2009 Seahorse Coaches
We have a superb coaching staff lined up to lead us this season. We want to thank our Adam Fragen and the hiring committee for its efforts in recruiting and hiring our fabulous head and assistant coaches.

All of our coaches are prepared to help your children have their best summer ever! They work long hours on the pool deck on behalf of our team and our swimmers, and are committed to bringing out the best in every child. Please be supportive of their efforts!
Some of the coaches will be offering private swim lessons this summer. Check the information board at the pool for lesson schedules and rates.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the coaching staff, please contact our Coach Liaison, Adam Fragen (939-6806). If your questions pertain to the junior coaches or polliwogs coaches, contact RJ Lavallee . We would appreciate it if you would refrain from approaching the coaches during practice and at meets; their job is to give 100% of their attention to our swimmers.

 

Sue Barry Miller
Co-Head Coach
After a great 2008 season, we are thrilled to have Sue leading the Seahorses again! Sue started swimming as a three year old and competed locally until the age of 19. She swam for DVRA, Walnut Heights and the Aquabears, and spent four years on the varsity team at Las Lomas. She recently coached swimming at Carondolet, helping the team win NCS in 2006 and place second in 2007. Prior to that, she worked for local private swim schools and served in the Navy as a swim instructor and coach. Sue’s goals for the 2009 season: “I would like to instill a love for swimming in all of our kids, to help them achieve at a level that they never thought they could while keeping a fun environment that nurtures self esteem and confidence.

 

Kim Carlson
Co-Head Coach

We are tremendously fortunate to have Kim Carlson joining Sue at the helm. Kim comes to us with over 20 years of experience in coaching at the recreational, high school, masters and USS levels. During her high school years, Kim was the CIF southern section champion in the 100 backstroke. At 17 she qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 200 meter backstroke. Kim attended Florida State University (placing in the finals of the NCAA Division I Nationals in both the 200 medley relay and the 200 backstroke) and Cal Poly (from which she graduated as a 5 time All-American).

 

While at Cal Poly, Kim began helping out her club team as a Masters coach and assisted with the USS club. After moving to the Bay Area, Kim continued to coach rec swimming at Forest Hills in Martinez. When her daughters and son showed an interest in swimming, she helped run pre-season clinics for Indian Valley Swim Team. She also taught private stroke lessons in her backyard pool. Itching to get back into coaching, Kim signed on as an assistant at Carondelet High School in 2005. She took over as Head Coach, winning an NCS title and high school coach of the year honors for the section. Kim and Sue Miller had such a great time coaching together at Carondelet, they thought it would be fun to coach together again at Dewing.

 

In addition to her impressive career as a swim coach, Kim has an illustrious radio career spanning 20 years; she currently fills in at KGO radio using her maiden name, Kim Foster. Kim is married to Mike Carlson and they have three kids, Kasey, Taylor and Connor. Kasey and Taylor swim for the Terrapins Swim Team and Las Lomas High School. (Kasey finished 14th at the Olympic Trials in the 100 meter breaststroke last summer.)

 

Brian Marker
Assistant Coach

The ever-enthusiastic Brian Marker is finishing his second year at Santa Barbara City College. He’s working hard to transfer to UCSB. Brain is ready for the season to begin! He’s been at Dewing Park for 17 years, working his way up from the baby pool to the age groups. He says he is “now living out a dream by coaching the team I love. My favorite things to do when I am not hanging out at Dewing include: camping, hiking, swimming, and 4-wheeling.” Regarding his goals for 2009, Brian says: “I want to keep us at the top with all of our swimmers improving on a daily basis. Improvement is the most important concept in the realm of swimming. To keep succeeding, we need to keep improving. Besides improving our swimming abilities, I continue to support the strong sportsmanship values that Dewing swimmers embody. In swimming, you may swim individual events; however, swimming is not an individual sport. I think DPST is the textbook definition of this. We are who we are because we are one big family. We rise by lifting the people around us.”

Lia Breunig
Assistant Coach

A long-time Seahorse, Lia is a 20 year old student in Boston College’s School of Management. At Boston, she swims on the varsity team and plays club water polo. She started swimming to help her asthma at the age of 8 for a Southern California USS team. When she moved to Walnut Creek, she joined Dewing Park. She says that “Dewing not only brought me friends [but] gave me a passion for swimming.” Lia has had many accomplishments as a swimmer. As an 11 year old, she won City Meet in the 50 freestyle and was on two winning relays. As a 16 year old, she won the Springbrook Pentathlon and was high point at Conference. Lia is very excited to coach this summer because “Swimming is and always has been a huge part of my life. By coaching, I am able to help kids see the fun I see in swimming and make it part of their lives, too. I love working with kids and know that coaching at Dewing will be amazing because of the wonderful swimmers (and parents) on the team.”

 

Erin Wolff

Junior Coach

Erin Wolff has been swimming on DPST since she was five years old. Her Seahorse career includes winning Conference's High Point Award when she was 12 and breaking the pool record for the 100 yard butterfly last year. In the last few years, Erin has been a polliwog coach and lifeguard. Currently, Erin is a senior at Las Lomas High School where she is a captain on the Varsity Swim Team. She is very excited to be attending UC Berkeley next fall. Erin says "Dewing Park has always been an important part of my life. I hope that in coaching this year I can help give back to the team that I grew up with and love."

 

 

Nick Egan

Junior Coach

Nick started swimming for the Pleasant Hill Dolfins when he was six. As a Dolfin, he broke multiple team and Battle of the Ages records. At age 10 he moved to the Terrapin Swim Team where he ranked 2nd in the nation in the 50 free. He now trains in the Terrapin National Group and swims varsity for De La Salle. His recent accomplishments include making it to finals in the 200 backstroke at Senior Sections and making it to finals in the 200 and 500 free at last year’s North Coast. Not just a swimmer, Nick played soccer competitively for ten years.

 

 

Junior Coach

Tim started swimming for the Larkey Sharks as a nine year old. While at Larkey, he won Conference High Point and broke 50 yard breaststroke record--a record that still stands. At 14, Tim joined the Terrapins, moving to the National Team at 16. Tim also swims at De La Salle, where he has been an NCS finalist and a member of the varsity squad since his freshmen year.

 

 

Junior Swim Staff

We have a fabulous junior swim team staff comprised of the following thirteen eager and experienced swimmers: Emily Albaugh, Taylor Carlson, Jordyn Dickenson, Hannah Eiler, Katie Fragen, Caroline Frentzen, Kristen Lore, Kelly Mallon, Jackson Miller, Hannah Phillips, Maggie Ridenhour, Meg Stephens and Ali Wolff. This outstanding staff will be helping to make the season memorable for our youngest swimmers.