Coaches and Directors
Founder / Head Coach
Paschalis holds a Bachelor of Arts in
Physical education and Sports Science(BSS). He is an American
Swimming Coaches Association(ASCA) Level 5
Senior International coach. One of his unique strengths is
that he combines all of his experience and knowledge to fit all
swimming levels, from beginners to elite international-level
swimmers. Paschali's expertise includes his extensive international
swimming career and training by top European coaches and his
20 years of coaching experience. As a result, he can better
understand the individual needs to maximize his swimmer's highest
potential.
EXPERIENCE
FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ELITSWIM CLUB (ELIT) SAN RAMON, CA — 2023 - Present
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ElitSwim Club is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt non-profit organization and is part of USA Swimming and Pacific Swimming.
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Elit is a competitive year-round swim club. Its programs are designed to provide leading professional coaching and initiatives to assist athletes in developing to their full potential and competing at the highest levels.
FOUNDER / CEO, ELITESWIM. LLC (DBA ELITSWIM), SAN RAMON, CA — 2013 - Present
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City of San Ramon - Learn to Swim Lessons Contractor. Performed over 15,000 swim lessons per season.
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ElitSwim has been awarded the “Best Learn To Swim Lessons” program for its residents. Offering group and private lessons from infants to adults for all levels and abilities.
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Successfully completed the 5-year contract with customer satisfaction and service quality that reached a 4-5 rating (out of 5) for over 80% of the City's survey responders. Contract and services have been re-awarded for 2023 - 2027.
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ElitSwim year-round and seasonal employees currently have up to 50 swim instructors.
HEAD COACH, ELITESWIM. LLC (DBA ELITSWIM), SAN RAMON, CA — 2013 - Present -
ElitSwim -(Pre-Competitive) swim team.
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Preparing swimmers from 6 years old to 18. This is a year-round program for these ages. In addition, it runs adult group programs for participants that want to learn and improve their efficiency in the water, has swimming-related injuries, and rehabilitate from or prepare for their primary swimming and triathlon events.
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Set the main goal for all participants and create a healthy lifelong experience through the sport of swimming.
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Prepare swimmers for their high school swim and water polo season to competitive teams.
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ElitSwim has organized swim clinics for triathletes in the Bay Area. This program is the next step in advanced technical, physical, and mental training in swimming.
OWNER/HEAD COACH, AQUAEXCELLENCE, SAN RAMON, CA — 2012 - 2014
- Seasonal introductory program for advanced swimming technique training for age groups under 14.
AGE GROUP COACH, SAN RAMON VALLEY AQUATICS, SAN RAMON, CA — 2006 - 2019
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Coach advanced swimmers and won Top-10 State and National Level Age Groups
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Resulting: Best swimmer of Far Westerns, Pacific Record Times, Junior Olympics, and other significant achievements.
ELITE LEVEL SWIM COACH, ATHENS, GREECE — 2004 - 2005
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Partnering with Zoltan Kollar, Hungary’s Coach of the Year from 1994 through 1998.
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Worked on creating specialized programs for elite athletes to enhance their technique to achieve international status.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING TRAINER, HELLENIC POLICE OFFICER-ACADEMY, ATHENS, GREECE — 2002 - 2005
- Appointed Physical Education instructor of all classes.
HEAD COACH, PANELLINIOS ATHLETIC CLUB, ATHENS, GREECE — 2001 - 2004
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Led the annual training plan of 600+ swimmers and supervised all team coaches.
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Led and trained coaches.
HEAD OF ATHLETICS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG SWIMMERS — 2001 - 2004
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As a Head Coach, achieved 1st place in the team standings for Panellinios Athletic Club in the National Championship, scoring the highest for all age groups. (2003 & 2004)
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The team won the age group 12-18years old, National Championship 2003-2004
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Team took second place in Senior National Championship 2004
PROFESSOR, PRIVATE INSTITUTION OF EDUCATION, ATHENS, GREECE — 2001 - 2003
- Professor of Swimming Practice and Theory
SWIMMING EXPERIENCE / AWARDS RECEIVED
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Member of the Greek National team, 23-year swimmer, 10 plus times National Gold Medalist
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Open Water, Alcatraz Invitational Event, achieved an overall 7th place in 2009, and 4th place out of 600+ swimmers in 2011
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Gold Medalist, National Championships, Greece (1989 - 2000)
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8th place 4 x 100 Medley Relay - World Championship - Athens, Greece (2000)
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Gold Medalist in Balkan Championship – Individual and relay events (1992,1994,1996,1998)
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National Record Holder of Greece - 100m Free, 200m Free Seniors. (1996-1999)
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Gold Medalist in 200m Free, Silver 100m Free, Military World Championship - St Petersburg, Russia (1995)
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Silver Medalist 4x200 Free & 8th place 100m Free, Mediterranean Championship- Bari, Italy (1997)
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National Swimmer of the Year, Greece (1996)
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Olympic Games Torch Runner (1996)
LEAD AGE GROUP COACH
Hope moved out to California in 2023, from where she grew up in Arkansas, to help ELITSwim build a new program that will innovate and revamp swimming for the new generations. As a swimmer herself, she always felt there was something missing from her trainings, and she strives to provide that to her swimmers.
She swam at Missouri State University on a scholarship for sprint freestyle, including 50 FR, 100 FR, 200 FR, and Relays.
There she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry from the Honors College in 2019. MSU was the #1 swim team in the Missouri Valley Conference, and Hope made numerous scoring finals at the conference meets where her relays always scored top 3, breaking multiple team and pool records.
MEDICAL EXPERIENCE
- After college, Hope was a histocompatibility scientist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science in Little Rock, performing testing for organ transplants and disease studies.
- Soon after, she gained experience working in a level 1 trauma center ER and working for a local non-profit organization, providing care for people with disabilities.
SWIMMING EXPERIENCE
- Hope has found her passion in coaching, while coaching Age-Group swimmers on the Arkansas Dolphins in Little Rock (LRAD).
- She brings her attention to detail, combined with her coaching and personal experience, to help swimmers achieve their personal goals.
- In 2015, Hope ranked as the top-rated female swimmer in the state of Arkansas, according to CollegeSwimming.com.
- She was the 3-time reigning high school state champion in the 50 free and 2-time state champion in the 100 free, breaking the state record in the 50 yard free with a time of 23.65 in 2015.
- Hope was named 2015 Wendy's Player of the Year in swimming and was an Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship Recipient.
- She swam club for the CASC Racers, grabbing her first state champion title in 2013 for the 50 yd FR, continuing 1stand 2nd place finishes through graduation. She held the 2014 Arkansas LSC Record for the 400 Medley Relay.
- Hope’s club career includes numerous finals qualifications at Region VIII Sectionals, 3rd place in the amateur 50 yd FR shootout at the OKC Pro-Am, and three trips to the NCSA Junior Nationals, with a 50 yd FR finals qualification in her last appearance.
- In 2015, Hope was also named Arkansas Saline County’s local honored hero for her commitment to swimming, school, and community through her struggles with Crohn's disease.
Director of Dryland Strength & Conditioning Program
In addition to his swimming career, Aaron is a strength and conditioning coach certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Aaron has spent several years studying general training of the body and mixes a theoretical and practical understanding of strength and conditioning. He has helped many people of the athletic and general population increase strength in ways specific to their goals. He bases his methods on the scientific literature and his knowledge allows him to prescribe the appropriate exercises for your age and training background.
Through the ElitSwim Club, Coach Aaron creates a safe and supportive environment to maximize your explosiveness, core strength, and power output.
