Coach Susan grew up in Ohio and has been involved in competitive swimming for many years, with a particular passion for butterfly and backstroke. Over the past 30 years, she has successfully created and coached multiple swim teams, working with a diverse range of athletes including YMCA National swimmers, high school state qualifiers, USA National Championship competitors, and even an Olympic qualifier.

Coach Susan is a highly qualified instructor, holding certifications as a USA Level 3 Swim Coach, YMCA Certified Swim Coach, and US Masters Swim Coach. She also has specialized training in Strength & Conditioning, along with numerous health and wellness certifications.

She coaches swimmers of all ages on our USA teams, with a primary focus on athletes aged 11 and older, helping them reach their full potential in the pool.

Coaching philosophy : A swimmer’s achievement is not necessarily measured by their place at meets but rather through their character. The great thing about swimming is that everyone improves, while most improvements do not usually come overnight as it takes time to develop the skills necessary to become a good swimmer. I believe in being patient and to encourage swimmers to do their best, and they will improve.

Coach Tony, our co-head coach, grew up in Ohio and began his swim career as a year-round age group swimmer at his local YMCA at just 5 years old. In high school, he helped set multiple state records, specializing in distance events and the 100 Butterfly. Throughout his career, Tony set numerous records in both YMCA and high school swimming.

While attending college, Tony continued competing in US Masters swimming and began coaching a YMCA/USA certified swim team. He has coached swimmers at many competitive levels, including local meets, Zones, Sectionals, Futures, and YMCA Nationals.

Coach Tony holds certifications as a USA Level 2 coach and a YMCA coach. He coaches all ages of our USA swimmers, with a main focus on the 13 and older groups, guiding them to reach their full potential.

Coaching philosophy: Whether I am coaching an elite swimmer or a just beginner, the fundamentals remain the same. My four pillars to helping athletes achieve swimming success are: Technique, Intensity, Growth and most importantly, Have Fun!

Coach Elizabeth discovered her love for swimming at the age of 6, starting on a summer league team in Michigan. Since then, her passion for the sport has remained constant, even as she’s lived in various places across the U.S. and abroad. Now proud to call Summerville home, Elizabeth is an active and valued member of the YMCA community. She first connected with the Tidalwaves through the Swim Masters conditioning program and soon became even more involved when her children joined the year-round swim team. Her dedication led her to become a certified YMCA Level 2 official as well as a USA Swimming certified official.

Coach Elizabeth now brings her love of swimming and strong technical focus to our 11 & older training group, where she helps swimmers refine their strokes, build confidence, and grow in the sport.

Her swim philosophy emphasizes mastering stroke techniques as the foundation for success, and she hopes to share her joy and passion for swimming with all her athletes.

Coach Holly, a Charleston native, joined our coaching staff in 2025. A lifelong swimmer with a love for backstroke and butterfly, she competed from elementary school through high school with the Ashborough Alligators and SMRT programs. Throughout high school and college, she worked as a lifeguard for Ashborough East and began teaching private swim lessons — a passion she has continued for the past 15 years. Holly has taught swimmers as young as two years old and is dedicated to helping every child feel confident, safe, and capable in the water.

Outside the pool, Holly works as a commodities broker and enjoys spending time outdoors with her friends, family, and dogs.

Holly’s coaching philosophy is rooted in patience, persistence, and empowering swimmers to believe in themselves. She focuses on observing and analyzing technique, then offering instruction through strategic, clear, and often creative demonstrations. Holly believes that every swimmer has the drive to improve, the ability to grow, and the opportunity to have fun while supporting one another as a team.

Coach Luke is originally from Illinois and has a unique background in both swimming and diving. As a high school athlete, he made history by becoming only the third person in Illinois to qualify for state-level competition in both swimming and diving events. He continued diving in college until his school discontinued the swim and dive program.

With over 10 years of experience teaching swim lessons, Coach Luke has also coached age group swimmers in Texas and Illinois and served as a high school swim coach in Illinois. He and his wife spent time as missionaries in Zambia, where he started a swim lesson program and taught swimming to locals, believing that swimming is a vital life skill.

Currently, Coach Luke is pursuing his residency in pediatrics at MUSC. He brings a wealth of athletic, coaching, and life experience to our team, along with a passion for helping swimmers develop both in the pool and beyond.

Coach Tiffany coaches our YMCA 4-10 year age group and serves as one of the lead dryland coaches for our USA swimmers. She is a certified group exercise and indoor cycling instructor at the Summerville Family YMCA and firmly believes that cross-training builds stronger, more well-rounded athletes.

Tiffany’s athletic journey began on a YMCA summer swim team in Missouri. She later competed as a high school and collegiate track and cross-country runner, often using swimming as a key cross-training tool. Her background in aquatics also includes lifeguarding and managing a country club pool during high school and college.

Before transitioning fully into fitness coaching, Tiffany worked as a newspaper journalist. She then spent time as a missionary in Zambia, which inspired her to combine her athletic passion with community service.

As a dryland coach, Tiffany focuses on improving cardiovascular power and endurance, muscular and core strength, all while making sure athletes have fun and enjoy the challenge of trying new things.

Coach Jessica began swimming competitively at age 9 with her military team at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and continued through age 20. She swam four years for Pemberton High School and two years at Burlington College, both in New Jersey.

Jessica has taught and coached at McGuire Air Force Base and spent a summer coaching with the Newington Tigersharks Swim League. Her favorite strokes are freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly.

As a proud military wife, Jessica has lived and swum all over the world, from Florida and Panama to Ohio and Germany, before finally settling at Joint Base Charleston. She and her family have called the Summerville area home for the past 30 years.

After rediscovering her love for the sport while coaching her granddaughter three years ago, Jessica is thrilled to be back on deck sharing her passion for swimming with the Tidalwaves!

Coach Jordan has been involved in swimming since the age of six, competing with local teams throughout the Charleston area through age seventeen. As a swimmer, she specialized in distance events and enjoyed backstroke, developing strong technique, endurance, and a deep appreciation for the sport.

She began teaching private swim lessons and coaching at just sixteen years old, gaining early experience working with swimmers of all ages and abilities. While she stepped away from competitive swimming for a time, her passion for the sport never left. Missing the pool, the team atmosphere, and the opportunity to mentor young athletes ultimately brought her back to coaching.

Coach Jordan brings energy, knowledge, and a positive approach to the deck. She is passionate about helping swimmers build confidence, refine their skills, and develop a lifelong love for swimming. She is excited to be coaching for the Tidalwaves and looks forward to being a part of our swimmers’ growth and success. 

Coach Teresa discovered her passion for the water in middle school in California, where she began swimming competitively. By her freshman year of high school, she had also joined the water polo team, competing in the fall and swimming during the winter and spring seasons. She continued swimming and competing throughout both high school and college. When she wasn’t in the pool, Teresa could often be found catching waves and boogie boarding in the chilly Pacific Ocean.

Coach Teresa has been an integral part of our team for the past five years, starting as a dedicated volunteer. She has contributed in many areas—from timing at meets and running concessions to serving as our parent coordinator. Her commitment and enthusiasm for the sport and our community naturally led her to transition into a coaching role.

Now as a coach, Teresa brings her deep love of swimming and strong connection to our team to help inspire and guide our athletes.

Coaching philosophy is: She believes the most important role she can play as a coach is working to improve technique, encouraging them to practice with diligence when things get tough, and helping swimmers to see how they can reap the benefits of their hard work. Having and developing this growth mindset is so important in the water and in life.

Coach Todd swam for Warren G. Harding High School in Warren, Ohio, from 2000 to 2005. His main events were the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Butterfly, and he was a regular contributor on both the 200 Medley Relay and 400 Freestyle Relay teams.

During his high school career, Todd made multiple appearances at the Northeast Ohio District Championships in both individual and relay events. One of his proudest moments came in 2003 when he competed in the 200 Freestyle Relay at the Ohio High School State Championship Finals.

Today, Todd proudly serves in the U.S. Navy and has two children swimming with the Tidalwaves. He’s excited to share his passion for the sport and the values of teamwork and perseverance with the next generation of swimmers!

Coach Matti serves as our weightlifting coach and brings a strong educational and professional background in health and fitness to the team. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Springfield College in Massachusetts and a Master’s degree in Adapted Physical Education from the State University of New York at Cortland. Matti is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor. In addition to coaching, she is the Health and Wellness Director at the Summerville Family YMCA, where she has launched successful programs such as Women on Weights and Teens on Weights.

Passionate about fitness, health, and sports, Matti is dedicated to helping individuals of all ages lead active, healthy lifestyles and achieve their personal fitness goals.

Matti’s coaching philosophy is: "The only difference between who you are and who you want to be, is what you do."

Coach Emily is a dedicated fitness professional with a passion for helping others achieve their health and performance goals. She holds an impressive array of certifications, including NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), AFAA Group Fitness Certification, Barre Above, Sports Performance Specialist, and a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) certification through Yoga Alliance.

Emily brings her extensive expertise to the YMCA Tidalwaves as our dryland coach, where she plays a key role in enhancing athletes' strength, mobility, and overall performance outside the pool. A true fitness enthusiast, Emily leads by example—her personal wellness routine includes barre, yoga, and maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

Emily's coaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of building strength, confidence, and resilience in her athletes, encouraging them to reach their full potential both physically and mentally.

Coach Dennise hails from Puerto Rico and brings a strong athletic background and deep passion for fitness to our team. She began competing in volleyball and track and field in elementary school and continued through high school, eventually earning a college scholarship for volleyball. Throughout her collegiate career, she focused on strength and conditioning while pursuing her degree in education.

In addition to being a dedicated coach, Dennise is a full-time teacher and passionate advocate for physical fitness, healthy living, and family. She now focuses her coaching on developing core and leg strength for our athletes—critical foundations for strong swimmers.

Coach Dennise believes in the power of mindset and movement, and encourages everyone around her with the philosophy: "If you put your mind to it and train your body, you can achieve anything."