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Meet the Coaches

Lead Staff

Steve Hennessy

Head Coach


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Steve joined our Coaching Staff again in 2000, as a part-time Assistant Coach (he coached the National Team in 1984-85).  He signed on full-time in 2001, as Age Group Head Coach and took on the administrative functions of the Staff.  Steve has over 33 years of coaching experience with developmental programs, USA Swimming Age Group & Senior programs, High School swimming, USA Masters swimming, and Triathlon training groups.  Steve was the founder and head coach of the Cruisers’ Club at Riverside Wellness & Fitness Center from 1986-1996 and 1998-2000. He has developed several nationally-ranked Top-16 swimmers, Junior National, Senior National qualifiers, and National Age Group record holders over the years; while the teams he coached were consistently in the top 5 of whatever state association they were affiliated. In 2003 and 2004, he was a coach for Virginia Swimming's Zone Team and in 2006, he was Co-Age Group Coach of the Year.  Steve has a BS in Business Administration and  a BA in History.  He is a former High School and Collegiate All-American and qualified for the 1972 US Olympic Trials.  Steve lives in Yorktown, with his wife, Sandy.

Brian Kupferer

Associate  Head Coach

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Brian joined our Coaching Staff in 2002 as Assistant Head Coach.  He has also been coaching USA Swimming teams since 1989, primarily in the St Louis area.  Brian has been a Head Coach and a Head Senior Coach with some of the most successful programs in Ozark Swimming.  His swimmers have earned numerous Top-16 national rankings, Junior National qualifying times, and have been finalists at the US Open.  Brian's teams have won several Region VIII titles, as well as Junior Nationals in 1999.  Brian is an ASCA Level 4 coach and has been a Program Director for Swim America.  He earned a BA in Sports Management from Lindenwood University.  Brian lives in Newport News with his wife, Maureen, and their son, Tyler.

Mark Van Deren

Head Age Group Coach

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Mark joined our coaching staff in 2009, as a part-time Assistant Coach. After a nation-wide search, he was selected for the role of Head Age Group Coach. Mark has over 10 years of successful coaching experience at the Age Group level. He was the Head Age Group Coach with Tide Swim Team in Virginia Beach from 2005 to 2008 and with Typhoon Aquatics in Newport News from 2001 to 2005. Mark’s swimmers have won at every level of competition, broken state records, achieved national rankings, and earned Swimmer of the Year honors. He holds a B.S. in Physical Education with a Sport Management emphasis from Old Dominion University where he was a member of the varsity swim team and a conference finalist. Mark is the owner of High Performance Swim Training, LLC, and spent 2 years as a teacher in the Newport News public school system. He now resides in Newport News with his wife, Emily, and their son, Jackson.

Jack Bierie

Head Senior Program
 Coach

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Jack joined our Coaching Staff in 2006, after coaching with Typhoon Aquatics.  As a competitive swimmer for 14 years, he achieved Top 16 national rankings, finaled at the National Championships, and participated in the 1984 Olympic Trials.  He went to high school in San Antonio, TX and attended the University of Tennessee.  He has coached for over 13 years, developing swimmers from developmental to senior level.  He has coached 4 swimmers who have qualified for the USA Swimming National Junior Team and  1 swimmer who participated in the 2007 FINA World Championships.  He enjoys mountain biking, surfing, off-road triathalons, and camping.  Jack, his wife Irene, and dogs Ceasar and Brutus live in Hampton.

Jihan Minson

Head
Developmental
Coach

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Jihan joined our Coaching Staff in 2006 after coaching with Typhoon Aquatics. As a child Jihan swam in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before swimming for the University of Rhode Island. She has coached USA Swimming and summer league teams since 1999. She is a ASCA Level 2 coach and a Swim America site supervisor. Jihan is also part of the office staff. She enjoys traveling, reading, and hiking. Jihan, her husband Craig, Hercules the Pug, and Samson the Sheltie live in Hampton.

Bobby Knowles

Lead Coach WM

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This is Coach Knowles second tenure with Coast Guard Blue Dolphins having coached with us from 1996 to 2001. Coach Knowles returned to Coast Guard in 2005.Bobby graduated from Clemson University with a BA in Education. He has been teaching for over 13 years and currently teaches 6th grade English in Williamsburg.Bobby has coached several summer league teams both in Maryland and Williamsburg since college.He began swimming for a local summer team and swam with RMSC in Rockville MD Coach Knowles lives in Williamsburg with his wife April and his two daughters Madeline and Lily.

Kevin Hennessy

Asst. Head Age Group Coach

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Kevin began swimming with the Blue Dolphins in 2000 and continued throughout college. He began coaching with the Blue Dolphins part time in 2008 before being brought on full time. Kevin has also been coaching summer league teams 2005. He just recently graduated from Wingate University with a BS in Environmental Biology and minor in psychology. While at school, Kevin was a member of the men’s swim team and was an All-Conference swimmer, NCAA Division II qualifier, and Academic All-American. Kevin lives in Yorktown with his dog Shea.


Part Time Staff

Kathryn Anderson Nicole Butt Jodi Clark
Dana Clay Austin Fiehler Lauren Fiskus
Cindy Marstellar Amy McMullen Merideth Para
Billy Price Jeff Scott Lisa Wylam


black ribbon                      Carl Warner                   black ribbon
Coach Carl Warner
March 23, 1957 - November 28, 2008
We Will Never Forget

REGISTRATION AND ACCOUNTS

Registration for the 2011-2012 season is now open!

Click below for access to the registration and account payment pages.   

Registration

 

MEET ENTRY DEADLINES                               

ODAC Age Group Meet (Cutoff: Jan. 20)
Closed!

SE District Champs (Cutoff: Feb. 5)

VA SC Senior Champs (Cutoff: Feb. 21)

NCSA Junior Nationals (Cutoff: March 5)