Coaches and Directors

Coaches and Directors
Coaching Staff
Lucas Salles-Cunha Head Coach

2016 and 2017 Pacific Swimming Coach of the Year nominee.  2017and 2018 ASCA Coach of the Year nominee. 2022 ASCA Impact Coach of the Year nominee.  Lucas has coached Olympic Trialists and champions at the Jr. Olympic, Farwestern, Sectional, and Futures level. He is part of a coaching family that had a part in coaching two olympic gold medalists.  He has coached a range of swimming abilities from beginning to Olympic Trials swimmers. 

Lucas' own accomplishments have been: Top 10 placing at Masters Nationals, 8 Time Florida State Finalist, 4 Individual Finals, Masters competitor and Multiple Event Winner, Jr. Olympic champion.  He has 6 years of ocean lifeguarding experience, placing 2nd in the Swim, Paddle, Run at the East Coast Regional Lifeguarding Championship.  He has also participated and placed top 10 in multiple open water swims. 

Lucas has a patient and relaxed coaching style that motivates each individual to rise to their own best, paired with a relentless focus on excellent technique.

Education: Lucas has a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from SDSU, a Master's Degree in Recreation and Sports Performance, with an emphasis in Coaching from Ohio University and is currently working on his Doctorate at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. 

Kim Rutherford Stroke Development Coach, Simpkins

Kim started swimming age group at 6 years old and went on to add surfing and paddling into her life in the cool Pacific. She started coaching, teaching swimming, and life guarding in high school at multiple pools and continues to coach and mentor OW swimmers today. Her dedication to improving strokes, giving lessons to all levels of proficiency stand today. Currently she coaches for Quicksilver Swim Team, teaches private swim lessons at Simpkins Family Swim Center, and coaches marathon, ultra marathon and channel swimmers in the Pacific Ocean.

Kim's first marathon swim was Seal Beach Rough Water in the early 1980's and was hooked! Favorite swims include a 25 mile Monterey Bay crossing (Monterey to Santa Cruz), the 20 mile Catalina and 12.4 mile Anacapa channels, 28 Miles around Manhattan Island, 12 Mile Mercer Island circumnavigation, The Strait of Juan de Fuca, Ice Swims in Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Bay, Semana Nautica, and daily swims at home in Soquel Cove. Kim is also a member of the South End Rowing Club.

Board of Directors