Coach Jeff has been involved in the sport of swimming since 1972 when he joined the Boise Y Swim Team. He swam for the Y through high school and attended Cal-Berkeley on a swimming scholarship. During his club swimming days, Jeff won 4 YMCA National titles and 2 Junior National titles, breaking the Junior National record in the 800 in 1981. At Cal, he was a 2 time all American in the 1650, finishing 3rd at the 1986 NCAA Championships while setting the Cal school record. At the 1986 World Championship trials, he finished 3rd in the1500 and qualified for Team USA as a member of the Goodwill Games team.
Jeff has coached multiple summer league teams, masters’ teams, high schools, and the Boise Y Team over the years. He coached at Boise High (his alma mater) for 12 years through the 2023 season, including the year he started Sawtooth Aquatic Club. Boise High boy’s and girl’s teams won 17 team titles over that period, including a streak of 8 straight for the girls and 9 straight for the boys.
Jeff and his wife Ann have 2 daughters (Abbey and Maggie) who grew up swimming for the Y and both swam for the University of Minnesota.
Jeff and Ann are also part of the ownership group that brought the Idaho Central Aquatic Center to Boise, providing the opportunity to bring Sawtooth Aquatic Club to life.
Nick Gaggiano: Head Coach
Coach Nick has been involved in swimming for over 35 years as both a swimmer and a coach. Nick grew up in Chicago, Illinois swimming and playing water polo for the Chicago Park District and Mount Carmel High School. Nick went on to play water polo and study communications at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. Coach Nick began coaching summer league swimming at Wykagyl Country before joining the staff at Gael Aquatic Club in New Rochelle. In 2007 Nick jumped at the opportunity to move back to Chicago and coach the Senior and Developmental groups for Chicago Wolfpack Aquatic Club. During his time at CWAC Coach Nick developed multiple Junior Nationals qualifiers and Illinois Age Group and Senior State Champions. NIck also was the program director for the Wolfpack Swim School, a swim lesson program for kids ages 6 months to 12 years old. In 2019 Nick relocated to Boise. Since the inception of Sawtooth Aquatic Club, Nick has overseen the Senior & Gold groups. In his time in Boise, Nick has helped develop multiple Junior National qualifiers; Futures finalists, Sectional Champions & Age Group Zones Champions.
