Heather Coulson Haddock has spent the majority of her life in and around the pool. She attended the University of Tennessee on a full swimming scholarship. Heather was a nationally-ranked, All-American swimmer for the Volunteers and competed in the 1988 Olympic Trials in the 400 Individual Medley and was also World ranked. 

In the past, Heather also served as the Head Swim and Dive Coach of the Robinson High School for five seasons - leading the team to a 90% winning dual-meet record and three consecutive Patriot District Championships titles in 1996, 1997, and 1998.  Heather is currently serving her seventh season as the assistant coach for the Chantilly High School Swim and Dive Team.

Heather also coached the Commonwealth summer league team for two seasons, including one undefeated season in Division 5 in 1996 and 1997. 

Heather founded the MAKO team in 1996 with a handful of swimmers from both Robinson High School and Commonwealth swim teams. Her philosophy is built on her own collective swimming experiences. In 1998, MAKO joined Potomac Valley Swimming as a USA Competitive swim team. Today, the team is comprised of nearly 500 swimmers, a staff of excellent coaches, and trains exclusively in the finest swimming facility in the Northern Virginia region, the George Mason Aquatics and Fitness Center in Fairfax.

Heather takes great pride in the team’s unwavering commitment to developing outstanding athletes in a positive, fun and family-oriented environment. Heather holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood development from the University of Tennessee and a master’s degree in special education from the College of William and Mary. For many years after founding MAKO, Heather continued to swimming competitively for the Patriot Master’s Swim Team, where she held several individual and relay records. She was also Master’s National Champion in the 50 Meter Backstroke in Hawaii in 2002.

Heather is married to Chris Haddock, has two children, Logan and Ryan.

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Ward began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of Arkansas.  He worked as the assistant swim coach from 1991-95, and he was responsible for the distance and middle-distance swimmers.  During his time there, three Razorback swimmers he coached won conference championships.

As a competitive athlete, Ward was a four-year letterwinner for Arkansas and the 1986-87 Razorback team captain, but his success wasn't limited to just the collegiate ranks.  A world-class swimmer, Ward was a member of the Canadian National Swimming Team from 1979-88.  He placed seventh in the 200 butterfly at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles and was a silver medalist at the 1987 Pan American Games.  Ward held the Canadian national record in the 200-meter butterfly from 1981-84 and was the Canadian champion in that event in 1981, 1984 and 1986.

Ward, who is a member of both the American Swimming Coaches Association and the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, has been involved with Special Olympics and also assisted with the Washington D.C.-area bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

He has two daughters, Rebecca and Rachel.

Senior Prep Group, Junior Gold and Junior Blue Group

Beth Bedell is the Head Coach for the Mini Makos, and she has been coaching with the Makos since 2003.  Beth has spent more than 30 summers teaching younger children to swim.

Beth enjoys the challenge of working with age group swimmers (10 and under) and helping them develop their strokes. She continues to update her techniques and training skills by attending seminars that provide the most updated information on age group swimming, strokes, nutrition and psychology. She is certified by American Swim Coaches Association as a level II coach, and she has her Water Safety Instructor certification as well. She spent over 15 years swimming in California competing for age group, high school and college teams.

Beth has a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Long Beach in Health Science with a specialty in Radiation Therapy.

Erik has been coaching swimming since 1991. His athletes have won Jr. Nationals, earned USA Swimming Scholastic All American status, been selected for USA Swimming camps, and won international medals. In 2018 he was named to the USA Swimming Select Camp Coaching Staff (EZ) and he currently serves as the Age Group Chairperson for the Potomac Valley LSC. Erik lives in Alexandria with his wife Sara, and he's looking forward to working with the Mason Makos student-athletes. 

Becky grew up in Essex, VT after moving to America from Glasgow, Scotland. She grew up swimming with Green Mountain Aquatics and the Town of Essex Swim Team. She attended George Mason University for her Bachelor's degree and swam the distance events on the Varsity team while earning her degree, class of 2014. Becky got her Master's degree from Mary Baldwin University in 2016. She returned to Vermont in the summers to coach her Summer League team and teach swim lessons. 

Erica joined the Mako Coaching staff in the winter of 2017. She works with our 8&under groups, including Mako Developmental.   Erica grew up in Lafayette, Indiana and began competitive swimming at the age of 8. She later attended Ball State University on a swimming scholarship. She competed four years for the Cardinals and led the team as team captain during her senior year. Erica graduated with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Aquatics. She graduated two years later from Ball State with a Masters Degree in Sport Administration.

Erica began her professional career at the University of Virginia as the Aquatic Director. She later moved to Northern Virginia and began a career at George Mason University. In the fall of 2016, after 10 years with the Recreation Department, she resigned to stay at home and become a full time mom. She is currently an American Red Cross Lifeguard, CPR/AED and First Aid Instructor and still teaches for the Recreation and Athletic Department.

She lives in Fairfax with her husband, three daughters, and her dogs Indy and Ivy. All three of her daughters are Makos!

This will be Noah's fifth season coaching MAKO. He served as the Mini Mako Developmental coach from 2014-2016 and returned to MAKO during the 2021-2022 season.  Noah has been a member of the MAKO family since 2005, back when he started swimming for the team. He swam with MAKO all the way through high school as a member of the national team, as well as during winter and summer breaks from college, where he was a member of the University of Mary Washington varsity swim team. While at the University of Mary Washington, Noah achieved multiple NCAA ‘B’ Cuts, was named an Academic All-American in 2019, and was named UMW Winter Athlete of the Year in 2020. Noah's is also a current UMW and CAC Record Holder as a member of the 800 Freestyle Relay. 

Coach Jackson graduated from George Mason University where he majored in Sports Management and minored in Coaching.  While at Mason, he was a competitive division one swimmer and was captain of the team his senior year.  After graduating, he helped start a collegiate team for St. Ambrose University where he was the assistant coach for three years. While at St. Ambrose he also earned a Masters in Organizational Leadership.

Jackson has been coaching for the last twelve years at various levels.  He’s coached NVSL for eight years, was a high school assistant coach for two years, a club coach for four years, and a collegiate coach for three years.  He has worked with just about every age group and skill level, ranging from beginning six-year-olds to collegiate All American athletes.

Shannon Ice joined the Mako Coaching staff in 2011.  Growing up in and around pools, Shannon began swimming competitively for York Swim Club at age 5 and began diving for the same team the following year.  She continued her swimming and diving in the NVSL at Lee Graham Pool and at O'Connell High School, and Shannon went on to college-level diving at University of Maryland then George Mason University.  Shannon continues to enjoy swimming competitively through training for and participating in many nearby triathlons.

Shannon began teaching swim lessons almost 20 years ago and has worked with young swimmers at several area pools including Lee Graham, Poplar Heights, and Lincolnia Park.  She recognizes the importance of building and reinforcing fundamental swimming skills in order to give each swimmer the tools to succeed.  She enjoys working with children and sharing her love for swimming.

Shannon holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the George Mason University and lives in Falls Church with her husband and three children.

Maura started swimming summer league at age 6, and then competitively at age 9.  She swam most of her USS years with Victor Swim Club, and finished swimming at Fairfield University.  Maura coached in the Colonial Swim League and Northern Virginia Swim League for 20 summers, retiring when her family joined Walden Glen Swim Team where her four oldest swim.  Maura, an FCPS math teacher, enjoys working with the littlest Makos, as well as the youngest swimmers at Swim With Beth.

Elaina grew up in Northern Virginia, swimming for Victor Swim Club for ten years.  She earned a scholarship to row at Syracuse University, eventually graduating from George Washington University.  After college, she joined US Masters Swimming (USMS) with the University of San Francisco team for five years, then moved back to NOVA and joined Patriot Masters in 1999.  Elaina is a Level II certified coach and continues to train and compete with USMS.  She enjoys working with kids to develop a lifelong commitment to sports and competition.

Elaina works as a tax preparer and lives in Fairfax with her husband and three children two of who swim with the Makos.

Courtney grew up in Phillipsburg, NJ where she began swimming summer league at the age of six. From age 11-18 she swam year round on her USS club team, and then continued her swimming through college.  Courtney received a 5 year swimming scholarship to the University of Maryland, where she swam for four years and coached her fifth year.

The highlights of Courtney's swimming career were: NJ state champion in the 200 Freestyle, National Qualifier, and Academic All-American.  She specialized in the 400/200 IM, 100/200 Free, back, and breast.

While at the University of Maryland, Courtney gave swim lessons for 4 years and was a student assistant coach for the UMD swim team for one year.

Courtney sees coaching as a great way to give back to a sport to which she dedicated many years as an athlete. She has a passion for helping swimmers develop strong stroke techniques and encouraging them to work hard, swim smart both mentally and technically, and love their sport!

Courtney is married with 3 children, two of which are MAKOS swimmers.

Ashley began her swimming career at the age of four years old on the Fairfax Station Flyers Mini Team in 2002. Her love for the sport quickly grew, inspiring her to join year-round swimming with the Mason Makos Swim Team. During her high school career, she swam on Robinson Secondary School’s Varsity Swim Team and the Mason Makos Senior Team. In 2016, she received the Joan Olson Scholarship Award from the NVSL for showing good sportsmanship. Throughout college, she swam on the University of Virginia’s club team. From 2017- 2019, she served as the Assistant Coach for the Fairfax Station Flyers Swim Team. Since 2021, she has served as Lakeview Swim Team's Head Swim Coach and Head Winter Swim Coach.

In 2020, Ashley graduated with an English and Foreign Affairs Double Major from UVA, and Ashley finished her studies in May of 2021 with a Master of Teaching in Secondary English Education. Ashley is currently a high school English teacher at Robinson Secondary School, teaching English 9 Honors and IB Language and Literature HL II.

In 2022, she began coaching with the Makos, and she is having a blast coaching the Mini Gold and Junior Blue groups on Tuesday and Thursday this year.