Michael Kauveh Jafari
Executive Director
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This is Coach Michael's tenth year at MAX Aquatics. Before
joining the MAX Coaching staff in 2009, Coach Michael competed for
UC Berkeley's Men's Swim Team and Team USA’s Olympic
Development Triathlon Team, giving him a wide variety of training
backgrounds.
Coach Michael grew up in Glendora and trained at Industry Hills
Aquatics Club, before being recruited to UC Berkeley’s Swim
Team (#1 NCAA) as the second fastest distance recruit in the
country. (From 2004-2008) At CAL, his senior year he captained the
team that went 11-1 to finish second in the Pac-10 and helped
recruit the team that later became back-to-back National Champions.
His swim experience consists of many USA Swimming Nationals, a
NCAA Championship, and Olympic Trials; Coach Michael brings
knowledge in the sport from the highest level. At the highest level
of his success he was ranked 55th in the world for
his 1500m Free in 2006.
After 2008 Olympic Trials he retired from the sport of swimming
to become a part of Team USA’s Olympic Development team for
triathlon. While training, he coached directly under CAL Head Coach
Dave Durden as the Grad Assistant Coach during the 2008-2009
season. Competing for tri's brought him back down to Southern
California to start coaching with Jan Lopez and MAX.
Metro Committee’s Age Group Coaches Chair 2012 - 2014
Metro Committee's Diversity Chair 2015-2016
Metro Committee's Vice Chair 2015-2016
Southern California Swimming’s Diversity Chair 2014 - 2016
Southern California Swimming's Vice Chair 2015-2017
Southern Caliornia Swimming's Chairman 2017-2020
2014 Assistant Manager for
CA/NV vs. Itoman Japan Team
2014 Southern California Swimming's
METRO committee's Coach of the Year
2015 Southern California Swimming's METRO committee's
Coach of the Year
He is very enthusiastic to bring his knowledge of the sport and
continue to grow the MAX Aquatics family!
Coach Michael can always be found body surfing some waves at the
beach.
Tyrone Brown
Head Age Group Coach and Silver 2 Coach
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Coach Brown brings over 38 years of coaching experience,
coaching College, High School, Club teams, and Masters. As a four
year scholarship Varsity athlete at Cal State Northridge, he
received a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology, and was an
accomplished Swimmer competing in Backstroke and Butterfly for the
Matadors were CSUN won the NCAA Division 2 national title three out
of four years.
Coach Brown enjoys giving back and helping his swimmers reach
their full potential as an athlete and a person. He feels that the
journey is what all swimmers will remember and take with them for a
life time.
Gabe Collins
GOLD+ Group Coach
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Coach Gabe was born in Spokane, Washington but has lived in
California for most of his life.
He started swimming at the age of 10 and since then he was a 4 year
varsity swimmer and varsity water polo goalie for Arcadia High
School. He joined the MAX Aquatics senior group in 2015-2016. After
leaving the MAX Aquatics senior group he missed the sport of
swimming and turned to coaching. Early in 2016 he became an
assistant coach for the Arcadia High School swim team, then in late
2016 he joined the MAX Aquatics coaching staff!
He is currently attending PCC studying Mechanical Engineering, he
is looking forward to transferring next fall!
John Zoll
Bronze 2 Coach
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After more than 25 years in the sports
of swimming, I know what it takes to swim at the highest level. I
stand by MAX Aquatics because it is committed to developing the
next generation of swimmers.
Under the influence of my
father who was an open water swimmer, I learned swimming at early
age and started swimming competitively at age 5 for Shanghai Sports
Club at YMCA Headquarters. In the 1980s, after capturing
titles at the China Junior National Championships, I was recruited
to the state team and competed professionally at national and
international levels as part of the rising power of Chinese
swimming in 90s. After the 1996 Olympic Trials I retired
from competitive swimming, and moved on to a government
executive role for Shanghai Administration of Sports in preparing
the 2008 Olympic Game. I was fortunate enough to have the
opportunities involved various sports events and projects and
started the first swimming team for the City of Pudong, Shanghai.
As the Executive Director and head coach, I recruited and trained
both coaches and swimmers. While pursuing career opportunities at
financial industry in Wall Street, I taught swimming at local YMCA
helping kids with special needs. I have been volunteering at
Southern California Swimming as official, and started training for
US Masters Swimming when my kids followed my steps and became
swimmers. My next personal goal is to qualify for and compete at
2021 FINA World Masters Championship in Japan.
For me, its more about
participation and giving back. Swimming is a mental sport, I aim to
develop strong, disciplined swimmers who have a passion for the
sport. As an educator, I believe in developing creative training
methods that complement each individual swimmer and encourages them
to pursue their personal goals. For all of us who love this sports,
it is important that we develop the next generation. My swim
philosophy is always do your best and have
fun!
Professional Experience,
License, Position Held
Coach
MAX Aquatics, Southern California
Swimming Feb 2019 - Present
Life Member
Award
USA Swimming 2019
Official
USA Swimming 2018 - Present
President & Head Coach
Shanghai Pudong Swimming
School 1997-
Vice Chair
Shanghai Pudong Swimming Association 1996-
Sr. Lifeguard Instructor
Shanghai
Swimming Association
Registered Swimming Coach China
Swimming Association
Referee/Official
China Swimming Association
Education
Bachelor of Science
Kinesiology,
Summa Cum Laude from Shanghai
University of Sports 1996
Swimming Highlights & Achievements
:
2019 FINA World Masters Championships
- Gwangju Korea 50M Fly 11th; 100M Fly 12th
2018 UANA Pan American Masters
Championships - Orlando FL 100 Fly 13 th ; 200 Fly 11th
2018 Rose Bowl Masters Meet 200 Fly 1
st ; 100 Fly 2 nd in; 50Fly 4th
2017 US Masters Southwest Zone
Championships: 100 Fly 2nd; 50 Br 4th
2001, 2000 FINA World Cup.
Official
1990-1996
China National Championships Top
10
National Southern Region Top 3
China Workers Games Top 3
National University Games Top 3
1986-1990
Junior National Championships Top Qualifier
China National Age Group Titles
...
William Loo
Bronze 1 Coach
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Coach Will’s swimming experience includes competing at the
club, high school, and intercollegiate level as a member of the
Arcadia Riptides Swim Club, Arcadia High
School Swim Team, and Pasadena City College Swim Team.
As a coach, Coach Will’s priority is ensuring the safety,
health, and welfare of his athletes. It is Coach Will’s goal
to have his athletes progress not only in their sport, but
grow as individuals who exercise skill, compassion, and sound
judgment.
Coach Will earned his bachelor’s degree from UCSD and is
currently continuing his studies with the goal of working in
healthcare. Coach Will is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and looks
forward to the opportunity of working together to help our MAX
Aquatics swimmers reach their full potential.
Marco Flores
Head Coach @ El Monte
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Coach Marco grew up in Arcadia and started competive swimming by
the time he was 4 years old. He swam at nearby Rosebowl Aquatics
before taking his swim career to New York where he swam in college
at NYU.
His primary stroke was butterfly and some of his career highlights
include:
1. Winning CIF-SS Division 3 his senior year
2. Qualifying for Winter Junior Nationals
3. Making NCAA Division 3- B Cut his freshman year
He is also the current Metro Committee Safe Sport Chair and the
Head Site Coach at the El Monte Aquatic Center.
He loves the Lakers, playing ultimate frisbee and watching movies.
Miranda Silva
Assistant Coach @ El Monte
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Coach Miranda grew up in Hacienda Heights Ca. where she
attended Los Altos High School. While there, she participated
in water polo as well as swim for her school. Coach Miranda now
attends Mt. Sac Community College located in Walnut Ca. and is
still continuing her swim and water polo career there where she has
been awarded JUCO All American for both sports. Coach
Miranda’s priority in coaching is making sure all of her
swimmers are having a great experience with MAX aquatics, but
still getting a hard workout in at the same time. She’s
looking forward to meeting all of our MAX swimmers from all of our
locations, and getting them to reach their goals in and out of the
pool!
Derek Hong
Utility Coach
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My name is Derek Hong and I grew up in Arcadia, California. I
swam from the age of 7 until I was 18 for the club team ARSC, and
Arcadia High School. After swimming I pursued a major in athletic
training and became the assistant athletic trainer for Arcadia High
School. After swimming for so long I thought I would be wasting all
that time I spent swimming, so I pursued coaching for club teams
like ARSC and now MAX. As a coach I aim to make each athlete more
proficient in the water and also help them grow into the person
they aspire to be later on in life. I also aim to help athletes
prevent injuries before they happen to preserve the
longevity of each swimmer through education of their body.
