TWST Coaching Staff
-
20+ National top 10 rankings including 3 #1 rankings
-
Multiple TAGS Champions and record holders
-
GULF LSC record holders
-
Numerous TWST record holders and TWST historic top-10 performers
-
Speedo Sectional qualifiers
-
USA Swimming Futures qualifiers
-
USA Swimming Junior National qualifiers.
-
2019, 2022 Junior World Championship qualifiers
-
Olympic Trial qualifiers
Heather’s 25+ years working in the fitness and coaching industry and her numerous athletic endeavors have created in her a lifelong passion for fitness and coaching.
In Pennsylvania, Heather was the Director of Competitive Aquatics for the Tri-Hampton YMCA/USA Swim Team (THY), overseeing the Age Group and Senior Teams. Prior to this she was Head Coach of the Age Group Team and assisted in founding the Age Group component of THY in 2009. Heather was also the Head Coach for The Lower Makefield Township Summer League team for 7 years and grew the team to 360 swimmers ages 4-18 of all levels, beginner to Junior National. Prior to this, she was an assistant specializing in the 8 and Under age groups.
Heather’s additional age group coaching experience includes coaching a summer league team in Northern Virginia during her high school and college summers, coaching for the Pennsbury Aquatic Club in Fairless Hills, PA and beginning a learn to swim program on the island of Guam. She has also coached Masters swimmers in Honolulu and at the Newtown Athletic Club, and directed/coached triathlon/cycling/ run training programs for over 15 years. Prior to living in Pennsylvania, Hawaii was home to Heather for 10 years. In Honolulu, Heather was as a Personal Trainer, Fitness Center Director, Personal Training Director, Triathlon Coach, Marathon Coach, and Group Exercise Director for the largest fitness club in Hawaii.
Heather graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science and was a member of the Varsity swimming team for 2 years and cross country team for 1 year.
In her spare time, Heather raced and traveled extensively as a professional triathlete from 1998-2008 and now competes as a masters triathlete, specializing in the Ironman distance. Heather has competed in 17 Ironman competitions, to include The Hawaii Ironman World Championship 8 times, where she was an Age Group Champion and 2 time Top 25 female finisher.
Heather and her husband, Pete have two boys who swim on The Woodlands Swim Team and relocated to The Woodlands from Yardley, Pennsylvania in August 2012. Heather finds coaching the swimmer of any age or ability a truly rewarding opportunity and is thrilled to be back in the water working with the Nemo, Shark & Dolfin Groups. She hopes to foster the discipline, fitness, memories, skills and friendships that the sport of swimming can offer.
Ken started swimming at the age of 5 (in Puerto Rico) and soon realized that swimming was his sport. Ken swam with the likes of Jessie Vasallo and his brothers and soon found his way from Puerto Rico to Southern California and soon became a member of the well know Mission Viejo Nadadores. From swimming to coaching, Ken began as a grad assistant at the University of Kansas and soon became Head coach of the Wichita Y Neptunes. From there, Ken followed his path back to California to become the Head Age Group Coach of the Mission Viejo Nadadores where he served his position well for 9 years. From there, Ken went to Conejo Simi Aquatics in Simi Valley then to The Woodlands from 97-99 as Head Age Group Coach. From here, Ken found his way back to California first as Head age group coach, then Head Coach of the Buenavenura Swim Club. After a 5 year stint in Ventura Ken made his way back to Southern California as Head Age Group coach of the Irvine Novaquatics for 5 years. The time was right to come back to Texas and as a Senior Coach with TWST (2011-2017). Ken’s coaching journey has since taken him to Katy Aquatics for a stint and most recently as Head Coach for the San Antonio Wave Swim Team. I am truly excited to have Ken back on deck with TWST! Coach Ken will be working with our performance groups and leading a challenge group.
Ken has coached several swimmers to National Rankings, 3 to elite status as National Age Group record holders as well as getting the first 50+ year old swimmer to break 10 minutes in the 1000! Ken has been selected as one of the Age Group Coach of the year recipients in Southern California by ASCA and has served on 9 Zone teams, 4 as age group assistant and 5 as the Head Coach. Ken was also the first Head Coach on record to win the Olympic Festival in Southern California.
Ken’s passion as a coach is to not only find ways to improve the mechanics of the stroke in the water but to also find ways to be better underwater! The lessons learned as a swimmer should carry well beyond their years in the pool, but throughout their life! Ken continues to stay in touch with his former athletes as well as old team mates from his “younger” years on his FB page. Ken was born in Caripito Venezuela and remains fluent in Spanish. Ken enjoys cooking, fine wines, and an occasional 2-step!
Coach Jennie coached at TWST from 2008-2018 and came back on deck with the team in Fall 2021. This season, she is co-lead coach of the PERFORMANCE WHITE group and lead coach for the SENIOR CHALLENGE group. She also serves as Meet Director as well as managing schedules and calendars for the team. Jennie has coached all levels from summer league to National level with TWSTand with previous teams, and also developed a learn-to-swim program. With over 30 years coaching experience in the Gulf LSC, some of her accomplishments include:
- Named to the ASCA 2008 Fellows Class
- Coached eight Gulf Zones Teams; head coach of the 2007 and 2011 Zones Team and team manager in 2008.
- Coached six Gulf Allstars Teams; head coach of the 2009 Team and team manager in 2011
- Coached two NACC Gulf Teams; head coach of the 2016 team
- Won first place in the Doc Counsilman Creative Coaching competition at the ASCA World Clinic in 2007
- Developed numerous age groupers to Gulf, TAGS and Top 16 Records
- Two-term Age Group Vice Chair for Gulf Swimming 2010-2014
- Secretary for Gulf Swimming 2015-present
- Recipient of Gulf LSC Phillips 66 Outstanding Service Award 2016
- Named to the USA Swimming Diversity and Inclusion National Committee 2015-2022
- USA Swimming Coach Leadership Conference 2023
Jennie has been involved in this sport for a long time. She began swimming when she was 10 years old, and started coaching summer league while still a swimmer with her high school and summer league teams in Baton Rouge, LA. She went to Lousiana Tech and majored in pre-med before switching to theater. She has numerous commercial voice-over credits in The Woodlands/Spring area. She coached summer league for Shenandoah Sharks for 17 years and helped grow their team from 49 to 300+ swimmers during her tenure as head coach.
Jennie has completed her ASCA Level V education certifications. She enjoys attending coaching conferences / clinics / workshops and bringing what she learns back to her swimmers. She strives to make practices both challenging and creative. Jennie makes a point to take a real interest in each of her swimmers, celebrating their accomplishments not only in the water but on deck and in school.
When not coaching, Jennie enjoys family time, movies and music. Jennie and her husband live in Shenandoah, where they raised their four children, all of whom were swimmers (summer league, USA, high school and collegiate level). She is now the biggest cheerleader for her grandchildren in and out of the water!
I have had a love for sports, fitness and nutrition my entire life. I played volleyball and ran track growing up and continued playing volleyball through college. I took this passion for fitness a step furtherin 2013 when I became a certified personal trainer. I currently hold certifications in Personal Training, Group Fitness, and Pre/Postnatal Fitness I also have specialty certifications in Youth Fitness & Nutrition, Orthopedic Exercise, Fitness Nutrition and Sports Performance Specialtist.
He has coached Sectional Finalists, Futures Qualifiers, LSC Record Holders, Zone Medalists and National Top-10 athletes. Former athletes from his time at ACE have matriculated to attend and compete with: TCU, GW, Coast Guard Academy, Missouri State, Drury and Wheaton.
Coach Nate was voted Head Coach of the Midwestern Swimming Zones team from 2016-2018. He has also served on multiple All Star, Zone and Open Water teams.
Nate is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. His degree is in exercise science with a focus on strength, conditioning and physiology.
In 2018 Nate was voted the Midwestern Age Group Coach of the Year.
Coach Mitch also coached summer league for The Woodlands Hurricanes for 2 seasons before
starting his coaching journey with TWST, and is proud that TWST is the only team he has competed on year-round. He believes that hard work will always pay off, and that having a strong mentality is what keeps good swimmers from being great swimmers.
Coach Mitch is now at Sam Houston State University, pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Business.
In his spare time, he enjoys racing his car at autocross and track days, and enjoys watching NFL football with his favorite team the New England Patriots.
Coach Janeice is the team’s Wet Shop Coordinator and is the assistant coach to Coach Candice for CW. In her youth, she developed a love of sports by being an athlete herself. She believes sports are an important part in the development of happy, healthy children into happy, healthy adults.
Janeice hails from Jefferson City, the capital of Missouri, where she joined the Navy in 2001. She worked as an Aviation Electronics Technician in the calibration lab and became a plank owner by helping to commission the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) before being honorably discharged in 2006.
She moved to Texas in 2007 with her awesome daughter and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston-Downtown. Her degree is in Political Science with minors in International Politics, Communication Studies and Public Policy & Administration.
She was the Pool Director at the Girl Scout Camp Agnes Arnold for GSSJC, and that is where she discovered her love of teaching children to swim. She has been a swim instructor for over 8 years and a swim coach for 5. Coach Janeice joined TWST in the Spring of 2019 as a PreTWST instructor and transitioned to an assistant Developmental Coach under Coach Heather in the Fall of 2019. In November of 2021, she transitioned to Blue group to continue helping swimmers develop skills to not only compete in the water, but in life. In the summer of 2022, she joined Coach Mitch in the AGF group to continue to help children realize their potential. Now in 2023, she is a CW Coach with her friend Candice. In CW, we are instilling good foundational skills in the children, so they can be challenged and successful in and out of the water.Go TWST!
Coach Megan currently works with our Foundations Groups.
Coach Yoheily currently works with our Foundations Groups and also teaches PreTWST. You can spot her cheering our little ones with her maracas at most practices!
Coach Nate currently works with our Foundations groups.
Monika is a former competitive swimmer, water polo player and fellow TWST parent. Prior to joining TWST staff, Monika served as Director of Admissions at a local private school and an Event Coordinator for a fine arts non-profit organization. Monika oversees dry side team matters, including registration, billing, and marketing/sponsorship.