Tim Larkin 

Head Swim Coach 

Email: [email protected] 

Swimming has been a part of Tim's life since he was very young.  He was born and raised in New York where he swam competitively from the age of 9 through his senior year in college.  He attended the University of Stony Brook where he received his Bachelor's in Sociology. During his time at Stony Brook, he was a team captain and 2-time team MVP.

Tim has over 12 years of coaching experience.  His coaching experience began at the age of 16 when working with Hilltop Swim Club in Yonkers, NY.  From 2006-2009, he was the Assistant Coach of the Boys and Girls Swim team for Washingtonville High School. During this time, he was also the Assistant Head Coach at Viking Aquatic Club in Montgomery, NY. 

Tim moved to Oregon in 2009 and became the Head Coach of North Coast Swim Club.  Most recently, he coached for Tualatin Hills Swim Club, working with all levels of the team, from directing the pre-competitive program, and running the 10&under novice squad to working directly with developmental and advanced middle school, high school, and college swimmers.  Tim has coached his swimmers to become multiple OSI, Age Group Regional, Zone, and Senior Sectional champions as well as OSI record holders.

In his free time, Tim enjoys hiking with his wife Paige and his dog Ollie, CrossFit, swimming, cooking, music, and all things Star Wars.

 

 

Claudia Velie

Assistant Coach

Email: [email protected]

 

Growing up in Kingston, WA, Coach Claudia has been immersed in the world of swimming from a young age. She began at 7 years old with the Poulsbo Piranha Swim Team, where her passion for the sport took root. Claudia continued to compete in swimming throughout high school and pursued her collegiate swimming career at Linfield University.

At Linfield, Claudia swam with the Linfield swim team for the DIII Northwest Conference. There, she was a captain of the 2022-23 women’s swim team, who became the Conference Champions of that season. Claudia was also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for two years. 

Graduating in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, Claudia combines her academic knowledge with practical experience to offer a well-rounded coaching perspective. This is her first coaching position, and she brings with her a fresh, dynamic approach, rooted in her experience as a swimmer and her academic background.

Coach Claudia’s philosophy centers around the development of the athlete and the person. Swimming offers valuable life skills such as resilience, strength, and personal growth, and her coaching aims to foster an environment where those skills can be both learned and practiced. 

Outside of swimming Coach Claudia enjoys weightlifting, skiing, and cooking. To relax, she enjoys movies and TV of any genre (but especially sci-fi and fantasy) and reading.

 

Oscar Tippol

Assistant Coach

Email: [email protected]

 

Coach Oscar possesses a rich and diverse background that brings a unique perspective to his coaching career. His journey in the world of swimming began at the early age of 8, when he first discovered his passion for the sport. He honed his swimming skills as he competed for Socal Aquatics and the JCC Waves in California, gaining valuable experience and expertise. Before his junior year of high school, Oscar relocated to Texas, where he continued to pursue his swimming ambitions by joining the Southwest Aquatic Team.

 

Oscar's coaching journey commenced during his freshman year of college, demonstrating his commitment to the sport and his desire to help others excel in the pool. Although he did not swim competitively in college, he dedicated himself to coaching age-group swimming at Southwest Aquatics (SWAT). During his time coaching for SWAT, he developed a highly successful program, guiding swimmers to the prestigious Texas Age Group Swimming (TAGS) championship meet. TAGS is renowned as the fastest meet in all of Texas, and under Coach Oscar's guidance, one of his swimmers achieved a remarkable victory in the 50 free and secured a 2nd place finish in the 100 free in 2010.

While Coach Oscar briefly paused his academic pursuits to embark on a music career in California, his dedication to coaching swimming remained evident as he continued to mentor swimmers at the JCC Waves. Oscar's music career eventually led him to Los Angeles, where he continued to make waves in the music industry while coaching part-time at BLAST.

During his time coaching at BLAST, Coach Oscar achieved remarkable milestones. He played a pivotal role in growing the team from 40 to an impressive 175 athletes, a testament to his coaching prowess and ability to inspire young swimmers. Coach Oscar's dedication and guidance resulted in the coaching of over five Junior Olympic finalists, with two of them achieving placements within the top 10, showcasing his commitment to nurturing exceptional talent. Through a collective coaching effort, the team surged from a 12th-place standing to a remarkable 3rd-place position in just three seasons.

Coach Oscar brings a wealth of experience, both in the pool and beyond, to his coaching role. His diverse background and unwavering commitment to personal and athletic growth make him a valuable addition to our coaching team, where he continues to inspire and guide our young swimmers toward their goals.

Coach Oscar's Philosophy:

“I believe in unlocking every athlete's potential through dedication, discipline, and teamwork. I aim to instill self-belief, resilience, and a growth mindset, shaping not just swimmers but champions in life. Together, we'll reach new heights in and out of the pool, and I'm honored to be part of this journey."

 

Colin Monge

Assistant Coach

Email: [email protected]

 

Coach Colin was born and raised in San Diego, where his love for the water first began. He started swimming at the age of five and began competing for his local team, Pacific Swim, at ten. It wasn’t until he was nearly out of the 11–12 age group that he earned his first B cut in the 500 free—marking the start of his journey as a distance and IM swimmer.
 
As he advanced through his team’s training groups, Colin had the opportunity to compete out of state, including in Oklahoma and Portland. His main events included the mile, 1000 and 500 freestyle, and the 400 and 200 IM. Colin also swam all four years at Poway High School, serving as team captain his senior year and helping his relay team qualify for CIF States.
 
Colin went on to attend Lewis & Clark College, where he earned a BA in Psychology and competed on the NCAA Division III swim team. During his four years there, he was a versatile utility swimmer, stepping up to score points in a wide range of events.
 
As a coach, Colin is passionate about fostering excellence both in and out of the pool. He believes that hard work, determination, and consistency can close the gap in competition, and he’s committed to building a team culture rooted in support and camaraderie. While swimming can be an individual sport, Colin knows that a positive team environment can make all the difference in an athlete’s career.
 
Outside the pool, Colin enjoys cooking and experimenting with new meals. He’s an avid fan of Formula 1 and the UFC, and loves wieght lifitng, playing video games and cruising around on his skateboard.