Meet the Coaches!!
Coach Mercedes swam competitively for over ten years in Ohio. While she swam year around, summer swim was always her favorite! After hearing from a Marlin’s parent about a coaching position, she’s excited to put her swimming experience to use for kids as head coach this year! In addition to serving as head coach, Mercedes is an engineer for a local contracting company.
Vanessa is excited to return to the Montpelier Marlins for her second season as an assistant coach. A former competitive swimmer for 10 years, including several summers with the Marlins, she brings both experience and genuine enthusiasm to the team. As a parent to a swimmer of her own, Vanessa is passionate about helping athletes build confidence, improve their skills, and grow a lasting love for the sport.
Hi! My name is Alessandro, and I am a Junior Coach for the Montpelier Swim Team. I have been swimming on the team since I was 5 years old, and it has become a big part of my life. As a Junior Coach, I enjoy helping younger swimmers improve their skills, gain confidence, and have fun in the water!
Hello everyone! My name is Dale Armand, or Coach Dale, and I’ve been swimming on the Marlins team ever since I moved into the neighborhood back in 2021. My love for swimming increased greatly even with my first year! I started winter swim in 2022 and have continued ever since. I went from barely being able to swim a 25 at the start, to going to All-Stars for three strokes in the summer of 2025! As a junior coach, I want to push the swimmers while still having a culture of fun! My favorite memory from being a Marlin was when I won the 50 freestyle in Divisionals by a hair! My teammates proceeded to celebrate like crazy, and one even picked me up and swung me around! This year is going to be great! Go Marlins!
Hello, my name is Donnie. And this is going to be my 3rd year being a Junior Coach. I've been swimming on the team since 2021, so this will be my 6th year. My favorite thing about being on the Montpelier Marlins is being able to make friends and memories. I'm excited this year to help the swimmers and strengthen their bonds with each other
Hi everybody! My names Gabrielle Kucan or Coach Gabby. I've been swimming since I was 7 in 2016, making this year my 10th year swimming. This will be my 3rd year junior coaching!! As a kid and even now, I love swimming! My favorite part about swimming is that I'm able to meet new people, have so much fun, and make friends, all while still competing in the water, and I love being given the opportunity to help your swimmers flourish on the team and have so much fun! This is going to be an amazing year! Go Marlins!
Hello Marlins! I am so excited to be returning for my third year of junior coaching. I have been swimming on the Montpelier Marlins since 2016 and being a part of this team is always the highlight of my summer. This is also my third summer working as a lifeguard here at Montpelier and I have come to love this community. I can't wait to see how we grow and progress as a team this summer. Let's have a great season!
