Andre Salles-Cunha
Head Coach
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Andre has a long history in swimming,
together with a fantastic set of accomplishments. As a Stanford
Graduate, Andre was two-time PAC-10 Champion in the 100 Breast, and
was a three-time Collegiate All-American.
More
recently, Andre was Head Coach and Owner of North Florida Swimming
(NFS - USS), in addition to performing as an Assistant Coach for
the University of North Florida’s Women’s Swim Team. As
Head coach of NFS for four years, his swimmers broke 12 Florida
State age-group records, had 10 short course and 5 long course NRT
top-16 times, and achieved one National Age-Group Record. Andre
helped coach the university squad to two conference championships
in the Southern States conference. He also coached a summer league
team to a 39-3 dual meet record in seven years with the club, and,
prior to NFS, was Head Coach of the Holmes Tigershark Swim Team
(USS) for four years.
We
are excited about Andre’s background and knowledge in stroke
technique and conditioning. In addition to having benefited from
working with some very well-known names in our sport, Andre has a
natural desire to continue to learn more about the sport, and to
stay current with the latest ideas in swimming.
Carrie Miller
Head Age Group Coach
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Carrie began competitive swimming
for the Davis Aquadarts when she was five years old and continued
year round swimming for 13 years. Her best events were fly and back
and she still holds club records in the 100 and 200 meter fly as
well as relay records. In high school, she began playing water polo
and played polo at San Jose State.
Carrie began coaching in
the Davis Aquadarts summer program when she was just 12. She taught
private and group swimming lessons and stroke technique for many
years in the Davis area. Since moving to San Jose, she has
organized a summer swim lesson program in Sunnyvale and was the
assistant coach at the Shadow Brook Swim Team. We welcome Carrie
back for her fifth year at Almaden.
Jason Martin
Masters Program & Age Group Coach
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Jason is excited
to be back with the Whales. He began swimming at the Swim and
Racquet Club in 2002 and was team captain as a high school senior
in 2004. His coaching background began as a coach for the Almaden
Country Club Gators. He started as an assistant coach and finished
his six year career as head coach of the 2008 Valley Cabana League
Champs.
In college,
Jason swam for the University of California at Santa Cruz while
getting a degree in chemistry. As a two year captain he achieved
All Conference every year and achieved an NCAA B-cut in the 400 IM
his senior year. Jason decided to come back his 5th year as the
men’s and women’s mid distance coach under Kim Musch at
UCSC. Here he saw much success coaching six NCAA All Americans and
helping both teams place higher than before at the Pacific Coast
Swim Conference Championships. Jason is very excited to be back,
this time coaching, at Almaden.
Chris Henry
Masters & Age Group Coach
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Chris has been coaching swimming for 18
years beginning on October 17th, 1989...... 4 minutes before the
big earthquake of that year. One might say his coaching career
started on shakey ground.
Starting
with Morgan Hill Swim Club, he has coached reputable teams such as
Mission San Jose Aquatics, Sunnyvale Swim Club, Stanford Covington
Racing Aquatics (SCRA, now known as "PASA"), and of course Almaden
Swim and Racquet Club where he started with the Masters in
1996.
He has
coached the full spectrum of swimmers including entry level
swimmers, kids with special needs, high school, various swim camps,
All Stars and Western Zone teams, and Masters swimming.
Aside
from swimming, one of his personal interests is meteorology. He has
often been referred to as "Willaird" when asked about what the
weather will be.
Dan Chapman
Age Group & Senior Coach
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Dan has been involved in aquatics for over 18 years.
Growing up in Almaden he swam with local swim teams. He went on to
swim and play water polo for Valley Christian High School where he
excelled in both sports. He then went on to play water polo for
Foothill College where he was a two year starter.
From Foothill he
transferred to Sacramento State and gained a bachelor’s
degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation Dan was hired at
Almaden Swim & Racquet Club where he is currently also the
General Manager. Dan will be coaching our Age Group and Senior
Group Swimmers.
Joan Smith
Age Group Coach
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Joan competed locally, starting
as an age grouper through the National level with the De Anza Swim
Club in Cupertino, CA. She continued swimming in college on a
swimming scholarship at the University of Miami, Florida.
During her summers she taught swim lessons at all levels and
coached at the Cupertino Hills Swim and Racquet Club and Santa
Clara Swim Club. Taking a long hiatus from coaching to
pursue high tech career at HP (20 years) and start a family, she
has and continues to stay active in the Masters Swimming Program
and still enjoys open water competitions when not attending weekend
swim meets with her daughters. Always having the feeling she
would return to coaching someday, she welcomes this opportunity
with the Almaden Swim and Racquet Club.
Jacqui Laughlin
Assistant Age Group Coach
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Jacqui
started swimming at the age of 9 on a summer cabana team. Ever
since then she has swam there every summer and, starting in 2006,
swam year-round. She has swum for Almaden for three and a half
years and loves it. She still continues to swim and hopes to swim
in college. Jacqui is a distance swimmer and likes to compete in
the 200 and 500 freestyle. She also swims for the Leland High
School swim team.
She started
coaching in the year 2007 as a Volunteer Assistant Coach (VAC) for
the summers of 2007 and 2008. In the fall of 2008, she was asked to
return to help the coaches and continued until the summer where she
took on a coaching position. She has been coaching the yellow group
for the past year and loves every minute of it.
