Coach Steve is from Tucson, AZ and moved to Columbia Md in 1992. Steve attended Bryant Woods Elementary School, Wilde Lake Middle School, and Wilde Lake High School. At Wilde Lake High School Steve was a 3-year letterman in Football, Wrestling, and the captain of the Lacrosse team. Coach Steve started swimming in 1992 for the Wilde Lake Watercats (CNSL) and the Columbia Clippers. During his time with the Clippers, Coach Steve was a 5-time Maryland State Championship (SCY) qualifier and a member of the Maryland Swimming Zone Team for the 50, 100, 200-yard breaststroke. During Steve’s time with his summer team, the Watercats, he was a multiyear All-City Champion for the 50-yard breaststroke and top 3 finisher in the 50-yard freestyle and 100IM. Coach Steve began his coaching career with the Columbia Clippers coaching various competitive groups before working his way up to lead coach for the Senior Elite group in 2005. Coach Steve left the Clippers in 2006 to pursue his bachelor’s degree in his home state, Arizona. Upon returning from Arizona, Steve began school at Towson University where he received a degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education (2008).  During the summers of 2007 & 2008 Steve served as an intern at the University of Maryland for the Football Strength & Conditioning Department. Steve returned to swimming in summer of 2009 as Head Coach at Thunder Hill (CNSL) where he coached 4 years, including 2 undefeated seasons. Coach Steve left Thunder Hill for NSJ in 2012 where he will be entering his 11th year as Head Coach. Steve is also a Physical Education Teacher and Athletic director for Howard County Public Schools and holds his Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and School Leadership from Towson University.

From an early age, Coach Elisa has always loved swimming and hanging out at the pool.  She began swimming competitively at 9 years old, eventually joining GBSA to swim year-round. Elisa became a NSJ Blue Marlin when she was 14 and hasn’t been able to leave the team since. After graduating from Mount Hebron in 2012, she attended McDaniel College where she was a member of the Green Terror swim team as she pursued a degree in Psychology and Elementary Education. Over her years at McDaniel and since graduating, she has returned to NSJ to coach and has been an assistant coach for the last 9 seasons. During the school year she teaches 3rd grade at Bollman Bridge Elementary. She is so excited to get back to NSJ for another summer! Let’s go Blue Marlins! 

Coach Abbi is excited to return for her 8th summer as an assistant coach at NSJ. She herself was a former NSJ Blue Marlin and spent her younger years at NSJ lifeguarding, teaching swim lessons, and helping as a junior coach for the 6 & under group. She grew up swimming competitively for GBSA until she graduated from Mount Hebron High School in 2015. She then went on to swim at the University of Maryland on the club swim team. In 2019, she graduated from UMD with a degree in Animal Science. She recently returned to school to receive her Masters of Arts in Teaching at UMBC and now works as a high school biology teacher in Baltimore City.

Coach Gailen is super excited to be a part of the NSJ coaching staff for his second year this season. He started his swimming journey as a 6 and under on NSJ and hasn’t looked back since. Gailen started swimming year-round at GBSA at the age of 7 before switching to Eagle Swim Team at the age of 9 where he swam until he graduated in 2022 from Centennial High School. Gailen is heavily involved in the NSJ community and you can catch him lifeguarding, giving lessons, and hanging out at the pool. Gailen just finished up his freshman year at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey where he is working on his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. Gailen is also a member of the men's varsity swim team at Stevens and loves to train and compete in the water. Feel free to say hello on the pool deck and as always, Go Blue Marlins!

Coach Alyssa (Aly) has been swimming since she was 4. She moved to Ellicott City and began swimming for NSJ when she was 6. Coach Alyssa swam for the Y in Catonsville from 2007-2014, then she swam for the Retriever Aquatic Club from 2014-2021. Last year, Coach Alyssa graduated from Mount Hebron High School. Now she is attending the University of Tennessee studying Secondary Math Education. Over her swimming career, she broke numerous team records and qualified for Maryland State Championships every year. This year, Coach Alyssa swam for the club team at UT and qualified for the National Championship meet. Coach Alyssa is also a soccer player, playing from age 4 up to the club level at UT this year as well. She has coached soccer for a few years and is very excited for her first year of coaching swimming here at NSJ. During her breaks from school Coach Alyssa is working at various Howard County Public schools. When she’s not coaching or teaching, Coach Alyssa likes to play soccer, hang out by the pool, and volunteer for Swim Across America. This year, she helped restart Swim Across America in Nashville, raising money for the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, after many years with SAA Baltimore.