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 of the coaches. For all questions related to administrative, such as dues, safety, or policy issues, please contact Coach Don Henshaw 

 

 

Coaching Staff

Don Henshaw

National, Senior 1 Team - Fort Myers

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After club swimming in North Miami Beach, Miami Carol City High School and Indian River CC, Coach Don Henshaw started his coaching career in 1975 in Miami, FL and later (1978) continued coaching with GLCY. After a brief hiatus to build a family business and help Coach Connie raise Coaches Heather and Jen, Coach Don rejoined the coaching ranks in 1985 with Swim Florida.  He coached there unitl he started Gulf Coast Swim Team in 1998.  Coach Don has developed numerous National Top 16 swimmers, Florida High School State Champions (including Coach Jen Seluk), Junior National, Senior National, and Olympic Trial qualifiers.  His coaching philosophy is "train hard, swim fast".  Don married Connie Henshaw in 1976.  They raised two daughters, Heather (Fort), and Jennifer (Seluk) who have blessed him with six grandchildren.

Jen Seluk

Senior 1, 2 Team - Fort Myers

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Coach Jen Seluk (formerly Henshaw) joined GCST in her current capacity as Senoir Group Stroke Coach in 2005.  Prior to that she attended Florida State University and Cleveland State University where she competed in the 400 IM, 200 Fly, 200 Breast, 1650 Free, and 1000 Free.  She is the 1997 2A State Champion in the Girls 200 IM and that same year she also made her Sr. National cut in the 200M Breast while winning Jr. Nationals.  Coach Jen’s philosophy is oriented toward stroke technique and efficiency but balances her work outs with good old fashion hard work. She is currently the Head Boys and Girls Swim Coach at Estero High School.  Jen is married to Matt and they have triplet sons Hunter, Parker and Ryder.  Her loyalty resides in GCST and is confident that they will continue to make strides towards excellence!        

Connie Henshaw

Gold Team - Fort Myers

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Coach Connie Henshaw is a graduate of Hialeah High School, and swam for Hialeah Swim Association and North Dade YMCA where she qualified for Senior Nationals in the 200 Butterfly. She was also one of the top female waterpolo players in the USA. 
Coach Connie has produced some of the fastest age group swimmers in the United States in the last 15 years, many National Top 16 swimmers, Florida LSC record breakers, and helped them reach the top with several #1 rankings and NAG records.  
She is married to Coach Don and has 2 daughters, Heather Fort, and Jen Seluk, as well as 6 grandchildren.

Sharon Snew

Bronze Team - Fort Myers

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Coach Sharon joined GCST in 2004 as a part time novice coach and after a year got her coaching certificate and became a full time coach. She has been on the pool deck with her 2 nephews since 2001 when they joined the team. She comes from a very competitive swimming background growing up in Ohio and competing for 10 years making it to national level in the 100 and 200 backstroke. She has over the years swum for master teams and tries to get in pool time whenever she can. She enjoys the novice swimmers and likes to see them improve from barely making it to the end of pool to competing in their first meet and watching their faces as they get that best time. Success! When she is not on the pool deck she enjoys her creative side as a graphic/web designer and raising her two nephews.

David Willoughby

Silver Team - Fort Myers

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Dave has been personally involved with competitive swimming for 20+ years both as an athlete and coach.  Dave swam competitively at Iowa State University for one year, before joining the United States Marine Corps. While serving, he led the All-Marine Swim Team to two Commanding Generals Cup Championships.  Corporal Willoughby was the head coach and high-point winner both years.  Dave returned to college after being Honorably Discharged, this time to the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point.  In three year’s, Dave racked-up 12 NCAA DIII All-American certificates and established two national titles and records.  Dave was voted Team Captain, hardest worker, and most inspirational all three years and graduated with a degree in Developmental Coaching. Coach Dave has trained every level of competitive swimmer from novice to Olympic Trials.  Currently, he is a member of the North Naples Fire Department and busy raising a family. Dave is married to Cassandra and together have three daughters, Madeline, Abbie, and Sophie (They are all on the swim team)  GO GCST!  

Gregg Cross

Bronze, and Silver Team - FGCU

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I began my swimming and coaching careers at age 16 as a member of the University Swim Club, in Cleveland.  In 1979 I graduated Kent State   University ’s Education Program and moved to Ft. Myers where, in 1980, I became (and remain) a teacher at Bonita Middle School .
 
In 1985, I joined Swim Florida as a coach, and in 1987, moved to Cape Coral to establish a separate entity of Swim Florida; Swim Florida Cape.  In nine years with
Swim Florida Cape , I helped develop several Sr. and Jr National Swimmers, as well as numerous high school state champions.  In 1996, I was promoted to head age group coach for Swim Florida, and subsequently helped expand the south Lee County age group program at FGCU.  Since 1999 I have served as race director for the USA Swimming Open Water National Championships, and was race director for the USA Swimming World Trials, twice.  For my open water involvement, I was awarded the Glen S. Hummer Award.
 
I have continued my love of swimming through an extensive career as a triathlete, and later in open water swimming having completed the 12.5 Key West Swim three times, the Tampa Bay 23 mile swim, and numerous others. I reside on my farm in Estero with my wife, Sandy. Additionally, I have a son Matt, 25, who is a horse trainer in
Colorado .  Above all, I am proud to be a part of this first class program!

 

 

Megan Barr

Bronze Team - FGCU

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Coach Megan Barr has been involved with competitive swimming, both as a swimmer and a coach, for about 18 years. While in high school, she was a 3-time state qualifier. Megan attended Penn State University and was a member of the varsity swim team her freshmen year, before a shoulder injury ended her competitive swimming career. She couldn’t stay away from swimming though, coaching summer developmental league teams throughout college and graduate school. She started volunteer coaching for Swim Florida in April 2009 before switching to Gulf Coast Swim Team in September. Megan currently works as an office assistant at FGCU in the Physical Plant, doing on environmental research and various office tasks. She is excited to help develop the Bronze Team at FGCU and is happy to be a part of such a first-rate organization.