Peter is the coach both of the Patriot Masters Swim Team and the George Mason University collegiate swimming and diving team.  Peter started the GMU and Patriot Masters swim teams from the ground up beginning in 1998. His hard work and dedication are paying dividends for all the swimming programs at GMU.

In the first three years of the program, the Mason women went from last to first in the Conference and 29th in the country. They followed that up with four consecutive Conference titles. The men have moved up from last to second where they have finished for the past 4 years. Peter was named Colonial Athletic Association women’s Coach of the Year in 2002, both men’s and women’s Coach of the Year in 2003 and men’s Coach of the Year in 2005.

Peter has coached 25 All-American athletes, including three-time honoree Tom Koucheravy who earned it in both the 1,650 free and the 500 free at the 2006 and 2007 NCAA’s. Prior to Koucheravy, Lauren Stinnett (2001-02), became the first Mason Swimming and Diving athlete to attain the accolade. He has also coached a total of 55 CAA champions, 18 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champions, 12 Olympic Trial qualifiers, two Southeastern Conference title winners and one Southwest Conference champion.

Before arriving at Mason, Peter was the swimming head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). In three seasons there, he compiled a 30-2 women's record - including back-to-back undefeated seasons in 1995-96 (9-0) and 1996-97 (8-0) - and a 20-10 mark with the men. His benchmark season at IUP occurred in 1997-98, when the women's team finished seventh and the men's team finished 11th at the NCAA Division II meet. 
 
Peter began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of Arkansas. He worked as the assistant swim coach from 1991-95, and he was responsible for the distance and middle-distance swimmers. During his time there, three Razorback swimmers he coached won conference championships. 
 
As a competitive athlete, Peter was a four-year letter winner for Arkansas and the 1986-87 Razorback team captain, but his success wasn't limited to just the collegiate ranks.  A world-class swimmer, Peter was a member of the Canadian National Swimming Team from 1979-88. He placed seventh in the 200-meter butterfly at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles and was a silver medalist at the 1987 Pan American Games. He held the Canadian national record in the 200-meter butterfly from 1981-84 and was the Canadian champion in that event in 1981, 1984 and 1986. 
 
Peter Ward, who is a member of both the American Swimming Coaches Association and the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, has been involved with Special Olympics and also assisted with the Washington D.C.-area bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

Cheryl started coaching the Sunday Masters practices to give her husband one day a week away from the pool.  She now tries to get in the water 3 or 4 times a week believing that swimming is the ideal sport to keep her fit for life and looks forward to years of fruitful Masters competitions.

Like her husband, Cheryl is no stranger to the water.  She represented her native Canada in many International competitions including the 1982 World Championships, 1982 Commonwealth Games, 1983 Pan-Pacific Championships, 1987 World University Games and 1987 Pan American Games.  The highlight of her swimming career came in 1984 when she placed 5th in the 400 Free Relay at the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Cheryl graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.  While at Arkansas, she was a four-time All American and school record holder in the 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, 200 IM and 400 IM.

After graduation she wrote banking software for 6 years and is now an At-Home-Mom to 2 girls – Rebecca (12) and Rachel (10).