Gulf Swimming
Level 4
Excellence 300

Coaches and Directors

Coaches and Directors
Coaching Staff
Chris Collier Head Coach

 

Chris Collier joins TWST from the University of Alabama’s Swim and Dive Program. During his time at Alabama, Coach Collier’s student-athletes broke six school records and achieved a cumulative 3.4 GPA. One of the athletes, Kensey McMahon, was an NCAA All-American in the 1650 and placed second in the 1500 at USA swimming Nationals. The Crimson Tide also had three swims in the top seven at 2019 Open Water Nationals and Chris’ training group had 86% best times at the end of the season. 
 
Prior to Alabama, Chris spent five years at the University of Wisconsin. Collier-coached swimmers earned All-American, Big 10 Swimmer of the Year, All-Big 10 and Big 10 titles. His swimmers shattered multiple Big 10 and Wisconsin school records over his tenure in Madison. He also coached 2017 FINA World Championship, 2017 World University Games and 2016 Rio Olympic qualifiers. 
 
Collier joined the Badgers after spending 2011 and 2012 as High Performance, Challenge and Imagination coach at the famed North Baltimore Aquatics Club (NBAC) in Baltimore, Md. The High Performance group placed a pair of athletes on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, earning seven gold medals, three silvers and a bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The group sent 13 athletes to the USA Olympic Trials with numerous finals qualifiers and earned a 2012 USA Swimming Summer Junior National women's title. Collier's athletes also earned all six national champion freestyle titles. 
 
Prior to joining NBAC, Collier coached high school, YMCA and USA Swimming club teams starting in 1987. His high school teams won three state championships and placed second twice in five years. 
 
A native of Newark, Del., Collier graduated from the University of Delaware with a B.S. in physical education in 1992.
Jarrod Murphy Head Age Group Coach
Coach Jarrod is in his 5th year with The Woodlands. Since joining TWST in 2015 his athletes have achieved achieved success at every level.
  • numerous National top 10 rankings including 3 #1 rankings
  • TAGS Champions and record holders
  • GULF LSC record holders
  • Speedo Sectional qualifiers
  • USA Swimming Futures qualifiers
  • USA Swimming Junior National qualifiers.
  • 2019 Youth World Championship qualifier
  • Olympic Trial qualifiers for both Australia and Canada
Coach Jarrod has served the Gulf LSC as part of 2 TPC committees. Selceted Head Coach of the 2018 Gulf LSC Select Camp, and has been nominated for ASCA Age Group Coach of The Year twice in 2017 and 2018.
 
Prior to joining TWST Coach Jarrod worked with First Colony Swim Team (FCST) from 2007-2015 where he was a lead senior coach from 2009-2012 developing numerous sectional and NSCA qualifiers and working with numerous US Olympic Trial qualifiers, USA national junior team and USA national team athletes. In 2012, coach Jarrod relocated to Beaumont, TX where he started a satelite program to FCST which was the most longstanding USA swimming entity in Beaumont and the most successful. In 2 years Beaumont saw numerous age group TAGS qualifiers and finalists, Sectional qualifiers, NCSA qualifiers. High School State Qualfiers and top 8 finalists. While with FCST coach Jarrod was also selected as part of the ASCA Fellows class in 2008, Gulf All-Star Team staff in 2009, and the North American Challenge Cup team Associate Head Coach in 2013.
 
Under late coach Jack Pettinger coach Jarrod served as the head Age Group Coach for Badger Aquatic Club in Madison, Wi. from 2005-2007. During this time BAC won 2 12 and under State Championships and 13 and over State Championships. Individually he had athletes with national top 10 rankings and numerous relays with national top 10 rankings.
 
Prior to 2005 Coach Jarrod worked with athletes of all ages in Iowa City, Ia. with the Iowa City Eels. During his year in Iowa the Eels saw tremndous growth and success taking home Iowa swimming championships at both the 12 and under and 13 and over state meets. The team saw numerous state champions, team records, sectional, and NCSA qualifiers. Coach Jarrod also worked with local middle school and high school teams which saw numerous Iowa state meet qualifiers and finalists.
 
A native Ohioan, coach Jarrod grew up competing for the Dayton Raiders swim club. A Junior National qualifier and HS All-American he went on to compete for the Kenyon College Lords from 1998-2002 where the Lords continued their dominance at the DIII level winning 4 consecutive national titles  He graduated in 2002 with a degree in Psychology concentrated in Neuroscience.
Coach Jarrod is married to his wife Anne who is an HR manager at ExxonMobil and has 2 daughters Lila and Ava.
Heather Jorris Head Developmental Coach

Heather’s 25+ years working in the fitness and coaching industry and her numerous athletic endeavors have created in her a lifelong passion for fitness and coaching.  

In Pennsylvania, Heather was the Director of Competitive Aquatics for the Tri-Hampton YMCA/USA Swim Team (THY), overseeing the Age Group and Senior Teams.  Prior to this she was Head Coach of the Age Group Team and assisted in founding the Age Group component of THY in 2009.  Heather was also the Head Coach for The Lower Makefield Township Summer League team for 7 years and grew the team to 360 swimmers ages 4-18 of all levels, beginner to Junior National.   Prior to this, she was an assistant specializing in the 8 and Under age groups. 

Heather’s additional age group coaching experience includes coaching a summer league team in Northern Virginia during her high school and college summers, coaching for the Pennsbury Aquatic Club in Fairless Hills, PA and beginning a learn to swim program on the island of Guam.  She has also coached Masters swimmers in Honolulu and at the Newtown Athletic Club, and directed/coached triathlon/cycling/ run training programs for over 15 years.  Prior to living in Pennsylvania, Hawaii was home to Heather for 10 years. In Honolulu, Heather was as a Personal Trainer, Fitness Center Director, Personal Training Director, Triathlon Coach, Marathon Coach, and Group Exercise Director for the largest fitness club in Hawaii.

Heather graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science and was a member of the Varsity swimming team for 2 years and cross country team for 1 year.

In her spare time, Heather raced and traveled extensively as a professional triathlete from 1998-2008 and now competes as a masters triathlete, specializing in the Ironman distance.  Heather has competed in 17 Ironman competitions, to include The Hawaii Ironman World Championship 8 times, where she was an Age Group Champion and 2 time Top 25 female finisher. 

Heather and her husband, Pete have two boys who swim on The Woodlands Swim Team and relocated to The Woodlands from Yardley, Pennsylvania in August 2012.  Heather finds coaching the swimmer of any age or ability a truly rewarding opportunity and is thrilled to be back in the water working with the Nemo, Shark & Dolfin Groups.  She hopes to foster the discipline, fitness, memories, skills and friendships that the sport of swimming can offer.

Brad Radford Coach

Senior Coach/ Black 2 Lead

Coach Brad has over 18 years of coaching experience. He began coaching as an assistant at Delta State University. After graduation he took at Head Coaching job in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He coached multiple state qualifies and two sectional qualifiers. He was also part of the Mississippi LSC as the outreach chair. Later he took the Head Coaching job at Delta State Aquatic Club. While there he coached multiple state qualifiers, one sectional and junior national qualifier. He also coached the Master swim team.

In 2004 Coach Brad joined the TWST coaching staff. TWST was where he swam from the age of 10 until he graduated. Over the years as TWST coach Brad has coached with many of the different groups on the team. In 2004, 2005, 2006 he was an All-Star coach for Gulf Swimming. In 2005 he was a coach for the Gulf Zone team.  Since being at TWST he has coached multiple state, sectional, and national qualifiers.

Coach Brad is also the Co-Head coach for the Woodlands Marlins Summer league team where he has coached for 11 years.

In 2017 he was the head coach for the Magnolia West High School swim team. He was also a Physical Education teacher. He spent two years coaching the program and had multiple state qualifiers and had swimmers break 7 individual records.  

He is currently coaching the Senior group and is the lead coach for the Black 2 group. He is also one of the coaches for the Gator group.

Coach Brad has 3 kids on the team, Kayley, Kenzie, and Blake. When he is not at the pool, he is spending time with his kids, and cheering on the Astros!

Courtney Livaudais Coach
Coach Courtney has been with TWST since 2008 after moving to Texas from New Orleans. She has had the opportunity to work with almost every group over the years and currently works with the Senior groups as well as Green 1. 
 
Prior to TWST Courtney coached for Elmwood Sharks in New Orleans. She coached 8 and unders and was also the swim lesson supervisor.  She also coached for an area high school team during that time.
 
Growing up she swam for New Orleans Aquatics and Elmwood Sharks. She swam for Spring Hill College and finished her swimming career at University of New Orleans.
John Vindiola Coach

Coach John started coaching for TWST in the fall of 2017. Prior to that, he coached for the Spring Creek Oak Dolphins for two seasons. During his swimming career, Coach John competed for FINS, PACK, and the Klein High School Bearkats. He is currently attending Sam Houston State University where he plans to graduate with a History Degree. In his free time, Coach John loves to play video games with his friends, work out, and all things Houston Sports. Coach John is currently working with the Green 2 and White 1 groups.

Nathan Skidmore Coach
Coach Nate coaches the Senior 2 and Black 1 groups. Nate comes to us from Omaha, Nebraska where he most recently served as Assistant Head Coach for the Aquatic Club of Elkhorn.  During his time with ACE he worked with every age-group and athlete on the club. 

He has coached Sectional Finalists, Futures Qualifiers, LSC Record Holders, Zone Medalists and National Top-10 athletes.  Former athletes from his time at ACE have matriculated to attend and compete with: TCU, GW, Coast Guard Academy, Missouri State, Drury and Wheaton.

Coach Nate was voted Head Coach of the Midwestern Swimming Zones team from 2016-2018. He has also served on multiple All Star, Zone and Open Water teams.  

Nate is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. His degree is in exercise science with a focus on strength, conditioning and physiology.

In 2018 Nate was voted the Midwestern Age Group Coach of the Year.
Christine Rojas Coach

Coach Christine joined TWST in the fall of 2017 as a developmental coach. She has been involved in swimming since the age of 9. She grew up swimming with TWST and started coaching shortly after she graduated high school. She has coached with numerous summer league teams for over 15 years.

Christine graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2005, and she is a teacher in Conroe I.S.D. She is also the assistant swim coach for Caney Creek High School.

Christine and her husband, Joe have 3 kids who swim with TWST. Christine is passionate about coaching swimmers of any age or ability, and she is happy to be back in the water working with the developmental groups.

Suzanne White Coach

Coach Suz White has been involved in swimming since the age of nine. She grew up in Indiana as an age group swimmer for the Seymour Seahawks and swam as a Fighting Owl for Seymour High School. She went to Ball State University where she swam for two seasons. Suz moved to The Woodlands with her family in 2007 and taught swim lessons at Branch Crossing YMCA. In 2010 she became the assistant aquatics coordinator for the YMCA and coached and taught various groups at both the Branch Crossing and Shadowbend Locations. In 2012 she joined the coaching staff for the NWAL team Shenandoah Sharks and has enjoyed seven exciting seasons as the developmental coach for the Sharks.

Suz joined TWST in 2018 under Developmental Coach Heather Jorris and loves working with the Sharks, Nemos and Dolphins. She loves working with coaches Heather, Laura and Christine and giving our developmental groups the best instruction on form and consistency in all four strokes as well as turns and starts. She hates seeing the swimmers go but loves to see them grow and develop in the black, white and green groups TWST offers. She and her two kids, Georgia (14) and Cooper (12) live in Cochrans Crossing where they love to eat at Brooklyn Bagel and watch Parks and Rec on Netflix when they aren’t at the pool.

Nikita Wade Coach

Nikita joined TWST in October of 2018, after being a part of Stephanie’s team at VillaSport as lead, swim instructor, and lifeguard. Nikita started swim instructing at VillaSport in the fall of 2016, she quickly became the top provider and took on as much responsibility as she could. In the fall of 2017, she became the Aquatics Lead where she worked alongside Stephanie and remained in her position as Lead until the opportunity to become a Coach on The Woodlands Swim Team presented itself. Since then she has coached the Blue group and assists Coach Heather with Nemo, Shark, and Dolfin groups.

While Nikita does not come from a competitive swim background, she grew up with a love for the water and any sport she could get into. Both her mom and dad are from Belize and if you ask her she would say that the ocean is in her soul. She spent many summers at the in Belize at the beach swimming, fishing, and eating good food! Though she has been a strong swimmer since she can remember it wasn’t until she became a swim instructor that she set her goal to learn all four strokes. While both learning and teaching she discovered a love for the sport of swimming and spent as much time teaching lessons as she could. 

Nikita completed her Associates in Science at Lone Star College and plans on attending Sam Houston starting this summer. Her original plan was to become a nurse, but as she was going to school and swim instructing she concluded aquatics is where her heart is. She is still deciding on what Bachelors degree now fits her career path in swimming and aquatics management, but plans to spend her career in Aquatics. In her free time, Nikita loves to workout, read, and hang out with her boyfriend, Tanner, and dog, Lenny. Most of her time off consists of good food and a lot of TV streaming. 

Mitchell Berta Assistant Coach

Coach Mitch joins us from our hometown of The Woodlands. From the very young age of 6 he
started his swim journey and in 2008 joined TWST. After his first stint with TWST, Mitch dabbled with
soccer for 2 seasons and rejoined TWST after realizing swimming is where his true passion was. In 2012
Mitch started his second stint with TWST, and started summer league as well with The Woodlands
Hurricanes. Moving up quickly, in 2013 he made most improved swimmer in the 2013 season for summer
league, and made his first senior zones team his very first long course season. In 2014, he moved up to
TWST's Gold/National group, and that same season obtained Sectional cuts in the 100 and 200 fly.
Throughout his second stint with TWST until 2017, he obtained NCSA cuts and competed at multiple
junior national championship meets, as well as Sectionals and senior Zones meets.

Coach Mitch also coached summer league for The Woodlands Hurricanes for 2 seasons before
starting his coaching journey with TWST, and is proud that TWST is the only team he has competed on
year-round. He believes that hard work will always pay off, and that having a strong mentality is what
keeps good swimmers from being great swimmers.

Coach Mitch is now at Sam Houston State University, pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Business.
In his spare time, he enjoys racing his car at autocross and track days, and enjoys watching NFL football
with his favorite team the New England Patriots.

Stephanie Skipworth Team Admin

Stephanie joined TWST in the fall of 2018 as our Team Administrator. She began coaching over 15 years ago as an assistant coach at Stonebriar Country Club in North Texas. During her college years, she was the assistant coach for the Southland Sharks Summer League team. Stephanie graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design and moved to South Florida where she began working full-time as a graphic designer. Finding that she couldn't stay away from coaching, she became the head coach of a recreational league team. She quickly made the jump back into USA swimming as an age group coach at South Florida Aquatic Club under Chris Anderson, where she had her first Junior Olympic Champion! While in Florida, she also began her Masters degree in Athletic Administration and Coaching from WKU, later completing the Practicum at Southwestern University while she served as the assistant to their swimming and diving team. Stephanie founded (and coached) the competitive swim team at VillaSport and developed the program to be launched at all of their clubs nationwide. She then assumed the role of Aquatics Director at VIllaSport where she remained until jumping to TWST.

Stephanie grew up swimming in Plano, Texas and attended Western Kentucky University on a full swimming scholarship. While there she led the team to multiple conference titles & undefeated seasons while holding several school records. Stephanie can't stay away from racing and continues to compete as a Masters swimmer in her spare time. She and her husband, Sam, live in The Woodlands with their two sons, Samuel - 4 and Steele - almost 2!

Katie Pope Strength Coach

I have had a love for sports, fitness and nutrition my entire life. I played volleyball and ran track growing up and continued playing volleyball through college. I took this passion for fitness a step furtherin 2013 when I became a certified personal trainer. I currently hold certifications in Personal Training, Group Fitness, and Pre/Postnatal Fitness  I also have specialty certifications in Youth Fitness & Nutrition, Orthopedic Exercise, Fitness Nutrition and Sports Performance Specialtist.

I lived in Malaysia for 6.5 years where I taught water aeroibics, strength training, HIIT training, and ran a running boot camp. When I moved back I joined a F45 gym and immediately knew it was for me and I am currently a Head Group Training Coach at F45 Woodforest. While I love training adults and sharing my passion for fitness, I have have 2 children and have always wanted to work with youth athletes to help them achieve their goals.  
Janiece Hodges-Thomas Coach
Board of Directors