Coaches & Directors

We are here to support your needs. If your questions are related to workouts, meets, events, goal setting, and other swimming related needs, please contact one of the coaches.

Coaching Staff

Tim Murphy

Interim Head Coach, SMSC

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Tim was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and aquatics made their presence known almost immediately.  His father was a swimmer, his mother a diver, and they, too, are honored to have served their sports as coaches.  Due largely to the enthusiasm his parents have always demonstrated for the water, Tim treasures the time he spent in the pool and is particularly grateful for the many lasting lessons and friendships that aquatics have provided him.  Tim's coaching philosophy is to keep things fast, fun and focused and he enjoys learning from his swimmers just as much as he enjoys teaching them.

As an athlete, Tim was fortunate enough to represent such Cincinnati area clubs as Oak Hills Swim Team, Cincinnati Marlins and M.E. Lyons YMCA, but it was his experience as a state champion and All-American at Cincinnati St. Xavier High School that cemented his passion for the sport.  After graduating from St. X in 1998, he competed as a Kenyon College Lord in Gambier, Ohio and was awarded All-Conference honors.  In 2002, he achieved a B.A. in History from Kenyon.

Tim has many years of coaching experience, including summers at Hyde Park Golf & Country Club in Cincinnati, some time as an undergrad assistant at Kenyon under the watch of renowned coach Jim Steen and one season at the high school level with Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood, CA.  He also teaches History and PE part-time at Harvard-Westlake and coaches the athlete-members of Southern California Aquatics, a U.S. Masters Swimming club.

Tim is currently enjoying his fourth year as a member of the TSM family.

Christopher Pelant

Sr. Development Assistant Coach, SMSC

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Coach Chris has been a competitive swimmer since the age of six. A Southern California native, he began his swimming career after having an operation on his legs to avoid permanent disability. While re-learning how to walk, Chris found comfort in the water and began a love of our sport that has lasted for more than 25 years. Chris has coached in the development of every category of swimmer from beginner to the national champion. His coaching enthusiasm encourages swimmers to practice proper technique while getting a tough workout. He creates practical workouts that cater to each swimmer and the club as a whole, while aiming toward specific goals. Chris had a highly successful swimming career. He was the fastest swimmer in the United States, multiple times in numerous events. He broke four Southern California Swimming Records, qualified for Jr. Nationals at 14, USA Nationals by 16, and competed at Olympic Trials. Chris represented the USA in Paris, France, as Captain of the USA National Jr. Team. His commitment to age group swimming was rewarded with a full swimming scholarship to the Division I Southern Illinois University.

 

 

Matt Hamer

Age Group Coach, SMSC

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Started swimming at age 5 for Iowa City Swim Club. Swam for Iowa City High School and the University of Northern Iowa. After graduation, began coaching career. From 2000-2006, Head Age Group coach for the Iowa City Eels swim club, assistant (2000-2004)/Head (2005-2006) Boys high school and assistant girls high school coach. From 2006-2009, Head Age Group coach for ORCA and assistant coach for El Modena HS. Back in IA, helped start up the Iowa Flyers swim club.

Erin Robertson

Head Pre-Competitive Coach, LMS

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Erin Robertson is  a graduate from California State University at Northridge (CSUN) where she studied to become an elementary school teacher.  Erin has been involved in aquatics for the past twenty years, beginning her swim career at MSJA and continuing on to her high school team. Erin began teaching swimming fundamentals with Swim America and has now been with Team Santa Monica for over two years. She is the coach for the pre-competitive group; swimmers aged 5-10 and learning proper stroke technique. She also coaches the silver group, ages 12-17; mastering strroke technique and proper racing strategies.

Monique Shelton

Head Site Coach, CCP

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ASCA Level 4
A Life-Long Love of Sports and Competition:
 Monique began her Swimming career at age 4 with Phillip 66 Swim Club in Orange County  under the tutelage of Flip Darr and Don Gambril.   Her family moved to Arizona when she was 12 to a town that did not have a swim team (go figure), so Monique began participating in other sports, though successful at her on land endeavors (All- State Athlete in HS in both Basketball and Track,and college All- American, Monique still loved and missed swimming. At age 16 she moved back to California alone, and lived with a host family in preparation for Olympic Trials. Suffice it to say, 80 was not her year.  Monique still loves to compete-- these days, she races outrigger canoes on a national and international level. No matter where her path takes her, her heart is in the water. She has coached, life-guarded, managed pools, and taught swimming lessons, always keeping her connection to the water/swimming and sharing what it means to be an athlete with others. She wants each child to have that same passion and success in sports, and the tools to enjoy being active for a life-time!
College Coaching:
  She was the Asst. Men's/Women's Swimming Coach and Lecturer for the Health and Exercise Science Dept. at NMSU for 3 years  She developed weight training protocols, athlete assessments and recruited college-bound athletes.  During her time there, she had great access to the physiology dept. and was able to do some studies on the athletes and publish research (see below).  Wanting to get back out west, she took the job at CSUSB as the Asst. Men's/Women's Coach.  The University dropped the program the following year and that led to the formation of Streamline Aquatics (STAR). 
Leadership, Education, and Awards:
 Monique was the Head Coach at Streamline, and she developed some powerful athletes at that program.  In 7 years with STAR, she completed her Master's degree in Physical Education, was voted Eastern Section Age Group Coach of the Year, served on 3 Zone Team Coaching Staffs, was a Women's Sports Foundations/Budget Rent A Car nominee for Female Coach of the Year, and was named in Who's Who Among American Teachers.  She joined the TSM staff 3 years ago with vast amounts of experience over a couple decades (which she hates to admit).
Coaching Highlights: 
 Olympic Trials, Sr. Nationals, Jr.Nationals, US Open, National Top 16, Zone teams, and College Scholarships.
Research/Publications:
Article:
 Rohrs, D., Shelton, M., Arabas, C., "The Relationship between seven Anaerobic Power Tests and Swim Performance,"  Journal of Swimming Research. 1991; 6:4 15-19.  Presented at the National Strength Coaches Meeting, San Diego, June 90.

Abstract: " The Effects of Carbohydrate Supplements on Blood Lactate Concentrations and Heart Rates for Incremental Workloads." 
Clithero, L., Shelton, M., Arabas, C.

Ryan Mushin

Age Group Coach, CCP

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Ryan was raised in Stratford Connecticut. He swam for the Stratford YMCA where he competed in both summer and winter nationals. During High School he was named All-state in the 100 butterfly and the 50 free style his junior and senior years. He also held the conference record in both events. Ryan swam for Central Connecticut State University for two years until the program was retired due to Title IX.  Before coming to California he was Head Age Group coach for the Fairfield Fly Fins (2004-06). Ryan coached for Edge Swim Club (2006-2008) and is now coaching for Team Santa Monica (2008-present). 

Mary Mitchell

Age Group Coach, CCP

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Mary Mitchell is a graduate of Culver City High School in Culver City, California. She will be attending Loyola Marymount University where she would like to major in political science with a law emphasis and eventually obtain a law degree. She started swimming when she was 7 years old at the Plunge with one of the first recreational swim clubs in Culver City. She continued to swim with different club teams over the years and at 12 found a home with Edge Swim Club. She swam with Edge for 2 ½ years until she started high school and chose to swim and play water polo. In the summer of 2006, she returned to the Edge family as an employee.  She currently teaches the Pre-Competitive group . In 2006 she was employed as a swim instructor at the Culver-Palms family YMCA.

Marty Caverly

Board Member - President

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Marty and his wife Courtney (she takes all the orders for caps, clothes!) are the proud parents of three children, two of whom are active swimmers on TSM (blue 2 and red groups), and a third who is a “seasonal” swimmer.  Marty and his family moved to the West side of Los Angeles in the summer of 2005, having repatriated to the US after almost 8 years of living abroad in London , England .  A native Californian, Marty has been involved in swimming for most of his life.  He was an active age-group swimmer in the San Diego area, swimming under Coach Jeff Pease, for the gold medal team, North Coast Aquatics.  He also competed in national Junior Lifeguard competitions. He earned high-school All-American swimming honors, and then went on to swim varsity at Harvard University , where he majored in Government. Since moving back to the US , Marty has been active at TSM, serving on the head coach search committee in 2006-7 and, for the past two years, serving as the Board’s President. Professionally, Marty is a seasoned real estate private equity investor, with over 20 years of investing experience.  Marty recently started a real estate consulting, advisory, and principal investing firm, 2120 Partners.  He is a frequent panel speaker, active member of numerous real estate organizations, and a graduate of Harvard College (A.B. ‘89), and Northwestern University ’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management (M.B.A. ‘97).

Denise Kelton-Marsh

Board Member - President Elect

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Denise Marsh has two children swimming with TSM. Her son, age 14 swims in Sr. Development and daughter 13, in Blue 2.  The Marshes entered the swim world when their young son told his parents he wanted to surf, so the family joined the Palisades YMCA. Both kids swam at PALY, until the Marshes moved to TSM about 5 years ago. Ms. Marsh came to competitive swimming as a parent having never swum at that level herself. She says that she now has a working knowledge of “swim culture and what it means to be a swim parent.” Denise is a very involved volunteer for TSM.  This is her second term on the TSM Board (4th year) and was on the Board when the Culver and PALY teams joined TSM. Additional TSM volunteer positions include: Fundraising, such as the Swim-A-Thon and Raffles; assisting in coordinating Home Meets, all aspects of Volunteer Coordination; Website Updating, and Co-Chaired the Team Banquet (3 years). She is proud of her knowledge of the workings of TSM, and is on deck observing practice at SMSC about three day a week. Denise graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. with highest honors in Photography.  She is now a busy full time Mom who stays involved with her children’s activities by volunteering. She has served on several Parent Boards and chairs fundraisers.

Patrick Casey

Board Member - Treasurer

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Competed and coached at the age group, high school, collegiate and master’s level.  Past Board Member of Palm Desert Aquatics and Past President of Palm Springs Piranhas.  Member in good standing with Team Santa Monica since 2001.  TSM at large board member, long range planning task force chair and head coach search committee member from 2002-2005.  Presently serving the board and membership as treasurer since September 2008.  Spouse served the board from 2005-2008.  Three children on the team that have participated from beginning to most advanced groups.  Presently has children in SMSC Blue 2 and Senior Development.  Oldest son swam with TSM from 2001-2004 and then at Irvine NOVAQUATICS from 2004-2006 prior to attending the University of California – Berkeley as a four year letter winner  and All American.  Professionally is a PGA Golf Professional and Golf Coach and served the PGA of America as President of the Southern California Section.

Monica Potter

Board Member - Secretary

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A parent to Steven Turnbull, a 14-year old CCP Senior Development swimmer with Junior Olympic qualifying times, who swims primarily at the Culver pool with Coach Monique.  They have been part of the TSM family since early 2008 when the Edge swimmers became part of the TSM team.  She was appointed to the TSM Board at that time as part of the union of thetwo teams.   As a certified paralegal for more than 20 years, Ms. Potterhas an extensive background and experience with the corporate, litigation transactional, and estate planning areas of law.   She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Mount St. Mary's College.

Derek Gipson

Board Member - At Large

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Derek Gipson is a native of Santa Monica.  As a youth, he competed as an age group swimmer for Team Santa Monica and continued his swimming at Santa Monica High School. Currently, he has two daughters who swim for TSM, ages 9 and 7 smsc blue 1 and red. He has also served as TSM meet director for last three home meets.  Professionally, Derek is an Assistant Vice President, Fixed Income Trader for a major bank. He is married to an amazing sixth grade teacher.

Dr. Robert Merz

Board Member - At Large

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A Cardiologist at Pacific Heart Institute in Santa Monica, and himself is an active SCAQ masters swimmer.  He has three daughters who were all age group swimmers on the PALY swim team where he served on the boards of both the swim team and the YMCA, also serving as the swim meet director for eight years. As a parent, he has been involved in Southern California Swimming, High School and CIF meets, Y Nationals, Sectionals, and US Senior Nationals.  His oldest daughter swam  at Stanford, graduating in 2009.  Allison, his youngest daughter, is a current TSM swimmer in the smsc senior/national group and will be swimming at Amherst college beginning this fall.  He joined the TSM board in 2008 when the PALY program and pool were permanently closed, appreciating the smooth transition TSM provided at a very difficult time for the PALY swimmers. He brings perspective regarding the importance of volunteerism and the fragile nature of the swim organizations many take for granted.

Jesse Casso

Board Member - At Large

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Jesse Casso is the father of Isabel and Liliana Casso, both Senior Group swimmers. We have been active members of  TSM since 2002, volunteering our time, our home and making donations. We have been supportive of TSM when it had 70swimmers and now when it has 300 swimmers. Our family is very focused on diversity and inclusion. There is little of that in swimming. We worked to obtain a foundation grant providing scholarships for economically disadvantaged swimmers.

I am confident that our family experience at TSM and my work experience will allow me to be a capable board member.I was most recently the Chief  Investment Officer of The California Endowment.  I graduated from UC San Diego and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. I have lived and worked in Mexico and Japan. I have sat on and currently sit on a number of public and private company, and non-profit organization boards. I understand the accountability of boards to their constituents and believe that serving on the board of a parent led organization can be as challenging a task as any.