Kendra Gray - Head Swim Coach

Kendra grew up in Avon, Indian swimming for the Avon Community Swim Team and the Avon High School swim team.  She continued her love for the water life guarding and teaching swim lessons through high school and college.  She studied Athletic Training and Psychology at Anderson University in Anderson Indiana where she met her Husband, Jim Gray.  Jim and Kendra have three children who have all swam for the Dolphin Swim team (Dylan 19, Ashton 16, and Eden 14).  Kendra continued her work in the pool when she moved to Michigan and taught swim lessons at the YMCA, taught the third grade swim program at St. Joseph Schools, taught private lessons in backyard pools, worked as Aquatic Coordinator and competed in a few triathlons.  Kendra began coaching for the Dolphins and has been the Head coach of the Dolphin Swim Team since 2009.  Kendra is a certified USA swim coach and a certified YMCA swim coach.  In her free time Kendra enjoys going to the beach, cross country skiing, lap swimming, riding bikes with her husband, hanging with her family, and cheering on her kids in their sports.  

PJ Darbyshire

I came to swimming late.  I grew up on a dairy farm and when the weather was nice, we were hayin’ or working in the large gardens.  I learned to swim in my thirties at a Y.  Petrified as I was, I used to have a little glass of wine before my adult group lesson.  They wanted us to jump from this gigantic diving board, I thought they were nuts; swim underwater for half the pool and they confirmed my suspicion.  Totally crazy!  I eventually went on to be a water aerobics, swimming instructor and coach.

Then I knew I found the avenue In which I could contribute.  I am a water person.  It is said if you do what you love, it’s not work.  Well, that is instructing and coaching for me.  To watch the kids going from the same fear I knew, to become very proficient, competitive, confident swimmers is astounding. And to know I could help them achieve their goals is a life-changing gift I have been given.
 

Coach Rachel Hall 

Coach Rachel Hall grew up as a swimmer on our Dolphins Swim Team.  She began coaching in 2013 after moving back home to Southwest Michigan with her family.  Rachel is mom to 4 boys -- Tanner (12), Landon (10), Kellen (7), and Baylor (3).  She currently stays at home with her youngest son, but was a teacher prior to having children.  She loves to spend time reading, cheering on her boys in whatever activity they love, and going on date nights with her husband.