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Coaching Staff
COACHING CAREER (1993 - present): includes the following coaching positions; Masters Coach for Sundevil Aquatics, Head Masters Coach, Phoenix Swim Club / Brophy Prep., Interim Head Coach, Phoenix Swim Club, Assistant Age Group Coach, Phoenix Swim Club, Head Age Group Coach, Las Vegas Gold, Head Water Polo Coach, David Douglas High School (Portland, Or). SWIMMING EXPERIENCE INCLUDES: US National team member, 1984-1992, 3-Time Olympic trial finalist, 1984, 1988,1992 (200-400 IND. MED., 200 FLY). His international competition experience includes the Goodwill Games, Moscow Russia, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, Spain, and Australia. He was the US National Team Captain for the World University Games. He was a National Champion in 1984, 1985 (400 IND. MED.), NCAA Finalist Silver Medalist, 1986, 1987, 1988 (200-400 I.M., 200 FLY). EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, 1985-1989 (EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY, GENERAL BUSINESS). Achievements and Involvement:
Ryan Kent is currently the Head Age Group Coach for the Westside Silver Fins. Ryan began his coaching career as Head Coach for the Goodyear Sharks recreational swim team in the summer of 2000. In only a few short years, Coach Ryan, with the assistance of Coach Melissa, grew the Goodyear Sharks from 97 to 340+ swimmers and captured three consecutive Mar-West Championship titles before transitioning the team to their new coaching staff in the summer of 2005. Ryan started coaching for the Westside Silver Fins in August of 2003. Since then, he has had the opportunity to coach numerous State top-5 finalists, Far-Western top-5 finalists, and Sectional swimmers. Ryan is extremely dedicated to the success of his swimmers and feels they respond to his dedication with enthusiasm and lots of hard work. Ryan believes that 'perfect practice makes perfect' and success in swimming is attributed to consistently applying good technique training. Ryan also feels that if his swimmers can see regular progress in workout sessions and if they are frequently placed in race-type scenarios that they will be much more confident when they step up on the blocks in a meet situation. Coach Ryan has a contagious passion for the sport of swimming which can be observed on a daily basis by his swimmers and colleagues. Ryan swam for the Goodyear Sharks as a youngster and later for the West Valley Aquatics Club (WSF), Glendale Gauchos and Agua Fria High School
Erin Shields serves as the Team Administrator for the YMCA Westside Silver Fins. Erin started as the head coach of a summer recreational team in Stockton, CA in 1999 and continued coaching recreational and high school swimming through college. After moving to Arizona in 2005, Erin joined the YMCA Westside Silver Fins as an assistant age group coach and ultimately moved over to the "dry side" of the team to assume the administrative and financial responsibilities that have come with the growth of the team. Erin also serves as Meet Director for the 8-12 home meets that the YMCA Westside Silver Fins host each year and was elected to serve as secretary on the Arizona Swimming Board of Directors for the 2010-2012 term. COACH - Reed Ziegler Coach Reed, the Silver Fins' newest addition to their coaching staff, swam competitively for 10 years in his home state of Minnesota where he was a multi time: state champion, top 16 national award recipient, and All American swimmer. He primarily excelled in breaststroke, but later expanded his talents in the IM and sprint freestyle events. He has coached for 6 years, 2 years with the Kingman Dolphins swim team, 4 years with the Flagstaff Snow Sharks, and 2 years with the Flagstaff High School swim team. He has coached several state champion and finalist swimmers. COACH - Brian Zabel Hi. My name is Brian Zabel. I grew up in Seattle, WA and spent 13 years swimming for the South Snohomish County Dolphins, starting at the age of 5. My favorite events have always been the butterfly, especially the 200 fly. Here's a quick story about why. When I was just starting in swimming, my family was in Southern California and my parents signed up my older brother and I for a swim camp. A swimmer by the name of Mark Spitz was helping out at the clinic and to make a long story short, Mark actually taught me how to swim the butterfly. Now, is it any wonder why I like fly so much? I still get in the pool from time to time and still love it every time I jump in. One of the great things about the sport of swimming is that it is a lifetime sport. I hope that being a member of the Silverfins is only the start of a lifetime of swimming for our team members. I'm one of the newest members of the Silverfins and very excited to be working with all of our swimmers and coaches. I moved to Goodyear, AZ about 2 ½ years ago with my wife, Amy, and our two children, Jack and Emma. We absolutely love it here and I'm thrilled to live, work and coach right here in Goodyear. COACH - Kristina Campbell Hi, my name is Kristina Campbell. I am 22 years old and I got married 3 months ago. I am a full time student seeking my degree in Tourism and Recreation Management, and I am the Aquatics Coordinator here at the Southwest Valley Regional YMCA. I have worked here for a little over 3 years and have had the opportunity to not only watch this facility grow, but I've been able to watch the YMCA Westside Silver Fins grow, as well. I recently began assisting in coaching the Black Group. Having the swimming background and experience that I have, I feel like I can be a strong asset to this team. I grew up in competitive swimming from 5 yrs old through High School. I was also a part of the Westside Silver Fins for a little over 3 years, when their home pool was at the Litchfield Park Rec Center. Being on this team helped teach me a lot about what completive swimming is, how to keep your body healthy and hydrated in order to do your personal best for both practices and meets and also a lot about teamwork. I hope to put some of these things into coaching and hope everyone can learn and gain something from each and every one of us. COACH - Cindy Mooney I would like to introduce myself to the Westside Silver Fins. I am Coach Cindy and I have recently relocated from Colorado Springs, CO to be near my mom as she ventures further into her 80's and beyond. I enjoy playing golf and share as much time as I can with my nine grandchildren. I was a competitive swimmer in the Northwest for nine years. I had the privilege of competing from Canada to California and reaching my goals of being a state high school champion, qualifying for the Indoor National Swimming Championships, and again qualifying and competing in the Outdoor National Swimming Championships. My love of swimming and past experiences of competition and coaching have once again brought me back to the wonderful sport of swimming. For the past 2 ½ years I was an assistant coach for the Colorado Torpedoes. My focus is on introducing and developing proper breathing, kicking, and stroke technique to our young and/ or new swimmers. You will see me most often in the water with the kids so that there can be hands on instruction. I encourage you as parents to ask me questions, whether it is about your child, my techniques, or anything else. My goal is to give your child self confidence, a taste of being a competitive swimmer, and the opportunity to enjoy the water for the rest of their life. COACH - Samantha Ely Hi, my name is Samantha Ely. I was born and raised here in Goodyear and it was here at the YMCA that I met my husband who I have now been married to for over a year. I have been around swimming my whole life. Both of my sisters and I have been swimmers since we were kids and now we are all swim coaches as well. I started swimming at the age of 6 with the Goodyear team and later with the Agua Fria swim team, earning varsity letter all four years. Outside of my own swim career, I've assisted in coaching for both the Goodyear and Glendale recreational teams, as well as the Agua Fria team and have also been a swim instructor for over 7 years. Coach Reed has such passion and respect for swimming, and considers himself a lifelong student of the sport. He believes in focusing on technical aspects of all strokes, and in doing so feels that he gives swimmers all the tools they need to expand their limits as athletes. He believes that swimming success is equally dependent on mental and physical toughness, and therefore focuses on developing each of those components. He has a special understanding of all aspects of breaststroke as well as starts and turns. He is excited to contribute his knowledge and skills to developing the athletes in his new swim family. Currently he is assisting Coach Matt with Senior I Group, and is heading up the Senior II Group as well as a section of the Black Group. COACH - Hannah Hier Hello! My name is Hannah Hier, and I am the new Black Group swim coach! Being one of the first swimmers to join Westside Silver Fins at the age of five, I swam for the team competitively for thirteen years until I stopped after my senior year in high school. I traveled many times with the team for regular Q+, Far Western, and Sectional meets. Swimming for the Silver Fins was one of the best experiences in my life. I also swam four years on the Varsity swim team at Millennium High school. I hold the record in the 100 yard butterfly, and share the team record in the 200 medley relay. I was one of the captains on the team, an All American swimmer, and an eight time state finalist for high school swimming. I love to swim and teach kids how to perfect their strokes so I am very excited to have joined the Silver Fins coaching staff! COACH - Megan Gordon Coach Megan was a competitive swimmer for ten years, completing her career at the University of South Dakota in 2008. Megan is a seven-time Division-II All American swimmer who specialized in backstroke. She has been a coach with the Silver Fins since the fall of 2008, working with the black group. Now she primarily coaches the Senior II team. For Megan, swimming is a family tradition. She followed in the footsteps of her dad, his five brothers and sisters, and her older sister. Growing up in a small town in northern Minnesota, she never had an opportunity to swim year round like the Silver Fins. Megan thinks of competitive swimming as a lifelong sport and is grateful to impact swimmers, even if just in a small way, on the Silver Fins team. |
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