UMLY COACHING STAFF
Meet the coaching staff of the Upper Main Line YMCA!
Todd Conrad
Head Coach
Lead Coach Senior 1
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: October 2020
Entering his 20th year of coaching, Coach Todd has seen success in swimming at all levels throughout his career. While in California, Coach Todd swam for the University California, Irvine. After graduating with a graduate degree in Education, Coach Todd spent 14 years as the Head Coach of the Coto Coyotes, before taking the General Manager position at the Mission Viejo Nadadores. There he worked with Olympic Coach Mark Schubert and during this time was recognized as the 2018 Orange County Register's Swim Coach of the Year. After a successful stint with the Nadadores, Coach Todd went on to coach and manage operations at the Fullerton Aquatic Sports Team.
Throughout his club swimming career he concurrently served as the Aquatics Director and girl’s swim coach, going 27 and 1 with 6 consecutive league championships, taking a previously unranked team into a top 15 national spot.
In addition to his various coaching assignments, Coach Todd was also the Head Coach of Southern California Swimming’s All-Stars teams, served as the Orange County Age Group Chair and currently serves as the Finance Chair on an LSC Board.
Coach Todd is passionate about helping athletes grow and succeed not only in the water, but out of the water too!
Owen Edwards
Director of Competitive Aquatics (Associate Head Coach)
Lead Coach Age Group 3 and Senior 2
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: August 2021
Coach Owen has been an avid swimmer his entire life. Starting at age 3 taking lessons within the YMCA, Owen quickly made waves in the pool and became an asset to any team he swam for. He had the privilege swimming for Bishop Shanahan High School and Lionville Community YMCA until his senior year when he transferred to Upper Main Line YMCA. Coach Owen was a YMCA National Qualifier, PIAA High School State Qualifier and competed at the US Master nationals in 2013. Although swimming was his life, Coach Owen shared another love for running and competed at Indiana University of Pennsylvania on the Cross Country and Track & Field Team. His determination and drive to be a better athlete pushed him to train in swimming again after a couple years off, which led to him making the team in his last year at IUP.
Coach Owen started his aquatic career as the Aquatic Coordinator at the Lionville YMCA in September of 2014 and was promoted to Aquatic Director in February of 2015. Coach Owen volunteered his time as a coach at Downingtown West High School for both swimming and diving. In August of 2016, Owen also became the Head Swim Coach of the Lionville YMCA Riptides, until April of 2020. During this time he successfully coached swimmers at all levels of competition for both YMCA and USA Swimming. Coach Owen’s knowledge, fun loving and competitive spirit is showcased in his coaching both on and off the deck. The passion and drive to make swimmers not only better at swimming but also to be one united family will give this team a new edge.
Jared Messics
Assistant Director of Competitive Aquatics
Lead Coach Age Group 2 and Age Group 1 Red/Senior 3
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: October 2021
Coach Jared was born and raised in Bethlehem PA, where he first learned to swim at Bethlehem YMCA. 12 years of swimming experience landed him his first coaching job at Hanover Stingrays Summer Swim Team for 4 summers. Coach Jared coached at Jennersville YMCA working primarily with the 11-12 age group. While coaching at JY, Coach Jared graduated from West Chester University with a degree in Exercise Science and is currently pursuing certification in becoming a Strength & Conditioning Specialist. Over the past year Coach Jared has assisted with the AG2 and AG3 groups here at UMLY. He is dedicated to each and every swimmer that comes through the door.
James Krull
Lead Coach Age Group 1 Blue
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: March 1992
Dr. James (Jamie) Krull can only be described as a lynchpin of the UMLY swim team and the greater YMCA community. Despite being an active physician, Coach Jamie has found the time to volunteer decades of service to the Upper Main Line YMCA. He was recognized at the 2019 YMCA Short Course National Meet as the YMCA National Coach of the Year.
Will Sargent
Assistant Coach Age Group 1 & 2 Blue
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: 2022
College: 1994 B.A. Biology Johns Hopkins University (swam 1990-1992).
Swimming/Coaching Experience: After enjoying summer swimming when he was younger, Coach Will started swimming year-round during high-school in St. Louis, MO. He finished his high-school swimming career at Somerset Hills YMCA as part of their YMCA National Team with Coach Gary Thorp. He swam for Johns Hopkins University with Coach George Kennedy in the early 90s as a sprinter and backstroker. He enjoys getting back in the water to keep improving his strokes and continues to be a life-long fan of the physical and mental benefits of swimming.
Coach Will has two children, Liam (Case Western Reserve swimming, 2026) and Devyn (Yale swimming, 2028), who both grew up swimming in the fantastic culture at UMLY's swim program. He started coaching in 2022 after he saw how much swimming technique had changed and wanted to understand and share these insights (especially the benefits of underwater butterfly!) with motivated young swimmers. He really enjoys teaching and helping develop young aquanauts to realize their full potential both in and out of the pool.
Kristina Halner
Lead Coach Minis
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: November 2019
Coach Kristina graduated from Bloomsburg University in May 2016 with a degree in Elementary Education (Pk-4). Since graduating, she has been actively subbing in the Central Bucks and North Penn School Distrcits. Kristina's first experience as Boy's Head Coach was for the SAL team South West Aquatics Club. While coaching at SWAC, she was also apart of the coaching staff at the Central Bucks Family YMCA (Doylestown). In April 2018, Kristina became the Director of Competitive Aquatics for the YMCA of Bucks County (Tri-Hampton YMCA) where she led the Senior, Age Group and Pre Age Group levels through their 11-month season. Kristina is excited to be joining the UMLY team!
Lexi Rauth
Assistant Coach Age Group 1
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: May 2014
Assistant Coach Age Group 1, Age Group 2, Senior 3
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: September 2001
Whether competing, coaching, or supporting her children’s swimming career, Coach Gigi has been involved with swimming in some capacity for the last 50 years.
With over 20 years of coaching experience, she led practices for swimmers of different age groups in Germany, at the Upper Main Line YMCA, at Penny Packer Country Club, and for the last five years at Downingtown East as the Boys Head Coach.
In the summer of 2000, her family moved to the USA, where her three children found a competitive swimming home at UMLY, and Gigi started her coaching career soon after under Coach Jamie.
Her favorite stroke is coaching the IM and focusing on proper techniques to prevent injuries.
Her now-grown children swam for UMLY year-round and graduated from division I and II universities as active members of the respective swim teams.
During the warmer season, Gigi logs many miles in the 50-meter pool.
Heather Burns
Assistant Coach Age Group 1
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: 2014
College: 1993 B.S. Elementary Education Miami University Oxford, OH
2000 M. S. Educational Counseling Southern Connecticut State University New Haven, CT
Swimming/Coaching experience: At age 8 Coach Heather started summer swim league after she passed all the levels of swim lessons. The swim instructor suggested she try out for the swim team. She cried behind the blocks before her first race. Her dad turned to her and said, “Just try it once, and you will never have to do it again”. She was hooked after her first swimming race!
At age 11 she started year round swimming for Radnor Aquatic Club and then for Suburban Swim Club. She moved to Clearwater, FL at age 15 and continued age group swimming with West Florida Lightning Aquatics. After high school she swam for Miami University.
Heather moved to Fairfield County, CT after graduating college. She began to swim competitively for a Master’s swim program at the Westport/Weston Y. Knowing her education background, the aquatics director asked her to work as a swim instructor at the Y. In the mornings she instructed campers and in the afternoons she taught private lessons in backyard pools. She also taught private swim lessons for 14 years. While she was teaching fourth grade in Weston, CT, she was asked to be the assistant swim coach at Weston High School. Periodically, she would coach an age group session at the Westport Y, while attending grad school and teaching full time. In 1997 Heather met her husband Eric at the Westport Y through the master’s swim team.
In 2009 Heather and Eric relocated to the Philly area. It was during that time that their children Brendan and Delaney started swimming for UMLY. Heather still swims frequently at UMLY. Every year for their anniversary Heather and Eric choose a different open water swim to compete in to celebrate their love of swimming!
Currently, Heather is a college counselor at Delaware County Community College.
What does Heather like about coaching?: Swimming is about getting a swimmer from point A to point B in the quickest and most efficient way possible. The joy of coaching comes from teaching a swimmer the life lessons that are learned, while pursuing that endeavor.
Phil Munger
Assistant Coach Age Group 2, Age Group 3 and Age Group 1 Red/Senior 3
Email: c[email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: September 2012
Coach Phil grew up in the area, swimming for UMLY on and off as a kid while attending local T/E schools, graduating from Conestoga in 2005. He attended and swam at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland and graduated with a degree in History in 2009. After graduating, Phil worked in local T/E schools for a year before going to get his Master's degree in teaching from Towson University in 2012. While in Maryland, Phil headed the Age Group program for local club team Cardinal Gold Aquatics (CGA). Upon returning to Pennsylvania in 2013, Phil began coaching with the Age Group teams, headed up the Girls B team, and in the summers coaches the Varsity team at club called Martin's Dam. Phil has loved his past ten years with UMLY and looks forward to many more.
Cathi Dallot
Assistant Coach Minis
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: September 2000
Coach Cathi grew up in Menlo Park, CA where she developed her love of swimming at a private club. Coaching kids over the last 20 years & watching them discover their love of swimming has been a particularly joyous part of her life. Coach Cathi and her husband have two children and three grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with family & friends, traveling, gardening,and of course, swimming!
Ted Rauth
Email: t[email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: May 2008
Galen Gennaria
Email: [email protected]
Joined the UMLY Family: September 2016
As an avid swimmer himself, Coach Galen greatly appreciates the dedication and determination that is required for success in competitive swimming. He enjoys coaching every level of swimmer and helping them to achieve their full potential in and out of the pool. He leads the Senior 3 and Age Group 1 Red groups, and is the lead coach of the Boy’s B team during the winter season. Galen places great emphasis upon fostering a positive training environment for individual and team success. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University.
