Coaches & Directors

We are here to support your needs. If your questions are related to workouts, meets, events, goal setting, and other swimming related needs, please contact one the coach for your site and your group. For all questions related to administrative, such as dues, safety, or policy issues, please contact Joe Zemaitis or Sam Kramer.

Coaching Staff

Joseph P Zemaitis

Head Coach (all sites)

With sixteen years of competitive swimming experience and international accolades as a Professional Triathlete, Joe Zemaitis -at age 29- brings a lifetime of experience in competitive sports to his work with the Swim Neptune. Joe’s coaching philosophy is rooted in the film belief that every child has a genius - a natural talent that, when recognized and unlocked, paves the way to a lifetime of success. Knowing the vast array of critical life skills and lessons learned through sports participation, Joe is a strong proponent of the myriad benefits for every child.

In 2002, Joe launched Swim Neptune, a year-round competitive USA Swimming Club that has grown to include six locations across the Phoenix metro area and continues to nurture young swimmers in pursuit of their competitive goals.

In support of childhood drowning prevention and water safety initiatives, Joe created FAST - The Foundation for Aquatic Safety and Training in 2006. A non-profit organization, based in Phoenix, Arizona, FAST is about Kids Saving Kids. The mission of FAST is to leverage the talents, energy, and skills of competitive swimmers of all ages to spread the message of water safety and take an active role in teaching kids to swim. Programs such as the FAST Talkers Educational Outreach and Water Safety for Refugees are examples of the FAST commitment to water safety and drowning prevention.

Beginning in 2006 Joe trained teams of young swimmers to complete the swim from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco. After one swimmer achieved this goal in 2006 the program grew to over 75 athletes in 2007 and again in 2008.

In 1998 Joe set the 19 and under record at the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon, the result of a goal he set when he was 12 years old. He has completed a total of seven Ironman races, including four at the World Championships in Hawaii. In 2003 Joe set an age group course record and was the Overall Amateur Champion at the Ironmam Langkawi Malaysia. His pro career highlights include a top 5 finished at the 2005 Long Course National Championships, selections to two USA World Championship Teams, a top 5 overall finish at the 2005 Ironman Langkawi Malaysia and competing as a professional in the 2005 Hawaii Ironman. He was named the USA Triathlon 2005 Professional Rookie of the Year. Joe won two Junior National Championships, is a six-time Triathlon All-American, and has represented the USA in ten World Championship events. He competed in 13 countries and 27 states during his career as an amateur and professional triathlete.

Joe earned a full tuition academic scholarship to Lake Forest College where he graduated in 2002 Summa Cum Laude and Phie Beta Kappa. He was a Rhodes Scholarship semi-finalist and recipient of the Graduating Scholar Athlete Award and the Senior Inderpendent Scholar Prize. While at Lake Forest College Joe was a two-time captain of the Varsity Swim team and three-time captain of the Varsity Cross Country team, setting school records in both sports. At Horizon High School in Phoenix, Arizona he lettered in swimming and cross country.

His first book, Joe’s Rule How Every Parent Can Help a Child Excel in Life- Through Sports, was published in 2007 and promises to be the first of a Joe’s Rules sires dedicated to yound people the world over and those who love and supoort them as they grow to become the leaders and the champions of tomorrow.

Sam N Kramer

Glendale Head Coach, Team Administrator

Coach Sam joined the Neptune coaching staff shortly after her arrival back home to the Valley of the Sun. She was in Manchester, New Hampshire, coaching at the Manchester YMCA Tigersharks, where she helped Coach Mike rebuild a team that was on the decline when he took it over. She was solely responsible for the Age Group program while at the Tigersharks, helping to teach the Manchester swimmers excellent techinque as well as a great work ethic.

Prior to her stop in New Hampshire Coach Sam was the Head Coach of Moon Valley Aquatic Club. She was at MVAC for 3 years and helped take that program to a level it had not previously acheived.

Swimmers that have trained under Coach Sam have been to all levels of National meets including, Senior Nationals and U.S. Olympic Trials. Not only does she have numerous years of coaching experience where swimmers have excelled to the highest level, Coach Sam was an elite level athlete when she competed. As an Age Group swimmer she qualified for Junior Nationals. After completing her High School career for the Horizon Huskies she went on to swim at the University of Indianapolis, where to this day she still holds the school records in the 500, 1000, and 1650 Freestyle.

Helen Zemaitis

Age Group Coach, Administrator

Mike Wardwell

Head Senior Coach - Glendale, JCC

Coach Mike came to us from Desert Thunder Aquatics where he was in charge of the Mesa branch Senior Team and High School Development Team. During his two years at DTAC he helped produced numerous Sectional, Junior National and Senior National level swimmers. Also he helped his swimmers reach high levels of achievement at their respective AIA State Championships meets, including state individual titles as well as all-time state records.

Prior to joining DTAC Coach Mike was the Head Coach of the Manchester YMCA Tigersharks in Manchester, NH. He joined the Tigersharks in 2003 after they had been through numerous Head Coaches in the previous five years which had left the team with only 18 swimmers. By the end of his three year tenure at the Manchester YMCA, the team had grown to 80+ swimmers and had reached levels of swimming not seen at that program in over a decade.

Coach Mike in now entering his 13th year of coaching competitive swimming and he has had the opportunity to work with all levels of swimmers. During that time he has helped the novice swimmer achieve their goals of improving and moving to the next level, while helping his elite level athletes move up and qualify for meets such as Sectionals, YMAC Nationals, Jr Nationals and Senior Nationals.

Megan Harden

Chandler Head Coach

Josh Azulay

Age Group Coach - JCC

Juan Llaneras

Masters Coach - Glendale

Josh M Tayrien

Age Group, High School Coach - DC Ranch

Mary Smith

Age Group Coach -Glendale, JCC

Coach Mary came aboard the Swim Neptune staff in 2008. She brings with her 30 years of experience in Aquatics, mostly in the field of swim lesson instruction. Since she has come on board at the Glendale site she has been instrumental in the rapid growth of both the Strokers 1 and Strokers 2 groups, which she is responsble for the direct supervision on coaching of.

Coach Mary is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. She is married and has two children, who we are very happy to have in our Swim Neptune Family.

Allison Tummond

Age Group Coach - JCC

IAllison hase been teaching and coaching swimming in the Scottsdale area for over 30 years. She was a competitive swimmer for most of her life. Allison was a part of the group who in 2008 completed the open water Alcatraz swim. She graduated from ASU with a business degree and is actively involved with her 3 great kids! You can find Allison on deck at the Jewish Community Center!

Mark J Conte

Dive Neptune - Glendale

Coach Mark joins the ranks of the Dive Neptune program in Glendale, and we are lucky to have him:

Upper New York State College Champion 1972; Deputy Swim/Dive Venue Director for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee (LAOOC); Past Chairman of Masters Diving for United States Diving, Inc. for 6 years; Coached high school and age group divers and participated as a master diver since the mid 1970's. Currently the Diving Coach for the Liberty High School LIONS, and Substitute Teacher in the Peoria School District. Recently moved to Glendale, AZ from Redondo Beach, CA to be closer to my parents.

Melissa Grace Mehaffey

Age Group Coach - Glendale, JCC

Melissa Hevner

Age Group Coach - Verrado

I have been coaching at the Village Verrado since May of 2007. I grew up in upstate NY, went to college in western Mass, and then came out here after graduating with my Masters Degree in Physical Therapy. I have been working as a physical therapist now for 3 years and am able to apply my knowledge of biomechanics, posture, kinesthetics, and muscle energy to swimming.

I have been an avid swimmer my entire life and love sharing my passion with others. I swam competitive USS from 9-18, competed on my high school team, and went on to swim in college at Springfield College. In addition to swimming, I enjoy competing in Triathlons and Marathons.

I have been teaching lessons since I was 16 and coaching since I was 19. I love teaching children the values behind swimming as well as the art and fun of it!