TIDE is very proud of its Swim School staff. Each instructor joins us with a unique ability to connect with children and a core knowledge of our sport. In addition to a background in competitive swimming, all Tide Swim School instructors go through a rigorous certification procedure that includes not only all customary aquatics safety certifications but also training in Safe Sport, as per the curriculum set by the U.S. Center for Safe Sport.
All instructors 18&older have passed a criminal background check.
All instructors have completed at least 8 hours of in-water training before teaching a class of their own.
We teach students the right way to swim from the very beginning while always adapting our methods to an individual's unique needs. We believe that this philosophy, coupled with the finest instructors, is what makes us the best choice for learning how to swim.
Amanda joined the Tide Swimming staff as Swim School Director in October 2021. After completing her Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Missouri in 2007, Amanda moved to the Virginia Beach area to join the YMCA of South Hampton Roads where she served in a variety of roles and positions for 13 years, most recently the Executive Director of the YMCA JT's Camp Grom. Experience in marketing, program development, aquatic knowledge and a love of working with people are all skills she has brought to the TIDE organization. Amanda's love of the water started in her early years when she joined the Liberty Hills Gators swim team at the age of six, accepting her first coaching position at the age of sixteen. From teaching swim lessons, working swim meets, to providing safety around water or leading a team, Amanda is grateful her skills have allowed her to share this passion with others throughout her life. Amanda enjoys working for an organization that practices achievement through hard work, consistency and diligence, as well as shows a strong commitment to its athletes, their families, and their staff team.
ELLA ARBUCKLE"Hi, my name is Ella Arbuckle, and I have been swimming since I was six years old. This is my second year on Tide, at the Princess Anne YMCA. My favorite events are the 500 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. I am currently a sophomore at Granby High School in the International Baccalaureate Program. Some of my favorite things to do include spending time with my friends, baking, and reading. Tide has been an amazing experience for me and I am super excited so share my love of swimming!"
SITO ARROYOCoach Sito joined Tide in 2022 as one of our Swim School Coaches. He is from Palmyra, Virginia and moved to Virginia Beach in the Fall of 2020. Throughout his career he has served as Assistant Coach for Virginia Wesleyan University, Assistant Coach for Monticello High School, Assistant Coach for Charlottesville Virginia Gators, as well as Head Coach of his summer league team Lake Monticello Swim Team. Sito earned a Communication Studies degree from Randolph Macon College where he swam competitively all four years. "I am excited to continue my coaching career with Tide while sharing my passion for swimming and working with kids to focus on perfecting technique and having fun."
ANNIE AVERYCoach Annie joined TIDE in the fall of 2021 and is currently in the National group at the Princess Anne YMCA. She has been swimming for local clubs and teams since she was six. When not at the pool, she enjoys shopping and hanging out with friends. Annie attends Norfolk Academy and is a rising junior. She is excited to share her passion for the sport of swimming with younger kids.
JACKSON BENNETTJackson started swimming in summer league for Little Neck Swim & Racquet Cluib when he was in kindergarten. He swam year round with Tide for 5 years. He is currently on the First Colonial High School swim team and lacrosse team. Jackson will return again this summer for his second year as a Little Neck summer league coach. In his free time, Jackson enjoys fishing, being outdoors and playing guitar.
RACHAEL BLOMQUIST"Hi, my name is Rachael and I've always been at my happiest in the water! I was born and raised on the Eastern Shore which is a peninsula surrounded by water, so it was easy to find water activities. When I was in middle and high school I did swim competitively for a few years before continuing my career advancement within the medical field. As years have passed, I found TIDE and found my passion right back within the water and teaching safety skills to our younger swimmers. Becoming a part of Tide swimming has been nothing short of amazing during my journey so far, amd I can't wait to see what the future brings being a part of this team!"
ABI CARLSON"Hi!! My name is Abi, and I've been swimming competitively since I was six years old. I'm a rising sophomore, swimming (breaststroke and sprint freestyle) with Virginia Wesleyan University and majoring in International Studies. When I'm not at the pool, I love to go to the beach, play with my puppy Atlantic, and visit new areas around Virginia Beach! I'm excited to meet and teach new swimmers this summer!!
CHLOE DEWBERRYCoach Chloe joined the Swim School staff in August 2021. She began swimming when she was 6 years old in Chesapeake, Virginia. In high school, Chloe was in National Honor Society, Willet club, and was a member of the varsity swim team all four years. She represented her high school at states during her junior and senior years. After graduating with a GPA exceeding 4.0, she went on to Virginia Wesleyan University where she has continued her swimming career. She holds seven records at college. Along with swimming in college, Chloe represents the swim team in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. This committee focuses on enhancing student-athlete experiences. When not in the pool, Chloe maintains a high GPA in the D. Henry Watts School of Professional Studies while studying accounting and finance. Coach Chloe can't wait to teach students how to swim and share her love for swimming!
KAYLEIGH DUFFYBio coming soon!
SOPHIE DUPRE"I'm Sophie Dupre! I'm 16 years old and a rising junior at Norfolk Academy. I've been swimming since I was very young and hope to continue doing it throughout the rest of high school. I'm a Tide swimmer and always love working with the little ones. I'm excited to teach them what I love to do."
ANNA EBERLECoach Anna joined TIDE as a swimmer in 2016 and began coaching in 2022. She currently trains in the Senior Gold group at the Princess Anne YMCA with Coach Scott. She specializes in long distance freestyle events and events over 200 meters/yards. Anna is a student at First Colonial High School in the Legal Studies Academy and is always challenging herself academically. She is in multiple AP classes and her hobbies include reading, being a part of SCA, and many different clubs at First Colonial High School! Anna's favorite food is anything from Trader Joe's (specifically avocados and peanut butter) and her favorite games are anagrams. Anna enjoys being a TIDE swimmer because it gives her a chance to interact with so many different people everyday and learn how to be a good teammate and leader. She loves swimming competitively and is excited to share her passion with younger swimmers.
ELLIE FICKENSCHERCoach Ellie joined Tide in 2017 as a year round swimmer and is in her first year as a member of the swim school instructor team. She currently trains at the Princess Anne YMCA with the Senior Gold practice group. She specializes in butterfly and IM and considers herself to be a well-rounded swimmer. She attends Norfolk Academy where she swims on the Varsity team. When she is not in the pool, Ellie enjoys surfing, wakeboarding, and anything in the water. She is also a passionate supporter of Save The Bay programs. Ellie is the oldest of four siblings, so she loves kids! She can't wait to share her love of swimming with Tide's youngest and newest participants.
AYDEN FLORESAyden is a student attending Grassfield High school. He joined TIDE in 2019 and currently swims with the Senior Gold group at the Great Bridge YMCA with Coach Mike. Even though he has only been swimming competitively for four years, swimming has played a huge role in his life since he was three years old. When he's not swimming, he's either reading a book, listening to music, or working out in the gym. Ayden is excited to share his knowledge with his younger teammates and can't wait to make more memories through swimming!
LUCIA FRANCO"I've been swimming for Tide since 2018 and am currently in the Senior Gold group at the Great Bridge site. My favorite events are the 100 Breaststroke and 200 IM. I am a junior at Grassfield High School and love science. My favorite food is Wendy's french fries, but don't tell my coach! I am excited to be coaching this year and to be able to share my love for swimming with younger swimmers. Tide has had such an amazing impact on my life and I am grateful for this opportunity to pay it forward!"
IAN GARTH"I am a very passionate swimmer who loves working with kids. I am very excited to be a part of this program!"
AINSLEY GRAF"I have been swimming competitively for eight years now and on TIDE for almost two years in Senior Gold at Great Bridge. I enjoy hanging out with my friends and family, reading, and spending time outside. I have loved the water all my life, and I am so excited to share that love with kids!"
JACLYN GRINERCoach Jaclyn joined TIDE in 2019 and currently swims in the Senior Gold group at the Great Bridge YMCA. She joined our team of swim school instructors in 2022. When she's not at the pool or second-hand shopping, she's spending time with her dog Henry, whom her family refers to as her brother since she is an only child. Jaclyn has been a year-round swimmer for almost five years and currently has the 200 breast senior champs cut with hopes of achieving more! She has a deep passion for working with kids and likes forming personal connections with them in order to understand what teaching style works best for them. She is so thrilled to be working with them at Tide Swim School this summer!
DAHMON HARMONDahmon joined TIDE in 2020 and currently swims in the Senior Gold group at the Great Bridge YMCA. He joined our team of swim school instructors in 2022 and he says, "Swimming has always been such a big influence in my life and has brought about so many great opportunities." Some of Dahmon's favorite hobbies are traveling and cooking. He has been swimming since he was eight years old and can't wait to share his love of swimming to the next generation of athletes.
MADDY HARTLEYCoach Maddy joined Tide Swim School in 2022, the year she graduated from high school. Maddy has finished her freshman year at Arkansas. She enjoys surfing, reading, painting, and anything to do with the outdoors. Her favorite food is past, but she is always trying new food. A fun fact about Maddy is that she lived in Japan for 2 years! She enjoyed being a TIDE swimmer because of all the amazing friends, opportunities, and community TIDE has! She's most excited to teach little kids the fun that swim can be and how to have fun in the water!
EMMA HELWIG"Hi! My name is Emma, and I have been swimming on TIDE for seven years. I am in Senior Silver at the Princess Anne YMCA. I specialize in backstroke and IM races. I like to hang out with my older sister and younger brother, friends, and with my two cats, Flam and Diddle. My favorite color since I was a little kid is purple, and my favorite food is sushi, even though I am vegetarian. Currently, I am in the I.B. program at Princess Anne High School and am a member of their varsity cheerleading and swim teams. This summer I am looking forward to spreading my love for swimming that I found through TIDE and watching all of my swimmers grow over the summer."
ALEXIS HUELSBERG"I joined Tide in 2014 and I currently train in the Senior Gold group at the Princess Anne YMCA. When I was six, I started swimming in the summer for the Alanton Bolts and I still enjoy doing that! This is my first year being a part of the Tide Swim School program. I attend Norfolk Academy and am a rising junior. I am also a member of the varsity swim team at NA. My favorite strokes are freestyle and backstroke. Some of my favorite hobbies are going to the beach, hanging out with friends, painting, and playing with my dog - a golden retriever named Kit. I am so excited to coach Swim School this summer because swimming has provided me with so many fun and memorable experiences, so I hope that everyone will be be able to have those, too."
GLADY JENKINS"Hello everyone! My name is Glady Jenkins and swimming is my happy place! Some of my favorite things are going to the beach, Bible study, and spending time with family and friends. I am currently a social work major at Liberty University. Swimming has always been and will always be my passion, thus sharing this great love with others is such an honor and so rewarding. I believe it is vital for everyone to have solid swimming skills, not only for the essence of safety but also for the lifelong joy it is guaranteed to bring whether that means swimming competitively or not. I'm so excited to see the impact that my second summer of instructing at TIDE Swim School will have upon so many eager young swimmers!"
SOFIA KOHLERSofia joined TIDE in 2021 and this is her second year training in the national group at the Princess Anne YMCA. Sofia has swum for almost her entire life! She is currently a student at Norfolk Academy. "Some of my favorite things to do are going to the beach, playing with my dogs, and hanging out with my friends! I enjoy teaching and playing with kids as well as swimming! I am so excited to start Tide Swim School because I can give back to my team and the sport of swimming."
BROOKE LAMOUREUX"Hello! My name is Brooke Lamoureux and I recently graduated from the College of William and Mary where I also swam for the past 4 years. Before joining the Tribe, I swam on Tide for almost 10 years and can honestly say I wouldn't be the person or (retired) swimmer I am today if it wasn't for this team and the coaching staff. I am so happy to come back to Tide and share my passions with young swimmers in hopes that they can have an amazing experience just as I did!"
SARAH MARTIN"I've been swimming since I was nine years old, and I joined Tide four years ago. I practice with the Senior Silver group at the Princess Anne YMCA. I'm best at backstroke and freestyle and I love to sprint. I like coffee and going to the beach. I'm very excited to be coaching younger kids this year and to share my love of swimming with them."
PEYTON MURPHYCoach Peyton joined the Tide Swim School staff in the summer of 2021. She began swimming on her summer league team at age five and then went on to swim competitively for a local club team. She has grown up in the Tidewater community and graduated from Norfolk Collegiate School. Peyton is currently a rising senior at Sweet Briar College and captain of the swim team. When she is home for the summer, she loves to continue swimming with Tide Masters, watch the gorgeous sunsets on the beach, and hang with friends. Peyton is most excited to teach swim again to share her love of the sport with the kids!
TYLER NEWTON"I have been swimming for Tide for four years. I specialize in breaststroke and IM events. I am a freshman at First Colonial High school in the Legal Studies Academy. I have two sisters, a twin brother, and two dogs whose names are Jett and Katie. I look forward to working with the young swimmers at Tide Swim School this summer."
CAMRYN POGORZELSKICoach Camryn joined Tide Swim School in 2023. She has been a part of Tide since 2018 and currently trains in the Senior Gold group! Camryn has been swimming since she was three years old and is so excited to share her passion by teaching younger kids about how much fun swimming can be! She attends Grassfield High School in the Governor's STEM Academy and enjoys being involved through class office and the varsity swim team. Some of Camryn's favorite things include beach trips, sunrises and sunsets, being with friends, shopping, and coffee runs! She loves being a Tide swimmer because of all the amazing coaches and teammates she can train with and the opportunities swimming with Tide has provided her. Camryn can't wait to have fun with the Tide Swim School!
MEGAN POGORZELSKICoach Megan began swimming at age five, and joined TIDE in 2016. She trains in the Senior Gold group at the Portsmouth YMCA with Coach Rick, where she specializes in butterfly. Megan is currently a senior in the Science and Medicine Academy at Deep Creek High School and will be attending the University of Virginia to study nursing in the fall. She has experience working with new swimmers, as she has been a summer league Junior Coach with the River Walk Swim Team for the past three summers. Megan has a passion for working with kids and cannot wait to continue to give back to the sport that has brought her countless friendships and taught her the most useful life lessons!
ADDY ROBERTS"I have been swimming for Tide for ten years now. I am currently in the National group. I love being with my family, friends, and dogs! I love the water - whether it's surfing or swimming. I am so excited to be an instructor!
JASON RODRIGUEZCoach Jason joined TIDE swimming in January 2017. Beautiful Virginia Beach has been his home since graduating from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to coaching ICS and Tide Masters, Jason is also an active US Masters competitive swimmer for TIDE, where he primarily specializes in middle and long distance freestyle events, as well as long distance open-water races. When not swimming, he loves to surf and spend time out on the water.
JAMES ROSSCoach James joined the Tide Swim School staff in 2022. He's been swimming competitively for over 10 years now, and he's so excited to be able to share his love of swimming by being a part of Tide Swim School! James is a current member of Tide Swim Team so he spends a lot of his time in the water because he also works as a lifeguard. James recently graduated from high school, is active in his church, and spends time with friends and family. According to James, "Swimming and the community around the sport have had such an amazing impact on my life in ways I can't even begin to describe, and so I'm beyond excited to be a part of the experience for younger swimmers diving into the world of swimming."
BRODY SALPETERCoach Brody is a swimmer on our team who loves swimming and surfing! When he isn't by or in the water, he is probably asleep or eating. He is a second year coach for Tide Swim School, and the photo shows him competing for us in the annual Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service's Open Water 1 mile swim at the Virginia Beach oceanfront.
REILLY SCHINDLERCoach Reilly joined TIDE in the spring of 2020. Reilly has lived in Hampton roads her whole life and swam on a local USA Swimming club team for eight years until she graduated from Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School. In addition to swimming she has been doing triathlons since 2014 and was on the Queens University of Charlotte Triathlon team. Queens is her 3rd college as she started her freshman year at Saint Marys College of California on a rowing scholarship. She then transferred to the University of South Carolina and competed on their club triathlon team for the fall 2019 semester before transferring to Queens. At Queens Reilly was a member of the team that won first place overall at Collegiate Club Nationals.
TYLER SWARTZTyler joined Tide in late 2017 and swims with the Senior Gold group at Great Bridge. He has been swimming competitively for eight years and has a brother who also swims for Tide. Tyler is currently in the Science and Medicine Academy at Deep Creek High School. His favorite thing to do outside of swimming is playing video games. "I'm very excited to share my love and passion of this sport with younger kids!"
CHLOE SWATTSBio coming soon!
AVERY TAYLOR"Hi, my name is Avery Taylor and I'm 16 years old. I have been on Tide since 2012, and I'm currently in Senior Gold at the Princess Anne site. I have been swimming almost my whole life and also started swimming for the Cape Henry varsity swim team last year. Some of the things I enjoy outside the pool include going on the boat, hanging out with my friends and family, and shopping. I have two younger siblings and have babysat multiple times, so I have lots of experience with kids. I can't wait to help younger children learn the basic and complex parts of swimming while also sharing my love for the sport!"
PATRICK TRANCoach Patrick joined the Tide Swim School staff in 2023 and has been swimming for ten years. He is also a year round Tide Swimmer in Senior Gold at Princess Anne. He has taught numerous young swimmers how to swim and improve their technique while still having fun. He's excited to meet all of his new friends and teach them all about swimming!
BRITTANY WARRENBrittany graduated from Ferrum College in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Studies. "My favorite part about being a swim coach is watching the transformation of swimmers as they build their confidence in swimming! When I'm not at Swim School I love to be home with my pets! I have 4 leopard geckos, a scorpion, and a chinchilla!"