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Our professional coaches fulfill the major responsibilities of teaching our kids the sport, art, and grace of swimming. |
Coaching Staff |
Meghan Harder
Head Age Group Coach / Gold Coach
The 2019-2020 season marks Meghan’s first as the Head Age Group Coach of CSST. Meghan started coaching with CSST in the fall of 2018 as an assistant to the senior program. Prior to her time with CSST, Meghan spent the 2017-2018 season as the Assistant Swimming Coach for the men’s and women’s programs at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. While there, she coached multiple men and women to conference honors, and four men to NCAA All-American Honorable Mention honors. From 2015-2018, Meghan spent her summers working the Stanford Swim Camps.
Meghan graduated from the College of St. Benedict in 2017 where she majored in Education with an emphasis in Mathematics and a minor in Psychology. Meghan currently lives in Colorado Springs.
"If I can offer one piece of advice, it would be to learn to control the mind and train each day with a positive attitude." -Eliud Kipchoge
Karen A Reeder
Senior Assistant Coach
Karen was a professional marathon swimmer and a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. While at the Academy, she swam fours years, and earned two MVP awards. While there, she was a 16 time NCAA Division II All-American and the NCAA II National Champion in the 400IM. In 2013, she was inducted into the Air Force Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.
Her swimming career continued, after graduating from the Academy. In 1994, she set a world record, swimming the Catalina Channel. In 1991, she was the Bronze medalist at the 25K World Championship in Perth, Australia. Following that, she won Gold in the 1992, 25km World Cup in Lac St Jean, Canada. In 1993, she completed the English Channel solo swim. In both 1996 and 1997 she was the World Series Marathon Swimming Champion. In 1998, she placed 10th in the 25kM open water World Championship, representing the USA. She is a six-time US open water National Champion.
Her coaching credentials include Assistant Coach for the Men's and Women's Swim teams at the USAFA from 1988-1992. In 1993, she switched to coaching the Air Force Aquatics Masters Swim team and did this for 8 years. During this time, she coached the swim teams at Doherty High School from 1998-2003. In 2012, she joined CSST as an assistant coach, coaching both the Silver and Gold teams and later joining the coaching staff of the Senior team.
Karen lives in Colorado Springs, with her husband, Dave and two sons, who all swim for CSST. Swimming is her favorite athletic activity.
"Swimming is more than just an athletic pursuit. It teaches young people life lessons about adversity and triumph, failure and success."
Collin DuChene
Junior/Senior Assistant Coach
Coach Collin is coming to CSST from Wisconsin in the Summer of 2020 to serve as a dryland specialist for the team, as well as help coach the Junior and Senior teams. Collin swam competitively for 10 years for the Pleasant Prairie Patriots and then finished his swimming career with four years of swimming at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay.
Collin began his coaching career by helping the Howard Swaumico Storm Breakers during the spring and summer seasons in 2016 and 2017. Post-graduation Collin began coaching for the Pleasant Prairie Patriots where he had the opportunity to coach state, sectional, and junior national qualifiers during the 2019-2020 winter season.
Collin is continuing his education through Concordia University of Chicago to obtain his Masters in exercise science with an emphasis in strength and conditioning and is excited to bring his experience in the pool as well as his knowledge obtained in the classroom to CSST.
Kaitlin Pawlowicz
Silver Coach
Coach Kaitlin joins CSST after moving to Colorado Springs in 2018 to work for USA Swimming. In her role at USA Swimming she works with open water, focusing on grassroots developemnt. Kaitlin grew up in Northern Virginia where she swam for Nation’s Capital Swim Club and later went on to swim at The University of Texas. After graduating she moved back to the east coast and began coaching for Arlington Aquatic Club as an age group coach. Kaitlin is excited to continue coaching with the CSST program! In her spare time Kaitlin likes to run, practice yoga, read and travel.
Rob Shaw
Woodmen Hills Senior/Gold Coach
Coach Rob grew up native Colorado Springs and went to Palmer High School where his swimming background began under Coach Kent Chrsity here at CSST. Rob recieved a college scholarship to Ft. Lewis College in Durango and swam NAIA Nationals all 4 years recieving All American staus in the 100 fly and 50 & 100 freestyle events. Rob was the NAAIA Conference Champion in both events his junior and senior year. Rob also was a walk-on for the Ft Lewis Golf Team in the off season. Rob started coaching during his college years at Durango High School, as well as the assistant coach at Ft. Lewis College the final 2 years before the program was cut due to Title IX. Rob started club water polo at Ft. Lewis before leaving Durango in 1984.
Once back in Colorado Springs his coaching resumed at Mitchell High School, Palmer High School. and several summer programs in Colorado Springs while owning 3 Beltone Hearing franchises for over 21 years. Rob came to his senses and joined up with CSST, and currently coaches the Woodmen Hills CSST team and is his 30th year in the hearing business. The rest is history.
Rob has 4 kids whom all have swam for various teams. His twin daughters are currently on CSST. He met his wife Lynne while needing an assistant coach for one the high school teams back in 1980. They have been married for 27 years.
Lifetime hobbies include golf, fishing, and billiards where he once titled the 1988 "9-Ball State Champion" and can still sandbag and hustle those that don't know him. "Hey its how I still afford to feed my family!" Rob also still plays competitve golf entering many golf tournaments throughout the state.
Rob's joy in swimmiing and sports is giving back to the community by taking kids with their raw/natural abilities and talent, and channeling those efforts into a lifelong and meaningful experience, while still having fun doing it!
Vicki Pearson
Woodmen Hills Silver Coach
Coach Victoria (aka Tori or Vicki) was born in Florida and has 15 years competitive club experience. She has lifeguarded, coached, taught, and been a lead trainer at various pools. She started with CSST at Woodmen Hills Recreation Center in early 2017.
Coach qualified State in diving, tennis and cheerleading at the high school level. She went on to play Varsity tennis for Colorado State University in Fort Collins and was actively involved in equestrian, sorority and other organizations. Coach graduated with a BA in Philosophy from CSU. She was an involved Army officer’s wife for 17 years while also raising 3 active kids.
Hope Hamlin
Woodmen Hills Silver Coach
Coach Hope started coaching with the CSST Woodmen Hills Siver group in 2018. Hope was born and raised in Colorado. She enjoys swimming, spending time with kids, and spending time with her friends and family. Hope has enjoyed and been around water since she was four years old. She has been a lifeguard, swim instructor, and works as a full time nanny. Coach Hope is currently in school, working to become a licensed kindergarten teacher.
Jamie K Louie
Masters Team Coach
Kate T Doane
CSST Contact/Palmer/CSCC Silver Coach
Kari L Leach
Office Manager
Kari is the office administrator for CSST, as well as assistant coach where needed. She has been coaching age group swimming for 22 years.
Kari was a Junior National Swimmer in the 50 and 100 freestyle in high school. She swam for Arizona State University, and graduated from CSU Long Beach California with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies. Kari played water polo for the Long Beach State Club Team and was a member of the 1987 US National B Team for Women’s water polo. She coached age group water polo in Southern California, as well as masters swimming, before moving to Colorado Springs.
Kari has been with CSST since 1997 coaching at the Gold and Silver level, as well as office administrator for 3 years previous. She started the women’s water polo program at Colorado College in 2004 and coached the team for 6 years before the program was cut at the end of the 2009 season. She was also the assistant Men’s and Women’s swim coach at Colorado College during those years.
Kari is married to Jason and has three children, Rachel, Kyle and Ryan. Jason is a fireman and travels on the CSST senior team trips as a chaperone. Rachel is studying educaiton at CSU Pueblo. Kyle, a national level swimmer who was born and raised swimming on CSST, is competiting in NCAA Division 1 siwmming at Univ of Missouri (Mizzou). Ryan is a freshman at Northern Michigan University where he competes in NCAA Division 2 diving.

Board of Directors |