What inspired you to be a coach?
I love the sport of swimming and have a deep passion for teaching. Pete Raykovich, formerly Indian Valley Aquatic Club and currently DACA, is the reason I am coaching today. He hired me when I graduated from high school and mentored me as a coach. He changed the course of my life and I will be forever grateful to him.

How long have you been coaching?
I’ve been coaching for over 25 years.

Can you share a bit of your background in the sport?
I started club swimming when I was 9 in Novato and moved to Marin Aquatic Club a few years later. I was a natural breaststroker and swam through college at SFSU where I majored in Physical Education and minored in Coaching

What is your coaching philosophy?
Technique, Technique, Technique! Teaching the principles of technique to swimmers so they understand the why and how of stroke technique is very important. Building a base of training and technique that is appropriate to the swimmers age, physical and emotional maturation is also critical to success. I think it is our responsibility as youth coaches to find out what our swimmers goals are and teach them how to work towards achieving those goals. It is so much fun to see a swimmer have success regardless of how fast they go or where they are ranked.

What is your role in a young person's life?
To help kids recognize their inner strength and find confidence in themselves through dedication, hard work, compassion and humor. I think coaches are in a unique position to be positive mentors with young people and help guide them as they mature. Supporting parents is also a very important role as a coach. When a swimmer complains about their parents or teacher I try to help them understand where they are coming from and problem-solve for a solution. Basically our role is to teach them how to navigate through life.

Can you speak to a rewarding experience you have had in coaching?
There have been so many different rewarding experiences, watching kids develop into confident, well rounded swimmers who love the sport, supporting families through good times and difficult times, getting kids to feel satisfaction and pride in working harder than they ever thought they could, having that light bulb moment when they master a piece of stroke technique. It is of course super fun to get kids to go fast, especially in a stroke that may not be their best stroke, to have great walls and finishes, to put it all together into a great race.

What does success mean to you?
Success to me is when a swimmer loves the sport, learns how to set and work towards goals, has fun and is a good person.

What is your favorite Petaluma restaurant?
Cucina Paradiso, Central Market and Brewsters.

How have you seen Petaluma change over the years?
It has gone from a small town on the edge of Sonoma and Marin to a tourist destination for world travel. Some of the biggest changes I’ve seen is the development of the downtown area into a vibrant, thriving dining, nightlife, shopping and water activity spot while maintaining its small town feel. We celebrate our farming/ranch history with the Butter & Egg Parade.