to our swimmer's success both in and out of the water was of utmost importance. Too often, we see coaches placing all the importance on athletic success while not emphasizing academics. That's where Coach Kainer stood out; he not only cared about our student's athletic goals but also about his success in the classroom, allowing for schoolwork to come first in many instances. And when it comes to support in the water, Coach Kainer can be seen jumping up and down, celebrating the joys with each athlete while also comforting those athletes after races didn't necessarily go their way. Our son has had nothing but incredible things to say about his experience the past few years, and I, as a parent, cannot recommend Coach Kainer enough to parents and athletes looking for a place to succeed in the pool and in the classroom. "

"don’t fall for the sales tactics. The only positive thing I can say about this Coach is that he’s a good salesman. Unfortunately more than likely nothing will happen because the athletic department here also refuses to do anything about this Coach. The only way I’d recommend this program to anyone would be if he’s no longer coaching here. "

"Coach Kainer is not the type of coach every swimmer should want. I had multiple club coaches who developed athletes far better than anything I experienced here and coaches that meant more and did more for me than Coach Kainer ever will. Coach Kainer is very good at selling a big, beautiful vision during recruiting visits. You’re told you’ll grow, flourish, and be part of something special. The reality is very different. Many swimmers improve their freshman year because you are coming off of high school swimming. After that, progression often plateaus. The times used in recruiting pitches don’t reflect the broader pattern. Do your own research. Look at performance trajectories across four years, not just highlight improvements. Very very few swimmers get better under Coach Kainer. The “growing pains” of this program are severely understated. This program has become a team across the 4 years it has existed to where you can't trust your teammates, coaches, or captains as they are consistently talking behind others backs. Drama exist yes, but what this team has is like no other, and not in a good way and the coaches contribute to it rather than stopping it. Coach Kainer will lie to you and deceive you. He will never admit and will always create some other excuse but he is the reason this team will never have a strong foundation. He can have as of his "minions" attempt to ratio the 1 star reviews on here but the proof is in the pudding that this is a coach that is destined to fail you and your expectations. Do not come here. Do not come here thinking you will make a difference, do not come here after reading these comments and thinking that your experience will be different, do not come here just because Coach Kainer has sold you on the idea that you can do all these great things. The reality of almost everyone coming out of this program is that they are so excited to get away from Coach Kainer. Swimmers are graduating early to leave Coach Kainer but to also still have some dignity left. All I have learned from this program is that you should never fully trust people and that others will use their own ambitions against their own teammates. As a swimmer on the team you are expected to never voice concerns. By his mindset, you should never have something to complain about and if you do you should just leave and go to a different program. When concerns are raised, they are often reframed as negativity or personal weakness. The message is essentially: if you don’t like it, leave. Over time, that creates silence. People stop speaking up. Nobody on the team voices concerns because he threatens you if you do and has scared everyone even captains into speaking up. To say "do the work and everything will be great" is like an arrow in the foot to anyone that has played a sport ever. Coach Kainer himself also repeats that he wants you to not complain and just trust the process. But it is very hard to trust someone that has done nothing to gain your trust over all the years. Feedback is minimal. At meets and practices, race analysis is often reduced to “How did that feel?” without detailed breakdown or technical adjustment which if you know as a swimmer means that he didn't watch your race and just wants you to say something so he can add in some comment. I heard him multiple times at practice say one thing he probably heard from a social media video and then he would just tell everyone the same thing. There is little individualized coaching. Everyone is expected to fit the same mold rather than being coached according to their strengths and style. His personality towards the woman's team is so awkward. He gets so uncomfortable and has made disgusting gestures that really should have been reported to a higher up. For a coach that brags about that he knows what he is doing because he has been a coach for 15 years, the team shouldn't have this many issues. And that even goes with academic issues. The first 3 years of the program was littered with swimmers that Coach Kainer recruited based purely off of swim times and considered no high school academic parts. The team lost so many people because Coach Kainer, who you would think knew after 15 years how to recruit people for a team, was so time-wise hungry to just have fast people and instead made the team suffer with academics the first semester. After those people would be kicked off for academic reasons the team GPA would go back to normal, but it was almost consistently for 3 years 3-5 people being kicked off for academics which hurt the team so much. Coach Kainer prioritized swim times over long-term academic fit, which contributed to repeated academic eligibility issues in early years of the program. That instability affected team morale and continuity and he showed no remorse. For a coach who emphasizes how much experience and years in the profession he has, the number of persistent cultural and developmental issues is concerning. If you are a STEM major coming here, don't expect him to be flexible or to help you. He will complain and complain about your class schedule, your labs, clinical, and anything else that you need for your education but will do the bare minimum to help you. And if you go to someone else for help, he will say that you are breaking his triangle of trust, and that is an insane thing to say for someone that was a communication major and never had to take any challenging classes ever. Do not rely solely on social media or recruiting visits for this program or this coach. Speak privately with former athletes. The host, which are usually only freshman because they are so new at the time and haven't gone through all years, are required in the recruiting visits to only say good things. We are not allowed to be honest. Look at four-year improvement data. Make your decision based on evidence, not promises. Most importantly, understand that your experience is unlikely to be “different” simply because you believe you will work harder, go faster times or care more. Many athletes came in believing that and no carry the severe regret of that decision."

"Ive never regretted a decision more in my life than thinking there was any sincerity behind the absent promises Coach Cam delivered so effortlessly to get me to join his "program". There was little to no thought behind sets, practices called off regularly (only to be ridiculed for poor performance later), teammate cohesion was laughable and was far more like unfriendly and unhealthy competitiveness amongst teammates for recognition and relay placement, NO community outreach or involvement whatsoever, and if you were concerned about classwork and studying, these are never acceptable excuses for not performing up to coach's expectations. USI is an amazing school for nursing and known for it as well. Internships, clinicals and labs however are NOT acceptable excuses for missing practices or mandatory attendance at other teams' matches or games. I can also say that coach never once attended a practice I made up on my own time in an effort to offset practice missed by curriculum demands. My educational success was NEVER coach's priority. Stats in the pool and being able to compare himself to other coaches he deemed successful proved to be his main concern. Whether he was pretending to be interested in my education, chatting up my family with insincere banter, or trying to fit in with his athletes on an uncomfortable level, his motivations were clearly never that of an honest and genuine coach but rather purely self serving success on whatever level he can obtain at any cost to those around him. I REALLY wish I would have seen this coach's true colors a little quicker, and certainly not hung around and stuck it out as long as I did thinking 'its gotta get better". "

"Watched too many great athletes and families have all the hard work, effort, and emotional investment they put into helping Coach Cam "build an amazing program" be so seriously disappointed by his inability to provide even a positive environment for these athletes to function in. He was a sub par swimmer from Texas who's fiance stayed in Alaska rather than follow him to Evansville for this position if that says anything. Hes amazing at telling people exactly what they want to hear. Dont be fooled, his ego is the only thing hes building, not a positive swim culture for your child/athletes to succeed in and contribute to."

"Coach Kainer is one of the most caring, sensitive, and athlete-centered coaches I have ever seen. My club coach always made me feel like just another number, whereas Coach Kainer makes everyone feel like a valued, cared for member of the team. During my recruitment process, Coach Kainer sold me on being a part of something special: a new program, still in its developmental phase, and a team culture unlike any other I had encountered. During my time at USI, I believe I've been given just that. Being a part of a developing program has its growing pains, and sure, we've had a few, but for the most part, I have had the opportunity to develop as a whole person through this program. I've had continued improvements in my swimming, overcame many personal obstacles, and had access to the best academic services, all under the guidance of Coach Kainer. You can look at the stats all you want and see the following: athletes improving year after year, school records being broken continuously, and a team GPA that has increased each semester, but the real testament to the team Coach Kainer has developed at USI is shown on deck at each swim meet. It's in the constant support of my teammates, coaches, and parents; in the Talons we display before each race; and in the pride I feel for being a USI Screagle Swimmer."

"If youre getting paid to do a sport you love put your head down and listen to the coach whether you enjoy it or not. Under Kainer its not difficult to show up and get work done assuming your schedule works out. He has pretty good feedback and a great personality, just may be fast on the stopwatch at practice sometimes (maybe or maybe not on accident)"

"I'm easily motivated and enthusiastic about swimming and have always been till now. I'm a good student, a and enjoy challenges, a bit of an overachiever you could say. Coach Kainer totally sells his recruits on the idea they are joining this up and coming, fully resourced, high end and highly competitive D1 (just what student athletes like to hear!) program and he is giving you the opportunity and exclusivity to join at the ground level and be a part of something amazing. I'm a bit ashamed to admit it , but I completely fell for his hype and can only say to other student athletes who are talking with him, its just that, ALL TALK. What I got was a complete 180 once I joined Coach Kainer's program. After only one season with this coach, competitive swimming really lost or lacked all the things I loved about it. I knew college and competing in a new environment, new people, would all be a learning curve but most, if not all, of the resources I was told I would have access to were never present and never manifested. Coach Cam penalized swimmers that prioritized classes over his constantly changing practice schedule. I endured it first hand being an engineering major. He had a very passive aggressive response of demoting relay positions instead even if you had better times than teammates. The team's 'culture' was more of a culture shock where the rumor mill ran rampid, tumultuous intersquad relationships were the norm and Coach Cam did nothing to keep it to a minimum. It was harder competing against my own teammates on a daily basis to get acknowledgment from him rather than other schools. Fundamentals like technique, focus work, underwaters and stations hardly even happened and garbage yardage and sets like 200 Tuesdays were more than just Tuesdays (even if you were a sprinter who swam only 50s and 100s). He made me feel uncomfortable at times watching his interactions with his female swimmers and commonly heard him first-hand make inappropriate or derogatory comments about them with respect to weight, personal hygiene and even promiscuity. Team bonding was non-existent and when we were required to get together and support other sports within USI, the same people always got to leave early or were excused and I personally was penalized more than once and not allow to swim at a meet or travel when I was unable to get off work to attend something he made mandatory at the last minute. My parents on a number of occasions tried to get more involved and donate and not even a check could get an email, a thank you or text message response. I kept my head down and put up points thinking my swimming would earn his respect and solidify my place among teammates and it never did. I really hoped to have the type of student-athlete experience where I could make amazing memories and tell my kids stories about the awesome experiences having this opportunity gave me that they could some day look forward to but, this coach is definitely not D1 quality even if it is a 'newer' program with growing pains and establishing itself. I would NEVER trust this coach with my own child after what I experienced. The only amazing thing about it all has been his inability to fulfill promises and disappoint. For the longest time, he honestly had make believing that I was the only reason I was not having a good experience. Being a D1, NCAA, SEC etc student-athlete is idealized these days and there's a huge allure to saying you're part of such a program. Please take the time to look at the stats and experiences this coach had himself as a student athlete and it will be clear what he has to offer, NOTHING. You can throw out all kinds of statistics and pics of kids having amazing swims and crushing it on social media to make a program like this look even more appealing and sound great but its like putting lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig."

"Our son has always been easily motivated and enthusiastic about swimming since 3 years of age. He has always been a good student, a bit of an over achiever, and enjoys being challenged. We never could have imagined the complete 180 we witnessed when he joined Coach Kainer's program. After only one season, he had completely lost his excitement for the sport and competing and worse more, the bad habits he developed under Coach Kainer's 'watchful eye' both in the pool and classroom were just as damaging. Early on, we attempted to get involved and support USI's swim program where we were met with misinformation, delayed responses, and half-hearted apologies or excuses. At first, we assumed between a new college environment and new freedom, our son had just developed different interests outside the pool. However, after we started asking more questions, looking at stats and schedules, and speaking with other parents whose athletes were no longer swimming or their swimmer shared a lot of the same experiences and feelings as our son, we began to worry more. We learned coach oversaw practices rather than offering any instruction and did not challenge or better their abilities. Fundamentals like technique focus, underwaters and stations commonly fell to the wayside of garbage yardage and practices commonly cancelled or let out early in and off-season. He often interacted with his female swimmers a little too closely as well. There seemed to be a real aversion to investing time and energy in athletes individually like he insisted was so important to us in order to 'build relationships and bonds to support a healthy team culture'. Instead we watched meet after meet, coach's favorites getting guidance and encouragement and the remaining athletes pitted against one another competing not against other teams but against one another for his attention and praise. Teammates constantly requested study help to keep grades up without response. Excuses were commonly made for some student athletes and not others who found themselves in trouble academically and extra-curricularly on repeated occasions. Team bonding was non-existent. Worse more is that we have kept an eye on this program's progress and, as the school gains traction and numbers with more parents starstruck with the idea of their son or daughter being a D1 student-athlete, this coach continues with his fast talk, empty promises and more and more swimmers get recruited, have a good freshman season from all the hard work they put in to GET recruited to a good school and are forgotten about to the next set of shiny hopefuls that take their places. Do yourself and your child a favor and go with an established program. This coach is definitely one of those 'if it seems to be too good to be true', it is!"

"Just save yourself the frustration. If you loved the sport when you come in you’ll either leave injured, emotionally drained, frustrated, and have an extremely poor relationship with the sport. Frankly we’re all tired of hearing if you’re unhappy than hit the transfer portal. If you still love the sport DO NOT come here. "

"As a parent of an athlete who has been part of the University of Southern Indiana swim program for several years, I feel it’s time to share an honest perspective that might help other families make an informed decision. I had hoped to stay quiet and let the program “grow into itself,” but it’s become clear that the same issues keep resurfacing, not because the team is young, but because of how it’s being led. There’s a pattern of poor communication, inconsistent leadership, and lack of structure that has never improved despite repeated promises of change. The swimmers are given little direction and even less feedback. Most of the technical corrections or post-race analyses come from the athletes themselves, not the coaching staff. My child has spent countless hours watching race footage trying to figure out how to improve because the coaches either didn’t watch their races or offered no actionable feedback. What’s frustrating is that this isn’t about results. We understand that success takes time, especially for a newer D1 program. The real issue is the environment. There’s no sense of cohesion or shared purpose. Team meetings, events, or opportunities for bonding are treated like obligations, not opportunities to build unity. When the swimmers try to take initiative and lead from within, they’re often ignored or subtly criticized for “overstepping.” The culture feels emotionally draining. My child used to love swimming, now it’s become something they just “get through.” There’s a constant sense of walking on eggshells, never knowing what version of the coach is going to show up that day: dismissive, sarcastic, or disengaged. I’ve heard stories of him standing off to the side during meets, arms folded, saying nothing while swimmers are left confused or frustrated after races. That’s not coaching, that’s avoidance. Accountability is nonexistent. If something goes wrong, it’s always the athletes’ fault. When swimmers express concerns about training, communication, or mental fatigue, it’s brushed off as negativity or lack of “buy-in.” Yet, the same coach who demands accountability from his team has a program that’s reportedly $20,000 in DEBT and frequently cancels practices without explanation. The most disappointing part, though, is how little care or professionalism is shown toward the athletes as people. I’ve seen talented, motivated swimmers come into this program full of energy and potential, only to leave broken down and doubting themselves. There’s no encouragement, no trust, and no consistent standard of respect. As parents, we’re told to “trust the process,” but it’s hard to do that when the process doesn’t seem to exist. It’s even harder when the coaching staff fails to communicate with families or show appreciation for the time, travel, and financial support we provide. We’ve stood by through seasons of growing pains, but at this point, the lack of progress and professionalism can’t be ignored. The athletes at USI deserve far better leadership than what they’re getting right now. They need a coach who builds, not one who belittles, ignores, or deflects. Until that happens, I can’t in good faith recommend this program to any family looking for a healthy, supportive environment for their student-athlete."

"Coach Kainer has been a great coach during our swimmer’s time at USI. Starting a brand new program AND transitioning to D1 has it’s challenges, but Coach K. has shown great care, enthusiasm, and dedication to the program—working hard to create a strong, positive team culture and allowing the swimmers to create and contribute to that team legacy as well. He checks in with swimmers often and allows them opportunities to voice concerns, set their own goals, and to work together to have success as a swimmer, teammate, and a student. He wants to see the team have success and expects his swimmers to have that same team mindset. We have zero regrets that our swimmer chose USI! "

"I was really rooting for this coach to redeem himself at some point. Unfortunately, he fell short in EVERY department despite waiting multiple years/seasons 'coaching' our child and our diminished expectations. Factoring in this being a newer D1 program establishing itself, Coach Kainer lacks the know how, the desire and commitment and, most of all, the integrity for this school's program to be successful. He consistently plays favorites with his athletes and offers no apology or excuses for his behavior. In fact, he often remarks that he is 'in charge' and doesnt have to 'answer' to anyone for his decisions or conduct because he is the coach. He does not conduct himself progessionally in an effort to connect with his athletes. He openly mocks and remarks to his swimmers (in ALL environments and company) about his displeasure with their ability, their attitudes and even their physical appearances. Yes parents, I repeatedly heard remarks about both female and male swimmers being 'FAT', 'UGLY' and 'STUPID' season after season after season. What's more, this man is no 'looker' himself and has never put up times as a swimmer or results as a coach that give him any room to cast judgment or criticize. When it comes to day to day training, his swimmers would be better served by TikTok or Instagram sets from peers or semi-professional athletes in comparison to the effort and attention he offers. His knowledge of technique and skill is laughable, especially since he himself was a distance swimmer and/or backstroker depending on the context of the conversation. He cancels practices and team events on a regular basis despite not having any other job outside coaching or other obligations like children, family or hobbies. Exemplary behavior, hard work amd honesty are not recognized. When it comes to feam culture, he criticizes his swimmers for not getting along better or practicing positive team mentality and encouraging each other while he stands poolside, arms crossed, sulking his swimmers do not measure up against other conference teams. He regularly forgets or disregards education is one of the key components for these athletes being there unless he is being recognized for his swimmers having commendable GPAs. As a parent, he ESPECIALLY feels no need or desire to communicate with us, discourages our involvement with any team functions and is audibly ungrateful for donations, monetary or otherwise. As I'm sure most parents of swimmers have learned, we are part of a community and enjoy being involved and care deeply about not only our kids' performances in the pool but also each other. We have taught our kids that hard work, honesty, and integrity are key components to success not only in the pool but outside of it in life! Coach Kainer may claim these are fundamentals of his program but I am yet to see him practice or honor any of them. And while I'm sure it has crossed your mind once or twice already reading this review, 'why doesn't this parent just pull their kid from the team and quite complaining already'... I don't think you'd argue, swim parents are dedicated and after decades of being involved in any and all capacities year round, its easier said than done to just walk away. Our kids were raised swimming, from early ages and even earlier mornings practicing and competing, traveling and bonding year round, and eating, sleeping and breathing SWIM. We all realize that our kids will one day no longer compete an will hopefully continue the cycle with children of their own but, every component of this is lacking from Coach Kainer's program, especially for a D1 program. We really hoped he shared our passion for the sport and had our child's best interest at heart in the end. He did not and, I'd hate to see another parent AND swimmer suffer through this same process we endured and be left with as much disappointment as we have. "

"Cameron Kainer is not a good coach. He is misleading, disorganized, and does not live up to his promises. He appears to care about academics but does nothing to actually help anyone. He has poor communication when it comes to weekly schedules and meet itinerary. Coach Kainer blatantly displays favoritism with certain people and it is obvious who he does not like. If you are looking for a good program where you can grow I would not recommend this school."

"Coach Cam is great with his team members, very caring and dedicated to his team. He has created a family feeling among his team (men's and women's swim & dive) and has given great leadership to a brand new team at USI (only in its second year.) We are very happy to have him in this position!"