Coaches and Directors
Bob Young has been Mako Aquatics' Head Coach/CEO since arriving in Hudson for the 2012-2013 season. Bob is an ASCA Level 5/4 coach, SSDC, and has a long background as an Age Group and Senior coach, including three years as the National Team and Head Coach at BR Ryall YMCA in Glen Ellyn, IL. Bob swam for Eastern Illinois University where he graduated with a BS and MS in Environmental Biology.
While under Bob's leadership BR Ryall was named a Bronze Medal Club by USA Swimming twice. His swimmers have been finalists at the Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin High School State Meets, Speedo Sectional, NCSA Junior Nationals, YMCA Nationals and USA Swimming Junior Nationls as well as qualifiers at USA Swimming Nationals and the US Open. Bob, himself, continues to compete at both United States Masters Swimming (USMS) and USA Swimming meets. While competing in USMS he has achieved USMS All American and several Top Ten Times in his age group.
Bob believes in the long term development of the athlete with a lifelong love for and involvement in competitive swimming. His student athletes have gone on to swim at the Division I, Division II, Division III and College Club level. Schools include:
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Augustana University |
Bowling Green State University |
Butler University |
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Calvin University |
Cal Poly |
Concordia University St. Paul |
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Cornell University |
Denison University |
Grinnell College |
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Gustavus |
Indiana University |
Lake Forest College |
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LSU |
Macalester College |
McKendree University |
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Miami University Ohio |
Minnesota State University Mankato |
Naval Academy |
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Pitt |
Purdue University |
Rose Hulman |
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St. John's Minnesota |
Saint Mary's Notre Dame |
Southern Illinois University |
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Seattle University |
University of Chicago |
University of Denver |
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University of Illinois Chicago |
University of Iowa |
University of Louisville |
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University of Nebraska |
University of South Carolina |
University of Utah |
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University of Wisconsin Green Bay |
University of Wisconsin Madison |
Valparaiso University |
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Vanderbilt University |
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Jennifer Ridge is an ASCA
Level 3 coach and has been coaching age group and masters swimmers
for over 20 years. Jennifer has coached swimmers from
developmental to national level swimmers. Her love of the
sport is seen through her coaching as well as her continued
participation in the sport as a world class Masters swimmer and a
volunteer with USA Swimming. Jennifer is former Chair of the
USA Swimming Operational Risk Committee which works to
proactively identify and manage risks in our sport and the former
Safe Sport Chair for Illinois Swimming. She is currently a
Risk Manager within the Wholesale Operations Business Lines of
Wells Fargo and has been a member of the American and Illinois
Bar Associations since receiving her JD in 2002.
Jennifer’s swimmers benefit from the successes and challenges
that she has faced in a swimming career that has spanned over 35
years. Jennifer’s coaching skills have developed from
having trained under some of the finest coaches in the country
including former National Team Director Frank Busch. Jennifer is a
graduate of the University of Arizona, where she competed as
an undergraduate, and Chicago-Kent College of Law. She is a 2025
Minnesota Masters Swimming Hall of Fame inductee based on her
Masters swimming accomplishments which include:
- Nearly 600 Top Ten USMS individual rankings along with 167 Top Ten World Aquatics individual rankings
- Three #1 World rankings (200 free, 200 fly and 1650 free)
- 20 years as an Individual All-American and 9 years as a Relay All-American
- Two USMS All-Star Honors
- Holds Minnesota state records in all four strokes and IM across yards, short course meters and long course meters
- Currently holds 2 USMS relay records and has set 7 lifetime USMS records and a relay World Record




