Coach Alex brings over a decade of coaching experience to the Lightning. He's worked with swimmers of all ages and all ability levels, from 6 year olds on their first day, to college age swimmers on deck at the Olympic Trials. He most recently spent 5 1/2 years as the Head Age Group Coach of the Wilton Y Wahoos in Wilton, CT. During his time with the Wahoos, Coach Alex achieved an ASCA Level 4 certification with over 40 YMCA National Top 10 swimmers. He also helped the Wahoos to 2 USA Swimming Gold Medal Club awards and 3 USA Swimming Silver Medal Club awards. In 2017, Coach Alex's Wahoo age groupers earned him the recognition as a finalist for the ASCA Fitter and Faster Tour National Age Group Coach of the Year.  

Prior to his time with Wilton, Coach Alex was Head Coach of the Lionville Community YMCA Swim Team in Exton, PA. Coach Alex grew the LCY team by over 30% in 4 years and helped more than 20 swimmers reach their first YMCA National qualifying times. 

On the pool deck, Coach Alex is known to be enthusiastic and engaged with all of his swimmers. His goal for every swimmer in the pool is to have fun and to learn something every day. He hopes to see his swimmers learn to love the challenges the sport of swimming can provide, to learn to be great teammates, and to learn lessons will make them better young people away from the pool. 

The Alex Baxter File:

Coaching Career:

• 2017- ASCA/Fitter and Faster Tour National Top 50 Age Group Coach
• ASCA Level 4 Certified Coach- YMCA Age Group
• 42 YMCA National Top Ten Age Group Swimmers
• Wilton- 2017 Connecticut Swimming Short Course and Long Course Age Groups Boys Team Champions.
• 2016 YMCA National Virtual Meet Champions 11-12 Girls.
• 2016 Connecticut Swimming Long Course Combined and Boys Age Group Team Champions.
• Lionville- 2013 YMCA PA State 10&Under Girls Champions.

Swimming Highlights:

• 2011 US Masters Swimming National Champion Mens 30-34 Open Water 10K.
• 2011 US Masters Swimming All-American.
• Member of 1999 Northwest Conference Champion Linfield College Mens SwimTeam 

Don Gibb brings 35 years of collegiate and club coaching experience to the Lightning. He has served as the Head Coach at Florida State University, the University of South Carolina, and Daytona State College as well as assisting at the University of Florida, Florida State, and the University of Kentucky. Don was twice named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Coach-of-the-Year while at FSU (1995, 1998) and led the ‘Noles to their only top ten NCAA finish in the school's history.

Domestically, his swimmers have won USA Swimming titles at Junior Nationals, Senior Nationals and at the U.S. Open. At the prep level, swimmers have been champions at NCAA Division 1, NJCAA, SEC, ACC, and at Florida High School State. On the international scene, Gibb has guided fourteen Olympians including an Olympic finalist at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He has also led swimmers to finals at the Pan Pacific Games, Pan American Games, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Gibb got his start as an age grouper at age 12 at Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club where he swam for Olympic Coach and current Texas A & M Women’s Head Coach, Steve Bultman. Don then went on to swim at the University of Florida under Olympic Coach, Randy Reese, where he became an SEC, NCAA, and U.S. Swimming champion during his time in Gainesville.

Gibb graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Psychology. He enjoys fishing, golf, and spending time with his family. Gibb and his wife of 35 years, have four children, and they also have two grandchildren.

The Don Gibb File

Coaching Career:

• Coach of 14 Olympians
• Coach of a 1996 Olympic Finalist
• ACC Coach of the Year 2x
• NTC/SLAC Head Coach, 2013-Present
• Daytona State College Head Coach,  2011-2013
• University of Kentucky Assistant Coach, 2009-2010
• St. Edwards School in Vero Beach Head Coach, 2007-2009
• University of South Carolina Head Coach, 1999-2007
• Florida State University Head Coach, 1994-1999
• Florida State University Assistant Coach, 1992-1994
• University of Florida Assistant Coach, 1987-1992
• Nashville Aquatic Club Head Age Group Coach 1985-1987

Swimming Highlights:

• Five-time NCAA Division I All-American
• 1982 SEC Champion 100 freestyle
• 1983 SEC and NCAA Team Champions
• Co-American Record Holder 4x100m Free Relay
• Top 25 World Ranking 1981-1983 100m Freestyle
• 1986 Masters National Champion (25-29) 100yd Freestyle
• 2003 NJCAA Hall of Fame Inductee
• The Donald Gibb Award at the University of Florida is given annually to a male and female Gator swimmer who performs above and beyond expectation.  

Coach Haleigh comes to SLAC from Grand Bay, AL. Growing up, she started competitive swimming at age 7 with the City of Mobile Swim Association. It was under this club team that she learned all of the positive influences the sport of swimming could have on a younger child. Haleigh swam at the local and national level representing CMSA until she graduated high school. She claimed several personal and team Alabama State Championships during her high school career swimming for St. Paul’s Episcopal School. After high school, Coach Haleigh continued her swimming career at the University of Kentucky.  As a Kentucky Wildcat, she competed in the SEC Conference meet every year of her collegiate career and served as the team captain for 2 of her 4 years on the team. 

Coach Haleigh developed a passion for teaching the sport of swimming from a very young age. She has taught swimming lessons and coached with summer league and club teams for over 10 years. Haleigh swam under several very influential coaches that were both performance and technique oriented. She hopes to transfer all that she has learned both inside and outside of the pool to the next generation of swimmers.

Off the pool deck, Coach Haleigh works as the Director of Finance at the Community Foundation of South Lake. She also wrote a children's book about Winter Garden and the surrounding area called "Wake Up Winter Garden!". Coach Haleigh lives in Oakland with her husband Justin (who was a diver for the Kentucky Wildcats) and her two children, Beckett and Clarke.

Coach Rene was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and she is one of six children.  She grew up in Cincinnati and then moved to Fort Lauderdale at the beginning of her high school years.  Coach James began her swimming career at the early age of 5 years and have continued through college and at the masters level.  She has competed at the national level in age group, college, and masters swimming.  She was awarded a swimming scholarship at Daytona Beach Community College and then Florida Atlantic University, where she received All American status during her collegiate years.  Prior to graduating Florida Atlantic University, she began her coaching career in South Florida.  Her coaching career includes not only USS club teams but masters and high school coaching as well.  In Central Florida, she has coached Lake Aquatics, a program very successful during her tenure.

Coach Rene has worked in the field of parks and recreation management for 20 years specializing in aquatic management.  Her second career has been teaching for Lake County Schools, including working for Lake Minneola High School as both an Assistant Athletic Director and Head Swim Coach for many years. Coach Rene is currently an Assistant Principal at South Lake High School.