Instructors

We have a number of instructors working for us at Starfish Aquatic Club, from many different backgrounds, levels and experience. Each one is hand picked due to their ability to work with all levels and ages. Please feel free to scroll through their profiles to learn more about each one before you choose your instructor. Occasionally we will have seasonal instructors who only work in the summer or other seasonal months.

To see a list of classes available sorted by instructor, please click on their name.

Interested in becoming a lifeguard or an instructor? Check out our new training programs

To view classes by location, sessions, etc., please visit our Enrollment Page


Please feel free to read about other families testimonials about our instructors:

Instructor Testimonials


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Ann Marie- Branchburg Location – (Seasonal instructor only!)

PROFILE COMING SOON!

Angel T. – Whippany and Bridgewater Location (Seasonal Instructor only!!)

Hello my names Angelica. I have been a swimmer for over 15 years. I have done everything from high school swim teams, International swim teams, to YMCA swim clubs. Swimming is my passion and getting the chance to share my enthusiasm with others is one of the most satisfying things I could have chosen to do.  I started my experience with teaching at the YMCA, first as a lifeguard then moving my way up to teaching.  I have gotten the chance to coach other spots such as soccer and track in my community’s summer programs. I was part of my high school’s varsity soccer, swim, and track team achieving varsity letters in all three sports and holding my school’s 110 hurdling shuffle team record. I was also proudly selected to be part of the RWJ ambassador association also known as “The injury prevention program”, where we were trained to teach elementary level students about safety prevention. My experience with children and my devotion for sports, have motivated me to share that same excitement with others and hopefully spark a new passion within them. I’m really excited to be part of the Starfish team and I look forward into breaking new barriers with them.

**Excellent with all levels. Very strong with students with special needs**

Ashley L. – Whippany and Bridgewater Location (Seasonal instructor only!)

Hi, my name is Ashley! I have been swimming since I was 14 years old on a summer team (Hackettstown Hurricanes), club team (SeaDragon’s Swim Club), and my high school’s varsity team all four years (West Morris Central). I have been lifeguarding since I was 15 years old and teaching group/ private lessons for a number of years. I’m very excited to help your children grow and become more confident in the water!

**Excellent with all levels. Very strong with students looking for stroke technique**

Ashley P. – Bridgewater and Branchburg Locations – Bridgewater Manager

Hello! I am Ashley.  I enjoy working with children and have babysat for several years.  I also spent the last few summers as a camp counselor, as well as teaching swimming lessons.  I have been swimming since I was a small child and enjoy sharing my swimming skills with others.  I look foward to working with your child and watching their confidence grow!

**Excellent with all levels of children*

Carlos C. – Bridgewater Location

PROFILE COMING SOON!

Courtney T. – Whippany Location – (Seasonal Instructor Only!)

Hi families! My name is Courtney and I’m a nursing student and EMT. I learned to swim at a super young age (my mom had me in Mommy & Me classes when I was 6 months old!) and have always been a fish. I swam competitively for about ten years for both my local Swim Team and the YMCA, and also was a lifeguard for about 5 years. I love teaching all ages and levels of swimmers, but my strongest areas are 3-6 year olds, kiddos that have a good foundation but need some stroke technique improvement, and experienced swimmers who are looking to perfect their strokes. I’d love to meet you and teach your children how to be as safe as they can be in the water!

 

Emma Z. – Idlewild Summer Location

Hi! My name is Emma Zawacki. I am  a certified lifeguard and swim instructor. I was also on a swim team for 11 years and know what it’s like to continually improve technique for all 4 strokes. My lifeguarding experience includes summer and indoor winter season for the past two years. My swim instructing experience began this summer and I have experience with agree groups from 3 to 13 years old.  Swim instructing is something I really enjoy and feel comfortable with, and I hope to do more of this in the future. I know I can help your child learn the skills they will need, whether it be to swim competitively or just enjoy themselves more in the water. I hope you will consider me for your child or children. I am excited to meet and hope to see you soon!

 

Felipe G. – Branchburg and Bridgewater Locations

I have been an avid swimmer since the age of 5, am a certified lifeguard, and I love to teach! I really enjoy teaching children who are around 5 to 12 years old. I am really excited to teach kids how to swim because it is a very important skill to have and it feels great to see progress not only for the instructor but also the student. My favorite strokes to teach are breaststroke and freestyle. Freestyle is a challenge for most kids to learn and that is why I enjoy seeing them progress and become more advanced swimmers. Breast stroke is all about the technique and breathing and it is one of the more relaxing strokes to swim with which makes swimming more enjoyable. I have also taught many students how to do the back stroke which is more difficult to teach because most students do not like the idea of having the back of their head in the water and the cannot see where they are going. This stroke teaches the student to trust the teacher which, is not an easy thing to accomplish, but in the end it is worth it and the student learns trust and also learns a new stroke.

 

Jake F. – Bridgewater Location – (Seasonal Instructor Only!)

Hello! My name is Jake.  I’ve been working with kids since I was 15 at the JCC in Scotch Plains as a junior counselor. I have plenty experience as a lifeguard from over the past two years. I love swimming. I was a member of my high school varsity swim team for 4 years. I learned how to swim when I was 4 at my community pool and have been swimming constantly ever since. I love working with kids and watching them grow into strong, independent swimmers. I look forward to teaching your child and turning them into the best swimmers they can be!

Juliana W. – Whippany Location

My name is Juliana Wilson and I am a proud member of the starfish aquatics staff. I started swimming when i was three years old at my local town pool. Since then i have always had a passion for swimming and was involved with my towns swim team for three years back in middle school. In June 2013 i received my Red Cross lifeguard/aed/first aid certification and have had jobs such as being a lifeguard as well as working/teaching swimming swim lessons at a summer camp. I am a strong swimmer and am always looking for ways to teach other people about the skills that i know. When i teach swimming lessons i enjoy being visual and making sure that my student practices the skill until he/she feels confident about it. I always love seeing when i explain a skill to a student and then seeing him/her apply it, and then master it. I have expierence teaching both private swimming lessons as well as group lessons to anyone ages 3 and up! I am proud to be part of such a inspiring staff at Golds Gym and i can’t wait to show more students how to learn how to swim, one stroke at a time.

Katherine K – Branchburg Location – (Seasonal instructor only!)

PROFILE COMING SOON!

Kevin C.- Whippany Location 

PROFILE COMING SOON!

Kevin O.- Branchburg Location – (Seasonal instructor only!)

My name is Kevin O’Neill, I have been living in the Bridgewater area most of my life. I swam competitively from age 7 until age 18, during which I was a part of multiple club teams as well as the BRHS varsity team, where we competed in many championship competitions.  The knowledge that I acquired over the years has stuck with me, and I love being able to pass it on to the next generation of swimmers.  I feel that it is important to not only master the proper techniques needed to improve in the sport at any ability level, and it is equally important to have fun doing so.  I believe swimming needs to be fun in order to facilitate improvement and prevent regression, especially at the beginner levels.  

Lisette V. – Whippany Location

Hello, my name is Lisette and I have been part of Starfish team for over a year. I learned how to swim at a young age in Chile. I really enjoy teaching children and adults on how to swim and teaching them safety skills.  I am really looking forward to working with the parents and kids. 

Nicole B. – Whippany Location

PROFILE COMING SOON!

Rich G. – Whippany Location

PROFILE COMING SOON!

Rosemary D. – Branchburg Location

Hello my name is Rosemary but please feel free to call me Rosie. I have been a swimmer and swim instructor for 10 years. I love teaching swim because not only is swimming one of my passions, but I also love being able to work with adults and children of all ages. I love being to help and watch others succeed in overcoming their fear of the water and learning and perfecting their strokes. I first started teaching when I started high school at a private swim instruction facility. I taught water safety skills and strokes there to kids aging from 16 months to 16 years. I also got the opportunity to work with many special needs children as well and was able to watch how swim lessons were able to benefit and change their life as well. I love being active and working with other students. I like taking the time to get to know my students during lessons that way lessons can be both a fun and productive experience. I work well with students and adults of all ages. I am very excited to be apart of the Starfish Aquatics team and look forward to accomplishing new goals and achievements with them. 

*Excellent with all levels. I teach water safety skills to all young students or at the request of the parent or guardian.*

Rose P. – Whippany Location – Whippany Manager
Hello I’m Rose!  I have taught for just about ten years now and truly love the water. Growing up around Lake Hopatcong I learned how to swim at a young age and couldn’t wait to teach others about the water. I like to incorporate fun and play with safety and technique. I value building relationships with students of all ages and look forward to seeing you in the water!

 

Simone S. – Branchburg Location – Branchburg Manager

Hello everyone! My name is Simone I have recently relocated to the area to begin a full time teaching job at a local high school in the fall. I love working with children. I have been lifeguarding and teaching swimming for almost 5 years now. I began at a day camp and then moved to private swim lessons.  I specialize in children with all kinds of special needs from Anxiety to Autism. I love to help children develop their confidence and skills in the water. I am so excited to be a part of the Starfish Aquatics team and look forward to teaching many of your students.

**Excellent with all levels. Very strong with infants, toddlers and children with special needs**

Sofiya N. – Bridgewater Location

Hi, my name is Sofiya. I have been swimming recreationally for many years and have grown to love the water. I love working with children and seeing them improve. I have experience babysitting, tutoring, and caring for kids of various ages. 

Stephanie G. – Whippany Location

Hi, my name is Stephanie and I am currently pursuing my masters in clinical mental health counseling. I have been swimming since the age of 5 for the Small Lakes League (Glen Wild Lake), YMCA (Bluestreaks), and USA (Pioneer Swim Club). In addition to my own swimming career, I have been a swim instructor and swim team coach for 7 years. I have had the opportunity to work with swimmers of all levels and ages. I have also worked with children who have various special needs. Instead of focusing on perfection, I encourage gradual improvements and personal benchmarks. I look forward to teaching with Starfish Aquatics! Skill Levels: Beginner, Special Needs, Infant/Parents, Adults, and Competitive Swimmers.

 

Tori W. – Whippany Location – Starfish Director

Hello Everyone!  My name is Tori and I have been swimming competitively since my junior year of High School, and enjoy being in the water immensely. I have experience with babysitting and caring for children of all ages, and enjoy the opportunity to work with them.

**Excellent with all levels. Very strong with students looking for stroke technique and with infants**

Zoe O. – Whippany Location

Hi, I’m Zoe! I learned to swim in my community pool in Pennsylvania when I was 3 years old. I have swam for my high school (Morristown), YMCA(Morristown Greater Y as well as Pocono Piranhas), Community (Wild Acres) and USA with Pocono Piranhas Swim Teams! I’ve been teachings lessons now for about 2 years. I love working with children and being able to see then accomplish something through hard work and dedication. I enjoyed watching all the kids growing which keeps me devoted and always excited to teach. I have taught ages ranging from infant to adults mainly children. I look forward to teaching you child and watching them grow in a confident swimmer! 

 

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