Coaching Staff
Coach Zach coached for 8 years as a USA Swimming coach with the Delaware Swim Team prior to joining DSA. In his time there, he coached all ages and abilities ranging from beginners to DIAA High School State champions. Previously, he was the head coach of the Tatnall Summer Swim Team for 5 years in the NBSL. Zach's philosophy of coaching focuses on making each athlete a better person first and a better swimmer second. He emphasizes the importance of self-determination, goal setting, and supporting your teammates. As a swimmer, Zach was an All-State swimmer and captain at the Tatnall School, as well as a member of the Delaware Swim Team. He went on to swim at both the varsity and club level at the University of Delaware as an undergraduate and graduate student athlete. Zach has served as the Head Coach of DSA since its inception in 2021.
Coach Zach is the Lead Coach of the Senior Elite Group at the Wilmington site.
Coach Chris coached seven seasons prior to joining DSA in the fall of 2021: two with Timber Lane Swim Club as an assistant coach, five at River Road swim club as head coach, and one with the Brandywine Y. Chris is currently USA swimming certified and holds a bachelor's degree in secondary education. Chris swam for the Brandywine Y for ten seasons and served as a three year captain at Mount Pleasant High School. Coach Chris believes in developing well rounded athletes who learn to take ownership of their own swimming.
Coach Chris is the Lead Coach of the Junior and Bronze Groups and also works with the Senior Elite Group at the Wilmington site.
Ann Silvers
Swim Team Administrator
Ann has years of experience working with swim teams and has spent the last twelve years poolside with her daughter. She has decades of administration experience, was a substitute teacher, and is an amateur photographer.
Ann is our Swim Team Administrator, overseeing team registration, billing, and other administrative roles.
Since Coach Alyssa started off as a swim instructor when she was 16 at a YMCA in New Jersey and fast forwarding over 30 years, she has had the incredible opportunity over the years to privately instruct and coach here in the United States and in South America. She has not only trained her own children and others at every level; from infant and beginner swimmers to Delaware High School States, USA Zones and also being accepted on a top performing swim team in a South American country. She loves focusing on racing techniques and setting goals, along with a love of the sport. Having been trained herself to coach by many great coaches through the Y, Fitter Faster Coaches, and the Naval Academy, to name a few, Alyssa knows how important growing as a coach is and how words of a coach impact the joy, style and techniques of swimmers. She is a Certified USA Swim Coach, USA Stroke and Turn Official, and a USA Certified Admin Official. Her dream is to coach at an International Swim Competition with her team athletes in the future.
As a mom of four and educator, Coach Alyssa carries over a lot of the same objectives for her children into her coaching. As a swim coach, her objective is to always build up the next generation in great character habits; self discipline, hard work ethics, teamwork and joy in this wonderful activity, while training them in a sport they love, grow to understand and strive to excel in.
Coach Alyssa is the Lead Coach of the Gold Group and also works with the Junior Group at the Wilmington site.
Coach Stu has been a swim coach over the past 40 years. His experience includes coaching various NBSL teams in the area, the head coach of BRY, Concord High School, Brandywine High School, and numerous other clubs throughout Northern Delaware. He has twice been awarded the Delaware High School Coach of the Year during his time as a high school swimming coach.
Coach Stu works with the Senior Group at the Wilmington site.
Coach Christine swam competitively throughout high school and college. During high school, she swam for the Western YMCA and for Padua Academy. She competed in the District Championship and Delaware High School State Championship each year throughout high school. In college, she swam for University of Delaware Club Swim Team, where she qualified for the National Championship. She is very excited about this swim season and sharing her love for swimming with the athletes.
Coach Christine works with the Silver and Bronze Groups at the Wilmington site.
Coach Joey grew up swimming competitively in Delaware, competing for Middletown High School and Diamond State Aquatics. As a swimmer Joey was a member of the all-state team and a captain specializing in the 100 breaststroke and holds multiple team records at Middletown High School. He is now a student athlete at Washington College in Chestertown Maryland and pursuing a degree in economics with a minor in finance. Before coaching with DSA he spent time working with Delaware Riptide Aquatics, and Delaware Swim Team. Coach Joey is excited to return to DSA and hopes to make a positive impact on the community through swimming!
Coach Joey works with the Senior, Junior, and Gold Groups at the Middletown site.
Coach Bryce grew up swimming in Delaware for the Delaware Swim Team and at Mount Pleasant High School. He went on to swim at the University of Delaware where he was the CAA champion in the 500 free in 2021. Bryce brings his distance swimming knowledge to DSA and assists swimmers with goal setting both in and out of the pool. Bryce has coached summer league swimming for many years along side of his own swimming career.
Coach Bryce works with the Senior Group at the Wilmington site.
Coach Ryan is entering his third season coaching USA Swimming and his second season with DSA. Prior to DSA he was the head coach of Eastern Shore Aquatics and assistant coach of Caravel high school during the 2023-2024 season. Ryan began swimming in high school, competing all four years before continuing his career at the collegiate level. He swam for five years total—two at Goucher College and three at York College of Pennsylvania. He coaches swimmers of all age groups at the Middletown site.
Coach Ryan works with the Junior, Gold, and Silver Groups at the Middletown site.
Coach Lauren has been a swim coach for seven years and swam competitively throughout high school. In her coaching career, she was the head coach for the Sherwood Park’s summer swim team for 3 years and built their program from 40 up to 80 swimmers during her time there. Lauren was also the head coach of the DCC summer swim team in the summer of 2020, where she led the program of over 60 swimmers in their first summer. Lauren believes that focusing on technique creates a strong foundation for swimmers to grow into strong competitors.
Coach Lauren is the Lead Coach of the Silver Group and also works with the Junior and Bronze Groups at the Wilmington site.
Coach Julian has spent nearly his entire life in or around the swimming pool, growing up swimming for Graylyn Crest Swim Club, Chichester Aqua Eagles, and the Brandywine YMCA National Team. In High School, Julian was an all-state swimmer and Captain for Archmere Academy, specializing in the 200 yard Free and the 100 yard Fly. In college, Julian competed at both the varsity and club levels for Ithaca College. Julian has be coaching for the past 6 years now, with 5 seasons under his belt as an assistant between Gralyn Crest and the Y, and two seasons as head coach of Graylyn. He is always looking forward to working at DSA and contributing all he can to make better people and swimmers out of his group.
Coach Julian is the Lead Coach of the Senior Group and also works with the Gold Group at the Wilmington site.
Coach Vicki is the Lead Coach of DSA Middletown. Vicki began competitive swimming at age six, has coached at the high school and summer league levels drawing on her experience as a collegiate swimmer in Hawaii and Delaware. Her philosophy centers on recognizing each swimmer's potential and fostering a team environment. Vicki is excited to help young atheletes reach their full potential both in and out of the pool. Vicki is the proud mother of two daughters who swim competitively.
Coach Vicki is the Lead Coach of all Groups at the Middletown site.
Coach Delaney started swimming when she was nine and trained with Coach Zach for five years, which is where she fell in love with the sport. Since then, she has coached at the YMCA and been head coach at Persimmon Creek and Caravel Academy. She is currently a Junior at the University of Delaware studying Economics, but coaching is still a huge part of her life. Delaney loves working with swimmers at all levels and helping them improve, whether they're just starting out or training competitively. Her coaching goal is to make practice challenging but fun, and to help every swimmer get better while enjoying the water.
Coach Delaney works with the Gold and Junior Groups at the Middletown site.
Coach Kevin is in his second year coaching at the DSA. Over the past 20 years Coach Kevin has coached for the USA Swimming at the YMCA in most age groups and was the strength and conditioning coach for the National swimmers. He also coaches in the North Brandywine Swim League.
Coach Kevin was a swimmer in both high school at St. Marks High School and a collegiate swimmer at the University of Delaware.
Coach Kevin graduated with an Associates degree in Physical Therapy and a Bachelors degree in Physical Education with a concentration in Athletic Training. He has been Certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a Club Coach by the USA Weight Lifting.
Coach Kevin lives in Wilmington with his wife Dale and three children. Currently working in private practice Physical Therapy.
Coach Kevin works with the Junior Group at the Wilmington site.
Coach JP has been coaching swimmers for 30 years, serving full-time as the Head Coach of the Brandywine YMCA Swim Team from 1999 to 2009. He's coached countless YMCA National Championship qualifiers and finalists, US National Championship participants, and most importantly, hundreds of kids who have grown into amazing adults. Coach JP continues coaching as a hobby and enjoys the opportunity to help kids build self-confidence and learn valuable life skills through swimming.
Coach JP works with the Gold Group at the Wilmington site.
Coach Dave has been coaching since high school, starting as an assistant for his home pool, the Delaware Bluefish. He continued his SSL coaching career while swimming competitively for DBF, Salesianum School, GNBC, and UD's Club Swim Team. After college, Dave began coaching at Oaklands with the former Bluefish staff, and also served as an assistant coach for William Penn High School before becoming the head coach at Odessa High School, where he also coaches boys and girls volleyball. Coach Dave was named Blue Hen Conference Boys Swim Coach of the Year in 2024. Dave is thrilled to be a part of the DSA staff as a USA Swimming coach.
Coach Dave works with the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Groups at the Middletown site.
Coach Emma has been swimming since the age of six. She swam competitively for Unionville High School and several Pennsylvania club teams before joining Delaware Swim Team, where she trained under Coach Zach for two years. She later became one of the first members of DSA, swimming with the team from its first season.
Emma attended Loyola University Maryland and competed on the university’s club swim team. She has also taught swim lessons for the past four years, helping young swimmers build confidence and develop strong fundamentals in the water.
Her coaching experience includes one year at DuPont Country Club and three years at Kennett Country Club. Having grown up swimming at DSA, she’s thrilled to return as a coach and share her love for the sport with the next generation of swimmers.
Coach Emma works with the Silver and Bronze Groups at the Wilmington site.
Coach Caitlin grew up swimming competitively for Delaware Swim Team and Sanford School. She then continued her swimming career at University of North Carolina Wilmington where she was an active varsity member of her collegiate team. Caitlin specialized in all butterfly events, IM and mid-distance freestyle. After college, Caitlin coached for three seasons at Delaware Military Academy and has been a private mechanics instructor for kids of varying levels. Currently, Caitlin works at JPMorgan Chase in Cyber Security. Caitlin is looking forward to working with all the swimmers in her group and having a fun season.
Coach Caitlin works with the Gold Group at the Wilmington site.