Coaches & Directors

John L McGough

Head Coach and Program Director

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Coach Mac has over 20 years of coaching experience. He is an American Swimming Coaches Association Level 5 coach, the highest attainable level certified by his professional organization.

Prior to his arrival to Clovis, he spent 6 years at Carroll Independent School District, serving as the aquatics director. Coach Mac’s extensive coaching experience includes Auburn University, Fort Smith, Florida, and Texas. In just over a year with Clovis Swim Club, Coach Mac has one swimmer with 2 Olympic Trials cuts.

Coach Mac has a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education, and a Master of Science degree in Exercise Physiology.

Coach Mac’s coaching philosophy is one of excellence achieved through encouraging athletes to develop a healthy self image, personal accountability, goal setting, and achievement of personal goals. “It is the journey, not necessarily the end result, that is most important. Winning is not everything, but striving for excellence is.”

When he is not coaching, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Julie, and his two sons, Jacob, who is a swimmer, and Caleb, who is a baseball player.

David Pickford

Senior Coach, Buchanan

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Coach Dave has over 37 years of coaching experience. He started as an assistant age-group coach for Huntington Beach Aquatic Club at age 14 and ascended to head coach after nine years. This swim club merged with another club to become Golden West Swim Club where Coach Dave was head age group coach for five years before becoming head coach at GWSC. In 1993, Coach Dave joined Clovis Swim Club as head age group coach and aquatics director for Buchanan High School. Coach Dave was twice honored to be Central California Age Group Coach of the Year. He was CCS Zone head coach from 1997-2000.

Coach Dave graduated with a major in history from California State University Long Beach. Later he got an add-on Health Science and teaching credential. He currently teaches World History and Work Experience at Buchanan High School.

Coach Dave coaches with an emphasis on distance base training with a goal of developing the 400 IM for older swimmers. He tries to vary workouts and make sure that the swimmers know why they are doing what they are doing. He also focuses on helping swimmers enjoy the process of becoming better swimmers so that improvement can occur on a daily basis, not just at the meets.

Coach Dave has minimal free time as he also coaches the boys’ water polo team at BHS. But he does enjoy watching sports on TV, reading, and some intermittent cycling as time permits. He also immensely enjoys the experiences of being the father/coach of two great sons, Brian, and Garrett, who are now faster swimmers than he ever was back in college.

Brian Sharar

Senior Coach, Clovis East

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Coach Sharar has over 23 years of coaching experience. In his many years of coaching, he received Mid-West Conference swimming coach of the year, Mid-Continent swimming coach of the year (twice), and Mid-American Conference swimming coach of the year.

Prior to his arrival to Clovis, he spent 9 years at University of Toledo as head men’s and women’s swimming coach. He’s also coached at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Western Illinois University, Petersburg, Indiana, and Danville, Indiana.

Coach Sharar has a Bachelors of Science degree from Ball State University in Industrial Arts/Physical Education, and a Masters of Arts degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Human Performance.

Coach Sharar is a very “hands on” technical coach. He enjoys helping swimmers refine their strokes and better their times. He tries to get to know each swimmer, what makes them smile, frown, and what motivates them. He believes that the better he knows how his athletes think, the better he will be able to push the right buttons for them to achieve success.

When he’s not coaching, Coach Sharar enjoys occasional personal swim workouts, golf, and watching his 3 children participate in all their zillion activities.

Adam J Reid

Assisstant Senior Coach, Clovis West

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Coach Reid has over 11 years of coaching experience. His coaching positions have included head coach for the Glendora Country Club age group program, head coach for Kastner Intermediate School, as well as coaching the senior group and Race Club for Clovis Swim Club.

Coach Reid has a Bachelors of Science degree from Pepperdine University in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Azusa Pacific University.

Coach Reid’s coaching philosophy is to challenge swimmers to succeed by doing the little things right, whether swimmers are in the pool, classroom, or with friends and family.

Something we don’t know about Coach Reid—Since Pepperdine University did not have a men’s swimming program, Coach Reid competed for the surfing team and his team was ranked as high as 6th nationally.

When he’s not coaching (when is that?), Coach Reid enjoys surfing, wakeboarding, and working out.

An Baxter

Age Group Coach, Clovis West

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Coach An has over 32 years of coaching experience. She coached 10 years at a Senior National level in Southern California. While coaching at this level, she had multiple Junior, Senior National finalists and a National Champion. She put one swimmer on two Olympic teams. Her next 10 years were spent at the age group level in Southern California. While coaching age group, she had numerous JO and Zone champions and finalists. She had multiple NRT qualifiers and National record holders. In Central California, she has coached age group. She has had numerous JO and Zone champions and finalists. She has had multiple NRT qualifiers. She also was Clovis Swim Club’s interim head coach prior to Coach Mac’s arrival. She currently coaches the gold group at CW.

Coach An attended UCLA for three years.

Coach An is the wife of Clovis West’s Head Coach, Steve Baxter, and the mother of Kyle, Trent and Tristin. Coach An states “Best thing I ever did!”

In terms of swimming, Coach an swam as an amateur swimmer for 10 years, from age 12-22. She was a JO champion, National Age Group record holder, American record holder, World record holder (first woman to break 9:00 in the 800 meter freestyle), National champion, Pan American Games champion, World University Games champion and an Olympian. She was an All-American swimmer at UCLA.

Coach An describes her coaching style and emphasis as follows: “I have always strived to coach with the right combination of stroke work/conditioning to get the best results for my swimmers and keep them enjoying the sport for many years as they continue to improve—whether they are at the National, age group, or beginning level of swimming.”

Famous for her tag line “See you at the Pool!” Coach An is well respected for her excellence in coaching and her encouragement of swimmers of all levels. She is a “hands on” coach who keeps a close track on all her swimmers’ best times and coaches them to do their “personal best.”

When she’s not coaching high school or club swimming, she is busy enjoying time with her active family.

Rich Petzinger

AG, Ast. Sr.Coach, Clovis East, Masters

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Coach Rich has over 10 years of coaching experience. He currently coaches silver, gold, and assists coaching the senior group at Clovis East. His coaching positions have included age group, high school, and Masters swimming. Prior to coaching for Clovis Swim Club, he owned and coached the Sunnyside Sharks Swim Club. He currently coaches high school swimmers at Clovis East. He has also been a water polo and swim coach for Hoover High School. He also had the opportunity to coach in Paradise, that is, in Hawaii for several years.

Coach Rich is currently finishing his teaching degree in history.

Coach Rich swimming career includes being a national level swimmer in the 200 breast and the 400 IM. As a masters swimmer, he’s won 3 open water swims in Hawaii. He set the masters Aloha State Masters Swim Championship State Record in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.

Coach Rich describes his coaching style as that of a technique coach with a focus on rhythm and balance. He hopes that by the time a swimmer is done swimming for him, they understand the strokes better than he does!

When he’s not coaching, Coach Rich loves to swim, bike, and run. He participated in the Iron man in Maui in 1996. He’s an avid Stephen King fan. Coach Rich loves hiking, camping, and doing anything outdoors. He’s even been skydiving, scuba diving, and cliff diving. When he’s not participating in a sport, he enjoys watching professional sports on TV.

Ben Britten

Age Group- Clovis West

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Coach Ben has been coaching at Clovis Swim Club for the past 3 years. He currently coaches the silver group. He also coaches the masters adult swimming program at Alta Sierra. Prior to that he coached recreation league and gave private swim lessons. He has also been assistant swim coach at Kastner Intermediate School.

Coach Ben has a Bachelors degree in Global Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Coach Ben swam at U.C. Santa Barbara. He also swam at Redwood High School in Visalia, where he achieved an All American time in the 100 yard butterfly, 200 medley relay, and the 500 freestyle. He was a Valley Champion in 2001.

Coach Ben describes his coaching style as follows. “I believe that a strong aerobic base with an emphasis on technique should be presented to swimmers at a young age, making transitions to the upper level of swimming easier.

Coach Ben is planning to pursue Graduate work in the fall of 2008.

Jennifer L Palmberg

Age Group Coach, Clovis West

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Coach Jen has worked for Clovis Swim Club for over 5 years. She currently coaches the Bronze group at Clovis West.

She has also coached recreation league for Clovis Swim Club’s summer programs, water polo for Kastner Intermediate School, and swimming for Clovis West High School under Head Coach Steve Baxter. Her prior experiences include coaching the Conejo Simi Aquatics’ (CSA) summer recreation and masters programs and age group water polo for the Simi Seals.

Coach Jen received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Mass Communication (Journalism) from California State University, Fresno.  She is currently pursuing a single subject teaching credential in Social Science.

Coach Jen is known by her swimmers as a fun and happy coach.

Abby Winters

Age Group Coach, Clovis East

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Coach Abby has coached at Clovis Swim Club for over 3 years. Having a wide range for Coaching from Swim Lessons to High School Swimming. She also is involved with the Reyburn Waterpolo team and is looking forward to a Career in teaching.

Coach Abby is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal studies at Fresno State University. She is entering her Junior year, and is hoping to graduate early.

Coach Abby is close mouthed about her past personal swimming achievements, but not private about her love of coaching the younger swimmers. She loves to encourage the kids to swim well, to teach them the fundamentals of swimming while having fun. Fun is contagious when you swim for Coach Abby in the Stroke Team or Bronze at Clovis East.

Lance Liddell

Masters Coach- evening practices

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Nadia Dwidar

Age Group- West & Masters- North

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Nadia is coaching the Clovis North Stroke Team and assisting coaching the Clovis North morning Masters program.

Experience:

- has given private lessons, in addition to coaching summer camp/summer league in Santa Barbara and in Fresno

- swam for Clovis Swim Club since the age of thirteen until the age of seventeen, qualifying to swim under the National Team for Clovis under Coach Tom Milich

- swam competitively in high school at Clovis West for four years under Coach Steve Baxter

- swam competitively for four years at University of California, Santa Barbara, contributing to four championships and leading the team as co-captain senior year

- coaching style: focuses on maintaining the fun aspect of the sport, while teaching the fundamental basics needed to excel to the next level. Also believes firmly in the implementation of kicking: all great swimmers are great kickers.

FYI:

- graduated with a Bachelors degree from UC Santa Barbara in Sociology- is happy to be back in Fresno, spending lots of time with her family.

- loves to draw in her spare time and spend time with family and friends

 

Mary Beth Welch

Age Group Coach- Clovis East

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Jay Christiansen

Masters Coach- mornings

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