Coaching Staff
Coach Rich has been coaching for over 36 years. He started his coaching career with the Wahoos of Wellington Swim Team as a long time assistant coach to then Head Coach Lui Echerri. After his time as an assistant coach, he went on to become the Head Coach at the Maclay School in Tallahassee, Santaluces High School in Lantana and the Aqua Crest Swim Club in Delray Beach. In 2005 Coach Rich returned to the Wahoos of Wellington to take over as the Head Coach and CEO.
In his time as a coach, Rich has trained many swimmers to qualify for the Florida Gold Coast Junior Olympics, Speedo Sectionals, Southern Zone South Championships, USA Swimming Futures Championships, and USA Swimming Junior Nationals. From there he has had numerous swimmers move on to the collegiate level, including Division I schools.
When not coaching the Wellington Swim Team, Coach Rich is a teacher at Wellington High School. There he has received the Coach of the Year award in Palm Beach County for the successes as the head coach of the Wellington High School Swim Team. Yearly he has multiple swimmers qualify for the FHSAA State Meet, including several who have won the FHSAA State Championships. Additionally, his swimmers have also earned High School All American and Academic All American status.
Coach Becky has been passionate about swimming since winning her first race in the 50 backstroke. She continued on her path of winning throughout her 27 years of competitive swimming career. Coach Becky is a three time state champion in 100 yard back, a 15 year FGC record holder in 100m back, and an All American, who's who in sports, and Pathfinder award winner.
She has been lucky enough to have been coached by the best of the best throughout the years. Some of the many have been Marc Zubero, Michael Lohberg and Leigh Ann Fetter-Witt. Coach Richard Whalen coached Becky during her 3 year state championships at Santaluces High School. Currently Becky competes in Marathons, half marathons and 5ks.
After attending James Madison University (a division 1 school) on a full scholarship, she continued her passion for stroke technique as a private swimming instructor for her own business for 16 years. Coach Becky now has two children who swim for the Wahoos, teaches private swimming lessons and has coached her Age Group Swimmers to high-point awards and team high-point awards. In 2021 Coach Becky proudly coached the FGC ALL STARS for the 13&14 Girls. Coach Becky is also the girls Wellington High School Coach in both the swim team and water polo high school teams.
Coach Matt is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and is now in his seventh year of coaching. In addition to coaching with the Wahoos, he currently serves as the Head Swim Coach at Palm Beach Central High School, a role he has held for the past three years. He is also the Head Coach of Palm Beach Central’s Water Polo Team, a position he has held for four years. Before taking on these head coaching roles, Matt served as the assistant coach for both the swim and water polo teams at Palm Beach Central.
