Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach, National Group Lead Coach
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Coach Ryan became the Head Coach of the Lynchburg YMCA in August
of 2015. With 20 years of coaching experience at a variety of
club and collegiate positions, Ryan is a veteran coach known for
his challenging yet interesting approach to training.
Prior to coming to LY, Ryan was the Head Coach of the Parkland
Aquatic Club in Allentown, PA. There, he mentored many
Olympic Trials, National, and Jr National qualifiers and guided
dozens of swimmers who went on to swim collegiately.
At the North Carolina Aquatic Club in Chapel Hill, NC, Ryan
guided his swimmers to many state championships including the
team's first LSC title in 2008. NCAC produced many Jr
National qualifiers, an Olympic Trials qualifier, Scholastic
All-Americans, and during Ryan's tenure and was repeatedly awarded
the Silver Medal for Club Excellence. Ryan also served as an
assistant coach at the University of North Carolina, helping the
team to multiple ACC team runner-up finishes and NCAA All-American
honors.
Ryan began his career at the University of Florida, where he was
mentored by 2012 Olympic Head Coach Gregg Troy and the Gator
Staff. He coached with the Gator Swim Club while working
toward his degree in Exercise Physiology and training for open
water swims. While at Florida, Ryan had the good fortune to
work with many Olympians in the Gator program and working at the
Florida Swim Camp each summer. Staying at UF after completing
his bachelor's degree, Ryan earned his Master's degree in
Biomechanics in 2007.
In his spare time, Ryan enjoys running and reading. He and
his wife Abby (LY Assistant Director of Competitive Aquatics) have
three children and live in Lynchburg.
Abigail Woodruff
Asst. Director of Competitive Aquatics
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Coach Abby returned to LY in August 2015. As Abby Clark,
she got her first taste of swimming at age 7 at Falling River
Country Club and joined the YMCA swim team that fall. Abby was an
excellent LY and E.C. Glass swimmer and still holds a couple of
records around the area. She continued her career at Davidson
College where she was part of the school record-setting 800 free
relay and a conference meet finalist on multiple occasions.
Abby started her coaching career in 1995 at the Peakland
Pool teaching swimming lessons and eventually becoming Head Coach.
She later coached with the famed Mecklenburg Aquatic Club (MAC)
during the summer and earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from
Davidson College in 2001.
Moving to the University of Florida in 2004, she
worked as the manager for the UF swim team, taught swim lessons,
and became the Head Age Group Coach, Head Masters Coach, and
Business Manager of Gator Swim Club. She earned her Master's degree
in Sport Management from UF in 2006.
In 2007 Abby and Coach Ryan moved to the North
Carolina Aquatic Club in Chapel Hill, NC. Abby served as the Head
Age Group Coach and business manager of the club until the summer
of 2009 when she made the decision to stay at home with her first
child.
Abby spent the previou six years before coming to LY
as a full-time mom to three children and is thrilled to be getting
back into the “swim of things.". She is currently Assistant
Director of Competitive Aquatics and plans to be back on the pool
deck more and more over the next few years. Abby firmly believes
that there is no greater sport than swimming, and she loves sharing
her passion for the sport with young swimmers! Most of her free
time is spent shuttling her kids around to various activities, but
she still enjoys swimming, running, reading, movies, and having new
adventures with her family.
Gabe Greene
Gold Group Lead Coach
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Gabe Greene started swimming
competitively when he was 4 years old at Vista Acres. Gabe was an
excellent swimmer in the 100 butterfly as well as the 100
backstroke. After 12 years of swimming for Vista Acres and having
started to swim for Heritage High School, Gabe started pursuing
swimming at a higher level. Gabe then joined the Virginia Gators
Swim Club for a short time where he improved significantly across
many events. After 14 years of swimming with Vista Acres, and
graduating high school in 2016, Gabe decided to focus more on his
studies and is currently working on his degree in Exercise and
Sports Science.
During his final season with Vista
Acres, Gabe was also an assistant coach and learned that coaching
and watching kids grow was something he cared for. Earning the Head Coaching role in 2017, he
has remained Head Coach since. In his spare time, Gabe likes to lift weights,
draw, and paint.
