Ted & Suzanne Rychlik

Ted and his wife Suzanne are owners and operators of the Valley Aquatics program.  Ted coaches the Gold Elite group out of the King County Aquatic Center.   Ted has more than 30 years of coaching experience at all levels, coaching senior level swimmers for the past 20 years.  While his experience is VAST, Ted continues his education to find the most productive and efficient ways to train elite swimmers. 

Ted swam for Lakewood Swim Team as a youth setting many local records before going to the University of Iowa on a full ride swimming scholarship.   Ted’s specialty was the 100 and 200 breaststroke where he qualified for the Olympic Trials.

Suzanne is the team administrator, team meet director, and occasionally substitute coach.  Suzanne swam for the University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran and has coached all level of swimmers from summer league, high school, and every level of club swimming. 

Suzanne and Ted live in Maple Valley and have one daughter, Kyleigh who is 12. 

Brent Nordyke

This is Brent’s second tour with VAST having coached Blue, Bronze, and Silver level from 2004-2008 and returning in 2017 to assist with coaching Gold & Gold Elite. Brent and his wife were both swimmers as kids and collegians and have two young children, Kale 12 and Bailey 10, following in their footsteps currently swimming for VAST.

Brent is from Auburn and started swimming for Highline Swim Club at age 7. He swam throughout his childhood qualifying for Junior and Senior National meets, competing for Auburn High School, and receiving a scholarship to the University of Washington where he twice qualified for the NCAA Championships. 

Derek Frenzel

Derek started in 2014 with VAST and is the Head Age Group Coach. He mostly works with the silver elite group, but also coaches bronze and silver.

Derek grew up in Moscow, ID and graduated from Moscow High School in 2010 where he swam all four years. He then went on to swim at the University of Puget Sound and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. 

Adam Michels

Adam started in 2011 with VAST and is working with the Gold and Silver level swimmers. He has worked with many swimmers both in swim lessons and on our team. Every group he has been with has experienced his enthusiasm for the sport and he always brings a great attitude to the pool deck.

Adam swam for Curtis High School and Pacific Lutheran University, competing mostly in backstroke and butterfly. In his free time he is an amateur photographer, loves a good book, and spending time on the beach.

Katie Hendricks

Katie has been coaching with VAST since 2013. During her first season she coached blue and bronze in Sumner and now she is coaching blue, bronze, and silver in Sumner. She enjoys sports, animals, reading, and going to the beach.

Katie grew up in Sumner and swam with VAST as an age group swimmer all the way through High School. She then went on to swim at the University of Idaho as both a sprint and distance freestyler placing top 16 at the WAC Championships. She graduated from the University of Idaho with two degrees in Justice Studies and Psychology and then graduated from the College of Law at Idaho.

Serkan Yalcin

Serkan started coaching with VAST in 2019. He is mostly coaching the blue, bronze and silver groups in Federal Way. He has been involved in swimming for almost 30 years and has worked with many different levels of swimmers and loves watching swimmers enjoy the sport he loves.

Serkan started swimming when he was 10 in Turkey. He swam for the Turkish national team as an age group swimmer in international meets in Europe. He had several age group national titles and national records in Turkey. He then moved to Denver, CO when he was 18 and swam for an NCAA Division II school.

Mikaela Miele

Mikaela is in her first year coaching with VAST. She is mainly going to be coaching the bronze and blue group at the Federal Way Community Center.

Mikaela grew up in Lakes Tapps and swam for VAST and Sumner High School throughout her youth. She went on to swim for New Mexico State University where she competed in distance free and fly events. She graduated with a degree in Kinesiology and Psychology and is starting PT school at the University of Puget Sound.

Megan Woodworth

Megan coached for VAST from 2008-2014 and then started again in 2021 and is mostly going to be coaching the blue and bronze group. Megan grew up in Kent and swam throughout her childhood. She then received a full scholarship to swim and study at New Mexico State University where she received bachelors degrees in Biology and Criminal Justice.