Minnetonka Swim Club : Coaches & Directors

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Ben Bartell

Head Coach

Coaches: National

Originally from Cedarburg, WI, Ben is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a degree in history. He coached at Minnetonka Swim Club part-time in the 2008 summer season before joining the team as Silver 1 coach in the Fall, 2008.

Ben is a two-time Olympic trials qualifier, and an NCAA All-American. He has coached in several clubs in the Twin Cities area as well as was age group coach at the Schroeder YMCA in Brown Deer, WI. In his coaching career, Ben coached numerous champions at the state and zone levels, as well as state record holders, and swimmers in the national top 8.

Ben holds the dual role as the Minnetonka School District's Aquatics Director and Swim Club Head Coach.

Daniel Berve

Age Group Coach

Coaches: White Group

Dan joined the Minnetonka Swim Club staff in 2007.

Originally from Papillion, Nebraska, Dan was a high school All-American who led his team to the 2003 Nebraska state championship and enjoyed personal wins in the 100 back (2 years), 200 free (3 years), and 500 free (1 year).

A 2007 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Dan was also a 2006-07 team captain, five-time All-American, five-time Big Ten finalist, two-time CSCAA Academic All-American, and ranks third all-time at Minnesota in 100 fly, fifth in the 100 back, and ninth in the 200 back. Following his final year as a Gopher, he competed in the 2008 Olympic Trials in the 100 fly and 100 back.

Dan gained experience by coaching U of M camps, summer league teams and as a fifth-year volunteer coach for the U of M men’s team. He also holds a Masters degree in Applied Kinesiology and Sport Management from the University of Minnesota.

Dan currently also serves as Head Coach for the Minnetonka High School Girls' Swim & Dive Team and Assistant Coach for the Minnetonka High School Boys' Swim & Dive Team.

Dan also holds the role of Assistant Director of Aquatics Operations for Minnetonka Aquatics.

Aimee Hukill

Age Group Coach

Coaches: Developmental, Novice 1 and Novice 2

Aimee joined the Minnetonka Swim Club staff in 2010.

Aimee's swimming career began in Alabama, where she swam for a YMCA team and enjoyed considerable success as a competitor. She was a four-time YMCA All-American and a three-time inductee into the Southeastern Swimming Hall of Fame.

At the University of Missouri, Aimee swam the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 200 and 400 IM. She lettered all four years of her college swimming career.

Aimee strengths as a coach and in lessons come from her experiences coaching in an Alabama summer league and assisting at University of Missouri swim camps.

Aimee is currently the Team Minnesota Age Group Zone Team Manager.

Aimee also holds the role of Learn-to-Swim Coordinator for Minnetonka Aquatics.

Nolan Sinkler

Senior Coach

Coaches: S3 and Senior

Nolan swam for Minnetonka High School from 2003-2008. Nolan was a 5-year letter winner, four-time section champion, state qualifier in seven events, nine-time All-State, four-time High School All-American, Junior National qualifier, school record holder, and state champion for the Skippers.

After high school, Nolan swam for the UW-Milwaukee Panthers where he was a breaststroker and mid-distance freestyler.

In the fall of 2012 Nolan restarted his swimming career with the Minnetonka Swim Club and is a 2013 national qualifier in the 100 breaststroke.

Nolan coached for the North Shore Swim Club in Whitefish Bay, WI from 2009-2010 before joining the Minnetonka Swim Club in 2010.

Nolan also holds the role of Lifeguard Training Coordinator for Minnetonka Aquatics.

Sara Goff

Age Group and Senior Coach

Coaches: Dark Blue, Senior and Acceleration

Sara joined the Minnetonka Swim Club coaching staff in 2011.

Sara swam for Minnetonka High School from 2003-2005, earning an individual State Title in the 100-yard backstroke, three team records and All-American status.

Sara then went on to swim for four years for the University of Wisconsin, Madison. As a Badger, Sara was a top eight Big 10 Championship finisher, an NCAA team member, a captain in her senior season and an Olympic Trials Qualifier in 2008. Sara was also very active within the athletic community, serving as president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and as a member of the University of Wisconsin Athletic Board.

Sara gained experience coaching in Sun Prairie and Waunakee Wisconsin throughout college.

Sara is currently a 2013 Central Zone Select Team Assistant Coach.

Gretchen Krumwiede

Age Group Coach

Coaches: Novice 2, Light Blue and Dark Blue

Gretchen joined the Minnetonka Swim Club coaching staff 2008.

Gretchen began her swimming career for in Waseca, Minnesota where she swam for the high school and club teams for 6 years.

Gretchen is a graduate of the University of Minnesota—Duluth with an Early Childhood Special Education degree.

After competing, Gretchen taught swimming lessons and lifeguarded at the Duluth YMCA and the Waseca Community Ed Dept.

Barb Scouler

Masters Coach

Barb began her swimming career in Mt. Prospect, IL, where she still holds their record in the 200 Fee from 1980 (1:53.63), 100 Fly set in 1979 (57.78), 500 Free (5:02.04) set in 1979. In 1978 Barb was state champion in the 100 Fly and placed second in the 200 free; in 1979 she repeated her championship in the 100 Fly, and added the 200 Free and 500 Free. That year she also placed third in the 200 Free.

While attending college at Southern Illinois University, Barb competed from 1980 – 1984, finishing her college career as a 16-time All American. As a freshman, she posted a school record 35 victories, winning 27 individual events, setting 13 school records, and being an AIAW All American in four events. Barb's swimming successs lead to her induction into the SIU Hall of Fame ~six years after graduating with a B.S. in Community Health. She completed a Physical Therapy Assistant degree in May of 1996 at the College of St. Catherine.

Barb continues to swim and set records today. She currently holds the national record for the 50 fly in her age group (which we're not telling) as a Minnesota Masters swimmer and has achieve All-American status in that event!

With a strong belief in how great the sport of swimming is, one of her children also swims with the team--and she encourages nearly everyone she meets to consider taking up the sport.

Sarah Steadman

Assistant Coach

Coaches: Developmental, Light Blue and White Group

Sarah joined the Minnetonka Swim Club staff in 2011.

Sarah swam for Minnetonka Swim Club. She also swam for Minnetonka High School from 2004-2008 where she was a two-time All-State honoree.

In college Sarah swam for Gardner-Webb University.

Sarah also serves as the Head JV Coach for Minnetonka High School Girls' Swim and Dive Team.

Kristen Steenvoorden

Assistant Coach

Coaches: White Group and Senior

Kristen joined the Minnetonka Swim Club coaching staff in 2012.

Kristen is originally from East Brunswick, New Jersey where she began her swimming career with Scarlet Aquatics and helped her team win the 2007 Eastern Sectional Team title. During high school Kristen was a Senior National qualifier and a finalist in the 400 IM at Junior Nationals.

Kristen continued her swimming swimming career swimming for the University of Minnesota. Her accomplishments include being a two time Olympic Trials Qualifier and helping the Gophers to the Big Ten Championship in 2012. She is also a two time NCAA qualifier, 9 time Big Ten finalist, and three time Academic All-Big Ten.

Kristen gained experience by coaching U of M camps, teaching swim lessons and volunteer coaching at the U of M.

Kristen is currently pursuing a graduate degree in secondary education in Math.

Andrea Hagen

Assistant Coach

Coaches: Developmental and S3

Andrea joined the Minnetonka Swim Club staff in 2012.

Andrea began her swimming career at the age of 7 in Edina under Coach Ben. Andrea swam competitively with Team Foxjet. In high school, Andrea competed for Edina, specializing in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. She also had the opportunity to work with Minnesota coaching legend Art Downey and the Edina boys high school team for two years.

In college, Andrea swam at Loras College in Dubuque, IA. She is currently finishing up a degree in communications here in the Twin Cities, hoping to someday be an event planner.

Andrea has worked as a lifeguard in Edina and taught swim lessons for Minnetonka Aquatics.

Christopher Shortreed

Assistant Coach

Chris is a Minnetonka Swim Club/Twin Cities Swim Team alumni and 2007 graduate of Minnetonka High school where he swam for the boys swim & dive team. His high school career culminated in swims at state his senior year in the 100 Free and 200 Free.

Chris has taught swim lessons and been a community lifeguard with Minnetonka Aquatics for several years. He is a Marine reserve stationed at Fort Snelling, which gives him the opportunity to continue to coach and teach in Minnetonka.

David Edward Plummer

Assistant Coach

David joined the Minnetonka Swim Club as assistant coach and athlete in 2009.

A graduate of the University of Minnesota (with a degree in English), David was an assistant to Head Coach Benson Spurling at the Cincinnati Aquatic Club during the 2009 season. There, he worked with the club's senior and national level groups--producing two Junior National qualifiers and numerous Speedo Sectional qualifiers. He also worked for three years at the swim camps at the University of Minnesota as a swim coach and camp counselor, and was an age group coach (summer, 2007) at the Edina Swim Club.

Post-college, David began competing with increased speed and renewed commitment to train for the 2012 Olympics-- and to do it with The Minnetonka Swim Club.

After winning the national title in the 100 backstroke in 2010, David ranks as the #3 backstroker in the country and was a member of the 2010/2011 United States National, Pan Pacific and World teams. He previously represented the United States in the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand, and was the only Big Ten swimmer named to the the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships team in Victoria, British Columbia; and he placed in the Olympic trials in both 2004 and 2008.

David began his swimming career in Oklahoma, where he was a multiple state champion while swimming for his high school in Westmore. His career at the University of Minnesota included being a full 4-year scholarship recipient, a 4-year letter winner, a Senior Captain and he helped lead the team to the Big Ten Conference Championship in 2005 and 2007. He was a 14-time NCAA All American and 8-time individual finalist at the NCAA. He finished his career at Minnesota as school record holder in the 100 backstroke (46.32) and 200 backstroke (1:42.41) and ninth in the 200 IM (1:48.12).