Meet Our Wolverine Coaching Staff
Head Coach/Program Director
Chris has enjoyed success as both a swimmer and coach. He graduated from CSU Bakersfield where he was an NCAA National Champion and All-American. His coaching career also began in Bakersfield, where he coached for the Golden Empire Swim Club. After moving to Sacramento, he coached for the Sierra Marlins Swim Team. In 2001, he and his wife started All-American Swim Academy, which hosted Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer swim clinics for recreational swimmers. They also developed a large summer swim lesson program, serving the greater Placer County area, with hundreds of lessons per day throughout the summer. In 2008, Chris started Wolverine Aquatics Club, in partnership with Sierra College. Since that time, the club has continued to grow every year and has achieved much success. Chris takes pride in the positive team culture, the Wolverine coaching staff, and the dedication of the Wolverine athletes.
Chris is currently the Head Coach of Wolverine Aquatics, the Rocklin Aquatic Masters Swim Team (RAMS), and Sierra College's Men's Swimming and Water Polo Teams. Chris received the Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year in 2004, 2006, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2016, he led Sierra College to its first swimming State Championship Title and was the Men's California Junior College State Coach of the Year. In 2019, the Sierra College Men's Team won another State Championship Title, making them the first and only Sierra College team in history to win 2 State Titles. Chris was named Men's California Junior College State Coach of the Year again in 2019. He has coached swimmers to several individual state titles and has produced over 60 All-American swimmers since 2002 while coaching at Sierra College.
Chris is married to Amy and they have 2 swimmers, Michael and Tessa. He enjoys family time when he is not on the pool deck. Chris coaches the Senior I Group.
Head Age Group Coach
Coach Kainoa is our Head Age Group Coach and currently coaches our Black and Pre-Senior Groups. Kainoa has been coaching swimmers ages 4-18 since 2005. He has coached finalists & event winners and record holders at Junior Olympics, Far Westerns, and Age Group Western Zones. He has also helped athletes qualify for Zone Select camps and meets such as Sectionals, Futures and the USA Swimming 18 and Under Winter Championships. Kainoa has previously served as Sierra Nevada Age Group Co-Chair from 2017-2020 and Program Development Chair from 2020-2021. Kainoa was the Head Coach of the Sierra Nevada Western Zone Team (2017,2018, 2019) as well as a coach at many Sierra Nevada swim camps. Coach Kainoa was also voted Sierra Nevada Swimming's Age Group Coach of the Year for the 2017/2018 season and one of ASCA’s top 50 Age Group Coaches in 2019/2020.
Before becoming a Wolverine, Coach Kainoa served as Head Coach at Bella Vista High School for four years, leading the girls program to four straight conference championships. After two years, he took over the boys team and led them to a 2nd place finish the first year and a conference championship the next. During that time, he also coached the high school group for the Rollingwood Rockets Swim Team in Fair Oaks.
In his free time, Kainoa likes to go to Sacramento Kings games and spend time with his family.
Coach, Black & Cardinal Groups
Summer was born and raised in Boise, Idaho where she lived until moving in 2010 with her family to Northern California. Her love for swimming began at the age of 6 when she joined her first competitive swim team. Swimming continues to be a tremendous passion and love of hers. After moving to California, she began coaching at Woodcreek High School where she was an assistant coach for 2 years. In 2011, she began coaching with California Capital Aquatics (CCA). While on staff, she enjoyed coaching multiple groups and teaching the Pre-Team program for 6 years.
Summer has coached Junior Olympic and S.W.A.G.R. Finalists, High Point Winners and Far Western Qualifiers. She has also coached on staff for the Sierra Nevada Catch the Spirit Camp and Sierra Nevada Western Zones Team.
In her spare time, Summer enjoys spending time with her 4 kids and supporting them in their various sporting activities. She also loves everything the outdoors has to offer, bike rides, cooking and various crafting projects.
Coach, Cardinal Groups
Coach Dawn is the Cardinal 1 and Cardinal 2 Coach with help from Coach Andy. Over her coaching career, she has helped several Age Group swimmers achieve Junior Olympic time standards, S.W.A.G.R., and Far Western times. She has coached several High Point winners and several Finalists. Coach Dawn has been coaching and teaching swimming for 42 years, most recently with the Folsom Wahoo Swim Team for 5 years, and before that with the Sierra Marlins Swim Team for 2 years.
Dawn grew up and started her swimming career in Southern California. She came north to go to college and graduated from California State University, Sacramento with her Teaching Credential.
When not on the pool deck coaching or teaching, you can find her in the water training for her next ocean swim, on a bike trail exploring California, or hiking through the Sierras with her husband, Andy, and her dog, Monty. Coach Dawn has two children, Nicole and Zach, and two grandchildren, Brennan and Kai, that are all water babies. Coach Dawn coaches the Cardinal Group. Welcome, Coach Dawn!
Assistant Coach, Pre Senior I & II Groups
Coach Dominic was a swimmer from the time he was 10 years old all the way through college. He swam for 2 years under Coach Chris at Sierra College and finished his swimming career at Chapman University, majoring in Political Science. He has been a swim coach for 7 years now, primarily with the Fair Oaks Dolphins, and this is his first year coaching at WAC.
In his free time, Dominic enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, and enjoying a good book.
Assistant Coach, Cardinal & Black Groups
Coach Andy Is an Assistant Coach in the Cardinal 1 Group & Black 1 Group. Prior to joining the Wolverines he was an Age Group coach on the Folsom Wahoos.
He began his swimming on the Fair Oaks Sea Broncs and several other USA Swim teams. He played Water polo and swam in High School, and continued his Water Polo career in Junior College.
When not on the pool deck you can find him on his bike, or swimming at the gym, or walking his dog all over the Sierras/Folsom. He loves surfing and playing with his grand kids in the ocean.
