Ace Aquatics Coaching Staff
Jackson Buyers
Royal Group Head Coach
Jackson Buyers’ swim career began in Loveland, Colorado at the age of eleven. In Colorado, he was privileged enough to be able to swim under Chris Webb for Fort Collins Area Swim Team. While at FAST he trained alongside 10 National Junior Team Members, 30+ Olympic Trials Qualifiers, and 25 Junior National Finalists. In his own swim career, Jackson has received 3 Nationals Cuts, 7 Junior Nationals Cuts, and qualified for finals at Winter Junior Nationals. He held the records at FAST in the 400 Yard IM and the 200 Meter Breaststroke in 2016, and currently holds the record in the 200 Meter Medley Relay. Jackson also swam for Grand Canyon University, but transferred to California State University, Bakersfield after his Freshman year.
Jackson’s coaching career first began with volunteering for a local Special Olympics team when he was in the seventh grade. He continued to coach Special Olympics until he moved from home to go to college. His first non-volunteer position was as a coach for SwimLabs where he taught lessons and was a technique coach for competitive swimmers for two years.
In his short 3 years at Roadrunner Aquatics, he led the team to their first-ever top 3 finish (placing 2nd) at Central California Junior Olympics. His swimmers also set the Central California Record in the 10 & Under Girls 200 Medley Relay.
With Jackson’s drive to constantly improve his own coaching skills, he wishes to create an environment at Ace Aquatics in which work ethic, teamwork, learning, and fun can thrive for coaches, swimmers, and parents alike.
Contact Information
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: (970) 685-0776
Katie Larrea
Buisness Manager
Katie graduated from Arizona State University. After years of competitive swimming and collegiate club water polo, Katie found a passion for coaching and leading others. When she is not at ACE, she is working M-F for ADP.
She is the go-to person for registration, billing, team merchandise orders, and all other inquiries.
Contact Information
Email: [email protected]
Shelby Calugaru
Platinum Group Head Coach
Shelby Calugaru is a Bakersfield native who graduated from Frontier High School. She then went on to swim at Bakersfield College and Concordia University Irvine. She has been a part of the swim community ever since, working through REC, Club, High School and College Swimming. Shelby started coaching at Bakersfield College in 2016 and worked as the assistant coach until the 2019 season. Shelby spent 2017-2021 at Bakersfield Water Polo Club and Garces Memorial High School working as the conditioning coach for Men's and Women's Water Polo. From 2019-2021 Shelby took on the Head Swim Coach position at Garces Memorial High School and navigated a team through Covid regulations while creating a specific league for schools open to competition. Shelby was the 2021 Bakersfield Varsity Men's Swimming Coach of the Year. Shelby has had the opportunity to work with a variety of different aquatics programs in Bakersfield and is always finding a way to provide opportunities to the community. After having her son in 2022 Shelby felt the itch to get back on the pool deck. She is the current head coach at Bakersfield Christian High School and Assistant Women's Coach at Bakersfield College. When Shelby isn't on deck she is most likely gardening and enjoying her family.
Kelly Washburn
Gold Group Head Coach
Kelly has been swimming since she was 8 years old. She started off with a summer recreational team and then fell in love with the sport and joined a club. She has swam for Roadrunner Aquatics and Bakersfield Swim Club. She graduated from Bakersfield Christian High School in 2019 and was on the swim team and was captain her senior year. She attended Bakersfield College for 2 years and was on the swim team. She has a passion for swimming and coaching. As a coach, she hopes she will teach her swimmers the values of swimming that she was taught and hopes they will love the sport like she does. She makes it a priority to get to know each of her swimmers and help them reach their goals they have in and out of the pool.
Contact Information
Email: [email protected]
Aimee Arredondo
Silver Group Head Coach
Aimee has been swimming since she was six years old. She's originally from Wasco and started her swimming experience with a recreational swim from Wasco Tiger Sharks. As Aimee furthers her swim career, she graduated from Liberty High school, being awarded the girl's JV coaches award and placing at the JV league championship. With her knowledge and swimming carrier, she has experience swimming with the Bakersfield Aquatic Club and Bakersfield Swim Club. She's swimming for her second year at Bakersfield College while majoring in business administration; she will later transfer to Cal State Bakersfield. Aimee hopes to inspire her group to achieve their goals and accomplishments. In addition, she hopes to help her kids with their technique and further their love for the sport.
Eric Garcia
Bronze Group Head Coach
Andy Laegeler
Assitant Coach
Coach Andy has been a swimming and triathlon coach for eight years, working with both adults and kids. He is passionate about using development and success in sport as a tool for success in other areas of life. While living overseas in Indonesia, he coached youth and age group swimmers, and continued that at COM Aquatics in Midland, TX. Coach Andy grew up playing competitive golf and attended the Missouri University of Science and Technology on a college golf scholarship. Since that time, he has been an avid triathlete, competing at all distances, including five Ironman events around the world. Most importantly, Coach Andy is a devoted husband to his wife of 20 years, Molly, and father to two boys that also compete on the ACE Aquatics swim team.
Contact Information
Email:
Phone Number:
Brian Saavedra
Assitant Coach
Brian has swam since 2015, starting his journey as a freshman in high school at East Bakersfield. He currently attends and swims at Bakersfield College with plans of enrolling in their nursing program. It is his goal to provide an environment for them that will allow them to fall in love with sport of swimming, while teaching them values such as discipline and hard work. With Brian's patience and kindness, he plans on forming strong bonds with his athletes while teaching them the basic skills of swimming and how to preform all four strokes legally.
Andy Laegeler
Assitant Coach
Coach Andy has been a swimming and triathlon coach for eight years, working with both adults and kids. He is passionate about using development and success in sport as a tool for success in other areas of life. While living overseas in Indonesia, he coached youth and age group swimmers, and continued that at COM Aquatics in Midland, TX. Coach Andy grew up playing competitive golf and attended the Missouri University of Science and Technology on a college golf scholarship. Since that time, he has been an avid triathlete, competing at all distances, including five Ironman events around the world. Most importantly, Coach Andy is a devoted husband to his wife of 20 years, Molly, and father to two boys that also compete on the ACE Aquatics swim team.
Contact Information
Email:
Phone Number:
