Hans Dersch
Head Coach
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Coach Hans "My job is to take the best information
available and present it to swimmers in a way that helps them
reach their full potential."
Swam summer league and a little high school, but only
joined SwimAtlanta at 15. Coach Chris Davis, fast
progress, first a Jr. National Champion team, then an
individual Jr. National win. Next summer, first Senior
Nationals, 4th place. The University of Texas, a perfect fit,
amazing team under Eddie Reese and Kris Kubik, won NCAA
championships 3 out of 4 years. Time to retire (but swimming
is so hard to quit!). From SwimAtlanta, made Pan American
team (Cuba!) won gold, back to Austin to train for Trials.
Made Olympic team! Won gold on 400MR, finished with
personal best.
Jumped right into coaching at Texas A&M (Jay Holmes is still
there!) Did swim clinics for many years (borrowing drills and
ideas from the best swimmers in the world). Took a break
for rural life and raising kids, then jumped back into
coaching at Nitro where amazing coaches and families are
the norm, and also a small private HS (kids won State!) I
wanted to find the right fit where my skills and talents can make a
positive impact in the world, and every day coaching the Barracudas
gives me those opportunies.
Matt Yovich
Lead Development Coach
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Matt has been in and around competitive swimming for a long
time. He started swimming at age 5 and swam through high
school graduation. He became a swim official at age 19 and
officiated high school, college and age group club meets for
several years. Since his daughter began swimming with the
Barracudas 8 years ago, he has been a swim parent, a board
member/officer, a nationally certified official and now a
coach. He has also been involved with Montana Swimming as
Finance Vice Chair and now as General Chair.
Matt wants swimming to be a lifetime activity for our Barracuda
athletes and desires for all to learn swimming as a survival
skill. He knows that the competitive swimming community is
different than most sports – more collegial, collaborative
and familial – and results in life-long friendships. He
gets excited by seeing swimmers attain small successes, at any
level of swimming, and the confidence and self-worth that results
over time. Those successes are the result of excellent and
efficient technique and hard work.
Jason Schoper
Lead Challenge Coach
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Coach Jason was born in
Corvallis, Oregon, and relocated to Bozeman in 2010 to attend
Montana State University. He began swimming in 2000, adding
swimming to a host of other sports that included basketball,
baseball, and track. He quickly fell in love with the sport, and
the challenge that came along with it. Over his 10 year swimming
career. he learned not only about swimming, but was lucky enough to
enjoy many lessons about having a good character, and what is
important outside of measurable success, which he attributes to his
Club and High School Coaches. These lessons helped him work with
his team to win 4 straight district titles, as well as a state
title his freshman year. He hopes to pass on not only the knowledge
he has gained about swimming over years of both competing himself,
and teaching lessons, but also the lessons he has remembered for
far longer, and create swimmers that are both good athletes, and
good people. He believes that if you work for it, you can achieve
it, and believes that the ups and downs in sports, are what create
truly well-rounded individuals.
Lyra Reynolds
Assistant Coach
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Coach Lyra is from Littleton,
Colorado, where she swam for 8 years competitively. Lyra qualified
for and swam at summer league state three times in the 100
backstroke and twice in the 200 free. She also qualified for
Continental A-Leagues in high school in her 100 backstroke.
Lyra is a sophomore at MSU and
studies Soil and Water science. She came to Bozeman to explore the
outdoors and get away from the crowding of the city. When she
isn’t at the pool, Coach Lyra can be found rock climbing or
skiing. Her favorite place to climb is in Livingston or back home
in Clear Creek Canyon. She loves to ski at Bridger Bowl and is
excited for the snow to start falling.
She is going into her fourth year
of coaching. Prior to this season, Lyra coached the Centennial
Piranhas in her hometown. She really enjoyed coaching all of the
age group swimmers, and even had one of her practice groups win the
Division Championship for their age group. Though she is sad to
leave her old team, Coach Lyra is super excited to join the
Barracudas this season! Lyra is ready to learn and grow with the
team and is looking forward to a fun time with the team! If you see
her at the pool or around town, don’t be afraid to say
hello!
Cynthia Trudgeon
Assistant Coach
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Coach Cynthia began swimming in
Helena Montana at the age of seven. Cynthia quickly fell in
love with the sport. She moved to Butte and continued swimming for
the tarpons. Cynthia ended
with the Butte High Bulldogs where she received an All-State
title.
Cynthia Moved to Bozeman in 2018 to
continue her education. She is a sophomore at Montana
State University getting her degree in Biochemistry with a track in
Pre-med. Cynthia spends her
free time doing almost anything and everything outside such as
climbing, skiing and hiking.
This is Cynthia’s first year
with the Barracudas and her first year coaching. She is excited to
use
her prior knowledge and love for the sport to pass it along to the
other swimmers on the team.
