Nathan Manley
Head Coach
Email
Coach Nathan Manley has been
the RAYS head coach since the fall of 2003. Coach Manley
is certified by United States Swimming, the YMCA of the USA, the
American Red Cross, has achieved a level IV ASCA certification and
is an Order of Ikkos recepient (awarded to coaches of
Olympic/Paralympic medalists). Nathan earned his BA in
Physical Education from Anderson University and his Masters Degree
in Physical Education with specialization in Coaching from Ball
State University. He has coached in various positions across
the country since 1995 and has also been a guest coach at
Auburn University Swim Camps. August 2009 saw the
release of Coach Manley’s first book, The EDGE: The
Swimmer’s Every Day Guide to Excellence.
Nathan enjoys spending time with
his wife Jodi and his children Callie and Blake.
Anne Kukla
Assistant Coach
Email
Coach Anne is an ASCA Level II Age Group coach
and has also completed both YMCA courses in competitive
swimming. Anne graduated from Grand
Valley State University with a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic
Recreation. She started her coaching
career in 2000 as Assistant Coach with the Jackson YMCA Orca Swim
Team and served as Head Coach for two years before moving to
Grand Rapids. She started coaching with RAYS in the fall of
2003.
Anne lives in Caledonia with her
two children, Alexandra and Michael, who also swim for the
RAYS. She enjoys spending time with family, especially at
their cottage in Lexington, Michigan. She is also a RAYS
Master Swimmer. Her
favorite part of coaching swimming is seeing the smiles on young
swimmer’s faces when they make personal improvements and
watching their self confidence grow.
Kate Diepholz
Assistant Coach
Email
Coach Kate joined the RAYS staff in the fall of
2006, moving from the east side of the state. She began her
coaching career in 2002 with a USA team working with 12&under
swimmers. She has worked with the YMCA since 1995 teaching
swimming, pilates and water fitness. She is also a certified
lifeguard trainer and water fitness instructor
trainer. Kate graduated from Michigan State University
with a Mechanical Engineering degree and worked in aerospace
for many years, before deciding to stay home with her two children,
Kirstin (14) and Karsen (11), also RAYS swimmers. She is also
the assistant head coach at Watermark Country Club during the
summertime.
Kate lives in Ada with her husband of 20 years,
Ingo, and her children. A lifelong swimmer, she enjoys
swimming with the RAYS masters swim team in addition to open water
competition. When not swimming, Kate walks with Ingo and
their black german shepherd, Shiloh, plays competitive tennis and
is an avid outdoor enthusiast!
Alica M Keehn
Assistant Coach
Email
Coach Alicia Keehn began her coaching
career with the RAYS in the fall of 2009 after graduating
from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science degree
in Kinesiology. She has 13 years of competitive swimming
experience, including four years of Division-1, Big Ten Conference
swimming at the U of I. Coach Keehn looks to pass on this
experience to her swimmers, to help them make smart decisions in,
and out, of the pool.
Alicia
is originally from the east-side of the state, and swam for the
Flint YMCA Falcons swim team for nine years. She now lives in
the Grand Rapids area, and is currently pursuing a Master of
Occupational Therapy Degree at Western Michigan
University. She is also planning her August 2010 wedding to
her fiancé, Chris. Coach Keehn enjoys weight training,
and running; recently finishing her first full marathon here in
Grand Rapids.
