Years at SAY: Six

Coach Pat has been the Head Coach of the Seals and Director of Competitive Aquatics at the Summit Area YMCA since August 2019. With nearly twenty years of swim lessons and coaching experience, Coach Pat emphasizes that swimming is a lifelong sport and that the journey is more often important than just one’s times on the scoreboard. “Effort is Everything” is one of his mantras.

He began swimming competitively at the age of 15 when he joined the swim team at St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, NJ. Coach Pat continued his swimming career at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he graduated in 2007. He served as Co-Captain in his senior year and held the school record in the 50yd Freestyle from 2007 to 2014. He was a six time MAAC Champion for both individual and relay events and won the 100 yd. Freestyle at the 2007 ECAC Swimming and Diving Championships. While at Marist he was awarded the Coach's Award, the Most Improved Freestyler, the Men's Swimming MVP, and in 2007 was nominated for the Marist College Athletics Male Sportsperson of the Year.

North Caldwell Sharks summer team – 2007 to 2009
Cougar Aquatic Team – 2007 to 2019
Montclair Kimberley Academy Varsity Teams – 2007 to 2019
NJ Swimming LSC Board of Directors – 2012 to 2020
Rock Ridge Lake summer team – 2014 to 2020
Northern New Jersey YMCA Swim League Board – 2020 to present

“You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy.”
-Arthur Ashe

Jamie is originally from Randolph, NJ where she swam competitively for the West Morris YMCA. She also swam four years for Randolph High School and was captain her senior year. Jamie attended Bloomsburg University where she was a varsity swimmer all four years. She graduated with a degree in Communication Studies. After attending Bloomsburg, Jamie attended graduate school and received her Elementary and Special Education Teaching Certifications. For the past five and a half years, Jamie has been the Head Coach and then the Senior Director of Aquatic Services for the River Crossing YMCA, formerly known as the Hunterdon County YMCA. At HCY, Jamie coached all age groups but her main focus was on the 13 and Over Senior Group. Each season, Jamie grew HCY’s National Team Program and had a finalist at each Nationals that they attended. 

Prior to HCY, Jamie was a 4th/5th Special Education Teacher while coaching part time for the Morristown Beard School.

Jamie is looking forward to being a part of the SAY Family and sharing her passion and knowledge of swimming with others.

Andrew has been with the Summit Y as an Assistant Coach for the Senior group since 2006. He swam competitively for 16 years at the YMCA of the North Shore in Massachusetts and Seton Hall University. Andrew is also the Assistant Coach for the Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving teams at Seton Hall University as well as an award winning professor in the Psychology Department. He is an avid Red Sox fan and loves to visit Fenway Park as often as possible in the summer

Years at SAY: Nine (as Coach)

While at SAY Louis has coached all levels primarily the Junior and Senior groups.  He swam for the Seals for 7 years growing up. He attended Seton Hall Prep where he was also a member of the swim team and upon graduating continued to swim at the collegiate level for 4 years at the University of Scranton.  When he graduated in 2009, Louis joined the coaching staff at Somerset Hills YMCA (2009-2016). While at SHY he coached all levels, but spent a majority of his time with the Senior group. Louis was also Head Coach of the Villa Walsh Academy Swim Team for 4 seasons and currently works full-time as an Instructional Aide and Job Coach in the Bernards Township Public Schools as part of their CBAP program.

Coach Karen loves the sport of swimming and thoroughly enjoys teaching our little swimmers on the team. Her background includes growing up swimming at the Summit YMCA for long time coach Hank Buntin and was also a varsity swimmer and captain of the Summit High School team. She went on to swim at St. Lawrence University, achieving All-American honors and was Captain her senior year. Coach Karen’s daughter also swam for the Seals.

Years at SAY: Four

Coach Amelia graduated from Seton Hall University in May of 2021 and is now coaching to stay involved in the sport. She started swimming at age 7 for the RYWC Makos in Connecticut, and was a YMCA Nationals Finalist and Connecticut Swimming Scholar-Athlete. At Seton Hall, Amelia was a captain and was a school record holder in the 800 freestyle relay. When not on the pool deck Coach Amelia is a Physician Assistant at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Coach Cara has been an assistant coach with Summit since 2014.  She started swimming competitively at the age of 6 and spent the last 8 years of her age group career as a distance swimmer with the Summit YMCA. Cara also works full-time as a nurse in the emergency department at Morristown Medical Center and still swims competitively for Somerset County Masters.