Puma Aquatic Team : Coaches & Directors

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Jud Clark

Puma Head Coach/Owner

This is Coach Jud’s 11th year with the Puma Aquatic Team and 13th year coaching competitively on the Central Coast. Jud completed his maters degree in Kinesiology from Cal Poly in June, 2011. Jud has also completed the coursework for ASCA Level 5 education. Jud’s goal for the Puma Aquatic Team is to "Teach and Inspire" the youth in our community. Each success and setback is an opportunity to learn a life skill that can be used beyond the pool. Jud is married and has 3 children that make his life complete both on and off the pool deck.

Karen Neil

Atascadero Site Leader

This is Coach Karen’s seventh year with the PUMA Ohana. Karen grew up swimming competitively in Southern California. She studied kinesiology at UCLA and Human Resources at LMU and UCDavis. Coach Karen has completed her ASCA Level 4 education. She was first certified as a USS coach in 1990, when she became the head coach of Penguin Swim Team. The Neil family moved to the Island of Kauai in 1997, where they enjoyed surfing, swimming and paddling outrigger canoes. They relocated to the central coast in 2004. Karen has a love and passion for teaching and inspiring swimmers of all ages and abilities.

Rich j Firman

Arroyo Grande Site Leader

Coach Rich retired from Cal Poly in 2006 after 19 years coaching the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs. He came out of retirement in 2008 to join PUMA. While he was at Cal Poly, Rich coached many Big West champion swimmers and divers and twice earned Big West Coach of the Year. Check out the announcement of Rich’s retirement to learn more about his career. In 2011, Rich was nominated and voted Age Group Coach of the year for the Coastal Section of Southern California Swimming.

Mitch Emerson

Arroyo Grande Coach

Christian Strauli

San Luis Obispo Gold Coach

Coach Christian is in his first year coaching at Puma. He grew up in the Bay Area in the town of Mill Valley and swam competitively from the age of 5 until he finished high school. After graduating from UC San Diego with a degree in French Literature, Christian coached for the Strawberry Seals for four years, the last three as the head coach of the team. Since then he has pursued a career in education, spending the last four years getting a credential from SFSU while teaching fourth grade in San Francisco. Christian is excited to be back on the pool deck helping young swimmers realize their full potential and motivating them to push themselves in the water every day.

Christina Esola

San Luis Obispo Cub-Silver Coach

Coach Christina is in her second year coaching with Puma and has many years of experience with competitive swimming and instructing. She swam for 4 years under Coach Rich Firman while at Cal Poly, and upon graduating with a biology degree, she continued to swim and compete at the Master’s level. She taught swim lessons for 6 years, and coached summer swim team for 2 years. She is married with 2 boys and still has the opportunity to get in and challenge herself in the pool. Now coaching with Puma, she loves watching the children, as well as her own son, develop into amazing swimmers with a great pride in themselves.

Rachael D Foe

San Luis Obispo Cubs, Plat-Sr Coach

Coach Rachael brings experience and passion to her role as a Puma coach. She came to the Central Coast from Flagstaff, AZ where she swam for four years with Northern Arizona University in the Western Athletic Conference. Having an amazing coaching staff at NAU, supportive teammates, and fierce competition are all reflected in her knowledge of the sport and dedication in passing that on to others. Rachael graduated from NAU in May 2011 with a B.S. in Education, Secondary History. She is originally from Ada, Michigan where she swam comeptitively since age six and was also influenced by great coaches. She helped coach the RAYS swim team in Michigan as well as FPAC swim team in Flagstaff. She is excited for the opportunity to coach Puma swimmers!

Mario Esola

Bronze/Silver Coach San Luis Obispo

Andrea M Lorenzo

Atascadero Coach

Jeanette Butler

San Luis Obispo Platinum Coach

Jeanette has been part of the central coast swimming community for the last 18 years. She has a B.S. in Kinesiology and is currently pursuing a M.S. in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration at Cal Poly. She appreciates swimmers of all ages who work hard in the pool and enjoys helping them achieve their goals. Everything Jeanette does as a coach is becuase she cares about her swimmers and wants them to reach their full potential in the sport of swimming.

Amber Eckert

Arroyo Grande Cubs-Silver Coach

Amber was a club swimmer from 4 to 18 years old; beginning on 5 Cities Swim Team and later South County Aquatics. Amber also swam and played water polo for AGHS; with the 100 backstroke and the 200 freestyle as her favorite events. She began her swim coaching/teaching experience at 16 teaching swim lessons at the AGHS summer swim program. Currently Amber coaches for Puma and periodically still teaches lessons at the Avila Bay Club. She is working torwards a BS in Chemistry from Cal Poly SLO. This is Amber's second year coaching for Puma and she enjoys being involved in the swimming community. Amber likes helping kids' gain swimming knowledge, learn to have fun in the water and have enthusiasm for the sport!