Derek has had a long history of swimming in Peoria area dating back to 1979 when he began his swimming career with the Wedgewood Swim and Tennis Club.  His swimming career continued through the 1990's where he was a swimmer for PAWW, Peoria High School and the University of Illinois.

Derek began his coaching career in 1989 as an assistant for PAWW.  His coaching career has taken him numerous places including Peoria, Metamora, Washington, Dunlap, Pekin, Quincy, and Keokuk, Iowa. Derek has always had a love for PAWW as this was his home club throughout most of his life.  

In addition to coaching PAWW, he works at Caterpillar and in his spare time, he enjoys watching the Bears, Illini, and movies.  He is married to Julee and they have 3 great children, Ashton and Bailey who swim on the PAWW swim team, and Jager, their dog.

Chance has been involved in the sport of swimming both as a former swimmer and coach since he was 12 years old.  He formally swam at PAWW, Richwoods High School, and Wester Illinois University where he majored in Emergency Management and minored in Coaching.  Since graduating, he has coached at the Country Club of Peoria, Pekin Water Dragons, and has been an Assistant Coah at PAWW for the past 4 years.

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.