Julie Nogalski
Head Swim Coach
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By day,
I work as a Medical Assistant at a busy OBGYN office. In the
evenings and weekends, I work at the YMCA coaching, teaching
lifeguard classes, and filling in when needed teaching swim lessons
or lifeguarding. I have been a water baby since I was born it
seems, my much older siblings were YMCA competitive swimmers. I
spent countless hours being around their practices, swim meets and
was actually been considered a team mascot at some point. That is
probably why when I am around or near or in the water I consider it
my happy place. Some of my first memories being a kid were taking
lessons at the YMCA and then at a local Rec Center. It was at this
Rec Center started swimming on summer league and loved it so much I
started swimming for the YMCA year round. I swam for the YMCA
during high school. I loved the years that I spent on the swim team
making new friends and having amazing coaches that taught me not
only to appreciate the sport of swimming but also to love it as
much as each one of them loved swimming. At 16, I got my first job
at the Rec Center, became a lifeguard, and loved every minute of
it. Four years ago, I realized how much that I missed the
smell of chlorine and I decided that the YMCA was the place for me.
When I am not working, I love going to baseball games and spending
time with friends. This is my 4th year with the Wavemakers coaching
and my 1st year as head coach. I primarily spending most
of my time with the Hurricanes and Tsunamis and it is my goal every
year to be the best coach I can to my swimmers just as I remember
the lessons that my awesome coaches taught me during my years of
swimming.
Favorite
Stroke: Breaststroke
JoAnn Lavrich
Assistant Coach
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I am a wife, mother and grandmother. I spent about 40 years as an early childhood teacher. In the late 90's I started teaching swim lessons, I was already a lifeguard. In 2008 I was asked to help with the Wavemakers. I have worked mainly with the 10 and under swimmers. I try to help the children improve their swimming skills and enjoy being part of the team. I still swim laps and hope the children will realize that swimming is a life time activity.
Favorite Stroke: Breaststroke
Karen Messenger
Assistant Coach
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Coach Karen
My aquatic responsibilities at the West County Family YMCA include swim instructor, Assistant Coach to the Wavemakers, and Water Fitness Instructor. My mission is to help young swimmers expand their aquatic skills through safe and effective workouts that build good sportsmanship, create a healthy competitive spirit, and encourage a strong mind and body for all.
I learned to swim at the South Side YMCA in St. Louis advancing to American Red Cross Junior Life Saving, then American Red Cross Senior Life Saving. I was then hired as a life guard and swimming instructor. I swam as a member of the Y's swim team competing in both indoor and outdoor swim meets swimming freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke. At indoor meets, I was also a springboard diver.
In my later years I served in the South City Y’s pool as a volunteer assisting students from the Lutheran Special School District with academic and athletic challenges learn to swim. Using this as a model, in the early spring of 1974, I initiated a special swimming program for students enrolled in special education (then identifiable as a "Room of 20") at the Mason Elementary School. This included fund raising, arranging transportation, and negotiations for pool time, instructors, fees, etc., with the South Side YMCA. I understand that this program ran for fourteen years.
At the South City Family YMCA, I teach swimming and American Arthritis Foundation aquatic exercise classes.
Favorite Stroke: Backstroke
Becky Lavrich
Assistant Coach
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My name is Becky and I started working with the Wavemakers when my mom, Coach Jo Ann, started coaching. I enjoy helping with the youngest swimmers and assisting Coach Ann. I like being part of the team.
Favorite Stroke: The one that gets her to the end of the pool
Lisa Granadino
Dryland Coach
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· Who are
you? Lisa Granadino
· What do you do
on the team and/or outside of the
pool? Wavemaker’s strength coach
· How many years
with the Wavemakers? This is my
3rd year coaching
· How many
years coaching? 9 years coaching/training
total
· What is
your swimming background? No swim
background unless you count floating in the lazy
riverJ I have a track
background and competed at the University of Wisconsin throughout
college.
· What is your
favorite stroke? ALL STROKES! Improving
your strength will benefit you regardless of your event.
Kirk Mottram
Assistant Swim Coach
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Hi, everybody. This is my first year with the West County YMCA. I
am a writer and media consultant who swam competitively from age 6
through my junior year in college. I won two USA Swimming Illinois
state championships in 50 and 100 breaststroke as a young swimmer,
earning a top ten national time; medaled in high school state
championships; and received three consecutive high point awards in
the Westchester County New York Summer Swim League. I also spent a
year in England where I trained with two national team swimmers. My
events were 100 breast, 100 fly, 50 free and 200 & 100 I.M. I
have a real passion for water sports (as well as lacrosse, which I
played in college) and think the hard work in the pool pays off
throughout life in whatever you do. Above all, though, swimming
should be enjoyable. I’m excited to help the Wavemakers win
and have fun this year!
Ann Field
Assistant Coach
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Coach Ann
I coach the Ripples on the swim team and teach an evening water
class for people with arthritis.
I have been with the Wavemakers for five years. Before that
I was assistant coach for the Jr. Swim Team for several years.
I swam AAU when I was younger and made to the Jr. Olympics
several times.
I swam on my high school team for all 4 years.
I was on a synchronized swim team in the summers and
participated on a team in college.
Favorite Stroke: Freestyle
