I am originally from the state of Iowa where I lived for 13 years. My family then moved to the Twin Cities, where I was a three sport athlete. Following graduation, I went on to college at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, graduating with a Post Secondary Education degree, majoring in English and minoring in History.

I have been a competitive triathlete and duathlete for over 20 years, completing distances from Sprint to Ironman. Currently I have moved on to Endurance Mountain Bike Racing and competing at distances up to 100 miles.

I have been coaching with WYNS for 6 years and have transitioned from being an assistant to Abby into the lead role as Head Competitive Swim Coach, while primarily coaching the senior level groups. I bring knowledge from various aspects of my life as I have a private endurance coaching business, dryland expertise, and have accumulated vast amounts of knowledges under the tutelage of numerous high level swim coaches within the WYNS program. 

I have 2 children,  Scout and Willem. Both are currently members of the WYNS Program.

AG Head Coach

Coach Springer grew up in Oregon, where her love of the water developed. By the age of 8, she was begging her parents to let her swim for the local team. Little did they know, that this was the beginning of a lifelong passion - competitive swimming.

Springer swam with the Tualatin Hills Swim Club as an age grouper and the Multnomah Athletic Club as a senior swimmer. She continued swimming thru her freshman year in college at Brigham Young University.

She has coached various teams over the last 16 years, including middle school, high school, country club and usa club teams. As Springer has moved over the years, she has been given the opportunity to coach and swim in the following states - Oregon, Utah, Texas, Michigan and now Wisconsin. Her experiences in these different swimming environments and communities brings a wealth of knowledge to the WYNS program.

Head Novice & Blue Coach

Aspirus Bronze Coach

Downtown Silver Coach

My own competitive swimming history includes starting as a youngster swimming for your typical suburban subdivision summer team and continuing on with age group swimming, high school, and college swimming. And, I continue to swim competitively in open water swims such as Teal Lake in the UP and Point to LaPointe up in Bayfield.

I started to coach co-ed high school swimming while finishing grad school in Cincinnati and was introduced to the highly competitive nature of Ohio high school swimming.  I’ve also been fortunate to have coached a year for Rhinelander Swim Club (one of my alma mater swim clubs!) but have been coaching with Wausau YMCA swimming ever since 2002.  

As I tell my swimmers, my job is to make them a better swimmer and hopefully we can get there in a fun way that isn’t too painful.

Aspirus Bronze Coach

I grew up in a small town in Southern Wisconsin and started swimming on the summer team at 8 years old. I have always loved swimming and continue to swim on a regular basis and compete in triathlons. My two daughters Erin (9) and Allison (7) are on the team. I am also Physical Therapist at Marshfield Clinic Stettin Center in Wausau. As a coach, I enjoy passing on my love of swimming and helping kids enjoy this life-long sport. 

Novice and Blue Coach at Aspirus. 

Aspirus Blue/Bronze Coach

Downtown Silver Coach

I am married to Danny and together we have five children.  Two of our children enjoy being part of the WYNS swim team. I started competing in swimming at the age of five and continued on to swim for Appleton North High School. Helping young swimmers develop their character and techniques through swimming is my favorite part of coaching.

Novice and Blue Coach at Aspirus. 

Gold Coach

My coaching philosophy stems from efforts to overcome the humdrum of counting 1" tiles on the bottom of the pool. I swam competitive since the age of 5.  I began coaching USA in 1989 with the Kenosha Barracuda Swim Team (Which now has become PX3).  I run my own business but my chlorine addiction keeps me coming to the pool to coach.  I've coached for YMCA, Masters and USA teams in Green Bay and YMCA and Special Olympics in Wausau. I've been with WYNS/ WAYS/GDS since 2001. I have coaches all ages and ability levels but may best fit  with theprobably Mid to upper age groups. I believe in shaping habits of sportsmanship and work ethic as well as preparation for anything the world can throw at you.  Hobbies include Boating, Fishing, hunting, biking and couch potato if the Packers are playing.

Downtown Novice Coach

I started swimming competitively with my hometown club team and continued with high school, college, and masters swimming.  I coached Merrill High School girls and assisted with Wausau East boys from 2012-2015.  Then my focus shifted from swimming to growing our family.  Now that my oldest, Violet, has joined WYNS I am back on the pool deck and challenging myself by competing in the 2023 Point to La Point swim.

Lindsay Byrka grew up in Rhinelander, WI where she was one of the rare high school swimming state champions in several events.  She has vast experience coaching high school and club swimmers and has helped lead local athletes to high school WIAA champion status and notable top eight finishes. She is excited to share her experience, knowledge, and love of swimming through coaching.

Sub Coach

I grew up in Wausau and begged my mom to let me swim competitively at the age of 5. When I was 8, I joined the Wausau Tide Swim Club where I swam through high school. I also had the opportunity to swim for Wausau West my freshman year, and Wausau East my last three years. I continued swimming through my freshman year of college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a badger.

Aspirus Silver Coach