Coach Pam Swander serves CA as our CEO & Head Coach. Coach Pam Swander is a veteran coach who has coached at every level of the sport from summer league to college. NCAA Division I coaching roles include Clemson University, Indiana University and University of South Carolina. Coach Swander has helped her teams and athletes achieve at the highest levels of the sport - Olympic Trials finalists, World and American world record holders, NCAA, SEC and Big10 Individual Champs and Big10 Championship team titles. Over her college coaching career, she has garnered international experience by accompanying many of her athletes to international meets and championships, including the 2008 Short Course World Championships in Manchester, England where Kate Zubkova won a silver medal while representing Ukraine and IU.
At the club level she is currently serving as CEO & Head Coach of Carolina Aquatics since April 0f 2022. She serves as Chairperson of the Nominating Committee for South Carolina Swimming’s LSC and at the national level as a committee member of the USA Swimming Nominating Committee. 2016-2018 she served as South Carolina Swim Club’s Head Coach and the club achieved Bronze Medal recognition in the USA Swimming Club Excellence Program and won 2016 LCM and 2017 SCY State Championships. For six years she was the North Regional Manager and Senior 1 coach at SwimMAC Carolina where she oversaw eight Junior National Championship team titles. She achieved club management recognition while serving on SwimMAC’s leadership team helping MAC earn Gold Medal top honors in the USA Swimming Club Excellence Program. She collaborated with MAC coaches to develop and implement SwimMAC’s high-performance initiative. The program produced Olympian Kathleen Baker, and eighteen, 18-Under Olympic Trials qualifiers who went on to have outstanding college careers. As a result, CEO & Head Coach of SwimMAC Carolina, David Marsh received 2012 Developmental Coach of the Year award from USA Swimming for having the most 18-Under Olympic Trials qualifiers in the Nation.
In addition to her elite-level coaching experience, Coach Swander has developed community swim lesson curricula, coached High School, served as both the Director of USA Swimming’s Select camp, and the Vice Chair of Hospitality on the U.S. Olympic Trials Committee, and represented Indiana Swimming as a Delegate at the USA Swimming National Convention.
Coach Pam is married to Jeff Swander and their two children, Laura Templin and Kevin, became top swimmers at Auburn University and Indiana University, respectively.
Coach Kyle Bradley, currently serving as the Head Senior Coach at Carolina Aquatics, boasts a rich tapestry of experience and a profound connection to the world of swimming. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Kyle has called Greenville home since 2001, where his journey in the sport began to flourish.
His passion for swimming ignited during his formative years, spending 14 seasons competing for Foxcroft in the Greenville SAIL league. This early immersion in the sport laid the foundation for Kyle's enduring commitment to swimming.
Transitioning from athlete to coach, Kyle Bradley embarked on a remarkable coaching journey at Y-Spartaquatics Swim Club, where he served as the Head Age Group Coach. As an ASCA Level 2 Coach, Kyle's leadership extended to overseeing the blue and yellow groups while providing invaluable guidance to the entire program. His tenure at Y-Spartaquatics was marked by a steadfast dedication to nurturing young swimmers and instilling in them a deep-seated love for the sport.
Coach Kyle's impact transcends the pool deck, resonating deeply within the community. His commitment to the development of young athletes exemplifies the transformative power of swimming, inspiring the next generation of aquatic enthusiasts to reach for their dreams.
Now, as the Head Senior Coach at Carolina Aquatics, Kyle Bradley brings his wealth of experience, passion, and unwavering dedication to his role. Guiding senior swimmers towards excellence both in and out of the water, he remains a beacon of inspiration and leadership within the organization.
With Coach Kyle Bradley at the helm of the Senior Program, Carolina Aquatics is poised to embark on an exciting journey of growth, achievement, and continued excellence, fueled by a shared commitment to the transformative power of swimming.
Coach Kyle Smith brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a proven track record of success to his role as Director of the Senior Division at Carolina Aquatics. Kyle joined the team in February of 2024, bringing with him an extensive coaching career that has left an indelible mark on the swimming community.
Kyle's journey in swimming began with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Purdue University in 1999, laying the foundation for his future endeavors in coaching. His coaching career spans across Illinois and Indiana, where he held various leadership positions at esteemed swim clubs.
Before joining Carolina Aquatics, Kyle served as the Head Senior Coach and Chief Operating Officer for Mundelein Mustang Swim Club in Illinois from 2017 to 2023, where he played a pivotal role in driving the club's success. Prior to his tenure at Mundelein, Kyle served as the Head Age Group Coach for Brownsburg Swim Club in Indiana from 2013 to 2017, further solidifying his reputation as a top-tier coach in the region.
Throughout his career, Kyle has worked with swimmers of all levels, from novice to elite, and has consistently produced exceptional results. His coaching expertise has directly contributed to the development of numerous Junior National Team members, Junior National qualifiers, USA Swimming Futures qualifiers, Central Zone Sectional Qualifiers, and State and Zone Championship qualifiers.
Kyle's dedication to the sport extends beyond the pool deck. He has been actively involved in various coaching and leadership roles, including serving as a member of Team Indiana Zone and Camp Coaching Staffs. His commitment to coaching excellence has been recognized through numerous awards and accolades, including the prestigious Indiana Swimming Jim Clarke Memorial Award and the Best of Hendricks County Coach/Mentor award.
As a lifelong learner and advocate for athlete development, Kyle holds certifications as an ASCA Lifetime Member Level 3 Age Group and Disability Certified Coach, along with certifications in American Red Cross CPR, First Aid, and Lifeguarding.
Now, as Director of the Senior Division at Carolina Aquatics, Kyle Smith is poised to lead the organization to new heights of success, driven by his unwavering passion for the sport and his dedication to the development of each and every athlete under his guidance.
Kelly swam club, high school & summer league here in Columbia – winning several city and state championships, setting school records and SCISA records. She is a current member of Cardinal Newman’s Hall of Fame as a multi-sport state champion athlete. Kelly went on to compete in the SEC from 2004-2008 for the South Carolina Gamecocks, competing at conference all four years.
Kelly began coaching at the summer league level at Spring Valley Country Club and saw great success. During her tenure, SVCC won many division titles, sportsmanship titles, city meet splash point awards, individual and relay city championships and top 5 team finishes.
At the high school level, Kelly just stepped down at Dreher High School where she held the Girls and Boys Head Coaching position for 9 years after serving as an assistant for 2 years. During those 11 years, Dreher swimmers won many individual and relay state championships, individual and team region titles, region swimmers of the year and region coach of the year. This year Kelly will be returning to Cardinal Newman as an assistant coach under her sister, Kristen Kile.
Most recently, Kelly accepted a head coaching position with the Columbia College Koalas. In her first year as head coach, the Koala’s women’s team took a 3rd place finish at the AAC conference meet. In the men’s inaugural season, 8 NAIA national “b” cuts were achieved.
Coach Kelly attended the Charleston School of Law and is a licensed attorney. Kelly is married (Jeff Dibattisto) with three children – Alex , James and Livie.
Coach Kim Gould serves CA as Assistant Senior Coach. Coach Kim began swimming in middle school in Pennsylvania, continued through high school and swam one year of college at Shippensburg University until she transferred to pharmacy school in Philadelphia.
She began her coaching career with summer league as well as club with Emmaus Aquatic Club. She moved to South Carolina in 2000 and after having her three children began coaching at Blythewood HS and Carolina Aquatics. Coach Kim has coached at AC Flora HS for the past 8 years and has had more than a dozen state champions. After coaching other local clubs for the past several years she is happy to return to Carolina Aquatics and join them in providing a healthy, positive swim experience.
Her favorite part of coaching is the building relationships with all her swimmers and hopes to make an impact on each of their lives-making fast swimmers and good people..
Coach Whittaker-Anne Johnston learned how to swim at a young age at Swim MAC in Charlotte, NC. She moved to Florida in Middle School and continued to swim through High School. She swam for Holy Trinity in middle school, making the Florida state meet as an 8th grader. She attended Boca Raton High School and reached A Finals in 100 Back and relays over her 4 years.
Elevate Coaching Services
Mission
To deliver straightforward, effective & educational programming to coaches, teams and individuals of all ability levels.
Vision
Build a welcoming community through practical programming, team education, and an unwavering commitment to long-term athletic development.
The Elevate System
Focuses on developing strength through movement, through implementation of systematic, sustainable, and progressive programming.
Values
- Value people over profits on a daily basis
- Operate with honesty & integrity
- Invest in the process & long-term results
- Honor the development of each team & athlete
- Execute reliable & consistent communication
