Garrett L Clark
Head Coach
Email
Garrett began coaching Jersey Storm in July of 2008. The warm
family environment and strong interpersonal relationships built on
the foundation of mutual respect and team oriented goals have
provided an outstanding platform on which to coach swimming.
Previously, he has been the Head Coach for 4 seasons (3 league
championships) at Taunton Park and Rec, Assistant coach for 2
seasons under Bob McGarva at Taunton High School, Head Coach &
Aquatics Director for 2 seasons at the Taunton Boys and Girls Club,
and Head Coach for 1 season of Taunton High School swimming.
The value of swimming for Coach Clark comes from the things we do
every day. Swimming is a unique sport where kids learn the
values not just for today but for a lifetime.
From "Self Reliance"
"There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at
the conviction that...no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him
but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given
to him to till... A man is relieved and gay when he has put his
heart into his work and done his
best..." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Garrett recently graduated with a B.A. in English from the
Universty of Massachusetts at Lowell
Amy F Gersbach
Assistant Coach
Email
Amy
joined the Fort Dix Aqua Devils as a swimmer in
September of 1987 with her two brothers. She stayed with the team
during the transition from military to civilian when John Fletcher
took over and renamed the team Jersey Storm in 1990. Through
her 15 years here as a swimmer she set team records for the 15-18
and Senior girls age-groups in the 500 Free, 1000 Free, 1650 Free,
400 IM, the 15-18 200 Back and all 15-18 girl’s
relays. All records but the 200 Back still stand today.
Amy also swam for Shawnee High School,
Deerbrook Swim Club, and Westwood Swim Club while growing up.
Amy’s brothers Matt and Charlie also swam for Jersey Storm
from 1987 through their high school graduations. Charlie
still holds team records in a couple of events.
In the fall of 2002 Amy left for Duquesne University where she swam
4 years in the Division I - Atlantic 10 Conference. As a
distance swimmer at Duquesne, Amy broke records in the 500 Free,
1000 Free, 1650 Free and 400 IM. All but the 500 Free still
stand. Amy graduated from Duquesne in May of 2006 with a
Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Science in
Secondary Education - math.
Currently, Amy teaches math to juniors and seniors at Seneca High
School in Tabernacle, and is in her Fourth year as a coach
with Jersey Storm.
Amy absolutely loves coaching at Storm. She enjoys
having the opportunity to not only give something back to the
sport, but to give something back to the team that has helped her
grow into the person she is today. To quote former coach John
Fletcher, Amy knows that "everything you need to know in life, can
be learned at swim practice." Swimming is an excellent medium
to teach commitment, dedication, and teamwork -- among several
other life skills. Amy strives to not only help her swimmers
succeed in the pool, but also in life.
Jeremy Kirkpatrick
Assistant Coach
Email
Jeremy
began swimming at the age of 6 for Jersey Wahoos. He was a
breaststroker. As he continued his winter career he swam for
the Jersey Storm, the Hurricanes of Burlington YMCA and Eastern
Athletic Club currently named the Medford Wave. Jeremy swam
for the Tarnsfield Torpedoes in the summers from age 6 until he
graduated the team at 18. He swam backstroke and was the
developmental team coach.
As Jeremy entered High School he began swimming distance for the
Rancocas Valley Red Devils and The Force, where he also
coached. After graduating in 2001 he went on to swim for York
College of Pennsylvania as a distance swimmer. After 3 years he
sidelined with shoulder injuries. He graduated from York
College in 2007 with a Bachelors of Science in Sport Management
with a minor in Aquatic Facility Operation. Currently, Jeremy
is Aquatic Directing for Future Fitness in South Jersey.
If Jeremy could offer one piece of information to his swimmers it
would be to practice smart. Remember practice doesn’t
make perfect- PERFECT practice allows for perfect results.
