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Welcome

The Millcreek Swim Team welcomes you to what we believe is the best athletic activity for youth based on the fitness it builds, the coordination it fosters, the safety it ensures, and the lessons it teaches. Requiring the use of upper and lower body in an environment which provides resistance and limits the frequency of breathing, swimming develops high quality aerobic endurance. In other sports, one hour of practice may yield as little as 10 minutes of meaningful exercise. MIST practices provide fun, continuous aerobic conditioning. No other sport achieve proportional muscular development like swimming, which works all the body's major muscle groups. Swimming enhances a child's natural flexibility by exercising all their major joints through a full range of motion. Swimming develops superior coordination because it requires combinations of complex movement of all parts of the body, enhancing harmonious muscle function, grace and fluidity of movement. Swimming is the most injury free of all children's sports. It is a sport which provides fitness and enjoyment for life. Masters swimmers train and race well into their eighties. Swimmers soon learn that their performances in meets are a result of their own work in practice. We learn to take ownership of failures without blaming others, and we learn from those failures without dwelling on them. We believe all successful people (in all fields) were those who failed the most but kept striving and improving. Swimmers also learn that to perform at peak levels, they must take care of their bodies through proper nutrition, sufficient rest, and avoidance of hazardous substances. Finally, swimmers learn the value and necessity of time management. Children with no activities typically squander their after school time because they have so much of it. Swimmers learn they cannot delay homework and other responsibilities because of their practice schedule and their need for enough sleep.
    This section introduces you to MIST's History and Values, our Professional Affiliations, our Training Groups, the Types of Competition, and our Coaching Staff.

History and Values

MIST was founded in 1985 embodying the values of hard work, being the best one can be, long-term dedication to goals and lifelong fitness. We believe that youth should be honored for their accomplishments and encouraged to strive for greatness. Our vision of the future is one in which MIST: 1) continues to produce a large pool of motivated athletes with a solid foundation of skills and workout habits; 2) perennially has nationally-ranked swimmers with a chance to qualify for international competitions; 3) keeps a highly qualified coaching staff; and 4) procures and maintains a state-of-the-art long course training pool with appropriate equipment.
    Our mission is to provide a modestly-priced, quality, fun competitive swim program which attracts and retains a wide cross-section of youth in our community, teaching the values which competitive swimming showcases, and creating a big enough talent pool from which future national caliber swimmers will emerge.
    Our major objectives to accomplish by 2008 are:
    1. Get four or more swimmers qualified for nationals each of the next 4 years.
    2. Get eight or more swimmers qualified for sectionals each of the next two years.
    3. Get one or more swimmer(s) qualified for US Olympic Trials.
    4. Make available to as many people in our community as possible the benefits of competitive swimming.
    Since the beginning, we have used the following strategies to fulfill our mission. First, we stress and instill a solid background in all four  competitive strokes in all our training levels. Such diversity provides for better fitness. It further gives each swimmer a full range of options for later greatness. We also stress training and individual goal setting in distance events, knowing that swimmers with a distance background will have a good base for future success in all distances. Swimmers who specialize too early in sprints are closing the door on any chance of later success in all but a few swimming events.  Second, we encourage our 12 and unders to participate in other sports and activities in addition to swimming. They should experiment to discover what activities they are truly best at. They should be well-rounded so when they get older they won't wonder if swimming is keeping them from other things. For this reason there is no required number of practices to attend in our developmental and competitive levels, although the more practices a child attends the faster he or she will learn and improve. For those members who decide swimming is the one sport in which they want to excel, they should make a year-round commitment.
    Among the tactics we employ at MIST is to make every practice fun and rewarding. Simply playing games is fun, but we want our swimmers to finish practice with a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of pride over some new skill learned, or obstacle conquered. We recommend our Competitive level to compete in a meet about once every 4 to eight weeks. More frequent competition can make improvements seem less noticeable. MIST also places high importance of keeping a qualified, consistent coaching staff to insure the consistency of our objectives over the career of our swimmers.
    Many of our tactics are designed to give each member the most out of practice. Swimmers should always listen to and look at the coach when he or she is speaking. They should try to be in the water on time with their equipment ready. If swimmers need to buy goggles or caps, they may do so before or after practice, not during. If parents need to talk to a coach, the coach will be available sometimes before and usually afterward, not during. We don't want to take our attention off our swimmers. USA Swimming insurance rules prohibit parents and other non-USA-S members from being on the pool deck at practices and meets. We do, however, invite parents and family members to observe practices from the stands at their convenience.

Professional Affiliations

MIST is a member of USA Swimming, which is the national governing body of the sport. With the authority of the Amateur Sports Act, USA Swimming conducts the national championships, writes the rules, picks the international teams and coaching staffs, including the Olympic Team, conducts camps and clinics for all levels of swimmers, financially supports, through incentives, some of the major swimmers in the country, certifies the coaches of it's member clubs, and operates its own insurance corporation. USA Swimming divides itself into 59 Local Swimming Commitees (LSC) which are responsible for a defined geographical area. MIST is a member of the Allegheny Mountain Swimming (AMS) LSC which includes western Pennsylvania, and parts of southeastern Ohio and northern West Virginia.

Training Groups

The Millcreek Swim Team includes swimmers from 5 years old through college age who have a wide variety of skills and experience. With different training levels and coaches, we place our members in the group which best suits their biomechanical, physiological, psychological, and character maturity. Age is only one factor in the level of readiness. We want our swimmers to be in a level where they are challenged, yet not discouraged; where they are neither bored nor lost; where they can race swimmers of like ability and sometimes win and sometimes lose.

Sometimes we have younger children in higher levels than an older child. This is only awkward for the older child if he or she is made to feel as if they should be as proficient in the water as everyone in their grade at school. Every child progresses at different rates. There is no hurry. Maybe a swimmer is physically ready for the next level, but needs more confidence first. Or perhaps a swimmer started late and needs to learn more fundamental skills necessary for success at the next advanced level. Sometimes a child doesn’t have the attention span or desire for a longer practice session. Likewise, if a younger child has the skills, speed, endurance and emotional maturity to keep up with older kids, we like to move that swimmer up.

The decision to move a child to the next level must be carefully considered by all the parties involved: coaches, parents and swimmers. Sometimes it is better to err on the cautious side, for if a child finds he or she cannot keep up in a higher level, it can be both embarrassing to lag way behind and disheartening to move back down to the lower level. Children struggling to keep up in a level that is too difficult will develop inefficient technique as they race everything to avoid getting lapped again.

The initial suggestion to maybe move up a swimmer can come from parents or swimmers. Coaches will not be offended if you suggest a swimmer move up to another coach’s group. Parents certainly know the maturity level of their children. At the same time, a coach knows the requirements of the next level and parents should respect when a coach suggests that a promotion wait a while longer.

As an introductory level for mainly 8 and under swimmers, Age Group One meets 3 times per week. Sessions are 30 to 45 minutes long (depending on the season) which is sufficient for younger attention spans. The prerequisites to begin this level include the ability to swim 25 yards (one length) with a breathing pattern (no head up or doggy paddle), and the ability to follow the directions of the coach independent of the parent/guardian.

To advance to the next level, swimmers should have the following developments and performances:

TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Swim 25 yards/meters of each of the four competitive strokes. Learn to circle swim, leave 5 seconds apart, and begin to use the pace clock.
COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE: None
BIOMECHANICAL DEVELOPMENT: Maintain a streamlined body position at varying depths. Execute a breakout from a pushoff – streamlining, kicking and pulling to get up to the surface. Demonstrate proper rolling motion in free and back. Do a proper front and back start off a starting block. Demonstrate proper arm recovery in free, back and butterfly. Count the number of strokes taken per length.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Have the ability to complete the practice session. Be able to swim continuous for ten minutes.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Understand that they are part of a team. Listen to recommendations from the coach and try to make the appropriate changes. Be ready to start practice on time with the necessary equipment. Pick up and put away equipment used at practice. Give the coach their full attention which includes being quiet and looking at the coach when he or she is talking. Know the team name and team colors. Know the names of the other swimmers in his or her practice group, and know the names of the other practice groups.

Our second level may be a continuation of the first age group level, or it may be an introductory level for children 9-13 who have never been on a swim team before. Age itself is not a major determiner for placement in this level. At least 50% of these practices is dedicated to technique instruction and refinement. Endurance and speed training each compose about 25% of the Level Two practice. Most swimmers will have B times and lower although some may have some BB or A times in shorter events.

To advance to the Competitive training group, swimmers should have the following developments and performances:

TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Swim sets of 6 x 50’s of each stroke. Swim a legal 100 Individual Medley (IM). Accurately count repetitions and compute distances. Use the pace clock to complete a set on the proper interval without prompting from the coach. Understand the importance of stroke counting and stroke rate.
COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE: Participate in competitive situations for the primary purpose of skill development (e.g. time trials, intrasquad meets, dual meets and other entry level competitions).
BIOMECHANICAL DEVELOPMENT: Execute a start off the blocks, streamline 15 or more feet underwater, and breakout to the surface with little resistance. Execute legal turns for each stroke and the IM. Perform a proper breaststroke pullout. Demonstrate techniques for maintaining long strokes for 100 yards in each stroke.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Swim 20 or more minutes continuously. Complete an endurance set without skipping any part of it.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Demonstrate good sportsmanship, such as congratulating opponents, not throwing goggles, and trying hard even when the odds of winning are slim. Learn basic time management skills such as completing homework on time and balancing other activities and household chores while attending practice regularly. Take pride in being a member of MIST, learning the history of the team. Participate in team cheers and support and cheer for teammates during competition and practices. Know the names of all MIST coaches including coaches of other groups. Know the names of a few major swimmers at the national and international level.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Understand that making mistakes and getting disqualified or losing is part of the sport. We often learn more from failure than from success. Describe the relationship between nervousness and performance.

Technique is such a major determiner of success in swimming that it is an integral part of every practice in every level. Once in Age Group 3, however, most of the technique work is done in context. We work on technique while doing endurance and speed sets. Swimming with proper technique when going slow does no good if the stroke falls apart at race speeds. Swimmers should concentrate on good technique even when tired in a workout, to approximate how they will feel in races. Swimmers are typically presented with at least one practice set that is difficult to complete, giving them the chance to face a challenge and either feel good about succeeding or learn from failure. Swimmers in this level are introduced to more endurance sets since distance training is crucial to later athletic development.

To advance to Pre-senior, swimmers should have the following developments and performance:

TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Completion of all of the following sets: 5 x 200y IM (3:30); 7 x 100y kick (2:00); and 12 x 100y free (1:30); plus one of the following: 10 x 100y back (1:45); 10 x 100y breast (2:00); 8 x 100y fly (1:55); or 6 x 200y free (3:00). Ability to monitor pulse and maintain the proper heart rate on both endurance and lactate sets.
COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE: Compete in most of the events in his or her age group. Be under the following times in yards: 100 free- 1:05; 500 free- 6:30; and 200 IM-2:50. Have at least 5 "A" times or better.
BIOMECHANICAL DEVELOPMENT: Average 7-10 yard streamlines off every wall on every repeat throughout the workout. Demonstrate good technique on all sets even when tired. Understand optimum stroke rates and stroke counts for all events and experiment in practice and meets to find the best ratio for themselves.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Perform test sets with maximum effort. Perform training sets from start to finish without interruptions to use the rest room, fix goggles, replace caps, etc. Learn proper stretching exercises and basic dryland routines like abdominal workouts, pushups, dips, pullups, medicine ball throws and plyometrics.

At MIST we believe our younger swimmers should be well-rounded, experiencing a spectrum of activities and interests. We would never want a high school age swimmer to reflect and wonder if he or she missed something at a younger age. With this approach, 12 to 15 year olds can make a reasoned decision if swimming is their main interest. The main difference between the developmental and competitive levels and the Pre-Senior group is the level of commitment which the Pre-seniors have made to swimming. They have decided they can be good at it; that they want to get a college scholarship in swimming; that they can achieve a level of greatness in it; that they are willing to sacrifice some other interests to fully challenge themselves in this sport.

Pre-seniors must make a commitment to be at every practice session and put forth a full effort at every one. They must become the role models for the development groups. Typically swimmers may join this group when they are 13 or 14 years old, since maturity is an important is an important pre-requisite. Often coaches will design workouts for this group at which most will likely fail. Swimmers must learn to persevere: resolve to succeed at those sets later, without giving up. This prepares them for both tough competition and senior level swimming.

To advance to the senior group, swimmers should achieve the following:

TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Completion of all the following sets (short course yards):

                                       Girls                             Boys

and one of the following:

Besides these aerobic goals, swimmers should be able to exert maximum effort (hear rate of 180 and above – 29 for 10 secs.) on lactate sets, holding within 5-10 seconds of best times when work:rest ration is 1:2 or greater.
COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE: Pre-senior swimmers should represent MIST at major meets over both yard and long meter courses. Swimmers who want only to train and not compete for their team are missing out on the valuable skill enhancement which such meets provide. If a swimmer does not wish to represent MIST at such meets, that person should remain in the Developmenetal Three level. To advance to the Senior group, swimmers should equal or better at least half of the following goal times:

                                   Girls                                         Boys

                          LCM                Yards               LCM                 Yards

BIOMECHANICAL PERFORMANCE: Swimmers should have efficient techniques for all strokes and maintain them throughout workouts. Execute powerful starts and well-timed relay exchanges.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Experienced with all major dryland activities including medicine ball exercises, Vasa trainer techniques, plyometric exercises, and proper pullup, pushup and dip skills. Maintain healthy nutrition. Maintain and improve strength and aerobic conditioning 12 months a year.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Swimmers should understand the relationship between practice habits and meet performance, and take responsibility for their level of effort. Swimmers will take greater responsibility for attendance at practice. They should not be swayed by friends from diligence toward goals. Swimmers will know the names of their competitors and the qualifying times for the next level of meet they are targeting as a goal: e.g. Zones, Sectionals, Juniors, Nationals.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Swimmers will learn basic visualization principles and techniques. They can see in their mind’s eye a race from start to finish. They can develop a pre-race routine. They realize that positive comments help reduce stress, enhance self-image, and can increase enjoyment of competition and practice. They further understand the damage which negative self-talk can do to mind and body. Negative conversation can contribute to low self-esteem and sabotage the enjoyment of the sport.

Most members of our senior team will be high school age and above because of the importance of strength, power, coordination, and maturity to the training process. Some eighth and seventh grade girls may fit the senior program, just as some 13 year old girls make junior and sectional cuts while most boys don’t make their first cut until 15, 16 or 17.Senior swimmers will most likely have to make swimming their one sport since they must attend 8-9 practices per week including morning and afternoon sessions and weight training.

Goals for our senior swimmers will still be as unique to the individuals as they are for age group swimmers, yet those individual goals must include excelling at a national level: be it through USA Nationals, the NCAA championships, or the high school All-American program.

To advance to the Senior Elite Group, swimmers should achieve the following:

TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Completion of all of these sets:

                                             Women                                         Men

                                     LCM                 Yards                   LCM                 Yards

and one of the following sets:

In the lactate peak category, swimmers should be able to complete 4 x 200’s prime stroke on 6:00 holding each one within 5 – 10 seconds of their best unrested time.
COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE: Swimmers should achieve one of the following:

National championship qualifying time plus 3 seconds per 100 for freestyle events; or
National championship qualifying time plus 4 seconds per 100 for stroke/IM events.

BIOMECHANICAL PERFORMANCE: Swimmers will know their optimum stroke rate and distance per stroke ratio for each event they swim, and maintain this ratio on all race-pace sets in practice. They will be able to demonstrate and describe methods to reduce resistance in the water.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Swimmers will demonstrate improvements in muscular strength and endurance through a dedicated, consistent (4-6 days per week; 1-12 months per year) lifting and dryland program. They will maintain full effort on all test sets. They can describe the relationship between training sets and energy systems. They demonstrate understanding of training periodization.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Swimmers will accept the responsibility of being a leader and role model and will lead by being a positive example. The swimmers take responsibility for practice habits and meet performance. In the area of self-discipline, swimmers will understand the short and long term effects of performance-enhancing drugs. Swimmers will also master time management skills so that outside activities do not interfere with practice and meet attendance, and so that academics are not adversely affected.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Swimmers will use imagery and breathing regulation techniques to calm the mind and relax the body. They will practice visualizing races from start to finish in complete detail. They will use these techniques to optimize competitive arousal and maintain optimal arousal level regardless of any uncontrollable occurrences. Swimmers will learn to focus on things they can control, such as personal performance.

Types of competition

Swimming events for freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and medley (all four strokes together) are conducted in three courses and over various distances depending on the age group. The course can be either short yards (a 25 yard pool), short meters (a 25 meter pool) or long meters (a 50 meter pool). USA swimming (and colleges and high schools) typically run short yard courses during the fall and winter seasons. The long course season runs from mid spring through summer. Since the USA is the only country which runs yard competition, only American and US Open records can be set in those courses (not world records). When USA Swimming conducts nationals and other meets where a team will be selected for international competition (Olympics, Worlds, Pan Pacifics, Pan-Americans, World University Games) it uses meter pools (long course except for the short course world championships).

Free style events can be conducted over the following distances: 50, 100, 200, 400 (meterr only), 500 (yards only), 800 (meters), 1000 (yards), 1500 (meters), and 1650 (yards) in pools; and 5 kilometers, 10k, 25k for open water events.  The free relays can be 200, 400 and 800 yards/meters. Backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly events are 50, 100, and 200 distances. Individual medleys (IM) are 100 (short courses only) 200 and 400. Medley relays are 200 and 400. The stroke order for an IM is butterfly-backstroke-breaststroke-freestyle, while the order for a medley relay is backstroke-breaststroke-butterfly-freestyle.

Not all of these distances are offered for all age groups. Senior (sometimes named "open"), 17-18, 15-16, 15-18, and 13-14 events are conducted over all distances for freestyle, over 100 and 200 for the strokes, and over 200 and 400 for medleys. Fifties in the strokes are offered in some meets (e.g. Junior Nationals), and are increasingly used in World Cup and other international competitions (but not the Olympics).

The 11-12 age group does 50's, 100's and 200's in all strokes, and the 400/500 in freestyle; and 100 and 200 in the IM (you cannot do a 100 IM in a short course). Longer free events are offered in special distance meets. The 9-10 age group (sometimes listed as 10 and under, when a separate 8 and under group is not offered) does 50's and 100's for free and stroke events; 100's for the IM, and 200's for freestyle, free relays, and medley relays. The 8 and under group (when offered) typically does the 50 and 100 free, 50's for the other strokes, and the 100 IM. At some Mini Meets 25's are offered and age categories are just eights, just sevens, and 6 and under.

Please note that the summer league in which we compete offers just 25's for 6 and unders, 8 and unders, and 9-10's; and just 50's for 11-12's, 13-14's, and 15-17's. This is not sanctioned USA competition; just a fun introduction for developmental swimmers.

Since USA swimming tries to avoid (sometimes unsuccessfully) meets (or sessions of a meet) from running over 4 hours, the levels of competition are segregated into types of meets. Dual meets are competitions between two clubs which typically offer just the shorter events to maximize participation and minimize the time. There are no qualifying times for these and while you always try to win, our goal in a dual meet is to give every swimmer a chance to compete and lower his or her best time. Since swimmers should swim a wide variety of events throughout a season, the coaches will choose the events.

Mini meets for 6 and under, seven year olds, and eight year olds are offered about once a month in the the Pittsburgh area. Age Group Open Meets are offered about the same frequency and a open to all swimming abilities. Since there are no qualifying times for Age Group Open meets, these are good meets for the whole team to go. These are also good first meets for a developmental swimmer.

Developmental Meets (B and BB meets) are offered for swimmers slower than a designated time yet faster than another cut time. This way the competition is more even. The purpose for these meets is to provide fairly even races where the goals are to have fun, try to hit a best time, and earn an A time to qualify for an elite meet. Most developmental meets are "closed," which means only members of Allegheny Mountain Swimming can compete.

Invitationals (or elite meets) are typically "open" to USA-S members of other LSC's as well as AMS. The qualifying times are A or AA or above. Examples of invitationals which MIST attends are the Braun Fall Classic (Cleveland-November), the Christmas Meet (Pittsburgh-December), Short Course Junior Olympics (Bethel Park-January), The A Championships (Pittsburgh-late February or early March), The Classic (Monroeville-May), The Chief Executive Challenge (Pittsburgh-June), the Buffalo International (July), and Long Course Junior Olympics (Pittsburgh-July).

All age groups starting with 10 and unders, are eligible for the Eastern Zone Championship, held twice per year. Allegheny Mountain chooses an All-Star teams based on performances during each season (short and long course). These all-stars represent AMS against 12 other LSC's in the Eastern Zone. Zone meets (there are 4 in the country) are the highest level age group competitions offered by USA swimming, which does not believe in the concept of a national championship for age group swimming.

The next level of competition offered by USA Swimming is Sectionals. There are 13 sections in the USA and each section can divide it's meet into two regions (our section does). USA-S used to offer 2-3 junior national competitions for areas of the country but currently does not. The National Club Swimming Association (of which MIST is a charter member) offers one Junior National competition in the early spring, and one in the summer, both of which are sanctioned (but not organized) by USA Swimming.

After sectionals, USA-S conducts the Phillip 66 National Championships (one in spring and one in summer- although there is discussion about making just one nationals each year). Nationals often serve as selection meets for international competition. USA-S also conducts the Olympic Trials Meet once every four years an the US Open Meet in December.

In all USA-S meets, a swimmers age group is determined by his or her age on the first day of competition. Just to make matters confusing, our summer league determines a swimmer's age as of June 1, each year.

To enter a meet for MIST, swimmers or their parent(s) need to pick up an information sheet about the meet (available in the magazine rack and posted on the large bulletin board), check the qualifying times (if any) and complete a MEET ENTRY FORM (available at the pool and on this site with a check for the fees made payable to MIST. The meet information form will also list the entry restrictions (number of events allowed); whether the meet is timed finals or prelim-finals; if there is a surcharge per swimmer; and directions. Swimmers should enter their best times and are encouraged to keep a log book of times for easy reference. Hard as it may be to believe, the MIST coaches don't remember every time for all 150 plus members on our team (we have them on the computer). If you ask us "does my child qualify for these events?," we might not know off the top of our heads.

Regarding relays, the club will choose and pay for the relays. We will pick the best combination if there are enough swimmers in an age group. Please have meet entries to Coach Schultz by the MIST deadline (written on the meet info, and earlier than the meet host deadline). 

Coaching staff

Part of the success of MIST is the continuity of coaching. Many MIST coaches have been with the club for several years, some beginning as athletes. Head Coach David Schultz co-founded MIST in 1985 and since that time has coached all levels including qualifiers for zone, sectional, junior national, national and Olympic trial competition. He is an American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) level 4 coach; a member of numerous other coaching and officiating associations (NISCA, CSOA, PHSSCA, WSCA,); a certified instructor in swimming, lifeguarding, first aid and CPR; and the coach of McDowell High School boys' and girls' swimming and water polo teams. He is a former grad assistant at Syracuse University, a former president of the Pennsylvania High School Swimming Coaches Association, and a former swim camp director at Edinboro University.

Bill Welsh has been with MIST almost since it's inception and helped lay the groundwork for its creation. He coaches Developmental Three, and Pre-senior and Senior sprint groups. Both funny and stern at practice, Bill motivates kids to like to work hard. When his Level three's move up to Pre-senior, they know how to work hard. He is a former coach at McDowell High School, Edinboro University, Cathedral Prep and Kahkwa Club, and founded the McDowell water polo team. He was an All-American swimmer at Clarion University and teaches math at Grandview elementary school.

Sue Weber coaches Level One's and Two's helping every MIST swimmer get a solid start on a path to future greatness. She is meticulous with stroke technique making sure each of her swimmers are fully ready to advance to the next levels. She has been with MIST since 1997 after many successful years as a swimming and water safety instructor and aquatic director at the Erie YWCA. She is an American Red Cross instructor trainer in lifeguarding and swimming and is also an instructor in  first aid and CPR.  

Bill Welsh	Sue Weber	David Schultz	Mike Esper

Mike Esper is a former MIST and McDowell swimmer who also assistant coaches with the McDowell High School swim teams. Mike coaches Developmental Two's during the fall, winter and spring sessions and heads up Developmental Three's and Pre-seniors in the summer. His creative ways to keep younger swimmers captivated while learning and working hard make him a valued member of the MIST staff. Mike's fun approach to practice is a key reason MIST's boys squad is growing while other teams are losing numbers. Mike graduated from Ithaca College and was an All-American swimmer in high school and a starter on the water polo team.

Ashley Marsteller joined the staff in 2007 as a coach of Developmental Ones and Two's. She is a former MIST swimmer who swam at McDowell High School and John Carroll University. Ashley also works as a swim instructor and lifeguard/pool manager for the Millcreek Parks and Recreation Department.