Meet our Swim Instructors
Tier 2 Instructor, Group Instructor
Hometown: Louisville
Favorite hobbies? Going to the movies.
What is your favorite quote? If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.
What is your Favorite book/show/movie? Book: Hunger Games / Show: Naruto Shippuden / Movie: Star Wars Episode 3.
What advice do you have for anyone learning to swim? Keep trying. Everyone is on their own timeline.
Why did you get involved in swimming? I have a passion for working with children and teaching swim lessons is a great way to get involved!
How long have you been a swim instructor? 3 years!
What is your favorite thing about teaching swimming? Smiling Faces after achieving a skill!
Tier 2 Instructor, Group Instructor
Hometown: Scottsburg, Indiana
Favorite hobbies: photography, reading, creative writing
Favorite book/show/movie: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse, and Grey’s Anatomy
What advice do you have for anyone learning to swim? Please keep practicing!! Repetition and consistency help so much.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to work on their technique? YouTube videos are a great resource, people who competitively swim post technique videos all the time, and you can find any stroke you need to work on. Or you could ask a swimmer you know!
Why did you get involved in swimming? I joined the swim team in middle school because a big group of my friends were on it, and I eventually just fell in love with it. I did it from 6th grade up until senior year!
How long have you been a swim teacher? I’m coming up on two years in March 2023!
What is your favorite thing about teaching swimming? I love seeing progress! When I see them grasp something they’ve been struggling with, or overcome their fear, it makes me so excited for them. I love giving them the confidence to be able to do something they’re scared of. I’m one of their biggest cheerleaders, other than their grown-ups of course!
Tier 3 Instructor, Group Instructor
Hometown: Louisville, KY
Favorite hobbies? Working out, hanging with friends or binge watching a show
What is your favorite quote? “Without goals, training has no direction.” — Natalie Coughlin
What is your Favorite book/show/movie? Book: Not All Diamonds and Rosé: The Inside Story of The Real Housewives From the People Who Lived It / Show: Friends / Movie: Anything Marvel.
What advice do you have for anyone learning to swim? The more time in the water the easier it gets.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to work on their technique? Swimming is about being efficient. It is not about swimming the most strokes but swimming the most strokes efficiently.
Why did you get involved in swimming? I saw the swim team at JCC and wanted to be a part of it. I started at 5 years old and never stopped.
How long have you been a swim instructor? I have coached and taught swim lessons for 7 years but I swam competitively for 14 years and swam on scholarship in college
What is your favorite thing about teaching swimming? Seeing the joy a swimmer has when they finally accomplish their goal.
Tier 2 Instructor, Group Instructor
Hometown: Louisville Kentucky
Favorite hobbies: reading comics, watching movies, making movies, playing video games
What is your favorite quote? “Anyone can wear the mask”-Miles Morales in Spider-Man Into the Spiderverse
What is your Favorite book/show/movie? Favorite book: The Giver / Favorite show: Star Wars: The Clone Wars / Favorite movie: Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse
What advice do you have for anyone learning to swim? Just trust yourself and stay confident. Fear will always be the your biggest weakness.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to work on their technique? Just keep trying. Repetition and evaluation will always help.
Why did you get involved in swimming? I was never big on sports until I tried the swim team and I fell in love with it.
How long have you been a swim teacher? I’ve been a swim instructor for about 9 or 10 months now.
What is your favorite thing about teaching swimming? See the look in a child’s face when they figure out how to do something, it’s so nice to see them happy.
Meet our Aquatic Personal Trainers
Certifications: USA Swimming, Lifeguard Instructor, NSCA CSCS, and NSCA CPT, First Aid + CPR
Hometown: Erie, PA
Cats, cards, or I love all animals? All animals, but I own a hairless cat named Ava James!
Favorite hobbies? Swimming, Working Out, Being Outside, Traveling, and Eating Amazing Food
What is your favorite quote? Go Hard or Go Home
What is your favorite book/show/movie? Mulan
Do you have a role model? Yes, my Aunt Judy
What is your workout specialty? Interval or HIIT training
What advice do you give to a member that is just starting out with their water workout journey? Be patient – the calmer you are in the water environment, the better experience you’ll have.
What advice do you give water veterans? Switching things up a bit is good for everyone and a great stimulus for your body!
What is your favorite water exercise? I enjoy playing water polo!
Why did you get involved in aquatics? Because I wanted to be like my older brother and sister (who swam), so I joined the swim team too.
Hometown: Louisville, KY
Favorite hobbies: Freelance photography, fishing, boating, kayaking, hiking
What is your favorite quote? “Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman
What is your Favorite book/show/movie? Kill a Mockingbird/Classic TV/A Scent of a Woman
Why did you get involved in swimming? My family had the good fortune of moving next door to Woodhaven Country Club when I was 8 years old. My mother had five children, no car, and a swimming pool right across the street. Need I say more!
How long have you been a swim teacher? I have over twenty years of coaching experience with the Louisville Swim Association (LSA) focused on inclusion and integration of diverse populations with varying skill levels and abilities. As part of a holistic family approach to training my husband and I along with our two children often offered complimentary swim lessons to parents of our swimmers as both a safety measure and bonding opportunity.
What is your favorite thing about teaching swimming? The joy of watching someone master a new skill that opens a whole new world of adventure, fun and fitness.
What advice do you have for anyone learning to swim? Physically relax, be patient, and enjoy the water!
What advice do you have for someone who wants to work on their technique? Slow is smooth and smooth is fast!
Certifications: AEA Personal Training, Group Fitness and Hydro Pilates; Master of Arts in Teaching, Physical Education
Favorite hobbies? History, flower gardening, travel, hanging out with friends and exercise.
What is your workout specialty? I am passionate about teaching fundamentals and safety to beginners and teaching veterans how to improve and increase the efficiency of movements for higher-level training.
What advice do you give to a member that is just starting out with their water workout journey? Learn how to properly do movements and use equipment but most of all, what is safe for the body. The properties of water are very unique and if used correctly are an advantage that make for an awesome workout.
Why did you get involved in aquatics? I injured my knee playing tennis when I was 35 and had surgery. My physical therapist said all I could do during rehab was ride a bike or get in the water. I chose the latter and it changed my life.
Certifications: Aquatic Fitness Professional (AEA), Aquac Special Populations & Post Rehab Fitness Trainer, Personal Trainer (ACE), Corrective Exercise Specialist (ACE), Yoga (Yogafit), CPR/First Aid (AHA). Currently pursuing Cancer Exercise Specialist certification.
Hometown: Western Michigan
Cats, cards, or I love all animals? Absolutely love ALL animals!
Favorite hobbies? Photography, biking, boatng, swimming, hiking, gardening, & traveling.
What is your favorite quote? “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”
What is your favorite book? “Rage of Angels”, by Sidney Sheldon
What is your workout specialty? Anything water related, enjoy all types of water workouts.
What advice do you give to a member that is just starting out with their water workout journey? Give yourself time and credit when learning something new, especially fitness related. The hardest part of working out is following through with the commitment. Participating in a new group fitness class or seeking advice from a fitness professional is always a good way to begin a new exercise regimen.
What advice do you give water veterans? It’s never too late to learn something new.
What is your favorite water exercise? Anything in the water, I love all activities in the water.
Why did you get involved in aquatics? What began as a side job in college, turned into a life-long passion.