Coach Brower is now an assistant head coach as he stepped down from the head coaching position after the ’15 season. He became head swimming coach for the Aquabombers in the 1988-1989 season. After finishing 3rd in the state meet in his first year at the helm, Brower led St. Xavier to 5 straight state titles. Following his 6th season, Coach Brower took a break from coaching to spend time with his family. Brower returned as head coach, picking up where he left off and leading the Bombers to 9 straight state titles from the '98-'99 season through the '06-‘07 season and another seven ’09 –‘15. Besides amassing 28 state titles in 31 years as a coach, Brower also saw the team garner recognition from Swimming World Magazine in 1992, 2001, and 2017 when they were named National Champions. His resume also reflects swim NISCA titles (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 207, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). Among over 140 swimmers who have gone on to be high school all-Americans and/or swim at the collegiate level, Brower has coached 2 National High School Swimmers of the Year in Olympic-gold-medalist Joe Hudepohl ('92) and NCAA Champion Jayme Cramer ('01).
Coach Brower has been honored for his remarkable success by being named National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year (2004), Ohio Coach of the Year (1990, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013), as well as GCL, Southwest District and Cincinnati Coach of the Year multiple times. He stands first all time for men’s Ohio State Championships for all sports. In 2015, Brower was inducted into the Buddy LaRosa’s Sports Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was presented with the Jose Cerda’ Foundation award for his contributions to aquatics and in 2019 he entered the Ohio High School State Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame. St. Xavier welcomed Jim into the Bomber Hall of Fame in 2021.
Brower grew up in Canton, Ohio, where he swam for Glenoak High School and was the 100 Breaststroke state champion in 1982. He went on to swim at the University of Cincinnati (under assistant coaches Tom & Debbie Keefe), where he earned his BA in Education as well as his MBA. He has coached at Montgomery Swim Club, Sycamore Flying Fish, and the Cincinnati Marlins.
Aside from his swimming duties, Brower is in his 37th year of teaching in St. Xavier's math department (second in tenure at St. X), instructing in courses ranging from Algebra 2 to Calculus, and was an assistant coach for the golf team for five seasons. This past fall, he was an important addition to the Water Polo staff. His school activities have also included Math Club, Kairos and faculty representation positions. Jim is the proud father of son Andrew (’12).
