Columbia Swimming's mission is to promote the sport of competitive swimming for all ages through positive motivation and the teaching of proper stroke technique. We strive to produce swimmers who are able to excel in competition at all levels from novice to national. We are located at Greer Natatorium at Columbia College, SC.  

Coaching Staff –

Head Coach Lori

Coach Lori has been involved in swimming since the age of 4 and began coaching at 15 with the age group team she grew up in.   She has coached every level of swimming from beginner lessons to senior swimmers, She started Columbia Swimming in 2011 to offer an option in Columbia for a smaller more family focused team. Coach Lori worked with Columbia College Swim School for 14 years, Richland County School District Swim Program for 8 years, Coach Lori was assistant coach at Lexington High School, Head Coach at Cardinal Newman High School, Coach of Governors Grant Swim Team, Maxcy Gregg Swim Team and has Coach in South Carolina USA Swimming for 26 years.   

10 and Under Coach June Kinzie

June has been involved in the world of swimming for the majority of her life.  In addition to 8 years of coaching experience, she has worked as a stroke and turn judge, water safety instructor, and lifeguard instructor.  She has also experienced swimming as a parent, having both children and grandchildren excel in the sport of swimming.  She has worked with Columbia Swimming since 2014.

10 and Under Coach Mary Leigh Gaza

Coach Mary Leigh Gaza was born and raised in Columbia, SC where she started swimming at age 5 for a local summer team.  At age 8 she made the transition to swimming year-round, and would continue to compete all the way through her senior year in high school.  She has spent over 10 years teaching private swim lessons and in 2022 Mary Leigh started coaching with Lori Petrimoulx as the 10 & under coach for Columbia Swimming.

Lesson Coach Elisabeth Frye

Coach Elisabeth grew up in Lower Saxony, located in northern Germany. As a small child, she learned how to swim in the village pond. Elisabeth’s love for the water continued when she swam competitively at her high school and she later swam for fitness throughout her college and graduate school years. Coach Elisabeth has taught beginner swimming lessons for a summer league swim team and a
homeschool aquatics group since 2008. Since 2012 she has taught in the swim lessons program at Columbia Swimming. Elisabeth loves working with young children, teaching them the basics of swimming, and instilling in them the desire to succeed in the “big pool”.
Elisabeth is married to Alfred Frye, and they have four children, all of whom have competed at different levels in the sport of swimming. Two of them have continued their swimming career as NCAA Division 1 collegiate swimmers.