COLORADO STARS COACHES
Led by head coach Todd Schmitz, the Colorado STARS coaching staff is exceptional and stands out among their peers and brings more than 75 years of combined coaching experience to the pool deck. In fact, many of our coaches have received nominations for Colorado Coach of the Year awards. Most of the STARS coaches are full-time coaching professionals who have worked together for over five years. Each of the Colorado STARS coaches embrace the same coaching philosophy, but have the autonomy to translate that philosophy in their own unique way.
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Todd Schmitz, Head Coach/CEO
High Performance and Senior Groups Coach
Director of Coaching
Swim Experience
Todd swam for Metro State University of Denver and achieved the following accolades:
Four-year Letter Winner
Four-year All Conference
Four-time Honorable Mention All-American
All-American
School Record Holder
Coaching Experience
Todd has coached all ability levels from learn-to-swim to eight Olympic athletes [from the U.S., Mexico, China, Peru, US Virgin Islands and Vietnam], High School All-Americans, three National Age Group Record Holders, National Champions, and National Top 16 age group athletes for the following teams:
USA Women’s Olympic Team
USA National Team
Regis Jesuit High School Girls
Chaparral High School Girls
Grandview High School Boys
Overland High School Girls
Stonegate Stingrays [summer club]
In addition, Todd has conducted over 50 swim clinics across the U.S. and around the world.
Coaching Philosophy
Todd believes swimming needs to remain fun no matter what the athlete's age. That definition of fun has to evolve from external motivations to internal motivations as the athlete matures.
Industry Recognition & Volunteer Work
Todd served as the Co-Chairperson of Age Group Swimming for Colorado Swimming, Inc. from 2005 through 2008 and was also a member of USA Swimming's Convention Education Committee through 2013.
Todd has been honored by his peers with the following awards:
Colorado Swimming
Age Group Coach of the Year in 2008
Coach of the Year in 2009
Senior Group Coach of the Year in 2010
American Swim Coaches Association
Age Group Coach of the Year for Colorado in 2008 and 2009
USA Swimming
Developmental Coach of the Year in 2010
Get to Know Coach Todd
Todd lives in Aurora, Colorado with wife Maxim and daughters Lia and Natalie. They love spending time outdoors with their golden retrievers Ivy and Bailey.
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Eric Eikenbary
Associate Head Coach
Senior and Silver Groups Coach
Swim Experience
Eric grew up in Van Wert, Ohio where he swam for the local YMCA. His academic career took him to Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio where he was a four-year, twelve-time NCAA II All-American, a 26 Time All-Conference selection in the Penn-Ohio Conference [now the Bluegrass-Mountain Conference], and he was a two-time team captain. Eric was inducted into the Ashland University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
Coaching Experience
Eric Eikenbary has been with the STARS since 2014. Previously he has been the Assistant Coach of Men’s Swimming at Princeton University [2002 to 2005], Head Coach for the Foothills Swim Team [2005 to 2009] and Interim Head Coach for the Highlands Ranch Aquatics [2012 to 2013].
Coaching Philosophy
“Working with athletes is what I do.” Says Eric. “It is what I have been doing for nearly a quarter century. Being involved with the development of any person is not something I take lightly. I understand and appreciate the responsibility I have.”
Industry Recognition & Volunteer Work
Eric serves as the Chairperson of Senior Swimming for Colorado Swimming, Inc. from 2019 thru 2021.
Get to Know Coach Eric
Eric loves enjoying all that Colorado has to offer with his wife Dori and children Sawyer (born in 2008) and Wyatt (born in 2011).
Kristian (Kris) Lewis
Red and Starfish Groups Coach
Swim Experience
Coach Kris is originally from Texas where she started her swimming career in local high schools and club team ATAC. She was a four-year state qualifier and continued to progress her swimming career and swam Division II in college. She experienced a severe back injury her sophomore year that eliminated her opportunity to compete at a collegiate level. Kirs then took on the mentality, “Those who can’t do, teach” which led her to pursue coaching as a career.
Coaching Experience
Kris earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management from the University of Florida and is currently pursuing her certification in High Performance Athletes. Coach Kris is going into her thirteenth year of coaching and began her coaching experience as an assistant coach for a local college and club team in Texas at 15 years old. She continued to coach summer leagues and club teams throughout high school and college. After Coach Kris’ injury in college, she moved to Florida where she began coaching for Blue Dolfins, Oviedo High School, and her first Division I program. There, she coached athletes of all levels including:
- Developmental Champions
- Florida Swimming Team Champions
- Open Water Junior National Athletes
- Multiyear State Champions
- NCAA qualifiers
- Olympic Trial Qualifiers
Kris was also selected by Florida Swimming to represent Florida at the Olympic Training Center for Leadership enrichment. Kris’ other coaching experience include being a Masters Swim Coach and USA Triathlon Level I/Youth Elite coach.
Coaching Philosophy
Coach Kris believes that there should always be fun times, athletic development, personal growth, and memories being made on and off the pool deck.
Get to Know Coach Kris
Coach Kris lives with her two dogs, Oliver and Waylon. Outside of the pool deck, Kris volunteers for a nonprofit dancing organization and is a United Country Western Dance Council Worlds qualifier.
Email Coach Kris
Victoria Tormenti
Black Group Coach
Swim Experience
Victoria has been in competitive swimming since she was eight years old. She swam in South Carolina for four years, and then moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and swam for the Marlins of Raleigh until her senior year of high school. Victoria then continued to swim at Wingate University representing Wingate as one of the Team Captains for her Senior Year.
Coaching Experience
While swimming in college, Victoria was also an assistant coach for the Wingate Aqua-Dogs (2012-2015) where she coached Age Group swimmers, focusing on technique on all four strokes and the fundamentals of competitive swimming. After graduating, Victoria continued her coaching career in North Carolina then moved to Colorado where she was the Head Coach of Lifetime Swim Colorado from 2017-2019. During this time, Victoria trained swimmers up to Sectional and Western Zone standards. She has also received her certification in Personal Training in which she specialized in mobility and strength conditioning for athletes.
Back in North Carolina, Victoria coached with MSA and was the 14 and under lead coach for their North Charlotte location where she had coached state champions, sectional, zone, and future qualifiers.
Get to Know Coach Victoria
When she’s not on deck, Victoria loves to paint, draw, and spend time outdoors with her family.
Email Coach Victoria
Kent Olsen-Stavrakas
White Group Coach and Billing
Swim Experience
Coach Kent, a Colorado native, swam at Mesa State University for all four years of college. While swimming at Mesa, he was a school record holder and a national qualifier. He has swam at the 2016 and 2021 US Olympic Trials and is currently swimming for the Colorado STARS in the High Performance Group. Kent is ranked in the top 100 in the world in 50 Breast and 50 Fly.
Coaching Experience
Coach Kent will be starting his third year of coaching for the Colorado STARS. He is excited to help athletes reach their potential while also being a great mentor to them. Being a current athlete and coach gives him a unique perspective and approach to coaching.
Get to Know Coach Kent
Kent and his girlfriend Taylor live in the Tech Center. He enjoys working on cars in his free time.
Email Coach Kent
