Chris Karelus
Competitive Aquatics Director/Head Coach
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Chris Karelus began
swimming with FSPY in 1993 as a 13-year-old who had just moved from
Poland for his father’s job. He also swam with the
Highland Swim Club in Scotch Plains, NJ during the
summer. Chris continued his swim career at the University of
Delaware. During breaks from college at the University of
Delaware, he worked at FSPY as a part time coach as well as
coaching at Highland during the summers. He became the head
coach of FSPY in 2010 and has consistently promoted a sense
of family and teamwork.
Coach Karelus has always
he has maintained a “Team First” mantra. When he won
the 2016 Nationals Coach of the Meet Award at Long Course YMCA
Nationals, he was quick to share the recognition with
his swimmers and fellow coaches. “It is not an
individual award,” reflected Chris. To him, it recognized
the collective effort and spirit of the entire Y community,
which he strives to instill in his fellow coaches
and swimmers.
Allison Hessemer
Assistant Coach
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Swimming has been a big part of Allie’s life since she was
very young. Her swim team career began at the Highland Swim Club
when she was 6 years old, and she swam there every summer for 13
years. At 10, she joined the FSPY swim team and began swimming
year-round. She swam with FSPY throughout high school and was also
a member of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School team for 4 years.
After graduating high school, she attended Susquehanna University
and was a member of the Crusaders’ varsity swim team.
When she was 17, Allie began her coaching career at Highland
Swim Club where she was an assistant coach for 5 years. After
graduating college, she joined the coaching staff at FSPY. The
coaches and teammates that Allie has worked with throughout her
life have made a huge impact on her life, and, as a coach for the
team she once swam for, she hopes to do the same, as she
shares the passion she has for swimming with the FSPY family.
Allie has also been teaching Pre-K in North Plainfield since
2006 and recently completed graduate school earning her
Masters’ Degree in Special Education. When she is not
teaching or coaching, she enjoys spending time with family and
friends. Allie has gained a love for traveling and is currently
planning her next big adventure!
Kelsey Tonery
Assistant Coach
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Kelsey joined FSPY in September, 2016. She started her
swim career at the Metuchen-Edison YMCA (MEY) and swam there from 5
to 18 years old. She later swam for Montclair State
University in Montclair, NJ. 2017 marks Kelsey’s
5th year as a swim coach, having coached at MEY for 3
years prior to FSPY.
Kelsey is currently working towards a Master’s Degree in
school counseling from Montclair State University and will start
practicum at Colonia High School in the Fall 2017. She
is also the head coach for the Metuchen Municipal Pool summer team
and substitute teaches in the Metuchen school district.
Outside the pool, Kelsey enjoys running and working out. She
also enjoys going to the beach and spending time with family and
friends.
Coach Kelsey says, “Swimming is so challenging, yet so
rewarding and I definitely wouldn't be the person I am today
without it. I learned so much both in and out of the pool from my
coaches and teammates and made memories that will last a lifetime.
As a coach, I hope to help swimmers not only learn about the sport
but themselves too and to have the same positive experiences I
had.”
Lauren M Sharkey
Assistant Coach
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Sharkey joined FSPY in September 2019. Prior to coaching at
FSPY, she coached at the Westfield YMCA and YMCA of Montclair
Dolphins. She swam competitively for 11 years at the
Metuchen-Edison YMCA. Sharkey was a NCAA Division III swimmer in
the Eastern College Athletic Conference for all four years of
college for the Pride at Springfield College, where she majored in
psychology.
Sharkey has been working at the YMCA of Montclair in Finance.
She also has worked in many different departments with the YMCA
including the Geyer Family Center and Camp at the Lake. Outside the
pool, she enjoys going to the beach and spending time with family
and friends. Sharkey is looking forward to another great season.
Naomi B McPeters
Assistant Coach
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Naomi became a 12U coach
for FSPY in Fall 2017, in addition to working on a public
television documentary series. She missed working directly with
kids, and coaching swimming, which is one thing which brought her
back to took me back into a sport that she had forgotten that she
loved.
Growing up, Naomi swam
for the Albany (NY) Starfish, then turned her attention to rowing
and softball, leaving behind competitive aquatics and restricting
my involvement in swimming to lifeguarding and teaching
lessons. While a 10U swimmer on the Starfish, Naomi had an
amazing coach who made every swimmer feel special and capable
– this inspires her every time she I'm on the pool deck, and
driving her to help FSPY swimmers see those qualities within
themselves.
Becoming a coach at FSPY
also brough Naomi to the triathlon club, and brough her back in to
the pool after years away from the sport. Naomi now competes in
triathlon, which keeps her pretty busy swimming, biking, and
running. These activities help keep Coach Naomi in touch with
the physical and mental challenges young athletes are facing in the
pool every day, and gives her the tools to help kids overcome
them.
Kyle Higgins
Assistant Coach
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Kyle became a coach for FSPY in March 2020, but swimming has
been in her life for as long as she can remember. She swam in the
summers from age 5-6 years old for Westfield Memorial Pool and
Nomahegan Swim Club. She was also a member of the Westfield YMCA
swim team through her sophomore year of high school before joining
FSPY. She enjoyed swimming for Westfield High School, and
eventually went on to swim for some time at Vassar College.
Combined with a few years of lifeguarding at various pools, you
might notice that Kyle has spent quite a bit of her life around the
water (and wouldn’t change a thing!). Although a
Human Resources professional by day, Kyle is so grateful to be back
at FSPY as a coach in her free time. Swimming gave her so much, and
she wants to pay it forward. A huge animal lover, Kyle will always
be happy to share a picture of her latest foster dog.
Mike Gelowitz
Assistant Coach
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Mike is a returning FSPY coach after an eight year break from
when he began his teaching career in Sayreville New Jersey.
He’s currently teaching fourth grade Math & Science, and
loves what he does. Since his break from coaching, he’s been
working hard at becoming a better teacher each year, and believes
that he can take his expertise from the classroom and apply it to
coaching on the pool deck. He is so excited to be back as an FSPY
coach.
Mike started swimming when he was 6 years old, and continued up
until the age of 17. Once he graduated high school and was no
longer swimming on a team, he still wanted to be part of the
sport. So he began coaching at the age of 18. Mike loves
working with kids, and enjoys being a positive role model to all
that he works with.
Madeleine Bebout
Assistant Coach
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Maddie joined FSPY in September 2021. Prior to coaching,
Maddie’s swimming career began at Willow Grove Swim Club at
the age of 6. At the age of 7, she joined FSPY and continued
through high school. Maddie was also a member of the Scotch Plains
Fanwood High School Varsity swim team in high school and enjoyed
swimming on club teams in college.
Outside of the pool, Maddie works for Major League Baseball as a
ticketing analyst. In her free time, she enjoys staying active and
spending time with friends and family. Maddie is so excited to be
back at FSPY!”
