TOPS COACHES
*To contact any of our TOPS Coaches, please email via [email protected]
TOPS COACHES' CODE OF CONDUCT
The purpose of this code of conduct for coaches is to establish common expectations for all members of the coaching staff of the club. It is to be used as a guide to promote a positive team environment and good sportsmanship.
*At all times, TOPS coaches will adhere to USA Swimming’s rules and code of conduct.
*TOPS coaches will set a good example of respect and sportsmanship for participants and fans to follow.
*TOPS coaches will act and dress with professionalism and dignity in a manner suitable to his/her profession.
*TOPS coaches will respect officials and their judgment and abide by the rules of the event, and treat opposing coaches, participants, and spectators with respect.
*TOPS coaches will instruct participants in sportsmanship and demand that they display good sportsmanship.
*TOPS coaches will coach in a positive manner and do not use derogatory comments or abusive language.
*TOPS coaches will model winning with humility and losing with dignity.
*TOPS coaches will treat every athlete fairly, justly, impartially, intelligently, and with sensitivity.
*TOPS coaches will always strive to place the well-being, health, and safety of swimmers above all other considerations, including developing performance.
*TOPS coaches will continue to seek and maintain their own professional development in all areas in relation to coaching and teaching children.
*TOPS coaches will always strive to maintain a professional separation between coach and athlete.
TOPS HEAD COACHES
BILL DRAVES - HEAD COACH
*Coach Bill has been coaching thousands of swimmers, of all abilities, since 1985. He swam all four years on the Clarence High School team, which was ranked in the top three high schools in NY State throughout the late 1970’s and early 80’s. He specialized in distance, and also swam any event needed to win meets.
*He began as a novice swimmer and evolved to being eligible to swim in college. Coach Bill went on to swim for Buffalo State College in New York where he specialized in the 1650 yard free and 400 yard IM, and he placed 12th in the SUNYAC DIII Championships. He was voted captain his last two years on the team, and represented Buffalo State on the Collegiate Athletic Board.
*He met his future wife, Anita, while at Buffalo State. She, too, was Captain of the women’s team and a DIII NCAA qualifier.
*After moving to the North Penn area for a new career, Coach Bill began swimming at the North Penn YMCA in Lansdale. He and Anita formed a master’s swim team which grew to over thirty adult swimmers. He and the team competed at the National Level.
*Coach Bill was then asked to take over the North Penn Y age group team. He started with sixteen swimmers and grew the team to over 150 athletes within four years. He was the head coach of Lansdale Borough Swim Team. His swimmers competed up to the National level, with three swimmers going on to Olympic Trials in college.
*Coach Bill was recruited to co-coach the Boyertown YMCA. He moved his growing family to Perkiomenville, PA and began a highly successful Masters team at the Boyertown Y, as well as, the Boyertown Borough Swim Team. He assisted in growing the Y program from eighty swimmers to 180 over a twelve-year period, winning Y Districts, States, and Y Nationals multiple times. Four of Coach Bill’s swimmers went on to Olympic Trials in college. During his Y tenure, he brought swimmers to multiple USA Jr. & Sr. National meets throughout the country.
*In 2008, Bill began coaching at the Pottstown YMCA, with Kathy Cook and her staff. He assisted in growing the Seahawk program to 250 athletes by 2013. He also became head coach of the Hillside Swim Team, which won the Tri-County League Championships in 2013.
*During his tenure with the Seahawks, Coach Bill coached multiple swimmers at USA Jr. & Sr. Nationals, won YMCA Districts (Combined and Boys), won YMCA States (Combined and Boys), and the team placed top 5 at YMCA Nationals. Three swimmers went on to qualify for Olympic Trials.
In 2014, TOPS Swimming was born from the remnants of The Original Pottstown Seahawks (60 swimmers). As the Head Coach/Owner of TOPS, Coach Bill has lead the charge with a dedicated coaching staff which kept the Y core values as the mission and philosophy of TOPS : Trust, Open communication, Personal Responsibility, Support. He grew the team to just shy of 200 swimmers.
*Swimmers from twelve school districts, have benefitted from the age group, science-based training Coach Bill has provided. As with his Y tenure, TOPS swimmers are strong performers at high school Districts and States each year (finalists, podium, and champions).
*Under his leadership, TOPS has provided swimmers with many opportunities: dual meets, invitationals, participation in local, State, Regional, Zones, National and International championships.
*When participating in the SAL League, Coach Bill’s swimmers, in all age groups, finished in the top of their events during SAL Championship meets.
*The TOPS Swimmers that swim USA, have finaled and podiumed at Middle Atlantic USA Meets (10/Under, Bronze, Silver, JO (now Junior), Senior Champs, and Zones), and earned National USA Meet cuts in Sectionals, Futures, ISCA, Jr. Nationals, and Nationals).
*He coached Boyertown High School Swimming for 6 years, and his team won PAC Championships and sent multiple athletes to high school Districts and States.
*His previous Y swimmers and TOPS Swimmers are named on multiple high school record boards, college record boards, and at the International level. MANY of his Y and TOPS swimmers have gone on to swim at the DI, DII, and DIII level, along with college club swimming. All have had great success (conference champions, finalists, NCAA qualifiers, All-Americans, record holders, and National level meets) and they continue(d) to get better beyond their TOPS tenure.
*In 2020, Coach Bill was one of the few, if not the lone coach in the area, who offered a clinic during the time of Covid at Hillside Aquatic Club. He coached not only TOPS Swimmers but Y swimmers from UMLY, PAY, UPY, BYNS.
*In 2020, Coach Bill traveled with Chris Guiliano to National level meets and represented TOPS at the 2020 Olympic Trials in Omaha, NE. Also, in 2020, Coach Bill took Chris Guliano, Nolan Benner and Dalton Fink to the 18 Under Winter Championships, which took the place of Jr. Nationals due to COVID.
*Most recently, Chris Guiliano swam at World’s representing the USA in relays and the 100 free. His relay earned 3rd. On the TOPS front, Colin Davis earned qualifying times for USA Winter Jr. Nationals that will take place this December.
*Coach Bill is a son, brother, husband, father (Shannon-Y National Champion, 2X BIG 10 Champion for Ohio State, Olympic Trial 7th place finalist in 200 fly: Billy - Y National Finalist, Patriot League finalist, Olympic Trial Qualifier: Michael – Strong contributor to Y, TOPS, and Boyertown HS swim teams: Teresa- Strong Contributor to Y, TOPS and Boyertown HS swim team- Washington College captain and conference finalist and team two time record holder), grandfather, coach, colleague, and friend.
*He is a man of faith always striving to be better for himself, his family, and the team. He is known and respected in many swimming circles (summer league to college level). He has sought to introduce swimming to ALL, regardless of their ability or economic constraints. To the best of his ability, he has sought out pool time with multiple facilities in order to reach out to the Pottstown community and surrounding communities.
Certifications: ASCA Level 3 and USA Swim Certified
CATHERINE FINK
Coach Catherine has been with TOPS since 2014. She started swimming when she was eight years old. Catherine spent her summers swimming for Princeton Area Swim and Dive and her winters were spent swimming for Peddie Aquatics. She coaches for Laurelwood Swim Club in the summer where she was an assistant coach for six years before becoming the head coach in 2019. Catherine holds a Master’s Degree in Special and Elementary Education. Certifications: USA Swim Certified, ASDA Level 2
Favorite Quote: " Miles to go before I sleep." (Don't be complacent. There are always ways to better yourself.)
TOPS ASSISTANT COACHES
COLIN BAUER
Coach Colin started coaching for TOPS in 2019. He swam for and graduated from Bloomsburg University. In college he was a Conference finalist and NCAA Qualifier and an All-American Honorable Mention. Colin swam for Pottstown Y and TOPS Swimming and was a Y National, USA Sectional/Futures Qualifier. In addition to club swimming, Colin swam for OJR High School and was a district and states qualifier. He taught swim lessons at OJR Aquatics and Laurelwood Swim Club. Certification: USA Swim Certified
Favorite Quote“ The only disability in life, is having a bad attitude.”
JENNIFER BOWKER
Coach Jenn has been involved in swimming since the age of four. She swam competitively for Suburban Swim Club in Newtown Square. Her favorite events were mid-distance free and backstroke. She began coaching as the head coach for Downingtown High School and remained there for seven years. Jenn then went on as an assistant coach at OJR Age Group for two years, continuing for another five years as head coach. She has taught swimming lessons to all ages, as well as water aerobics and parent-child swim lessons for many years. Jenn has been involved with TOPS since its founding and continues into her fourth year coaching for the club. Jenn holds a B.A. in International Relations and History from Bucknell University and a M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania. She teaches at Villa Maria Academy High School. Happily married to Michael, they have three sons, Ryan, Zach, and Patrick - all who have been swimmers with TOPS. Certifications: USA Swim Certified, Starter Referee
Favorite Quote: "Sometimes on the way to the dream, you get lost and find a better one."
SETH EVANS
Coach Seth has been a TOPS coach since 2016. He swam competitively for 19 years. Seth attended and swam four years each at Daniel Boone Area High School and the University of Mount Union. He has a Master's degree in Excercise Science from California University of Pennsylvania to focus on performance enhancement, injury prevention, and nutrition. During the summer Seth also coaches at North End Swim Club. Along with his USA Swimming Coach certification, he is also a Certified Speed Specialist and a Performance Enhancement Specialist.
Certifications: USA Swimming Certified
Favorite Quote: "Success is peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable...others cannot judge that" -John Wooden
MICHAEL GRUBE
Coach Michael was a competitive swimmer for 19 years. He grew up swimming at Lansdowne Swim Club in the summer, Suburban Swim Center throughout the years, and Upper Darby High School. Michael swam all strokes with the IM and breaststroke being his strengths as an age group swimmer. As he got older, he specialized in the freestyle events. Michael finished his High School Career as a state champion in the 50 and 100 freestyle, a state record holder in the 50, and an All-American. He also held 11 out of the 12 Upper Darby High School's team records. Michael continued his swimming career at the University of Pittsburgh. While in college Michael was a six-time individual conference champion in the 50 and 100 freestyle events. He also helped his team win the Big East Conference Championship four years in a row. He was team Captain, an All- American, and an Academic All-American. He also competed at the 2000 Olympic Team Trials in the 50 and 100 freestyle events
Certifications: USA Swimming Certified
Favorite Quote: “Everything is hard before it is easy.” Goethe
CATIE GUNTZ
Coach Catie, formerly a TOPS swimmer for 7 years, started coaching for our team in 2023 post high school graduation from 21CCCS. She was a competitive swimmer for 14 years and is excited to pay all that she has learned forward to help the next generation of swimmers. Over her last 2 years swimming, Catie competed in the ISCA Summer Senior Champs. In addition to her love for swimming and now coaching, Catie is currently an ARC certified lifeguard and paraprofessional while pursuing her career in real estate.
Favorite Quote:
CARRIE HOUDE
Coach Carrie swam competitively from age four to age nineteen. She spent her summers swimming for Overbrook Golf Club in Bryn Mawr (where she held the 25 breaststroke record for over a decade) and her winters at UMLY, Malvern Swimming Association, Suburban Swim Club, and Conestoga High School.
She is a graduate from Providence College with degrees in Elementary and Special Education and she received her Master’s in Special Education from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. Carrie is an Emotional Support teacher at Conestoga High School, teaching resiliency and coping skills to students who suffer from anxiety and depression. Certifications: USA Swimming Certified
Favorite Quote: "Be strong when you are weak, brace when you are scared and humble when you are victorious." Michelle Moschetti
KRISTEN LOURIE
TAMAR OMAN
CHRIS PIERCE
Coach Chris has been coaching for TOPS since 2016. He started swimming competitively at age five. Chris was a district and state qualifier in Breaststroke while swimming at both the Ridley YMCA and Ridley High School. He held the 100 Breaststroke record at Ridley for 15 years, before it was finally broken in 2013.
Chris began his coaching career at age sixteen as an assistant coach at Nassau Swim Club in Delaware County, from there he became the head coach at Nassau for the next five seasons. He also coached at the Ridley Area YMCA and the Lionville YMCA, where he coached many district, state and national qualifiers. Certifications: ASCA Level 1, USA Swimming Certified
Favorite Quote: "Don’t worry about tomorrow. Just win today. Then win the next day and the day after that. That’s how you win the future. Day by day." – Jon Gordon
AMANDA WAGENSELLER
NIKKI WHITLOCK
Coach Nikki has been coaching with TOPS since 2018. Prior to joining TOPS, she was the Head Swim Coach and Aquatics Director of Bryn Mawr College for twelve years and she coached for the OJR Age Group program for one year. In the summers she has coached at Laurelwood Swim Club since 2006 and she coached for the Berks County Swimming Association (Twin Valley and Maple Springs) for six years.
Nikki graduated from Owen J Roberts High School (All-American) and went on to attend and swim for George Washington University where she earned a B.S. in International Relations, Latin American Studies. She also holds a M.S. in Sports and Athletic Administration from West Chester University. Certifications: Certified USA Swimming Coach, ARC Certified Lifeguard Instructor
Favorite Quote: "Swimming is 10% physical and 90% mental."
