Coaches & Directors

Geoff Brown

Head Coach, Senior Gold, Novice Gold

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Geoff has brought excellence to his swimmers and to the programs with which he has been associated. At each level of competitive swimming, his teams and swimmers have been winners. Beginning at the Tuckahoe YMCA in 1976, he turned lightweight summer league programs into powerhouses, culminating in a lengthy unbeaten streak at Raintree Swim and Racquet Club. At NOVA, that pattern continues— state champions and championships, Senior and Junior National qualifiers, Senior and Junior National champions.  Geoff has been named Virginia Senior Coach of Year numerous times in his career.
 
Though responsible for the overall guidance of the club, Geoff directly supervises the Novice, and Senior groups. Geoff has watched a small age group program at the University of Richmond grow from a clinic into what is now NOVA. Geoff also oversees the SwimNOVA lessons program and is a regular instructor in that program.

Geoff graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1977 and received his Master’s from University of Virginia in 1979. His undergraduate degree is in biology while his graduate degree is in English language and Literature. Geoff received permission to proceed on his doctorate, but opted to turn to coaching, his first love. He has three children: two sons, Gaites and Gavin, and a daughter Alaina.

David Schreck

Age Group Gold, Age Group Dev. Silver

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A Richmond-area native, David graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Physical education. While in college, he was both a swimmer and diver.
      Previously a health and physical education teacher at St Michael’s School, David joined NOVA in 1998 on a part time basis while working with the Collegiate School swim team and took over the Age group program fulltime in 1999. Having coached U.S. swimming since 1986, he has more than 20 years experience. David has coached numerous summer league and US teams in the Richmond area producing many State champions, State record holders, National top 16 swimmers and several National Age group record breaking swimmers.  David has also been recognized by his peers being voted the Age Group Coach of the Year 5 consecutive years (2001 - 2006) He and his wife Jennifer, have two sons and a daughter, Quinn, Xander and Hayley.

Leigh Robbins

Senior Dev. Gold AM, Age Group Dev. Gold

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Leigh joined the NOVA coaching staff in September of 2000 but she is by no means a new comer to the team. Leigh was a NOVA swimmer and team captain for over 10 years. Her coaching experience spans all levels, Novice through Senior, developing numerous State Champions and nationally ranked swimmers over the last ten years.  As a resident of Virginia Beach, Leigh served as the Head Age Group Coach of the TIDE Swim Team for five years and helped develop that program into one of the top age group programs in Virginia. In May of 2000 Leigh was honored as Age Group Coach of the Year for Virginia Swimming. And in May of 2005, Leigh was honored, along with coach Geoff, as Senior coach of the year in the State of Virginia. Leigh Currently works with the Age Group Development Gold and Senior Development Gold AM.

Mark Kutz

Masters, Senior Assistant

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Mark Kutz has been with NOVA for 5 years. His first couple were somewhat behind the scenes, tweaking and maintaining our pool operations. Along with his coaching duties Mark is now our fulltime director of pool operations. Mark has coached most recently at the Richmond Racers and he too brings a wealth of experience to NOVA. Mark graduated from VCU with a degree in Health and PE and was captain of the swim team his Junior and Senior years. His coaching pedigree is extensive: the CAC Rams (a precursor to the current NOVA team), VACS, BRAC (precursor to the PSDN club), Poseidon and the Richmond Racers. He was head age group coach with the CAC Rams, BRAC and Poseidon. He was also head coach of BRAC for one season and guided their senior team to a tremendous, achievement filled year.  He and his wife, Valerie, have two children, Amanda and Ian.

Diane Cayce

Senior Dev. Gold PM, Senior Dev. Silver

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Diane Cayce comes to us from Typhoon Aquatics and her resume is loaded with superlatives. A James Madison graduate (Health and PE), she has been honored as Virginia’s Age Group Coach of the Year on multiple occasions. She is a little vague and a lot modest when it comes to enumerating her honors, but she has coached over 100 swimmers to National Top 16 honors and has been the Age Group Coach for three Olympians, the latest of whom is Katie Hoff (of North Baltimore, 2004 Olympian in 200 & 400 IM). Several of her swimmers have set National Age Group records. Before her most recent stint at Typhoon, she coached in the Richmond area, first at VACS, later at Poseidon.

Brent St. Pierre

Senior Silver, Novice Gold

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Brent will joined this season.  He has spent the past 10 years leading CCA to a series of impressive team and individual performances.  Brent began his coaching career at his alma mater, East Carolina, serving as assistant coach from 1994-1997. Some career highlights include:

    - 2005 Virginia Swimming Senior Coach of the Year
    - 2004 Virginia High School Coach of the Year for Independent Schools
    - Conference Champions at ECU 1994-1997

Brent and his wife of seven years, Babette, have three children, Christopher, Andrew, and Maddie. Brent will be working with our Senior level and Age Group swimmers. 

Drew Hirth

Age Group Silver, AGDG, Novice, AGG

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Drew joined our full-time staff in Fall 2006 and quickly worked his way to being placed in charge of Age Group Silver.  Drew also works extensively with Novice Gold, Age Group Development Gold and Age Group Gold.  Drew manages our clinics, directs the Swim-A-thon and is Mark’s right hand man in keeping the facility in order.  Like Leigh, Drew was a NOVA swimmer as an age grouper.  He attended Virginia Tech on a swimming scholarship.

Kelly Brinson

Clinics and Novice Silver Coach

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Kelly works with our afternoon Novice Silver groups and brings the same enthusiasm she offers to her classes at Nuckols Farm Elementary.  In the summer, Kelly coaches at the Avalon Recreation Association.  She has been with NOVA several years.  Kelly also lends her expertise to some of our Sunday Clinics.

Rob Burgholzer

Senior Dev. Silver Assistant

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Rob will be working with the our Age Group Silver and Senior Development Silver parts of our program.  He has a full-time job somewhere out there in the other world but swimming keeps drawing Rob back.  His expertise is extensive and includes stints with RMSC and SWAT.  NOVA counts itself fortunate indeed to count Rob among its part-time coaches.  Rob also graces Mark’s AM Masters group with his presence as often as his schedule allows.

Yelena Reshchikova

Novice Bronze & Silver, Pre-Team Lessons

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Yelena has been a mainstay of the SwimNOVA program, teaching the Advanced beginner, pre-team and Novice Bronze sections of our program.  A native of St. Petersburg, Russia she skated swiftly across a frozen Lake Ladoga, building momentum for her leap to the United States. We at NOVA have benefited greatly from her innovative and enthusiastic teaching.

Michael McKee

Novice Silver, AG Dev. Silver, AG Bronze

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Lisa Brown

Novice Silver and Lessons Coordinator

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