Chris Bertana
Head Coach / Silver and Gold Coach
Email
Chris started coaching 1995 and has been the Head Coach of the Blue Devil Swim Club for the last 6 years. His passion for coaching comes from a deep love of working with children to accomplish their dreams and helping them become valuable citizens in their communities through hard work, dedication, time management, a love for working hard and reaping the benefits that comes from that committment.
Under Chris' direction the team has finished with 2 top ten finishes, 2 top 15 finishes, and 2 top 30 finishes at the Illinois Age Group State Meet. At the Senior State Meet level, the club has finished in the top 20 over the past 4 years and most recently finished 2nd at the Summer Championships. As a member of the Northwest Illinois Swim Conference (NWISC), the club has captured the championship spot in multiple seasons. Most recently, the club finished in second place.
Under Chris' direction the club has produced many Regional and State Champions and recently qualified 3 individual swimmers in 9 events and 1 relay for the USA Swimming Junior National Swim Meet and has 3 swimmers qualified for the USA Swimming Senior National Swim Meet, 2 swimmers qualified for the 2012 Olympic trials and placed a swimmer>
OFFICE HOURS
I will be in the office from 10am-2pm Monday - Friday. These office hours are listed for parents or swimmers as the best time to contact me via my cell phone. My cell phone is>
Karin A Brown
Asst. Head Coach/Head Senior Coach
Email
Karin
has been coaching with the Blue Devil Swim Club since September
2007 and has assisted with th
e various high school age swimmer
groups. She is the Assistant Head
Coach,
Lead Senior Coach and
is also
responsible for running the strength
and conditioning program for the senior swimmers.
She hails from the beautiful coastal town
of
Cape Town
,
South Africa.
Karin has always liked working with young student
athletes, at colleges in
South Africa
and now through BDSC. She feels it is such a unique honor
guiding and witnessing them blossom into well round
individuals, often displaying characteristics like discipline,
focus, time management, skill mastery, coping with successes and
failures - all skills learned as a swimmer and athlete. She
looks forward to another great and exciting
year.
Kevin Kowalski
11-13 Practice Group Coach
Email
Kevin graduated from the College of Engineering at the
University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana. His day job is with Wm
W Meyer & Sons in Libertyville, IL. Kevin went through the Red
Cross swim lesson program as a child and has been swimming
recreationally his entire life.
Kevin's first job was teaching swim lessons for a few summers
with the Wildwood Park District. He swam competitively in High
School at Warren and was a captain his Junior and Senior
years.
Kevin has been coaching with the Blue Devil Swim Club since the
Summer of 2005. He currently coaches the 11-13 group and you may
see him helping out with other Age Group practice groups. On his
days off he enjoys time with his wife, time with his daughter
(9-10 swimmer) and step daughters (not swimmers), working on his
house, and rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Jami Omachel
10 & Under Asst. Coach
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Jami graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Education
and also has an Associate’s degree in Graphic Design. Jami
started coaching for BDSC in the fall of 2018. She began her
coaching career in California with the Aquazot Swim Club as the
head 12 and under coach. While at AZOT they won countless
championships and set new Southern California records.
Before joining BDSC, Jami was an aquatics Director at a private
health club in Glen Ellyn, IL. She currently works as a freelance
graphic designer in between running her 2 boys to swim practice and
other activities. Jami is very happy to back coaching.
Jami coaches the 10 & under group and is excited to see
their achievements!
Devin Rosenquist
Junior Devil Asst. Coach
Email
Devin started swimming when she was 11 years old. She swam
competetively for the Gurnee Park District Stingrays, Blue Devil
Swim Club, and swam Varsity all 4 years at Warren Township High
school. As a teen she gained experience working with children
of all age groups as a Swim Lessons Instructor for the Gurnee Park
District.
During the day she works as a Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist for
DuPage Medical Group. Ultimately, she would like to go back
to school to become a Nurse. On her days off she likes to
spend time with her twin boys, who also swim for BDSC, and her 3
dogs!
Devin will be coaching the Junior Devils.
