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Coaches

Coaching Staff

Mike Brady

Director & Head Coach

Mike Brady takes the reigns of TYDE after serving for a year in the same position with the Winston-Salem YMCA Swim Team. He joined WSY from Orlando, Florida, where he had spent the past two years coaching at Trinity Prep School, working with both the USA Swimming club and the high school team. During his time at Trinity Prep Aquatics, the club placed one athlete on the US World Championship Team for the 2008 FINA Short Course World Championships and produced five 2008 US Olympic Trials qualifiers. Coach Brady has a long history of success with YMCA swimming beginning with his own swimming career. A native of Saginaw, Michigan, he was a member of both the Saginaw YMCA Sharks and the Bay Area YMCA Swimmers in his youth. While in college at Western Michigan University, his passion for aquatics lead him to work for the Kalamazoo County Family YMCA as an instructor and lifeguard. Most recently, Mike served the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids as their Head Coach and Aquatics Director for five years. Through his tenure there with the Rapids Area YMCA Swimmers, the club boasted five YMCA National Champions, 179 YMCA All American performances and multiple YMCA national top 16 rankings. Coach Brady also earned his ASCA Level 5 certification in the YMCA category from the American Swim Coaches Association, putting him in the top 2-5% of all coaches in the USA.

Robin Jacobs

Associate Head Coach

Robin Jacobs joins TYDE having been with WSY for the past twenty seven years. She came to WSY from Pittsburgh, PA. During the past 32 years, she has coached at the club, (Mt Lebanon Aqua Club, Upper St Clair Swim Club), high school, (Peter’s Twp High School, Mt Lebanon High School) and college, (Washington & Jefferson College), levels with extensive work with the 12&under age groups. Post-graduate study in Exercise Physiology and Sport Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh enables Robin to help each swimmer develop to the best of his or her ability. Robin has served as a coach for four Eastern Zone All-Star Teams, the National Age Group Camp and the North Carolina Select Team. She has coached numerous state and nationally ranked swimmers and was named North Carolina Age Group Coach of the Year for 1995, 1997 and 2008.

Marie Helms

Head Age Group Coach

Marie Helms started swimming competitively at age 6 for the USS Team in her home town of Minot, North Dakota. She was a distance freestyler and held many ND State and High School records. She also received the North Dakota High School Athlete of the Year award in 1998. Marie attended many national meets throughout Junior High and High School including YMCA National’s in Ft. Lauderdale Florida, Junior Nationals and Senior Nationals in San Antonio Texas. After High School, Marie received a scholarship to swim at the University of North Dakota, where she focused on middle distance and became an NCAA Division II National Champion, as well as a 13 Time All-American. During her summers in College, She assisted in running the North Dakota USS age group swim camp held at the University of North Dakota where she worked with swimmers ages 5-14 from all over the country. Marie graduated with a Criminal Justice Degree in 2002 as an Academic All American, and became a Police Officer for the City of Charlotte, NC in 2003. Marie and her husband relocated to Advance, NC in 2007 where she took a position as the Aquatic Director with the West Forsyth YMCA. She coached the West Forsyth Wahoo swim team in 2007-2008 and is excited to be back in the competitive swimming world.

John Ravestein

Head Senior Coach

John Ravestein begins his career at TYDE after spending a year with WSY and two seasons coaching at Saint Francis University. As the assistant coach at Saint Francis University, the team finished with a record of 17-6. This past year SFU finished 2nd at the Northeast Conference Championship, which was the best result in school history. While at Saint Francis, John was also the head satellite coach for GJY (Greater Johnstown YMCA). Coach Ravestein had a standout swimming career at Wilmington College (Ohio). He was a four time All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree and a four-time CSCAA All-Academic Team member. While swimming for the Quakers, John set six school records, including three individual and three relays. He also served as team captain in 2005-2006. In addition to his duties with the swim team and in the classroom, he helped coach the Wilmington High School swim team from 2003-04. Coach Ravestein, who was a member of the Wilmington Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, was also a Quaker Award Winner, which recognizes an athlete who displays great leadership, motivation, dedication, and excels in the classroom and in the pool. John also received his Masters in Educational Leadership at Saint Francis.

Mary Young

Head National Team Coach

Mary Young enters TYDE after four years coaching Level 5, the first WSY Senior group. After an 8 year career with Bidermann Industries in Paris, France and NYC, culminating as Vice President of Administrative Operations for YSL Menswear, Mary spent a few years raising 3 children and serving as bookkeeper for her husband’s medical practice in Eden, NC. She was later drafted as a volunteer coach for the Towson YMCA (MD) team, her ‘alma mater’, where she swam and attended YMCA Nationals. She then became a member of the Towson YMCA coaching staff, working primarily with 10&unders from 1992-1995. Moving to Greensboro in 1995, Mary became the Guilford College site coach and Hytek administrator for the Greensboro Community YMCA swim team until 1998, when she was promoted to Head Coach. During her stint at GCY, she had several NCS state champions, numerous YMCA National qualifiers, began the GCY Masters Team, served as Secretary & VP of GYSSA, was the Outreach Chair of the Community Swim Association, as well as coached a summer league team and the Northwest Guilford High School swim team. Mary joined the WSY Swim Team in May 2005, working with 13&over swimmers, helping them to become mature, self reliant team members and achieving YMCA National time standards.

Tom Slack

Head Satellite Coach

Tom Slack comes to TYDE after coaching the Lexington satellite of WSY since it’s inception in 1984. Prior to joining the WSY coaching staff, he coached in Pittsburgh for the Greater Pittsburgh Swim Club and the Jewish Community Center Sailfish, giving him a total of 34 years of experience! Tom also works with the William G. White, Jr. Family YMCA’s masters’ group. Tom has extensive knowledge of stroke mechanics and a fine ability to impart this knowledge to his swimmers. Tom has had the honor of being chosen as a coach for two Eastern Zone All-Star teams and has coached many state and nationally ranked swimmers. Tom’s also enjoys golf and Disney.

Leann Day

Administrative Assistant

Bill Albert

Wilkes YMCA Site Coach

Scott Dunn

National Team Coach

Scott Dunn enters his first year as a volunteer assistant swim coach for TYDE at the Kernersville site with the Elite Team. He was a volunteer assistant with Bishop McGunniess High School last year and will return in that capacity this year. He also swam collegiately at Clemson University. Coach Dunn served as Head Swim Coach for 8 years at the Y-Spartaquatics Swim Club in South Carolina (Spartanburg, SC YMCA), where he produced over 10 NCAA Division I Swimmers, 20 YMCA All-Americans, coached 30 Individual National Championships, and his team was the defending Short Course State Champions during his entire tenure. One of his swimmers represented the USA as a member of the World University Games and the Pan American Games. He also coached two YMCA Women's Team National Champions, was selected South Carolina Swimming Coach of the Year, and YMCA Long Course National Coach of the Year by a vote of his peers. Coach Scott was selected to be the Head Coach for an YMCA All-Star Team that went to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Scott has attained Level 5 with ASCA (American Swim Coaches Association) and coached at the high school level in South Carolina, where his Alma Mater were State Champions every year that he was involved. Coach Scott started his swimming career at Knollcrest Swim Club in High Point, where he swam and later coached the summer swim team in Greenville’s’ SAIL summer swim league.

Leshia Ferrell

Wilkes YMCA Site Coach

Leshia Ferrell started swimming at age 8 and was hooked for 20 years (including adult swim team, aka Masters Swim). She held NC State Finals record in Backstroke in 1988 and 1989, qualifying and competing in 1989 in the Junior Olympics. She has coached for over 10 years, including coaching in 1994 and 1995 at the Junior Olympics. Leshia is dedicated to make each TYDE swimmer’s experience one of growth and accomplishment, striving to make the TYDE swim team a community success.

Alan Gaudet

Jerry Long YMCA Site Coach

Jen Giles

National Prep Coach

Jen Giles begins coaching with TYDE having joined the WSY coaching staff in May of 2008. Before her career at WSY, she spent 8 years as the head swim coach at Old Town Civic Club. While at Old Town, she helped coach her team to their first consecutive winning seasons in years. Jen began her swimming career as a four year old at Old Town. In addition to swimming for Old Town, she also swam for the WSY and was able to make her JO cuts by the age of 10. She tried to balance basketball and swimming throughout her high school days, but focused more on basketball during those days. However, she did get back into swimming when she went to Appalachian State, and joined their club swim team. In addition to helping coach the swim team, Jen is a third grade teacher at Walkertown Elementary. She has a passion for helping kids succeed both on and off of the pool deck.

Rob Goodwin

Support Coach

Rob Goodwin joins TYDE with a long history of success in USA Swimming, North Carolina Swimming and our former WSY program! His resume speaks for itself. From 1980-1985, Rob was the Head Age Group Coach of Mecklenburg Aquatics Club, which produced numerous USAS Top 16 age group swimmers, two national age group records and five junior national qualifiers. He also played an instrumental role in MAC’s first four North Carolina age group state championships. From 1985-2007, Coach Goodwin took on the role of Head Coach for the Winston Salem YMCA Swim Team. During this time, he produced numerous YMCA national champions, culminating in back to back Women’s YMCA National Team Championships in 2000 and 2001. Rob also served as an assistant coach to the 1998 Pan Am Games Team, coaching a development camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Coach Rob also developed WSY swimmers to the Olympic Trials level every year since 1992. He won the NC Swimming Frankie Bell Coach of the Year award in 1996. Coach Rob will be assisting our staff on a part time basis, working primarily with video services and stroke development as well as serving as a substitute coach.

Desiree' Knight

William G. White, Jr. YMCA Site Coach

Desiree’ Knight comes to us from Rome, Georgia, where she swam for the Three Rivers Swim Club for seven years, as well as her middle school and high school swim teams. Prior to her swimming career, she was a gymnast for eight years until an injury opened the door to swimming. Desiree’ swam freestyle and backstroke. The highlight of her career was competing in the Georgia state championships. She currently attends and swims for Salem College, majoring in accounting with minors in economics and college honors. In her spare time, Desiree’ also works as a nanny for Wake Forest Alums and in the Salem College Admissions office.

Jessica McGinley

Davie YMCA Site Coach

Jessica McGinley started swimming when she was 8 for Clemmons West Aqua Demons Summer League. She later joined WSY and also swam for her high school team at West Forsyth, where she was lucky enough to swim 3 practices a day! She first started coaching at the West Forsyth YMCA for the Wahoos. Not long after, Jessica became the assistant coach for Level 3 for WSY and then moved on to coach Level 2. After moving to Davie County, she started coaching at the Davie YMCA for the Davie Gators, which eventually turned into the Davie Flippers, and finally ended up coaching for TYDE!

Ryan Michel

Support Coach

Ryan Michel graduated from Cabrillo High School in Lompoc, CA where he played water polo and was a tri-athlete. While finishing his undergraduate degree at Wake Forest University, he was an assistant WSY coach at the Central Branch for 2 seasons. Ryan then took on the role of head WSY satellite coach at the West Forsyth Branch for an additional two seasons while finishing his graduate degree at that same university. Coach Michel was the head varsity swim coach at R.J. Reynolds High School for 8 seasons and is currently in his 5th season as the head varsity swim coach at Reagan High School where he also teaches chemistry. Ryan has been married to his wife, Kathryn, for 11 years. They have two sons, Simon, 7 and Samuel, 3 months.

Jo Portis

Kernersville YMCA Site Coach

Jo Portis started swimming at age 11 with the Yadkin County Swim Team and later began swimming for WSY from age 12 to 16. While she swam for Forbush High School, she qualified for the NCHSAA State Championships all four years. Jo graduated from Forbush in 2005 and became the Head Coach of Jonestown Swim Team the following summer, where she has coached the past three years. She swam for Greensboro College for two years during the 2005-2007 seasons and coached for Star Aquatics from April-July of 2007. Jo then came to WSY in August of 2007 where she served as the head site coach at the West Forsyth Family YMCA site. She graduated from Greensboro College in the spring of 2009 with a Bachelors Degree of Sciences in Art Education and currently teaches art in the Winston-Salem School District.

Sarah Portis

Kernersville YMCA Site Coach

Sarah Portis began her coaching career as a WSY assistant coach at the West Forsyth Family YMCA site working with Levels 1-3. She first came to WSY in 1999 as a swimmer in Level 2 at the former Central Family YMCA under Coach Robin Jacobs. Sarah continued her swim career for seven years at WSY. She also competed on the Forbush High School swim team, where she was an All Conference Swimmer and MVP for three years. Sarah also swam in the NCHSAA State Championship all four years. She graduated from Forbush High School in 2007 and has since been attending High Point University majoring in Exercise Science. Sarah has hopes of going to Graduate School for Physical Therapy in the future.

Joy Prim

Yadkin YMCA Site Coach

Joy Prim started swimming at age 8 for the Elkin Swim Team, now Elkin Wet Lightning and later with the Yadkin County Stingrays under her father Coach Oz Prim. She swam all four years at Forbush High School and was a four year NCHSAA state qualifier. She graduated from Forbush in 2005 and became an assistant for the ever-growing Elkin Wet Lightning that summer and has assisted there for the past 5 years. In the summer of 2007, she took over the reins for the Yadkin County Stingrays and has been the Co-Head Coach for the Stingrays for the past three years. She attended Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, NC where she was a four year Varsity Swim Team member for the Lady Falcons and MVP of her senior season. Joy graduated from Pfeiffer in May 2009 and is now attending Graduate school back at Pfeiffer to obtain her Masters in Christian Education. This is Joy’s first season coaching with TYDE.

Oz Prim

Yadkin YMCA Site Coach

Oz Prim started coaching WSY under the first head coach Jim Richardson. He has coached at many different levels, from beginning swimmer to national level, through the years across the state of North Carolina. Now in his first year with TYDE, Coach Oz coaches at the Yadkin Family YMCA back in his hometown. He also teaches History at Surry Community College while coaching the high school teams at both Starmount High School and Elkin High School during the winter and the Elkin Wet Lightning Swim Team during the summer. Oz also enjoys hiking and learning something new daily.

Megan Sayles

Fulton YMCA Site Coach

Steve Stretmater

Stokes YMCA Site Coach

Steve began swimming at the age of 7 for Adelphi swim team in Montgomery County, Maryland. He swam for 9 years and then continued swimming in high school for Mount Saint Joseph’s in Baltimore, MD. Steve also swam for the YMCA masters at the Upper Montgomery County YMCA for 2 years. After retiring from the Federal Government, he moved to Pinnacle, NC where he lives with his dog Danza.

Sandy Thomerson

Jerry Long YMCA Site Coach

Sandy Thomerson started swimming competitively at age 7 for the Greensburg YMCA and then Scottdale YMCA, both in Pennsylvania. She went on to swim for Greater Latrobe High School where she qualified for WPIAL’s for 3 years. Sandy received a swimming scholarship to Fairmont State University where she qualified for Nationals and made NAIA All American in the 200 & 400 IM and the 200 Breaststroke. She then took a position as the Assistant Coach at Fairmont State while finishing up with her Bachelors in Mathematics degree after her college eligibility was up. A 13 year break from the sport has given her the drive to return. She is the Aquatic Coordinator at the Jerry Long YMCA along with coaching TYDE.

Paul Trivette

Support Coach

Aileen Visser

Davie YMCA Site Coach

Aileen Visser has been coaching at the Davie YMCA for the past 3 years but that is not where her career in aquatics began. Prior to coaching, Aileen was also a lifeguard and swim lesson instructor and is currently the Aquatics Coordinator at the Davie YMCA. Coach Visser is a member of Masters Swimming and on the Triathlete Team. Aileen is a wife and mother of two and has an Associate Degree is Criminal Justice.

MaryJane Wolfe

William G. White, Jr. YMCA Site Coach

Mary Jane Sticklen Wolfe has been around water her entire life. Through competitive swimming, swimming instruction, life guarding, waterfront staff positions at camps, coaching, etc., she has developed a real passion for the world of swimming. She has assisted on high school teams such as Watauga, Westchester Academy, and RJR. Mary Jane has also taught high school English, home schooled her own children, worked with Headstart in the mountains, assisted with students on Outward Bound trips, worked as a resource teacher for special needs, completed her first triathlon, served on a mountaineering staff, sponsored a poetry club, and taught Sunday school for K-2nd grade boys, just to mention a few. She loves to read, run, swim, garden, hike, write, listen to music, and play in the snow. Mary Jane is a Canadian from New Brunswick but has spent most of her life in the United States. She has been married to her husband, Daniel, for 17 years. They moved here from the North Carolina Mountains eight years ago to make Winston Salem their new home. They have 2 children, Danielle and Edward, who love to swim.