Tennessee Aquatics Staff 

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Swimming

 Tim Bauer
 Head Coach
 Email: [email protected]

“Be a good teammate.”

Tim began coaching in 1980 for a summer league team and, in 1987, he began coaching club swimming. He has over forty years of coaching experience. Before joining the Tennessee Aquatics coaching staff in December 2021, Tim coached for various club teams across the country in states such as California and, most recently, Texas. In addition to coaching, Tim has been involved in other aspects of USA Swimming. Currently, he serves as the chairman of the Coach’s Advisory Council. Tim’s favorite part about coaching is changing swimmers’ lives. Originally, Tim is from Phoenix, Arizona. He grew up swimming for the Glendale Arizona Gauchos (now the Arizona Swimming Gauchos). Tim graduated from Arizona State where he swam for the Sun Devils. Off the pool deck, Tim likes to golf and spend time with his family.

 

 

 

 Jim Nickell
 Senior Assistant & Meet Director
 Email: [email protected]

 

Jim joined the Tennessee Aquatics staff in summer 2022. He has an extensive background in coaching and over forty years of experience. Jim coached for various club teams in states such as Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. He grew up in Arizona and graduated from Arizona State University. Aside from all things swimming, Jim enjoys spending time with his family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Jack Little
 Senior Assistant
 Email: j[email protected]

“The happy man is content with his present situation, no matter what it is.” - Seneca

Jack began coaching in 2022 with a focus of individual design in strength and conditioning and swimming. He joined the Tennessee Aquatics coaching staff in May 2023. In the past, Jack was an athlete representative for two years for USA Swimming. Jack's favorite part about coaching is watching new concepts click for athletes. He also loves seeing athletes break through barriers. Jack is originally from Jonesboro, Arkansas where he grew up swimming for the Jonesboro Jets. Jack graduated from Arizona State University where he swam as a Sun Devil for four years. He finished out his swimming career as a Volunteer with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in May 2023. Jack is continuing his graduate degree at UTK where he also works in research with the kinesiology department. In his free time, Jack loves fitness, going on adventures, reading, and learning.

 

 

 

 Mike Chenoweth
 Age Group 1 & Masters
 Email: [email protected]

“Make your future self proud.”

Mike joined the Tennessee Aquatics coaching staff in August 2022. While he has only been coaching competitive swimming for about five years, Mike has had other coaching and teaching roles including a collegiate crew coxswain, Navy flight instructor, and an open water scuba instructor. Mike’s favorite part about coaching is seeing the smiles on swimmers’ faces when they just surprised themselves with a great practice or race. Mike was born in Yonkers, New York, but he grew up in Katy, Texas where he swam for Katy Aquatics. While he did not swim in college, Mike attended the U.S. Naval Academy. In his spare time, Mike likes cycling, snowboarding, scuba, and traveling to new countries with family or friends.

 

 

 

Lars Hondorf
Age Group 2
Email: [email protected]

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” -Benjamin Franklin

Lars has over thirty years of coaching experience. Before Tennessee Aquatics, Lars coached for various middle school and high school teams in Georgia and Tennessee. He began coaching year-round in Cleveland, Tennessee to provide more swimming opportunities in the area. Later, Lars moved to Oak Ridge where he continued coaching all levels of swimming. Lars joined the Tennessee Aquatics coaching staff in 2015. His favorite part of coaching is watching young swimmers see the results of their efforts throughout the year. Lars is originally from Rochester, New York where he swam for the MCC Marauders. He went on to swim at The John’s Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Off the pool deck, Lars enjoys spending time with his three sons and volunteering for after school events.

 

 

 

Lizzie Fleming
Age Group 3 & Business Manager
Email: [email protected]

“It doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down but how many times you get up.” -Vince Lombardi

Lizzie joined Tennessee Aquatics in 2008. She began coaching at the summer league level in 1998 and has over twenty years of coaching experience. Her favorite part about coaching is watching the athletes progress, seeing them improve—no matter the level they started on—and watching them fall in the love the awesome sport of swimming. Lizzie also loves seeing athletes reach their goals. Lizzie is a Knoxville native who went on to swim for Radford University in Radford, Virginia. Outside of swimming, Lizzie loves spending time with her family—her husband Danny and two sons, Danny Jr and Graff. Lizzie also likes running, traveling, and cooking. In her spare time, Lizzie enjoys raising money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

 

 

 

 Jessica Abrahamson
 Masters
 Email: [email protected]

“Chances favor the connected mind.” – Steven Johnson

Jessica started private swim instruction in 2011 and later coaching in 2013. She joined the Tennessee Aquatics coaching staff in October 2022 for the Masters Swimming program. Aside from club swimming, Jessica is the head swim and dive coach for Farragut High School. Jessica’s favorite part about coaching is being around the swimmers and helping them achieve their goals – big or small. She loves talking to them and making connections with them. Jessica grew up in Knoxville, swimming for Pilot Aquatic Club (now Tennessee Aquatics). She swam for two years at Indiana University Bloomington before transferring to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Off the pool deck, Jessica spends a lot of time with her family, especially when they explore Knoxville and the surrounding areas. Jessica is also a DIY crafting enthusiast.

 

 

 

Joy Van Der Noord
Pre-Competitive
Email: [email protected]

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others…" -1 Peter 4:10

Joy has over ten years of coaching experience. She has coached for various USA Swimming club teams in Mississippi and Georgia. Joy has also coached for summer league teams, high school teams, and ran swim lesson programs. She joined Tennessee Aquatics in 2020 when the Pre-Competitive program began. Joy’s favorite part about coaching is playing a part in helping kids improve and have fun. While she was born in Florida, Joy has lived in seven different states and swam competitively for the Mississippi Makos in Jackson, Mississippi. Off the pool deck, Joy likes to help out at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s campus ministry where her husband is a campus minister. She also loves reading and spending time with her husband and three young children.

 

 

Diving