Coach Frankie joined the CIA coaching staff the fall of 2023. She was born and raised in Des Moines. She also lived in the Bay Area of California for 14 years returning to Iowa during the summer of 2014. She began competitive club swimming at the age of 7 with DMAC (now known as DMSF). During her high school years, she swam for Johnston and Dowling Catholic High School winning five individual events and became the first DCHS female student-athlete to sign a D1 Letter of Intent. She has been inducted to the IGHSAU Swimming Hall of Fame as well as the DCHS Athletic Hall of Fame.

Collegiately, she swam for the University of Kansas and became an All American in the 1650yd free along with an Olympic Trial qualifying time for the 800 free. And from time to time, she has been known to come out of swimming “retirement” to compete in Masters swimming.

Her prior coaching experience includes 11 high school swim seasons with her last six coaching the Dowling Catholic High School girls team who won the state championship in 2019 for the first time in DCHS history. She also spent two years with the Boone HS boys swim team and two years with the Valley HS girls swim team in the late 1990s. In addition, she was the head coach for Dowling Catholic Riptide in 2014-15 and the Team Admin for SEP Rams for two years. In 2023, she led the LifeTime Masters program as the head coach. Coach Frankie has extensive experience with coaching all ages of swimmers and is currently coaching CIA’s Senior training group.

Coach Emily grew up in Des Moines and started swimming when she five years old. When she was seven, she joined CIA and was part of the team until she graduated from High School. Coach Emily has spent the past 6 years coaching, with the last three as a head coach for her prior team.  As Assistant Lead Age Group CIA Coach, three things she focuses on are sportsmanship, technique, hard work and as a bonus...FUN! Over the years, Emily has built a solid coaching philosophy: “I coach because I want to pass on my passion for swimming onto my athletes. I love teaching everything I’ve learned and experienced to every kid I have the opportunity to coach. I strive to teach swimmers about accountability at practice and sportsmanship at swim meets. My top priority as a coach is to create a hard-working, yet fun environment that allows swimmers to create lifelong connections and beneficial life skills.”

Coach Julie grew up in West Lafayette, Indiana where she swam competitively with her local age group team as well as her high school swim team.  She moved to Wooster, Ohio just after graduating college and then moved to Iowa eight years ago.  Currently, this is her fourth season coaching for CIA. As an Assistant Age Group Coach, three things she focuses on whle coaching are: 1) Technique before speed at practice; 2) Encouraging teamwork / being a good teammate all the time and 3) Making the swimmers comfortable with trying new things. Over the years, Julie has formed an admirable coaching philosophy: " I want to pass on not only my swimming knowledge, but teach important life skills such as being a hard worker, good sportsmanship, and learing how to move onto the next event when things aren't going well." 

After swimming competitively for over 15 years, this will be my first season coaching, and am excited to have the opportunity to do so with CIA. My swimming career began in Albany, NY with the Albany starfish prior to moving to Maple Grove, MN and swimming with Aquajet swim club. While at Aquajet I participated on every practice group (at the time) from blue sharks as an age group swimmer, to their national team and a high schooler. Following, I competed at the D1 level at South Dakota State University from 2017-2022 while getting a bachelors degree in civil engineering. Over my collegiate career I earned 16 top 16 finishes, including 7 in the top 8 at Summit League championships, and appeared on the SDSU all time top 5 performance list in the 1000 and 1650. 

I am excited to get started with coaching, and look forward to helping athletes set and achieve goals whether it’s making their first high school varsity team, getting their first sectionals cut, obtaining their first collegiate offer, or anything in between. I believe swimming fast and having fun with your teammates go hand in hand, and am passionate about helping athletes find a balance that allows them to make the most out of their time with CIA!

My love for swimming began at a young age. As the youngest of four, I spent countless hours poolside watching my older siblings compete, and I joined my hometown swim team when I was just five years old. I continued to swim competitively through high school, gaining an appreciation for the discipline, dedication, and joy the sport brings.

Swimming has remained a part of my life, and it’s been incredible to see my own children develop a passion for the sport as well. Our family joined Central Iowa Aquatics three years ago, and I’m thrilled to now be part of the program as a coach.

My goal is to provide a positive, supportive environment where swimmers can thrive. I believe that balancing fun with hard work leads to both enjoyment and achievement. 

I’m excited to share my passion and experience with CIA swimmers and help them gain the skills and mindset to enjoy swimming throughout their lives.

I started swimming really before I could walk and have loved the water ever since! I was a club team swimmer (ACAC) from elementary through high school. I took college off from swimming to pursue a career in recreation management, where I got a little insight into coaching. After coming back from college, I started coaching at ACAC leading multiple kids to state cuts. More importantly, I’ve had the opportunity to walk along side swimmers of all ages as they grow both as athletes and as people! I’m so beyond grateful to be starting this new season with CIA!

Favorite stroke: Back * Favorite Turn: Bucket * Favorite Start: Flyover

Coach Sara Kate started swimming competitively in kindergarten and has been competing, coaching, teaching lessons, or guarding ever since. Her coaching goal is to make  everyone  feel welcome in the sport of swimming.  She wants to be helpful to the swimmers, the sport and the club by leveraging her experience in swimming and education.   Outside of coaching, Sara Kate is an Instructional Coach (and biology teacher) at Johnston High School.  She spends her free time outdoors with her family of swimmers.  Go CIA!

I started swimming competitively when I was 8, and swam for the North Side Otters through high school. I started coaching in 7th grade, and have been coaching and teaching swim lessons ever since! I am currently a Junior at Grand View University pursing a degree in elementary education. I look forward to many more seasons at CIA supporting our swimmers to be their best!

Coach Amy began her swimming journey at the age of 5 in Ankeny, IA, where she quickly became involved in competitive swimming through the YMCA program. After her family relocated to West Des Moines, she continued to pursue competitive swimming at DMSF. In high school, she was a 4-year Varsity Letter recipient at Valley High School and competed in the IHSAA State Meet under the guidance of Coach Frankie.

After graduation, Amy continued her swimming career at Simpson College, where she was consistently recognized as the Most Valuable Sprinter and Most Valuable Swimmer. As Team Captain in 2002-2003, she became a Conference Champion in the 50 Freestyle, set eight school records, and earned All-American honors in 2003. Amy has also swam in two Triathlons competing as part of a relay team.

With more than 5 years of experience coaching competitive swimmers, Amy also ran her own swimming lesson business for 14 years, where she taught and mentored swimmers of all levels. She holds a Coaching Endorsement and is dedicated to helping athletes reach their fullest potential.

Beyond her coaching career, Amy serves on the Lake Panorama Water Ski Team Board of Directors and holds both a Master of Music degree and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Amy’s coaching philosophy is centered around nurturing the development of athletes not only in the pool but as individuals, fostering growth and success in all aspects of life. She is the proud mother of two young athletes Lilliana (swimming, dance, softball) and Brody (hockey, baseball).

Coach Kim grew up in Clive, Iowa and competed in her first swim meet at just five years old. She continued swimming year-round through high school and taught swim lessons during the summers all through high school and college. Coach Kim has spent the past 10 years coaching, with the last two as a head coach for her prior team.  Over more than a decade, Kim has engineered a very successful coaching philosophy: “I strive to always focus on the long-term development of the kids.  I want to teach them the importance of hard work, good attitudes, listening skills, and teamwork/friendship.  Every best time, new friendship, or tough set accomplished benefits the team as a whole.  I like to focus on performance goals versus outcome goals.  Time goals are great, but the ‘how we get there’ is more beneficial long term.”  As an Assistant Lead Age Group Coach, three things she would like to implement / focus on are:   1) “Finding the right balance between the hard work and the fun.”  2)  “Helping the kids develop accountability for their own training, and to be their own best advocates, I want them to define their goals, and know what it will take to get there.”  3) ”Having a structured training plan that the kids (somewhat depending on age) understand and have bought into.”  And as a bonus: 4) Focusing on long term development vs. short term success.“

Coach Todd grew up in Des Moines and always had the love of swimming from a young age.  Todd started coaching club swimming in 2014 when his oldest took interest in swimming and that love grew even more helping all the athletes the ins and outs of swimming.  For the past 8 years he was an assistant coach primarily leading age group kids with his past year as head coach for his previous club.  During his year as head coach Todd led his staff to earn Iowa Swimming's Age Group Coaching Staff of the Year (2021 Short Course).  Todd will be starting his first year as High School Boys Assistant Coach for Southeast Polk this fall (2022).  Favorite races for Todd, long distance Freestyle, who doesn't love singing to themselves while swimming the mile!  Todd is super excited to be part of CIA and is ready to start teaching athletes 3 aspects of swimming he teaches to all kids.  Humility, Hunger, Patience.  Humility, wanting to improve.  Hunger, the want/drive to improve.  Patience, improvement comes over time.