Michael Stankiewicz was born and raised in Metuchen New Jersey. His relationship with swimming began late at the age of 10, but would establish roots that would last a lifetime. Starting as an inexperienced novice, Michael would quickly develop into a strong age group swimmer, setting the 1000 yard YMCA NJ state record at the age of 14. In high school, Michael and fellow club swimmers came together to start a men’s team at Metuchen High for the first time where he would lead the team at county championships with 2^nd place finishes in the 200 and 500 respectively. Making a transition to Scarlet Aquatics in 2008, Michael would remain there as a sectional level athlete until the summer after his graduation when he would sink his teeth into coaching.

After many years of providing local swim lessons, and helping the local summer league swim teams, Michael would take a more serious role under Greg Wriede at Peddie Aquatics in 2010. During his 3 year tenure he worked with every group on the team, also volunteering with the high school team which had a range of athletes as high as Olympic Trial caliber. It was during this time that he transitioned his coaching focus from part-time to full-time before heading back home to Scarlet Aquatics in the summer of 2013.

Working under Tom Speedling, Michael would take over the 13-14 age groups for the Rutgers Division of Scarlet Aquatics while being a 3^rd assistant to Tom Speedling for his Senior 2 program. Michael would go on to be a New Jersey Swimming Zone Coach, as well as the coach representative for Scarlet at USA Swimming’s open water distance camp in 2016, all while developing numerous state and sectional qualifiers of his own.

Coach Stankiewicz brings a young, energetic, and fresh mindset to the team that continues the growth of the Water Wizards Name.  

Dave is excited to come to PAWW from Ashwaubenon Swim Club in Wisconsin, where he was the team's head coach since 2015.  After swimming competitively at Rhinelander High School and UW-Lacrosse, Dave has since had a more than 30 year career as a competitive swim coach, aquatic director, and Red Cross trainer. As a USAS, ASCA, YMCA, and AAU certified coach he has coached swimming all over the country and is blessed to have worked with every level of swimmer, from first time bubble blowers to future Olympic medalists and world record holders. Coach Dave’s team model provides swimmers with the opportunity to become high achieving athletes through character driven dedication to the sport. He was a 2019 Finalist for WI Age Group Coach of The Year and served on the Wisconsin Swimming LSC Board of Directors as the Senior Coaches Representative. Dave has a Master’s Degree in education and has been a math, science and PE/Health teacher at the middle and high school levels. He also served honorably as a Sergeant in the army, including tours in Iraq and Indonesia. In his spare time he loves fishing, reading, math, spoiling his pets, and following the Packers.

Coach Katie is PAWW's head age group coach and swim lesson director. Katie moved to Illinois from Wisconsin, where she was ASC's head age group coach since 2015. From 2007-2015 she was the head coach and program director for the Anchorage YMCA Swim Team in Anchorage, Alaska.  Katie has coached all levels of swimming from pre-team through senior level, designed and managed learn to swim programs, coached both boys and girls high school as well as masters swim teams, and has served on the staff of various all-star Zone Teams, including serving as head 10 and under girls coach for Team Wisconsin at the 2019 Zone Championships. Katie is USAS, YMCA, AAU, ASCA, and NFHS certified and has a Master's Degree in education, and was a voting delegate in the Wisconsin Swimming LSC. She has worked directly with children in sports, research, and educational environments for over 30 years and loves working toward the moments when athletes achieve something they didn’t know they could do. When she's not at the pool Katie loves playing with her pets, knitting, fishing, and puttering in the garden.

Chance swam for Richwoods High School and PAWW before moving on to swim in college at Western Illinois University. He has coached summer league teams as well as at PAWW and also helps with PAWW's swim lesson program.

Amber was born and raised in Anderson, Indiana. She started her competitive swimming career
at the age of 5, for Anderson Community Aquatics Club (ACAC) and Anderson High School. She
graduated from AHS in 1997. After high school, she went on to swim for Western Illinois
University. While there, she specialized primarily in the distance freestyle events. She was
conference champion in the 200, 500, and 1650 freestyle events, and multiple relays. After
graduating from WIU in 2001, with a degree in Medical Technology, she moved to Peoria where
she met her husband Seth. They currently live in Metamora, with their two children Gavin and
Elyse.

Since moving to the Peoria area, Amber has coached for multiple teams, such as Richwoods
H.S., Central Illinois Aquatics, and Metamora Area Swim Team. Recently, she joined the
coaching staff of Peoria Notre Dame girls swim team and PAWW. When she is not at the pool
coaching or running kiddos from place to place, you can find her at the pool early in the
morning swimming with our PAWW Masters team. Amber and her family enjoy traveling,
reading, cheering on all things Iowa State (her husband’s alma mater), and just spending down
time together.

Tim is PAWW's strength and conditioning coach and currently designs our online dryland program.