DST - Coaching Staff

    A Native Delawarean, I was born July 7, 1961. I attended St. John the Beloved Grade School, and then graduated from St. Marks High School 1979. I then attended the University of Delaware pursuing Criminal Justice and Political Science in addition to a full business curriculum. In 1982, I married Lisa. Today, we have three lovely children (Brittany, 18, Ross, 16, and Nicholas, 13).

    For 27 years I have been actively involved in coaching competitive swimming in Delaware. From 1977-1983, I coached at the Western Branch of the YMCA where we achieved two regional titles as well as eight championship titles. Simultaneously, I was the Head Coach of Oakwood Valley Swim Team, a Suburban Swim League team from 1976-1982, where we won the league championship title in 1979.

   From 1981-1986, I was the Head Coach of the Swim Teams at John Dickinson High School. In 1983, I began coaching the North Star Swim Club Team; and since then, we have won four league championship titles. From 1987 thru 1998, I began coaching both the girls and the boys swim teams at St. Marks High School. During this time, the team established a record of six consecutive state titles and had the second longest dual meet winning streak in the nation.

In 1992-1993, I was hired by Bobby Carpenter as Aquatic Director/Head Coach at the Pike Creek Fitness Club; this is where the Delaware Swim Team began. Since beginning the Delaware Swim Team in 1993, we have won the State Championship title for 9 consecutive years. We have acquired 11 Junior Olympic Meet Championships and 3 Mini Championship titles. In 1994, I purchased the Delaware Swim and Fitness Center in New Castle, DE to further improve the swimming atmosphere in Delaware. I am currently involved in the operation and management of this facility which houses over 4000 fitness members, a 400 member swim team, as well as a 500 member swim school.

My primary goal is; and has always been, to support and help improve the quality of coaching and the atmosphere for swimmers through out the State. The atmosphere at DST is one in which "Children Become Champions One Stroke at a Time."

In January of 2002, I began my tenure as a coach with the Delaware Swim Team. I began coaching at the USS level as a part time assistant with the local club team, while attending Virginia Tech University. My first coaching opportunity was at 16 as an assistant summer league coach and I am now entering my 15^th year working with competitive swimmers. I began as an assistant at Crestview Swim Club of North Brandywine Swim league. After two seasons at Crestview, I took over as Head Coach of the Elks Swim Team (also of the NBSL), where during a five season stay, we won two division championships. I finished up my summer league coaching career in 2003 after an undefeated season with Three Little Bakers of Suburban Swim League. A 1996 graduate of Salesianum School, I was a member of three state championship teams, receiving All State and All Catholic honors along the way. A multiple sport athlete until my sophomore year, I decided to focus solely on swimming at age 15, swimming at the USS level for Team Delaware, where I later coached both age group and senior level swimmers.

It was while coaching at Ursuline Academy that I met Mike Ramone and rest of the DST staff, and it wasn’t long until I joined the team. I have loved being a part of the DST family ever since. Currently, I am the Head Coach of our Junior program, as well as the primary coach for our Senior National group.

While at Ursuline, I had the honor of coaching numerous All-Staters, the 2002-2003 Catholic Conference Champions, the 2003 State Championship Runners-Up, and the Delaware High School Record Breaking 200 Free Relay. Taking over the Junior program at DST, in the Fall of 2003, has definitely been the most challenging, not to mention exciting, chapter in my coaching career. The opportunity to work day in and day out with the level of talent, drive, and focus that you find in our group has fed my growth as a USS coach more than I could have ever imagined. In the years since joining the team, I have had the pleasure on coaching numerous Zone, Sectional, Junior National, US National level swimmers, and even a National Age Group Record Holder. I was named 2007 Middle Atlantic Age Group Coach of the Year, as well ASCA’s Age Group Coach of the Year for the Middle Atlantic region. In the spring of 2009 I accepted my current position as Program Director. I look forward to each afternoon with my groups, and am honored to have the opportunity to direct one of the best teams in Mid Atlantic and the US.

Meet Kathy Drysdale...that is my assignment! And actually, it's a relatively easy one to complete. I probably fit into that category of a typical "Mom," who drove her overly committed kids everywhere, does a little bit of everything, and seems to never have enough time to do all the things I’d like to! Now, with one out of college, my last two at Villanova (and yes, they’re swimming), my chauffeuring days have come to a close ~ a welcome change, except now the “worry level” has increased!
So, you ask, how did I end up at the Delaware Swim Team?? That too, is pretty easy to get to, but I suppose I should start with some background.

It all began...(time for your recliner) many years ago, when my oldest son, who's now all grown up, started swimming on his first team. His coach asked me to be a timer. I said, "OK." Then she asked me to be a place judge. I said, "OK." Then, because I used to swim myself and taught lessons, and seemed to know what I was doing, she asked me to be a stroke and turn judge. I said, "OK." Then I was asked to be a starter.

You can probably see the pattern forming. But, soon afterwards, we left that team and started our own in a small Sports Center. The next thing I knew, I was taking even more classes and attending more clinics and was being called “Coach!” And it’s been all wet ever since!!

We moved back to Delaware from North Carolina about nine years ago. I really wasn't planning on coaching here, but that was before my kids started swimming at the Delaware Swim Team! As you probably already realize, I have a hard time saying, "No, I can't do that!" That became very obvious the year I was PTA President and had "Perfect Attendance" for at least checking the PTA mailbox daily!!

I do enjoy coaching and I love kids, so, put the two together, and the Delaware Swim Team seems to be the right place to be! I've known the Ramone's for many years (I met them when we lived in Delaware the first time), and when Michael asked me to coach a few hours a week, I agreed, and now I spend many hours here, usually working in the office!

In my spare time, I am the Head Coach of the A. I. duPont High School swim team, and am help at our summer club, Westminster. So, if you are looking for me, find the nearest pool and call out, "Mrs. Drysdale, Mrs. D, Coach K, Kathy, Coach, or Momma D," and I'll be sure to answer!!

Jocelyn Saunders jocelynsaunders@comcast.net

Jocelyn is a former World Champion and holds nine World Records in long distance swimming. She swam for Indian River Community College as a team captain. The team won NCJAA’s both years. Jocelyn also swam for the University of Toronto for three years. As a triathlete, Jocelyn competed in seven World Championships and was a member of the Canadian National Team. She also competed in 22 Ironman triathlons, winning her 21^st Ironman. After a life threatening bicycle accident, Jocelyn made a remarkable recovery and still competes in triathlons. In 2001, Jocelyn was honored by being inducted into the Ontario Swimming Hall of Fame in Canada, for her outstanding contributions to the sport of swimming. Jocelyn still has an All-American ranking in Triathlons.

Jocelyn has coached for the University of Calgary, the Pike Creek Current, Camp Ak-o-mak, Three Little Bakers, and the Delaware Swim Team. Jocelyn has coached the Three Little Bakers swim team for four years, most recently as Head Coach. Two years ago, Jocelyn resumed coaching swimming, Triathlons, and mountain biking at Camp Ak-o-mak, a swimming/wilderness camp in Canada. This is Jocelyn’s 5^th year coaching with DST.

Bruce Gemmell coachgemmell@comcast.net
Bruce is a certified ASCA Level 4 Coach placing within the upper tier of USA Swimming in terms of Education, Experience & Achievement. He has 40+ combined years of competitive swimming experience as a swimmer and coach. Bruce is a Delaware native, and is a graduate of The University of Michigan where he swam for 4 years, competed in multiple NCAA Div 1 Nationals, USA Swimming Sr Nationals and qualified for both the 1980 and 1984 US Olympic Trials. His coaching experience includes Age Group, High School, Collegiate and USA Swimming Senior National Level swimmers. He has worked, swum and coached with or alongside Olympic Coaches, Olympians, National Champions and Top 16 Swimmers throughout the years. His knowledge and his network within the national swimming community are invaluable tools in coaching today’s swimmers.

He is married to Barb Harris (also an Olympic Trials swimmer and Div I NCAA Swimmer at Northwestern) and has 2 children; Andrew and Erin

Brian Drysdale briand@freestyles.org
I began swimming on a competitive team at the age of 9 in North Carolina, after years of tooling around the lake every summer vacation. Just before I entered high school, I moved to Delaware, joined DST, and attended AI High School. I also swam for Westminster Swim Club during my four year high school career. During my time at AI, I set the freshman backstroke record being the first to break 1:00.00. I was also elected captain my senior year. My swimming continued as I graduated and went on to Babson College, where I continued to swim all four years. During my time there, I broke several backstroke records. I broke the 100 Back record my sophomore, junior, and senior years; the 200 Back my senior year; the 50 Back my senior year; and was a member of the record breaking 400 Medley Relay team my sophomore year. And again, my senior year, I was elected captain by my teammates.

I started coaching deck side with Westminster Swim Club in 1999, the summer after my sophomore year in high school. I was the assistant from 1999-2001. The summer of 2002, I took over as head coach and remained in that position until the conclusion of the 2004 season. During the time at Westminster, the coaching staff was raised to a higher level and we brought the team to a solid, competitive group in the Red Division (top out of 3). We also enforced good sportsmanship at Westminster, consistently winning the sportsmanship award. I have enjoyed carrying that over to other teams with which I’ve been affiliated.

I started coaching with DST after graduating from college in 2005. I began by taking the first steps in reviving the Masters Swim Program, as well as filled in where needed. I am still found on the deck coaching private lessons as well as in the office to help where I can. To match DST coaching, I also began coaching AI in the fall of 2005. I just completed my fourth season with AI as we saw the girls’ team finish 6th and the boys’ team finish 2nd! It was a great season and a great state meet as the boys’ team broke all 3 of the relay records! I enjoy coaching in the Delaware area; it is a very unique environment with the overlap of 3 distinct swim programs: Year round, High School, and Summer Leagues.

Clark began his swimming career in the NBSL at the Lane Swim Club as an eight year old. He went on to swim for the Brandywine YMCA as an age group swimmer, and for his four years at Brandywine High School. Clark then attended the University of Delaware.

Clark began his coaching career at Silverside Swim Club in the summer of 1991, becoming the head coach of that program in 1997. Silverside has won 9 NBSL Championships in his 10 years as head coach. Clark began coaching at the USS level with the Delaware Brandywine Swimming Club (DBSC) in 1996. Clark coached with DBSC merged until it merged with DST in 2000. He is currently the Site Director for DST’s Garnet Valley location.

Clark has also been a coach for the Garnet Valley High School Swim Team since the 1999-2000 season. He has been the head coach there since the 2004-2005 season. In his eight years as a coach at Garnet Valley High School, he has helped coach 25 PIAA District Champions, numerous State Championship Qualifiers, and 3 PIAA State Champions.

Clark enjoys working with swimmers of all age and abilities. He hopes to continue the traditions of excellence that he has helped instill in all of the programs that he has worked with.

With over 25 years of coaching experience as an age group coach, high school, summer league, zone, and senior coach, Chris is an vital part of our coaching staff. He is currently the Gold coach for TD and has trained multiple Junior Olympic qualifiers, summer and winter zone qualifiers, National Top 16 swimmers, high school champions, and National Junior Champs qualifiers. His high school team won four state championships and placed second twice. Two swimmers he coached attended the Olympic trials in 2008. He has coached individual high point winners at the Maryland Long Course Championships, Annapolis, Delaware State Championships, and Junior Olympics. He has also coached age group high point winners at the Delaware State Championships and the summer and winter Junior Olympics.