Coaches & Directors

Russ W Sampson

Head Coach & Aquatics Director

Email

Coach Russ began working for Clarence Swim club in 2000 as the Head Coach. He has since taken the responsibility of Aquatics Director, overseeing the entire program. Prior to taking over the club, he was the Head Men’s and Women’s Coach at Niagara University, a Division 1 program. He also coached at Colby College in Maine for a season, helping the team to a 14th place at Nationals. before that he coached in a variety of roles with clubs, adaptive swimming, and one-on-one instruction. As a swimmer he kind of dabbled in the butterfly and individual medleys while swimming at Eastern Michigan University.

On a personal note, he has a wife - Susan; and a wonderful son - Evan; four cats - Iggy, Rory, Sammy and Loki; and one dog - Zoe.

Russ still enjoys swimming in the occasional swim meet and participating in triathlons.

Colleen A Adams

Head Coach Learn To Swim

Email

Colleen is currently working on her masters as a Literacy Specialist at Medaille College, she  holds degrees in Special and Elementary Education from Canisius College. Colleen has experience coaching for Clarence Learn-to-swim since 2002, as well as for Clarence Community Education swimming, the Town of Clarence pool, the Olean YMCA, and the Jewish Community Center. She is also the heach coach of the Nativity of Mary swim team, and Clarence Middle School. Colleen has swum for the Clarence Swim Club, Clarence Middle and High School, as well as at Holy Angels Academy. She is very enthusiastic and a great developer of stroke mechanics as our head Learn to Swim coach.

Johnson L Jamie

Head Asst. Coach

Email

Jamie Johnson began with the swim club in 1999 and now serves as our head assistant coach. She is currently working with the Depew Central School District as an elementary teacher in Special Ed. She is also the Varsity coach for the Depew Wildcats women’s swim team. She is engaged to be married in the summer of 2008.

Mary Colby

Asst. Coach

Email

Mary started coaching for the swim club in January 2003.  Mary teaches at St. Paul's School in Kenmore and spends most of her time after school at the pool.  She is the head coach at Mt. Mercy Academy in South Buffalo, and coaching the modified program at Hoover Middle School.  Mary spent two summers in sunny California as a coach at the Stanford University swim camps, and was a member of the Western coaching staff at the 2008 Empire State Games.   She swam at the collegiate level for Canisius College, where she was a 3 year team captain. 

Mary loves playing in the pool, especially with her nieces and nephew and  is considering competing at the Masters level.  She also enjoys reading, rollerblading and watching the food network. 

Brian S Bibler

Asst. Coach

Email

Erin Szajta

Asst. Coach

Email

Erin started coaching with the club in the 2007 Spring/Summer season. She competed in college at University of Rochester as a sprint freestyler. She is working towards her Masters Degree in Speech Pathology at University at Buffalo.

Kelly Recupero

Asst. Coach

Email

Kelly is a graduate student at the University at Buffalo in the Dietetic Internship program, working towards her Master's Degree in Excerise Science.  New to the staff (as of Fall 2008) and the area, Kelly grew up in Stratford, CT where she began competitive swimming at the age of 7.  Later she was named All-State in High School three times. She recently graduated from the University of Conneticut, swimming Dvision I for four years.  As a junior and senior she was named team captain.  She was a Big East Championship competitor in the breaststroke events.

Tyler Moser

Asst. Coach

Email

Tyler is currently an enrolled student in the Exercise Science/Pre-Physical Therapy program at the University at Buffalo.  Born and raised in Beaver Falls, NY, Tyler swam competitively for the mens Varsity swim team from 8th grade to being named captian his senior year.  He has had two years of non-competitive swim coaching experience.  Tyler joined the Clarence Swim Club in Fall of 2008 as an asst. coach.

Nick Maxwell

Asst. Coach

Email

Nick is currently enrolled at the University at Buffalo, working towards his degree in Exercise Science.  He began coaching for Clarence in the Fall of 2008.  Originally from Albany, Nick swam competitively there from the age of 7 until the age of 19, swimming for Capital District Aquatics Club, Adirondack Bluefins, and Shaker High School’s varsity swim team, where he captained his senior year.  Nick mainly competed in IM and freestyle events.