YCF Aquatics : Coaches & Directors

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Tom Nielsen

Aq Ctr Senior Swim Coach

Coach Tom Nielsen was born in San Francisco, California. After an adventurous tour of duty with the

U. S. Navy, he settled in Orlando, Florida.

Coach was a member of the water polo and swim teams when he attended Los Angeles Valley College in Van Nuys, California. He was selected to the Junior College All-American Swim Team for two years in a row. At San Fernando Valley State College, Northridge, California, Coach Nielsen was an NCAA Division II finalist for two years and was selected to the NCAA Division II All-American Swim Team.

Upon completion of his college eligibility, Coach Nielsen began his coaching career as an assistant coach with a swim club in Chatsworth, California. He was also an assistant coach with Reseda High School in Reseda, California. After two year of coaching he made a career change and joined the U.S. Navy.

Coach Nielsen served 20 years in the U.S. Navy of which 18 years were spent in Underwater Demolition Teams and SEAL Teams. He traveled all over the world visiting many different countries. He continued to coach by evaluating the swimming techniques of members of the Naval Special Warfare Community.

After Coach retired from the U.S. Navy, he returned to his passion for coaching swimming and water polo. He joined the Y Team Orlando coaching staff as an assistant coach for two years. He went on to become the head swimming and water polo coach at Cypress Creek High School for eleven years. In addition to his position at Cypress Creek High School, Coach Nielsen managed and owned Kissimmee Swim Association for 5 years. In 2008, Coach Nielsen left Cypress Creek and KSA to return to California to become the Head Coach at Tiger Aquatics in Stockton, California. Upon returning to Florida, he resumed coaching swimming with Y Central Florida.

Coach Nielsen is married to the former Michelle Lynn Bisceglia, a registered nurse from Somerville, New Jersey and they have two children. Lianna graduated from Cypress Creek High School (member of the Academic All-American Swim Team) and Rollins College (member of the swim team), and Shawn also graduated from Cypress Creek High School (2 year All-American High School Water Polo Team). He attended The University of South Florida and played water polo while at USF. Shawn graduated in December 2010 from The University of South Florida in Tampa, and is now in the U.S. Navy training be become a Navy SEAL.

Mike Hermes

Aq Ctr Head Age Group Coach

Mike Hermes spent the last three years coaching with the Patriot Aquatic program in Orlando and joined YCF in 2011. He implements a progressive stroke technique plan for all levels. He teaches swimmers the fundamentals of stroke and racing as well as being a good teammate. Coach Hermes had a successful swimming career and swam collegiately for Valparaiso.He is married with a daughter.

Nora Davis

Aq Ctr Riptides Coach

Colby B Mack

Cocoa YMCA Senior Group Coach

Colby Mack is from Brevard County and trained under John Hughes while attending Satellite High School from 1999 - 2003. Colby was the Space Coast Conference record holder in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle events as well as State Champion in the 200 and 500 freestyle events. He was named the Florida Today Swimmer of the Year, Florida Dairy Farmers Association Swimmer of the Year and received the Speedo National Scholastic Swimmer of the year in 2003. He was also a four-year Division 1 student-athlete at University of South Carolina training under head coach Don Gibb and Frank Bradley from 2003 - 2007. Colby earned All-American honors and was a four-time USC record holder as well as an SEC Championship bronze medalist and a 2004 Olympic Trials qualifier while at USC. Colby is the senior coach at the Cocoa YMCA in Brevard County.

Jennifer T Willis

Cocoa YMCA Age Group Coach

Jennifer Willis has been involved in competitive swimming most of her life, starting swim team training at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale at age 7. She developed her skills under legendary coach Jack Nelson and became State Champion. Jennifer was a member of the 1985 U.S. Olympic Festival Team and swam as a scholarship athlete for the University of Florida. She earned All-SEC and All-American honors and was a part of the NCAA Division I team which placed in the top 3. Jennifer also qualified and participated in the 1988 Olympic Trials, achieving a World Ranking. Currently, Jennifer remains active in United States Masters Swimming. She’s a twelve-time USMS All-American holding several YMCA Masters National records and Dixie Zone records and has several Masters World Rankings as well as a 2009 #1 World Ranking in a freestyle event. Jennifer is the age group coach at the Cocoa YMCA in Brevard County.

Poul Heminger

Golden Triangle Senior Coach

Andy Vickers

J Douglas Williams Head Coach

Coach Andy Vickers began swimming at age 5 at the J. Douglas Williams YMCA for what was at the time, the Central Florida YMCA Super Sharks. He later moved up to USA swimming with Patriot Aquatics where he was a strong age-group swimmer competing in Junior Olympics and Zone All-Star Champs. At 12 he was top 16 in the nation for the 50m freestyle. He then swam for Lake Mary High School where he earned two state relay titles and achieved All-American status. He now coaches for his hometown YMCA at J. Douglas where he's evolved the program into a competitive USA segment of YCF. He is also the assistant swimming and water polo coach for Lake Mary High School. Andy strives to increase his swimming and coaching knowledge through continued research and participation in the sport of swimming.

Tarn Thompson

Marion County Head Coach

Upon graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975, Tarn started his coaching career. In 1977 on a plane to Nationals in Long Beach with his first swimmer, Olympic Coach Don Gambril said "be careful or you will get hooked."

Tarn is an ASCA level 4 Coach, having coached his formative years in the Boston area through the early 80's, and in Florida since the 90's. While in Massahusetts he developed AAU programs at North Shore Jewish Community Center, Marblehead YMCA, and started the Cambridge Aquatic Team with

Stephanie Walsh, Harvard womens coach at Harvard University. While in Florida, Tarn has coached USS Age Group, Senior, High School and Masters swimmers.

Tarn started swimming in 1960 at the Marblehead Mass. YMCA. He swam AAU and CYO competitions. New England champion and record holder for the Salem Mass YMCA. Captain of both Prep and Collegiate Teams. Record holder at Williston Academy, Easthampton Mass. and University of Pennsylvania under Coach George Breen.Awarded New England Swim Coaches and Officials 1970 Swimmer of the Year. Five time All American 1970-71. An Easterns swimming finalist and NCAA qualifier 72-75.

Aside from Coaching, Tarn works in the small business private sector. He is also a Rotarian and President of a the philanthopic Hope Foundation, serving ARC Marion, which assist people with mental disabilities.

Amber M Siggins

Head Coach Winter Park YMCA

Coach Amber joined the YCF coaching staff at the Winter Park YMCA location. Amber moved from Englaned at the age of 11 and joined the Team Orlando/CFYR at the Aquatic Center so she is well versed with the YMCA program. Amber graduated from Olympia High School and was a student-athlete (swimming all 4 years) at Illinois State. Her degree in exercise science has led her to become a personal trainer and swim coach for the YMCA.

Andrew Gordon

Aquatic Center Water Polo Coach

Andy grew up in Central Florida graduating from Dr P Phillips. He played water and swam for the Panthers. Andy continued playing water polo at Yale and was captain his senior year of the club program.