Johnny Austermann has been the head coach of Atlantis Swimming since May of 2016. He has been involved with the sport of swimming since 1991, when he began swimming in the NSSL with the Huntington Woods Hurricanes. He swam two years for Berkley High School and then competed for OLY his Junior and Senior years. Johnny swam for the University of Michigan Men’s Varsity Team from 2004-2008. During that time, he was coached by Olympic Coaches Jon Urbanchek and Bob Bowman. He was a member of the University of Michigan’s team when they won their 33rd Big Ten Team Championship and competed in the 2008 Olympic Trials (400 and 1500 FR). In 2009, while completing his degree in Brain, Behavior and Cognitive Science, he managed the Michigan team and worked with the newly hired Head Coach Mike Bottom and his staff to implement a video analysis system for training. Johnny primarily works with the Senior group but also conducts team-wide evaluations of every swimmer each fall/spring, from Speedsters to Gold Group. In addition, he regularly supports and collaborates with the Lead Coaches.

Coach Scott has been coaching with Atlantis since 2013, beginning as the Lead Coach for the South Silver and Gold Groups at Ferndale High School. Atlantis marked his return to coaching after a 20-year family hiatus. Scott’s own competitive swimming career began “late”—at the ripe old age of 10—on the Oak Park City Rec team. He went on to swim with the original YPAC team and Berkley High School. After graduation, he became YPAC’s second head coach, a role he held for 10 years. During that time, he also coached at Surf Club, Pleasant Ridge Swim Club, Old Maple Farm Summer Club, Red Run Golf Club, and multiple high school teams, including Berkley, Rochester, Ferndale, and Shrine. In his own words, he was “kind of a pool bum”. Since returning to the sport, Scott has continued to coach at Ferndale Middle School, Ferndale Girls High School, and Berkley Girls High School. Spot a pattern? Scott loves being part of the Atlantis family—coaches, swimmers, and parents alike—and is grateful for the community that makes the program so special.

Growing up in Southern California, Theresa found her passion for aquatics through many avenues - as a swimmer, water polo player, synchronized swimmer, surfer, instructor, & coach. For for than 40 years she has remained dedicated to the sport and its community. 

She earned her degree in Physical Education from Trinity International University in the suburbs of Chicago and has coached both scholastic and USA Swim teams across Southern California, Illinois, and Michigan. Her experience also includes working with adapted athletes (para-athletes) as well as children and adults with cognitive and physical impairments. Theresa started coaching with Atlantis in 2012 and is also a certified Aquatic Facility Operator & Lifeguard Instructor.

Well-versed in local, national, and international meets and protocols, she views swimming as a gateway to valuable life experiences—a safe environment where athletes can grow, learn, and become the best version of themselves.

She loves this team—the athletes she coaches, the colleagues she works alongside, and the vision under Johnny’s leadership. Theresa can’t imagine a better place to do what she loves.

Coach Colleen started her swimming career at the Pleasant Ridge Swim Club at the age of six. At ten, she joined YPAC and continued with the team through the age of fifteen. She swam all four years at Ferndale High School and during her junior and senior year went to the State Finals. She started coaching att Ferndale High in 1999 as Head Coach of the boys’ team and coached for four seasons, taking a team of twelve boys from 4th in Division III to 1st for two consecutive years. During that time, she also started coaching at Kimball High School as the Head Coach for the girls’ team. In her second season at Kimball, Coach Colleen took the first relay in five years to States. She also coached YPAC from 2002-2010 as an assistant coach and then took over as Head Coach from 2010-2012. She coached as the Head Coach for the Pleasant Ridge Piranhas for 15 years. Coach Colleen is also a stay-at-home mom of 3 beautiful girls: Alyssa, Ella and Mila.

Kelli started swimming competitively at 5 for the Tri-Cities Y.M.C.A. in Grand Haven. She competed as a successful freestyler, swimming at Oakland University under Head Coach Peter Hoveland from 2007 to 2011. Kelli gained her master’s in Exercise Science in 2016 and has been coaching a combination of swimming fitness programs ever since. She has worked with a range of swimmers and clients in and out of the pool. Coach Kelli is also an EMT and Paramedic.

Will started swimming when he was 4 years old for his neighborhood swim team in Bristow, Virginia. He swam for Nation’s Capital Swim Club throughout middle school and high school. Early success in high school in swimming allowed him to travel a variety of places for the sport including USA Swimming Nationals and Junior Nationals, the Olympic Training Center, and a variety of other national level swim meets. Will was recruited to swim for the University of Notre Dame where he studied Mechanical Engineering from 2017-2021. In his collegiate career, Will finaled all 4 years at the ACC conference meet, and returned to USA Swimming Nationals twice. Upon graduation Will started working as an additive manufacturing engineer at Williams International in Pontiac, MI. Will started coaching for Atlantis in 2021. He regularly assists Johnny and Drew with the team’s senior group.

Jason began coaching in 1996 as an assistant coach at Piemontese Social Club in Farmington Hills.   Soon after he was named the head swim coach of Farmington High school in the fall of 1997.  He then joined the Farmington YMCA Stingrays in 1999 and became the head age group coach for the Gold group in 2000.  After 9 great years and 18 wonderful seasons as the head coach of Farmington High School’s Men’s and Women’s programs, he moved to the head coach position at Troy High School.   In 2011 he hung up his stop watch, and enjoyed 6 years of fun until daughters Amelia and Olivia decided (on their own) to drag him back to a pool deck.  In 2019 after sitting in the timing office of the Atlantis IMX meet at Waterford Mott, he made the decision to ask Coach Johnny if he would be willing to take on an old retiree.   Since that glorious discussion, he has enjoyed coaching Silver and Gold groups here at Atlantis.  His advice to all Atlantis swimmers is to show up and move with a purpose!  

Kurt started swimming as an age group swimmer in Zeeland, Michigan after being thrown into the pool to sink or swim by his loving parents. He continued swimming through high school and as a Oakland University Golden Grizzly. Coach Kurt earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education with a specialty in math. Kurt has a wide range of coaching experience including; football, volleyball, soccer and lacrosse but is happiest around the pool. Kurt has many years coaching on the pool deck, in addition to swim lessons and life guarding, he has coached for Lake Orion Liquid Lightning, Rochester High School and Utica High School. Kurt is excited to be joining the Atlantis team as a coach this season!

Rob has been swimming as long as he's been walking. His swim career started at YPAC with Coach Scott Shelton, swimming the summers at HWAC and AAU at Royal Oak Penguins. Rob was also a four-year varsity swimmer at Berkley High School as a long-distance swimmer. His 500 time stands on the top six board for decades (until a certain Johnny Austerman knocked his name off the top six leaderboard!!). He swims Master’s Swimming in the summers. Rob found his love of coaching in 2015 when he began as an assistant coach for the Berkley Middle School team and in 2016 as assistant coach for the Berkley High School girls' team.

Preston works with special needs students at Derby Middle School. He enjoys rock climbing, biking and anything active.

Jonathan Gruner has been swimming since 1994, when he was entered in the Flint Olympian Games. He continued his competitive swimming career with the Flint YMCA Falcons until he was 18 years old. He also swam four years at Powers Catholic High School. Jonathan opted not to swim in college and instead was on the Crew Team at Michigan State University in 2007-2008. Jonathan has coached for various swim clubs in Genesee County, Michigan. Jonathan was also a technique coach for the Gulf Coast Swim Team in Ft. Myers, Florida. Jonathan graduated from Michigan State University in 2011 with a degree in Human Resources and Economics. Jonathan then pursued a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Jonathan has been with BBA since May 2017 and primarily coaches the Gold Group.

Amie started swimming at the age of 12 on her middle school swim team. She swam on the Varsity swim team at Royal Oak High School and was apart of a local summer club team. She swam her freshman year of college at Alma College. She graduated from Madonna University in 2021 and is currently a social worker at a local human service agency. Amie loves helping kids find their love and passion for swimming. 

Jackie has been with BBA since 2012. I swam throughout high school at Center Line High School, taught swim lessons for 12 years and began coaching when I was offered a Co-Head Coach Position at Shrine High School in 2010. Shortly after completion of the Shrine High School Girls Swim season, I transitioned to be an Assistant Coach with the South Oakland YMCA YPAC team. After a single season with YPAC, I made the transition to BBA as an assistant coach working primarily with Speedsters and Bronze. I have a 6-year-old son named Kamdyn, who makes a rare appearance around the pool or events! I graduated from Wayne State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and now work full time for DTE Energy in Detroit as an Instructor Trainer.

Armen began his swimming career when he was 7 years old. He swam on HWAC every summer from 2008 until 2019. He swam for the Berkley Middle School swim team in 7th and 8th grade and swam for the Berkley High school boys swim team for all four years of high school. Armen swam with the Atlantis senior group his junior and senior year of high school and currently swims with the masters group. He graduated with his bachelors and masters from Wayne State university, and currently works as a CPA specializing in tax. Armen has been coaching with Atlantis since 2019 and loves helping kids improve their skills and further their passion for swimming. 

My name is coach Betsey.  I swam for Mercy High School and Grand Valley State University.  I have been coaching for 25 years.  I started swimming for BHAC and started swimming with Atlantis as a 6 year old!  I have two children who also swim for Atlantis, Aidan (16) and Lilly (13).  During the day, I teach 3rd grade in Waterford.  I also coach Berkley middle School girls and Boys.  As you can see, I love working with your children. I love watching your children grow!

Cosmo has loved being in the water since he was little. He started swimming at the YMCA, before he joined Atlantis. He went on to swim for many years at Atlantis, and the Pleasant Ridge Piranhas. In his junior year, Cosmo started as a junior coach at Atlantis, helping to coach the speedsters and bronze group. Cosmo has continued to coach ever since, working closely with all the groups as closely as possible.

As a former distance swimmer Jason understands that having great technique is tantamount to having a great performance. He has been actively engaged in the sport of swimming since 1995, and recently graduated from Michigan State as captain of their Men's Swim Team, where he competed in the 2010 and 2011 Big Ten Championships. Jason coaches at Tweak, focusing on technique and assists at Huntington Woods in the summer season.  Jason is well-versed in working with all ages of competitive swimmers.