Keira Cruz
Head Coach/Senior Coach
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Keira is an American Swim Coaches
Association (ASCA) Level 5 coach with a long history as a swimmer
and coach at Lakeland Hills YMCA. She began swimming at LHY at age
5 and over the years became a five-time LHY National Team qualifier
and Top 16 scorer at Nationals. She went on to the University of
Massachusetts at Amherst where she earned a swimming scholarship
and served as a team captain for two years. After earning her
degree in Sport Management, she returned to Lakeland as a member of
the coaching staff working with all age groups. In 1996, Keira took
over as Head Coach of LHY Swimming. Since then, the program has
produced many Y National, Junior Championship, and USA Swimming
National qualifiers. Keira has also coached eleven YMCA National
Champions and a 2000 Olympic Trials qualifier. Also, she is a
member of the Northern New Jersey YMCA Swim League Committee. Keira
was elected to the YMCA National Coaches Committee in
2007. She is very proud of the winning tradition and long
history of being a reputable program that Lakeland Hills swimming
has become. The team has won many YMCA state and regional titles,
including a full sweep in 2000 & 2005.
Some of Keira’s coaching highlights
include: named as the YMCA National Coach of the Year in 2006; LHY
Girls team earning 8th at 2005 Y Nationals; LHY Boys team earning
2nd at 2005 Y Nationals; LHY team earning 5th place combined points
at Y Nationals in 2005 & 2003; coaching 1 YMCA National relay
champion in 2005 & 3 relay champions in 2003, placing 9
swimmers over the years in the YMCA Nationals Altitude Training
Camp in Colorado Springs; coaching Brian Elko to the 2000 Olympic
Trials in the 100 Back; coaching Gary Grant to six YMCA National
Titles; coaching Michael Gross to a YMCA National title in the 100
back; coach of the 2000 National YMCA Altitude Training Camp;
working with Mark Schubert and Eddie Reese at the Longhorn Swim
Camp in Texas; coach of three New Jersey Zone Teams; coach of the
USA Swimming National Age Group Camp Staff for two years; published
article in the ASCA Newsletter about the college scholarship search
process.
Chris D'Anna
Age Group Coach/Super Squad Coach
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Chris was a team member for ten years
before earning a swimming scholarship to Seton Hall University,
where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and a minor in
Psychology. He coached the Lincoln Park Dolphins summer team for 13
years as well as served as the Beach Director. He enjoys teaching
the fundamentals of swimming and watching the skill progression of
the developing swimmer. He has also coached at Wayne Valley High
School as head women’s swimming coach and at Seton Hall
University as a specialty coach and a student athletic trainer.
Chris teaches at the Wyoming School in Millburn.
Carrie Dickey
Assistant Coach
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Carrie started swimming for LHY when she was
8 years old. She was a Team Record holder and member of the
National Team for 6 years. She is a graduate of the University of
New Hampshire where she received an athletic scholarship in
swimming. She was both a member and captain of the Swimming and
Diving team and ECAC qualifier.
Currently, she enjoys competing in ocean
swims and triathlons. She is excited to be working with the kids
and helping them to achieve their goals outside the
pool.
Matt Elko
Senior Coach
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Matt grew up swimming on the Lakeland Hills
Swim Team and knows about its tradition. He is a former LHY
National Team member, YMCA National champion, and current team
record holder. He came back to Lakeland after coaching at the FISH
where he assisted Coach Ray Benecki in the training of World Record
holder Kate Ziegler. He started at the FISH February 2007 as an
assistant coach and was promoted to Head Senior Coach after 2
months. He has always been particularly interested in coaching
swimming, the history that goes behind it, and learning as much as
he can about the sport. Matt earned a B.S. Ed. degree in Health and
Physical Education at George Mason University. He swam for four
years at GMU under Head Coach Peter Ward. Matt coached at the
Auburn Swim Camp and at the National Distance Camp in Colorado
Springs during the summer of 2007. Matt currently coaches the
summer swim team in Mountain Lakes and is an ASCA Level 2 certified
coach.
Dave Leshnower
Age Group Coach
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Dave’s coaching philosophy focuses
upon the individual athlete’s journey toward attaining
his/her goals. LHY swimmers will develop self-worth and
confidence in their abilities with proper guidance through
education and development of technical skills. The team
experiences in Dave’s groups include a focus on: work ethic,
personal motivation, individual and team responsibility, honesty,
and self-discipline, while conducting themselves with exceptional
character, integrity, and team unity. Dave’s intense
love for the sport of swimming can be seen through his enthusiasm
on the pool deck and in his educational approach toward the
development of young athletes. Dave’s coaching
experience at LHY has ranged from Stroke Clinic through Age Group
2, and Junior 1 through Senior 2. He currently coaches the
swimmers in Age Groups 2 & 3.
In
addition to his work at LHY, he has been the Head Coach of the
Mountain Lakes High School men’s and women’s swim teams
for 15 seasons. The men’s team has won 5 NJ Public B State
Titles, and 7 county championships. In 2007, the men’s team
set the NJ State Record for the most consecutive relay
championships with nine. Dave was named 2007 Star-Ledger
State and NFHS Regional Coach of the Year. The women’s
team has been to the NJ State Playoffs 13 of 15 seasons winning 8
sectional titles (NJ State Final 4 eight times and runner’s
up 4 times) to go along with 6 county titles as well.
Dave’s high school teams have also boasted 13 high school
All-Americans during his tenure.
Also of
note, Dave has coached the Cruiser Club in Sparta for the past two
summers and has developed it into a very successful summer age
group swim program that embodies his philosophies and family
approach to youth sports. Prior to that, he coached the Mountain
Lakes Summer Team for 10 very successful years.
“The world of sports reveals many
heroes. So does every day life. It takes courage to
grow up and reach your full potential.”
Sean McCrudden
Junior/Senior Coach
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Sean swam for Lakeland Hills YMCA for 13
years and became a two time national qualifier. He went on to swim
for Fordham University where he was captain his senior year. Sean
graduated from Fordham with a marketing degree and is currently
pursuing a Master’s Degree in Special Education at William
Paterson University. He is now a Special Education teacher at
Roosevelt Middle School in West Orange. He coaches the Shongum Lake
Swim Team in the summer. During the 2004-2005 HS season, Sean
assisted Dave Leshnower with the Mountain Lakes HS team which the
boys won the Public B State Title. Previously, he has also coached
at Lakeland for three summers and taught stroke clinic while in
college. Sean is eager to learn and very enthusiastic about
coaching. He is a great asset to the coaching staff.
Hannah Papendick
Super Squad Coach
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Hannah decided to coach at LHY because it
had been her team for 10 years. She felt the coaches had helped her
learn so much and she would like to do the same for other swimmers.
Hannah was a member of the National Team in 2005. She is currently
attending County College of Morris pursuing a degree in
Education.
Kyle Silbernagel
Assistant Coach
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Kyle was a member of the Lakeland Hills
YMCA Swim Team for 3 years as well as a member of the National Team
for 3 years. He graduated from Fordham University last year and has
a strong interest in pursuing a career in medicine. He currently
coaches dryland training for the senior program. He is also working
at a local hospital’s emergency room.
Cathy Tahlmore
Super Squad Coach
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Cathy began swimming competitively at the
age of eight on the Lakeland Hills team. She is no stranger to LHY;
she is a past swim instructor, lifeguard, and fitness instructor.
Cathy previously coached the White Meadow Lake Swim Team for ten
years. She is a graduate from the University of Notre Dame and was
a member of their Cross-Country, Track, and Water Polo Teams. Cathy
is an 8th grade Science teacher in Madison and will be coaching the
Madison High School Cross-Country and Track team this year.
Last year she was named Star Ledger Morris County Coach of the Year
in Cross-Country & All-Area Coach of the Year for spring
Track & Field. She loves working with the younger
age groups and enjoys teaching them the fundamentals necessary to
be a successful competitive swimmer. Cathy will be coaching the
Super Squad groups to another fun and productive
season.
Greg Yarnall
Age Group Coach
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Greg began coaching at West Milford’s
summer team in 1989 and coached them to seven division
championships in nine years. He swam at Lakeland Hills and
then at Connecticut College for four years where he served as
captain his senior year. After graduating with a History
degree, he began teaching at Saint Elizabeth’s Academy where
he is also the swim coach and Assistant Athletic Director.
Greg has coached the HS team to victory by claiming the Morris
County Championship two years in a row and the fourth straight
conference title. In 2005, the HS team also won the
Non-Public State Title. In 2003 & 2005, Greg was named
All-Area Swim Coach of the Year. Greg has spent many summers
working at the Stanford National Swim Camp where he would refine
his approach to stroke technique under the guidance of Olympic swim
coach Richard Quick. He is currently an ASCA Level 3
certified coach
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