Coach Andrew began his coaching role with RSC August 2022. He comes from northern Virginia and has swum all his life. He started competitive swimming at age 5 when he joined his neighborhood team, the Kingsbrooke Sea Lions. It was not love at first stroke, but he continued swimming year-round for OCCS and eventually ended up on the Nation's Capital swimming team, training under Olympic gold and silver medalist Jeremy Linn. He swam on the same team as Olympians Katie Ledecky and Andrew Seliskar.

His passion for coaching started with the Sea Lions as he worked for two summers assisting with the developmental Pups program at 14 years old. This experience led to roles as a Junior Coach for the Victory Lakes Piranhas, and Assistant Head Coach for the Bristow Tri and Swim club during his high school years.

As a graduate of Patriot High School, Andrew has the distinction of being the first ever District Champion for the school in any sport, winning the 100 breaststroke his freshman year (which was the first year Patriot was open). His tenure at Patriot High includes multiple individual district championship titles, three team district championship titles, and he was a state qualifier all four years. He graduated Patriot in 2015 as an AP Scholar with a 4.2 GPA.

In USA Swimming, Andrew achieved Junior and Winter National cut times and received Scholastic All-American honors his junior and senior years. As a result, he was offered a scholarship to swim for the UCONN Huskies as a member of their Division I, American Athletic Conference team. He swam for the Huskies for two years, making finals in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, as well as the 200 IM, at the conference meets, both his freshman and sophomore year.

He graduated UConn in 2020 with a degree in statistics and took a job working at a local swim school in the area, working as both the assistant manager of the school, and as the head coach of the USA Swimming program for all four locations throughout northern Virginia. While working at the swim school, he also served as head coach of his local neighborhood summer league team, the Kingsbrooke Sea Lions.

Coach Andrew is very excited to bring the knowledge and culture of competitive swimming to Rams Swimming.

FUN FACT: Last name is pronounced: PRO - per

Head Coach: Gold 1, Gold 2

Coach Kimberly has been with the Rams Swim Club for many years as a parent, board member, coach and as of 2018 our meet director. Her background includes being an aquatics fitness instructor for over a decade and has taught lessons from water babies through adult. Her favorite class to teach were adult swim lessons. Kimberly was a club President of one of the largest area swim teams from 2009 until 2017. She joined the RSC board as Vice President from 2018 – 2019 and board President from 2019 – 2022. AND she has been a swim official since 2010 and a USA Swimming official since 2018. When she coaches, she likes to focus on the technical aspects of the strokes and finishes.

Kimberly loves the distance races which in turn makes freestyle her favorite stroke. She believes distance races are very strategic and give smaller swimmers that have not developed as quickly as their classmates a great chance to be competitive. "Anyone can do a sprint, but it takes guts to swim the mile."

Kimberly is married (Warren) and they have two children, Alexis (Drake-son-in-law) and Britt. In 2023, Kimberly became a grandmother to Lillith Jai. Her primary work is for the State of Iowa as an Executive Officer. In addition to helping RSC, she is still on the pool deck for the SEP High School girls and boys teams running the timing and computer systems. If she isn't at the SEP pool, one can find her watching her favorite Bravo shows.

Assistant Coach: Gold 1, Gold 2

Coach Sara has been with RSC since February 2023. Sara started swimming at the Urbandale Swim Club when she was 8 years old.  She came from a family of ball sport athletes, so no one thought she would fall in love with swimming like she did.  She eventually moved over to the Des Moines Swim Federation when she was approximately 12 years old and swam there throughout her high school and college swimming career.  In high school, she swam for the Urbandale/Johnston team (Johnston didn’t have a pool at the time) and went to state all 4 years.  Her best events in high school were the 100 back and 500 free.  In her year-round seasons, she swam every event, except for breaststroke (even though she did the 200 and 400 IM).  She went on to swim two years at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO, doing mostly distance swimming.  She also participated in track during high school, running the mile and 4x800.

Sara coached one season for the Kirksville Swim Club when she was in college.  She really enjoyed it at the time and is excited to be a part of the Rams Swim Club! Sara’s favorite events to swim were the 200 back, 400 IM and the mile.  She thinks she enjoyed them so much because, not only were they the events that were typically considered the least favorites by most, but she also found them to be the most mentally and physically challenging.  The mile is a long race to keep your mind focused and she always loved that challenge.  Sara was one who, even though they are necessary, never needed a lap counter because she always knew exactly where she was in the race. 

In Sara’s full-time job, she works for the Crime Victim Assistance Division at the Iowa Attorney General’s Office working to improve services for victims of crime.  She is very passionate about the work she does at her full-time job.  Sara is the mom of an 8-year-old daughter, Evalyn, who is just beginning her swimming experience and joining the Rams, as well.  Sara’s husband, Chad, is a K9 Officer at the Altoona Police Department.  Their K9, Kali, is a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois.  They also have an 8-year-old German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix named Alex.

“Work for a cause, not for applause. Remember to live your life to express, not to impress.  Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt.” - Grace Lichtenstein

Head Coach: Gold 3

Alea has been a part of the Rams Swim Club since 2012 and joined the coaching staff in 2020. She has also taught swim lessons for many years at the Altoona Campus.As a student-athlete, Alea swam and ran track; qualifying for the State meets in both! Her personal favorite events are the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle as she loves to sprint!

When she isn’t on the pool deck, Alea spends her time working at Methodist Hospital on the oncology floor and studying for nursing school at DMACC. She and her husband Nicolas, recently adopted an Australian Shepherd puppy, Millie who is full of energy. Alea’s favorite hobbies are hiking, baking, and camping with her family.

Alea’s favorite quote to share with the team: “Don’t swim to the wall, swim through the wall” - Coach Jim

Head Coach: Silver 1

Assistant Coach: Bronze 1, Gold 2

Please help me welcome Coach Dustin Cassler for the summer season! Dustin joined the RSC staff team in 2021. He grew up playing all sports but focused primarily on swimming in high school. He swam for the Altoona Swim Club, CIA, SEP HS where he was a team captain AND has participated as a Masters swimmer in the Masters State meet and in the Iowa Games twice.

His coaching experience is extensive. For over the last decade plus, he has been with the Altoona Swim Club, DM East-Lincoln High School boys team, DM East High School boys team East DM Swim Club and currently with SEP Junior High and High School boys head coach. Because he coaches high school swimming, he is able to join us during the summer months outside of the academic year. (There are official rules through the high school athletic unions for all Iowa high school coaches.)

Dustin has a collection of favorite events: the 500 free (a love/hate relationship he says), the 200 free, the 50 & 100 free (because they are always exciting raced and the 100 breast.

Dustin received his BA in Secondary Education Social Science & Drivers Education from Grandview University and his MA in Teaching Special Education  from Morningside College. His wife Jessi who teaches fifth grade at Willowbrook Elementary (SEP school), and they have two daughters, Norah (swims RSC) and Charlotte. The Cassler family enjoys being outdoors, athletics, music, and cheering for Notre Dame football!

Dustin’s favorite quote: "It's not the will to win that matters. It's the will to prepare to win that matters." - Paul "Bear Bryant"

Assistant Coach: Gold 1

Madi has been a part of the Rams Swim Club since 2009 and joined the coaching staff in November 2020. She started her coaching career at Wakonda Country Club. Throughout high school and college, she taught swim lessons and worked as a pool manager at the Altoona Campus. 

Madi swam for the Altoona Swim Club, Rams Swim Club, Central Iowa Aquatics, and Southeast Polk High School. During high school, Madi qualified for state all four years and was a captain her senior year. Madi’s favorite memory was being a part of the 200-medley relay which broke the school record her sophomore year. Her personal favorite events are the 100 and 200 backstroke.

Madi graduated from the University of Iowa in May 2023. During her time in college, she was involved in dental materials research, peer mentorship, Phi Sigma Pi honors fraternity, and volunteering in the Iowa City community. She is currently taking a gap year while applying to dental school. Madi is working as a dental assistant at a pediatric dental practice. In her free time, she enjoys working out, traveling, climbing, and going to Iowa football and basketball games with her family and friends!

Head Coach: Bronze 3

Assistant Coach: Silver 2

Lesson Manager

Head Coach: Bronze 2

Head Coach: Bronze 1

Assistant Coach: Silver 2