Courtesy: USA Down Syndrome Swimming (USADSS)
(Florida, October, 2023) USA Down Syndrome Swimming (USADSS) is excited to announce the national coaches for both the competitive and artistic swim teams. These amazing coaches will direct the National Training Camp in Orlando, FL October 18-21, select the USA Down Syndrome Swimming National Team, and lead the team at the World Down Syndrome Swimming Championship in Antalya, Turkey in March 2024. The USADSS team finished in fourth place overall in the last World Down Syndrome Games in Albufeira, Portugal in October 2022.
The new competitive team coaches are:
Head Coach – Aaron Helander
The competitive team head coach is Aaron Helander. He is an experienced Swim and Triathlon Coach with a demonstrated history of working with successful athletes across multiple sports and ages. He is both an MISCA and NISCA registered coach.
Coach Helander has coached Kona World Championship Qualifiers, National Champions for both Swim and Triathlon, State Champions, Division 1, 2, & 3 college swimmers, and he coached at a MySwimPro International swim camp in Thailand (2022). He is currently the Head Swim Coach for Rochester High School and Heart of the Hills club team. He is also the Head Swim Coach for BK Training Systems Masters Swim Team.
He is a Triathlete with 21 years of Competitive Swimming. He was a Former D1 Scholarship Swimmer & Team Captain, IronMan Triathlete (2022), USMS National Swim Champion, USMS National Record Holder, MI Masters State Record Holder, USMS Top 10s, USAT National Qualifier Olympic Triathlon, USAT Nationals Open Water Swim 3rd place overall, 3 Disciplines Michigan Triathlon State Championship 2nd Overall, and Mighty Mac Open Water Swim 2nd overall in 2019.
Coach Helander has received several awards including: Human Relations Award 2017, Sparkle Award 2023, 10 within 10 Award 2023, Coach of the Year 2021, USAT National Qualifier 2021, Michigan Masters Distance Swimmer of the Year 2019, and Masters Swimming National Champion in 2018.
Assistant Coach – Marye Carter
Coach Marye Carter has over 40 years in the Aquatics business, including coaching, management, and leadership experience. Currently, she is an Assistant Age Group Coach for Nation’s Capital Swim Club/J&M Swim, LLC, Alexandria, Virginia.
Coach Carter has received several honors including. Nadar Por Vida Coach of the Year 2019; National Diversity Swim Camp Assistant manager; USA Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, CO; 2018; Eastern Zones Diversity Camp Manager, University of Maryland; 2015; Fitter and Faster (Olympian) Tour: Deck Coach (PVS); 2015, 2016, 2018 2019; Nadar Por Vida (“Swim for Life”) Volunteer Coach; 2003-2014; ASCA World Clinic, San Diego, CA (Presenter) 2002: Las Vegas, NV; 2006, 2017 Washington DC; 2021 Orlando Fl; Assistant Deck Coach for Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS) Long Course Championships; 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015; Diversity Select Camp Assistant Coach-USA Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, CO; 2006; Head Developmental Summer/Winter Swim Coach, Mansion House Swim Club (Northern Virginia Swim League-NVSL), Alexandria, VA; 1992-1999: and Head Coach, Mount Vernon Park Swim Club, Alexandria, VA; 1995-1999.
Assistant Coach – Ruthe Zimmerman
Coach Ruthe Zimmerman has been coaching for over 25 years in Wisconsin. She swam in college at UW=Green Bay and she went on to swim at UWGB and UW-Milwaukee where she earned her degree in Psychology and went on to get her Masters in Counseling.
Coach Ruthe has been coaching for the Fox Valley Wave since 2012 and have also been the Head JV Swim Coach for Appleton North High School for 4 years.
The new artistic team coaches are:
Head Coach – Isis Sanchez
Coach Isis Sanchez returns as the Artistic National Team Head Coach. In Miami, she leads the Miramar Mermaids Athletes With Disabilities (AWD) Team and owns Splash Magic Miami.
Sanchez is a Certified Artistic Swimming Coach with more than 5 years of experience with athletes with cognitive disabilities. She started the first AWD team with the Down Syndrome Association of Miami and Miramar Mermaids Synchro Team. Her experience as an artistic swimmer and coach have allowed her athletes to obtain gold medals and be in the first places in the United States and International Championships.
Assistant Coach –Trinity Noriega
Coach Trinity Noriega returns as the Artistic National Team Assistant Coach She stepped in at last year’s World Championship to help lead the USADSS Artistic National Team in Portugal. Trinity is an accomplished artistic swimmer. She has been involved in the sport for 12 years, consistently placing in the top 10 in national competition. Coach Trinity is a wonderful mentor and is dedicated to the girls and their success.
Technical Advisor – Grasy Noriega
Coach Grasy Noriega brings tremendous experience in Artistic swimming, marketing and fundraising. She is a Team Administrator/Manager/Coach of an Artistic Swimming Team (@miramarmermaids), a National Level Judge, a Trustee of USA Artistic Swimming Foundation, and a Board Member of Synchronized Swimming Southeast Florida Association.
She is working with the USADSS Partner, USA Artistic Swimming to improve opportunities for the AWD (Athletes With Disabilities) category in the United States. She is also working with the Down Syndrome International Swimming Organization to further the sport of Artistic Swimming on an international scale.
About USA Down Syndrome Swimming www.usadownsyndromeswimming.org
USA Down Syndrome Swimming (USADSS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to building partnerships and raising expectations for swimmers with Down syndrome. USADSS connects swimmers with Down syndrome to opportunities for personal growth as they journey toward inclusion in local, national, or international level competition.
About Down Syndrome International Swimming Organisation (DSISO) http://www.dsiso.org/
The Down Syndrome International Swimming Organisation (DSISO) was created to provide swimmers with Down Syndrome the opportunity to swim at World Class level through its World Championships held every two years, and also tracks World and Regional records.
