Coach Ed grew up in Astoria, Queens, New York, and learned how to swim at the Astoria Pool, site of the 1964 Olympic Trials, and in Barnegat Bay in Seaside Park, New Jersey. He attended Rice High School in Harlem, New York, where he lettered four years with the swim team.

   He married Elisa in June 1979. Together they have three children, Eddie III, Corey, and Christopher.

   Coach Ed began teaching swimming lessons as a lifeguard in the summer of 1965 at the New York City Parks Department pool located at East 23rd Street, and Asser Levy Place. In the fall of 1966 he started coaching as head coach of the Immaculate Conception School Girls' Swim Team, which won the Manhattan championships for the first time in April, 1967. The team grew steadily each year, adding the boys' team in 1969, and eventually became the Sandpiper Swim Team which he coached until his departure for Florida in 1992. During this time several Sandpipers reached Metropolitan Junior Olympic level and one, Rebecca Troutman, placed second in the New York State Age Group Championships held at Syracuse University, and placed first in the Metropolitan Association Junior Olympics.

     From 1969 to 1979 he was assistant coach at Badger Swim Club, Larchmont, N.Y., under his cousin, John Collins. While there, a young age group swimmer, Rick Carey was making a name for himself. Under John's tutelage Rick went on to win three gold medals in the Los Angeles Olympics. John coached four more swimmers: Lea Loveless Maurer [gold and bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics], Cristina Teuscher [gold in Atlanta and bronze in Australia], Jenny Thompson, and Paola Duguet, who competed for Columbia.

  Not just a successful swim coach, Ed was also a member of NYPD for 23 years. In October, 1968, he was appointed Police Officer with the New York City Police Department. In June, 1972, while working undercover, was promoted to Detective Third Grade, and as a result of his undercover activities with the Intelligence Division, was promoted to Detective First Grade in March, 1982. He continued coaching during his twenty-three years with the NYPD. Detective Collins's last assignment was as a lead detective with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

   Once in Florida Coach Ed dove right back into swimming, starting with entry level swimmers, but eventually was coaching several Florida Swimming Junior Olympic qualifiers. His swimmers have set Swim Florida as well as Cape Aquatics records, winning a number of gold medals at both Junior Olympic and Senior Champs. Swimmers in our program have attained National Top 16, Sectional, Southern Zone and Junior National times.

   Ed has been the head coach of the Cape team for about nine years.