Meet The Gators
The Team "The Ken Grill Gators swim and diving team is a summer league team located in Kenhorst and we are part of the Berks County Swimming Association. In the last four years our team has grown and the Gators are making a comeback. Our team believes in teaching and learning technique, but always focuses on how each swimmer is improving to be the best they can be and not on winning and losing. We know that success is always going to be different for each swimmer, but as a team we believe in supporting each other and always giving our best. We strive to have fun every time we are together. Our favorite quote "My competition is not the swimmer next to me, but the swimmer inside of me."
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The Coaches
Phrase they say the most: You only have one record to beat and that is your own personal best. Winning and losing does not matter because the only thing that matters is that you tried your best and had fun doing it.
Coach Courtney |
Coach Courtney has been coaching for 11 years, but has been a swimmer for many more. She started swimming competitively at the age of 5 and swam through high school. She was one of the varsity team captains in her senior year. Courtney has taught swimming lessons for 28 years across all levels. Courtney is a learning support teacher in the Wilson School District and loves working with her students. Coach Courtney has three children that swim for the Gators. Grace, who is 16, started swimming when she was 5, Katie, who is 14, started when she was 6, and Eli who is 11, has been swimming since he was 7. Her philosophy is that the fundamentals of swimming must be taught, conditioned, and perfected, but that coaches also teach life lessons and foster an environment of respect, love for teammates, and teach how to win and lose honorably, while always having fun. |
Coach Mike |
A backstroker for Governor Mifflin High School and Shippensburg University, Mike DeLoretta has spent over 35 years either as a competitor in the water or a coach on deck. During both summer and winter seasons, Mike has had experience coaching all age groups from 8 and under through high school. Coach Mike has two children who swim for the Gators. Sarah and Grant have been swimming since they were young and take after their dad. Mike is proud to represent the Ken Grill Gators Swim Team, where his own summer swimming career began |
Coach Abby
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Coach Abby graduated from Governor Mifflin in 2011. She started swimming competitively at age 6 and continued until college., first as a backstroker and butterflyer but eventually as a distance freestyler. She also played water polo through high school and college. Coach Abby currently lives in Shillington with her husband Tim and works as a Department of Defense contract analyst. This winter was her first season as a Governor Mifflin Age Group Coach and she is excited to be coaching again this summer for the Ken Grill Gators!
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Coach Lyndsey
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Coming Soon
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Swim Team Liaison
Jenn Lengel |
Jenn is the liaison between the swim team and the board. She has been a member of the Ken Grill Pool for 16 years and a vital part of the team for 5 years. Jenn has two daughters who swim for the Gators. Liz is 14 years old and Maddi is 12 years old. Jenn swam on teams from both Hillside and Reading as a kid. Part of her love of swimming is watching the swimmers grow from year to year and being a part of the Gator family. Jenn has many roles on the team including keeping the team organized, setting up meetings, ordering all suits and spirit wear, setting up fundraising, and keeping the coaches sane. She is the go between for the team and the board and works with the coaches to make decisions related to the team. If you have any questions or concerns Jenn is the person to go to.
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