Coaches and Staff

Joe Benjamin

Coach Joe Benjamin is the Head Coach of RSD Swim Team, the Lead Coach of the National Group, and the Aquatics Director of our Pardee Aquatics Center. Joe has been with RSD Swim Team since 1995, and he has built our program into what it is today. Joe is a level 5 ASCA coach, ASCA and USA Swimming’s highest designation. During Joe’s tenure as the Head Coach, team membership has increased from 30 members to 500 athletes and a staff of 18 Coaches, many lifeguards and administrators. During this time, RSD has created an unparalleled Team Culture, with a thriving and ever improving competitive program.  Coach Joe has produced many JO, Sectionals, Futures, Junior National, Senior National, and Olympic Trial qualifiers.

Coach Joe started his swimming career at the age of six and swam competitively through school and college. Coach Joe competed at Junior Nationals, Senior Nationals, and Olympic Trials level, and he was named to the USA National Team during his college years, at the University of Georgia, where he was team captain.

San Diego Imperial Swimming Senior Coach of the Year 2018

US National Swim Team Alumni 

US National Free Diving Team Alumni

Head Coach USA Swimming Southern Zone Select Camp Coach 2018

Assistant Coach USA Swimming National Select Camp 2017

Paul Mazzarelle

Paul Mazzarelle returned to RSD in November 2015 and brings more than 25 years of competitive swim coaching experience to RSD. Paul started coaching in 1991 with North Coast Swim Club in Arcata, CA while earning a degree in Biology at Humboldt State University. After graduation, Paul worked as an Age Group Coach in San Diego and simultaneously coached high school swimming and water polo for three years. In 1998 Paul returned to Arcata as the Head Coach of Humboldt Swim Club. Paul produced three young Junior National qualifiers in just two years (swimmers aged 14, 15, and 16) gaining team recognition in the area and preparing the local swimmers for collegiate swimming. Paul also coached for Pacific Swimming at Western Zones and was selected by Pacific Swimming to attend the National Age Group Coaches Conference at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY. The clinic was moderated by USA Swimming’s Bill Boomer who revolutionized stroke technique with a scientific whole-body approach to teaching and training competitive swimmers. Paul continues to carry these concepts with him to his daily practices. Paul was also an Associate Professor teaching swimming classes at College of the Redwoods between his morning and afternoon club coaching duties.

Always seeking education and mentorship, Paul spent two summers as a coach with the Stanford National Swim Camp, which reinforced the stroke technique and training philosophies of Bill Boomer/Stanford University with Olympic Coaches Richard Quick and Skip Kenney, 6- and 3-time Olympic Coaches respectively.

From 2000-2005 he joined the coaching staff at the world-renowned Mission Viejo Nadadores in Mission Viejo, CA. During his time in Mission Viejo, Paul was the 13-14 Division Director overseeing a number of assistant coaches and was responsible for coaching the club's elite 13- and 14-year-old swimmers. Paul developed multiple individual and relay NRT (Top 16) swimmers in the 13-14 age group (swimmers earning an NRT time are in the top 1 percent of American age group swimmers). With well over 750-year-round team members, Paul was responsible for almost 150 swimmers in the 13-14 age group. In addition to his coaching responsibilities in the 13-14 age group, Paul assisted with daily National Team practices under the tutelage of Hall of Fame inductee Coach Bill Rose. Paul was fortunate enough to be a member of the Nadadores staff during two Olympic cycles in which Coach Rose placed Chad Carvin (200 freestyle) on the 2000 Olympic Team and Larsen Jensen (silver medalist and American Record holder in the 1500 freestyle) on the 2004 Olympic Team. The Mission Viejo Nadadores have successfully placed at least one athlete on every U.S. Olympic Team from 1976 to the present. Paul served as a coach for numerous Southern California Swimming All Star Teams and served as Vice Chair for the Orange Section and the Program committee.

Paul’s tenure at Mission Viejo was cut short to tend to an ailing family member and moved back to San Diego after only five years with the club. In 2005 Paul was hired in his first-stint with RSD as Head Age Group Coach. At the time, RSD was ever-growing and seemingly becoming better with each passing year. By the time a second pool was built, Paul’s responsibilities increased by overseeing the program and assistant coaches as membership swelled from 100 to 250 swimmers aged 12 and younger. Paul managed the growth and helped create an age group progression from novice to elite swimmers. Paul also worked with the local governing swimming committee and was active in the San Diego-Imperial Swimming Coaches Association and Meet Program Committee.

In 2010 Paul’s then-fiancée Shannon was relocated to the bay area for work. Paul tagged along and while in NorCal Paul secured a Head Coach position for a small team of 60 swimmers working out at Solano Community College. During his tenure, the team swelled from 60 swimmers to 140+ by building a strong age group program and moving the older swimmers to success at the High School Section Championships and Senior levels; with one swimmer achieving USA National times in the distance events. He also was involved in the local LSC Board and committees and was selected to coach the Sierra Nevada all-star training group at the Olympic Training Center Colorado Springs, CA.

In 2012 Paul was awarded a Masters of Sports Science from the United States Sports Academy and is ASCA Level 4 meeting specific education and performance requirements.

Paul and Shannon welcomed their son Rocco in August 2014 and in December 2015 returned to San Diego to be closer to family. RSD was the ONLY team Paul wanted to return to and feels blessed to be back with his favorite San Diego swim team! Paul also assists part-time with San Diego Mesa Men’s’ and Women’s’ Swim Teams and teaches exercise science classes at the college as well.

Brandon Staley

  • Sr. Champ and National Assistant, Administrative Assistant
  • Email:  [email protected]
  • Pronouns: He/Him/His

Prior to coming to California, Brandon was the Head Coach for Kraken Swimming, in Youngstown, Ohio. Since his start, Staley’s expansion of Kraken Swimming took it from an age group program to one that allows for swimmers of all ages to participate including parent and child, lessons (private and group), age group, middle school, high school, and masters (swimmers over the age of 18). During his time at Kraken, Staley observed the breaking of 74 USA Club Team Records and 14 High School Records He has also coached the team to a victory at the Youngstown Showdown. Some of his swimmers have had top finishes at the Lake Erie 8 & Under Championship and Age Group Championship meets. The high school girls were the AAC High School Conference Championship Runners-Up in (2019). Other notable mentions include top place finishers in the High School Sectional, District, and State meets, USA Zone Qualifiers, an Ironman World Championship Qualifier (masters’ level), and Masters’ National Championship Qualifiers, 2017/18 and 2018/19 Trumbull County High School Coach of the Year.

Prior to coaching for Kraken, Staley was the Head Coach at Poland Seminary High School for one season. During his time with the Bulldogs, four school records were broken, and a swimmer finished in the top eight at the High School District Meet. In addition to coaching for Kraken and Poland, Staley was the Head Coach at Logan Swim Club for five seasons. Under his direction, the team grew from 15 to 75 swimmers, saw its first dual meet win in several years, and had top finishers at the Youngstown Swim League (YSL) Championship Meet.

During the 2018-2019 Season, Brandon was the volunteer assistant for Youngstown State University Women’s Swim and Dive. During his time with YSU Brandon assisted with the writing of practices and coaching the sprint group. 

To expand his knowledge and stay up to date on the latest swimming techniques, Staley worked at swim camps each summer. He has coached at the Navy Swim Camp, Summer 2016,2017,2018,2019 and recently spent his first summer assisting at the Texas Longhorns Swim Camp (2019) where he had the opportunity to work with several Olympians including Ian Crocker, Josh Davis, and Jack Conger.

Brandon has been at RSD since Spring 2019. While at RSD, Brandon has been the lead for White and Blue group and was previously the Head Age Group Coach before switching to Senior Assistant under Coach Joe.  While at RSD, Coach Brandon has worked with top JO finishers, Futures, Jr. Nationals, and Olympic Trial qualifiers.


In Staley’s personal swim career, he is most recently a Masters’ National Qualifier. During his collegiate career, he competed for Allegheny College where he specialized in distance freestyle, while also competing in the 200 butterfly, the 200 backstroke, and the 400 individual medley. At his conference meet, he finished in the top 16. As a graduate of Liberty High School, he was a High School District Qualifier and multiple record-holder. He competed at Y-Nationals with first, second, third, fifth, and eighth place finishes and was also a member of the USA Quads Team and Y-Zones Qualifier. Outside of swimming, Staley studied music and composing at Allegheny College followed by music education at YSU.

Karen Schmidt

 

Coach Karen is the Lead Coach for the Blue and White. She is so excited to be a part of the RSD coaching team!

You may have seen Coach Karen parent volunteering at RSD swim meets, coaching RSD Masters workouts or competing in open water events. She has been an RSD parent and Masters swimmer for years. Both of her children grew up swimming at RSD. They began in Coach Bryan’s lesson program when they were 4 or 5 years old. Drew, her oldest, swims for Claremont McKenna College, and Revere, a high school senior, will be a multisport athlete in swimming and running at Claremont McKenna this fall.

A quick overview of her background, Coach Karen swam her first race when she was 7 years old and has not stopped swimming or competing since. Originally from Connecticut, she swam for the Sharks Swim Team and Greenwich High School, winning the state championship and receiving All American status in the 100 fly. She competed at the short course and long course Junior Nationals, placing in the top 10 in a number of events, including the 200/400 IM and 500/1000/1650 freestyle. A former school record holder, Karen swam the IM, stroke, and distance freestyle events for Harvard College, where she graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology. 

Following college, Coach Karen's corporate career focused on financial market research, pension consulting, and C-level executive search with Spencer Stuart. In her free time, her passion for swimming led her to triathlon, which in turn brought her to San Diego. As an amateur, she won a National and World Championship and was named "Rookie of the Year: by Inside Triathlon and Triathlete magazines. Racing professionally, she competed around the globe, retiring after the 2000 US Olympic Trials. Since then, her athletic endeavors have focused on ocean races, including a record setting relay across the Catalina Channel and a solo win in the Maui Channel event.

Over her career, Karen has coached kids from age 3 to 83. In addition to RSD, she is the Head Coach for Santa Fe Christian's Middle and Upper School swim teams.

Coach Karen loves swimming and coaching swimmers. She brings her passion for goal setting, training, technique improvement, competing, and personal growth to the pool deck. She cheers at practices and will occasionally wave her meet program wildly in the air while cheering from the sidelines at meets!

Deon Lourens

                                                                                                                                                  

Developed an annual strategic plan and was accountable for short- and long-term program goals. Budget management and reporting. Hired, trained, supervised full and part time staff, developed staff and managed performance team. Successful management of personal training and group exercise programs and departments. Provided mentorship to college interns. Developed, delivered and evaluated the health promotions, incentives and other specialty programs. Performed fitness assessments, determined exercise prescriptions and conducted workouts for a diverse population, including high risk exercise participants. Supervised and monitored exercise floor. Provided administrative support to members, including membership enrollments, terminations and general inquiries. As the Corporate Wellness Coach for PIRCH and now for Near Shore Technology, built a wellness program from the ground up, coached large clientele, bucket list events, grand canyon hikes, boot camps Hawaii, California, Merida and Puebla, Team cycling event fundraisers (CAF, Team Joey), Spinning event Fundraisers (CAF), and Training for 3 day for the Cure group hikes.                                                                                                                                                 

Bachelor’s degree in English (Major with a minor in Physical Education, University of Natal, RSA) USA Triathlon Level 2 certified Coach, Iron Man Certified Coach,, USA Swimming Certified Coach, ASCA Level 2 Certified Coach,  American Red Cross Lifeguard, CPR/AED & First Aid Certified, AFFA Group Ex, YMCA Strength and Conditioning, New Leaf Metabolic Physiology Testing/Programming, Electro-Cardiography Technician, Exercise Physiology Proctor, Postural Dysfunction Trainer, Heart Aerobics/Heart Personal Training, Indoor Cycling Instructor(Spinning MDA, Kaiser, Schwinn), Gravity Trainer/Group Instructor                                                                                                                                                                   

I have over 30 years of experience coaching multi-sport athletes and 27 years of experience in the fitness industry and community wellness. Personal Trainer/Instructor for YMCA Encinitas (88-92), Personal Trainer/Instructor Del Mar Workout (93-98), Fitness Manager of Frogs Club One Encinitas (98-03), Co-Owner/General Manager of Core Center of Fitness Encinitas (03-08), Fitness manager, RSD Swim Team Coach at the Boys and Girls Club of San Dieguito (08-current). Corporate Wellness Coach for PIRCH LCC (13-16). Corporate Wellness Dir Experience teaching group exercise, circuit classes, personal training, indoor cycling, multi-sport coaching (running, swimming, cycling, kayaking, paddle boarding, Mountain Biking and the ability to teach a wide variety classes. Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills. Basic computer literacy (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email, internet, web sites)

Olympic Hopeful in Olympic Kayaking, Regional and National Ocean Lifeguard Competitor, Regional and National Triathlon Team member at age 16. All American in Duathlon at age 22. First Iron Man, First Marathon, First Ultra Marathon at age 18. Started racing and training for triathlons professionally at age 23 and retired after 20 years. Love training, competing, Kayaking, Ocean lifeguard competition, running, Cycling, Swimming, Duathlons, Aquathons, Surf Ski Racing and paddle board racing for over 34 years and counting. Started training and racing distance paddle boarding in 2009 winning, placing top 3 in many races including 11 World Championships, member of the USA Team 2014 silver medalist. Hundreds of races and hundreds of wins in all disciplines “Goals are Dreams with Deadlines” Immigrated to the USA from South Africa at the age of 21. Became a USA naturalized citizen in 1996. Married to wife Theresa with 3 children, Kevin, Hunter and Halle.

 

Neily Esposito

>more info to follow<

 

John Horne

John started his competitive swim career at the age of 6 for the Mission Valley YMCA Seals in San Diego, CA. He attended Cathedral Catholic High School and competed in the CIF Championships all four years.  During this time the boys Varsity team took home the Western League Championship two consecutive years.  In his senior year John was made the captain of the boys Varsity team.  While swimming for his high school team, John continued to swim for his YMCA club team where he held several club records.  At the age of 15 John changed club teams to NCA (North Coast Aquatics) while also swimming on his high school team.  In 2015, John started his coaching career with NCA, coaching a variety of age groups.  In 2016, he retuned to the YMCA as a swim coach for both the youth swim teams and the masters (adult) program.  In 2020, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from SDSU.  John served as the Aquatics Director for British Swim School of Greater San Diego on August 2021 until accepting a position at RSD.

Baye Hatcher

  • Assistant Coach

Coach Baye Hatcher began swimming competitively when she was 8 years old and continued through college, competing at the NCAA DII level for Lindenwood University. Throughout her college swim career, she gave private swim lessons and was a swim instructor teaching swimmers of all ages and abilities. During her senior year of college, she was an Assistant Age Group Swim Coach for Clayton Shaw Park Tideriders (CSP), Recreation Therapist Intern, and Volunteer Adaptive Swim Coach/Adaptive Yoga Instructor for the Disabled Athlete Sports Association (DASA). Baye graduated in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation with minors in Psychology and Adapted Sports & Recreation. Outside of swimming and coaching, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, long hikes with her dog, and practicing yoga. 

 

Gracie Van der Byl

  • Assistant Coach

Coach Gracie Van der Byl was the former lead coach of the White Group. She is currently an assistant with the Sr Champ & Champ Prep groups.  She is one of RSD’s most versatile coaches, having helped with every group on our team. Her deep background and extensive knowledge of the sport is part of the reason she was named San Diego-Imperial Age Group Coach of the Year in 2010. Coach Gracie started swimming at age 7 in Mississippi and is currently continuing her impressive career. She was team captain for her club team, The Woodlands Swim Club in Texas. She swam at the University of Houston. Gracie was a Junior National, Senior National, and Olympic Trial Qualifier. As a Masters Swimmer, Grace is a 5 time All American, she holds numerous SDI records and is ranked top 10 in the world in two events. As an open water swimmer Gracie holds two course records for Alcatraz swims and is in the Hall of Fame.

 

Bryan Jacobson

  • Assistant Coach

Creating a safe, fun and friendly aquatic environment sets the culture of Coach Bryan's coaching philosophy. With over 30 years in aquatics and over 13 years with Rancho San Dieguto swim team, Bryan brings creativity to every workout. His coaching experience began with The Dolphins in Portland, Oregon under the premier coach Nacim Bouferrache (100 meter, 18 and under, African Champion). 

Seeking more sunshine and better waves Bryan moved to Southern California. He sought out the best aquatic facility (Pardee Aquatic Center) and the best team (RSD). This is where he has led the entry level swimmers to grow to their maximum potential. Coach Bryan believes the best way to develop a great swimmer is for them to love the sport.

Masako Baron

  • Assistant Coach

Coach Masako was born and raised in Omaezaki, Japan. She was always into the water and loved to swim and surf. SHe started swimming at the age of 9 and swam competitively until the age of 18. As a swimmer, Masako, set the city record for the 200 Breastroke. She graduated from Tokai University High in 1996. Masko began her coaching gareer after graduating high school. Masako moved to California in 2005 with her Husband. They have two kids, Miko and Ki, who swim on RSD. Masako began coaching for RSD in 2015 and loves swimming with the kids and teaching them new skills in and out of the water. 

 

Jennifer Shoemaker                   

  • Assistant Coach

Coach Jen Shoemaker was a “late bloomer” as a swimmer.  She joined the Mt. Carmel High School swim team as a senior when it was clear her steady diet of Cool Ranch Doritos and milkshakes wasn’t doing her any favors.  Since this was in the ancient days, before YouTube and convenient access to video instruction, Coach Jen studied stroke mechanics the hard way, by swimming in the back of the pack.  She swam for Palomar College in San Marcos, and was an ocean lifeguard for Camp Pendleton and the City of Encinitas.  Open water race credits include the La Jolla Roughwater 3-mile Gatorman, Waikiki Roughwater, and Newport Beach pier to pier swim.  She and her husband traveled the world, courtesy of the U.S. Navy, and in every duty station, she found the best people at the pool.  Coach Jen continued her education earning an M.A. at the University of Hawaii in English, and an M.S. in Library Science from Florida State University, and is an American Swim Coaches Association Level 2 coach.  Most recently Coach Jen was an assistant coach with Heat Aquatics in Yuma, AZ from 2016-2021.  She has three daughters, two of whom swim for RSD.  Coach Jen believes that swimming is a lifelong sport and still works on perfecting her stroke technique during Masters practice.  She is convinced she becomes a better swimmer the older she gets.

Meggy McVey

  • Assistant Coach

Born and raised in Texas. I have been swimming since I was 5 years old. I have been teaching and coaching for 15 year years. 

I believe every kid deserves the privilege to swim. Its a necessity for every single kid to know how to swim. Swimming is a life long sport. I love coaching the kids and seeing the progress and growth they make over time in not just swimming but in their personalities and how swimming can give you a better quality of life. 

I am currently assisting with corvina, zebra shark and sr gold. 

Nick Henze

  • Assistant Coach

 

Coach Nick joined RSD as an Assistant Coach in May of 2023 and has helped out with many groups from Corvina up to Sr. White. He has always been passionate about swimming as a competitive sport, recreational activity, and life skill and finds it so rewarding to share that love with others. Nick has eight years of experience as a club swim coach and a private swim instructor for young children all the way up to older adults.

Growing up in the Bay Area, he began his competitive swim career at age 5 and continued through his senior year at Boston College where he earned a Bachelor's Degree from the Business School in 2015. While at Menlo-Atherton High School, Nick helped lead his team to four consecutive league championships. During his time at BC, Nick broke school records in the 100 and 200 freestyle as well as the 200 free, 400 free, and 400 medley relays, and served as a Senior Captain in his final year.

After 9 years in Boston, Nick returned to his home state in 2020 and settled in San Diego. When he's not coaching, he enjoys master's swimming, surfing, skiing, hiking, cooking, and bartending. 

Luke Hornsten

  • Assistant Coach