Coach Rick Klatt has over 40 years of experience in all aspects of competitive swimming. He was the Aquatics Director of Special Olympics International for 4 years, a member of USA Swimming’s Disability Committee for ~5 years, he swam on 2 USA Swimming National Teams including the 1st World Championship in 1973, is an ASCA Level 4 Certified Coach, and runs the Fresno Dolphins swim team out of Fresno, CA.

Rick provides support to the Competitive National Coaching staff, and provides technical assistance to the Board.

Coach Aaron Helander is an experienced Swim and Triathlon Coach with a demonstrated history of working with successful athletes across multiple sports and ages. He thrives on knowing his athletes so that he can help them reach their individual goals while also building a group into a TEAM.

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. 

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. He also has multiple coaching/safety certifications including MISCA registered coach, NISCA registered coach, American Red Cross Lifeguarding with CPR/AED Certified, American Red Cross Lifeguard Certified, and he is USA Swimming Safe Sport Trained.

Aaron’s personal swimming experience is impressive. He is 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.

Welcome Back Coach Carter! Coach Marye Carter returns as a USADSS National Team Assistant Coach. She has over 40 years in the Aquatics business, including coaching, management, and leadership experience. She is intentional in her support and inclusion of swimmers who have developmental disabilities and has a gift for teaching storke mechanics. Currently, she is an Assistant Age Group Coach for Nation’s Capital Swim Club/J&MSwim, LLC, Alexandria, Virginia.

Here are just a few highlights from her comprehensive career.

• Named Nadar Por Vida Coach of the Year 2019

• Invited by the Ministry of Education for Bermuda to provide In-service training to physical education teachers, raising educational standards and expectations

• 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:

• Head Coach, Mount Vernon Park Swim Club, Alexandria, VA; 1995-1999

Coach Ruthe Zimmerman has been coaching for over 25 years in Wisconsin. She swam in college at UW=Green Bay and he 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.

Coach Ruthe has a heart for swimmers of all abilities coaching them to reach their goals both in and out of the pool.

USADSS is so lucky to have 2 fantastic, experienced coaches returning to help on deck at the 2023 National Training Camp next week! #WeArePumped

Dian Christensen-Hillis has been teaching children with developmental disabilities how to swim for 50+ years. With inspiration from her daughter, she was intentional as she created opportunities to elevate swimmers with disabilities in the USA. In 1991, she started a Special Olympics swim program at a YMCA to provide an extended sport experience. In 2006, 2010, & 2014, she was named the Head Coach for swimming for Nebraska at the Special Olympics National Games, and in 2010 she served on the Games Board of Directors. She went on to coach several times at the Special Olympics Global Games; In 2007, as a USA Assistant Coach in Shanghai, Republic of China; in 2011 in Athens Greece as USA’s Head Coach for swimming; as the Head Coach at a global meet in 2012 in Puerto Rico; and as Head Coach at the World Games in California in 2015. In 2011, Dian joined the Michael Phelps Foundation as an IM Ambassador where she assisted with the implementation of the IM Program for Special Olympics coaches and athletes. In 2019, she was named Assistant Coach for Open Water in Abu Dhab, was the trainer for the North America Special Olympics IM Program in Arizona, and she assisted Special Olympics Sports Resource Team with the production and revision of the 2020 Swimming Coaching guide. In 2020 and 2021, Dian trained Special Olympics coaches and athletes using an innovative virtual Michael Phelps Foundation/Special Olympics IM Program.

Lori Klatt is the owner of America’s Kids In Motion in Clovis California. For the past 14 years she has built a fun youth activity center with it’s foundation being America’s Kids Swim School then adding Excel Gymnastics, In The Spotlight Little Dancers and Preprofessional Dance Conservatory, The Campus Preschool and The NinjaZone.

Lori is passionate about the lifesaving skill of learning to swim and providing youth activities which provide developmental benefits and life skills for children. She finds joy in creating proud impactful moments for families every day!

Lori worked for the American Swimming Coaches Association for 25 years and has been teaching swimming since 1988. She coached competitive swimming for 16 years.

In her spare time, Lori enjoys watching her grandkids grow up!  She currently lives in Clovis, California with her husband Coach Rick Klatt.

We are so excited to announce that US Paralympic athlete, Leslie Cichocki, will be coming to Orlando to assist the USADSS National Training Camp Coaching Staff! Leslie’s passion is to build an inclusive program tailored to the needs of these special athletes that will allow them to compete at the highest levels. Leslie qualified and competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympics as the first swimmer with an intellectual disability for Team USA. She holds numerous American records in yards, long and short course meters. She also competed at the 2015 and 2019 Para Pan American games. Cichocki is a 1x Para Pan American champion, 1x Para Pan American silver medalist and 3x Para Pan American bronze medalist. January 2022- May 2023, Cichoki created a swim program at John A Logan Fitness in Carterville Illinois designed specifically for swimmers with disabilities. The goal of the program was to build endurance and improve technique. All participants had intellectual disabilities. June 2-11 2023, Leslie served as an assistant coach for the Athletes Without Limits US swim team at the Virtus Vichy 2023 Global Games. She is currently working with an organization to develop an advanced swim program for disabled swimmers in the Chicago southern suburbs. She is raising the bar, helping these swimmers to swim at a highly competitive level, refine their technique and build speed so they can compete at local, national, and international meets.

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.

Grasy is passionate about artistic swimming and inclusion. Grasy knows how to get things done, and she is already creatively including T21 Swim Warriors in artistic swimming practices and competitions. She is working 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 Organisation to further the sport of Artistic Swimming on an international scale.

Grasy provides support to the Artistic National Coaching staff, and provides technical assistance to the Board.

Head Artistic Coach Isis Sanchez is from Miami, Florida. She 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.

Welcome back Coach Trinity Noriega! 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.