Our Coaches
Meet the Breakers coaching staff
Coach Meaghan Donnelly
Director / Elite Lead
Elite, Senior Prep
Coach Jim
Senior Prep Co-Lead
HS Dev
A former Breaker himself, Jim was a nationally ranked age group swimmer, an Outstanding Participant winner at YMCA Nationals, and a D1 swimmer. He holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and is known for his attention to technical detail, from Saddle River to the pool deck.
Coach Christian
Senior Prep Co-Lead
Cobalt, Senior Prep, Midnight
Christian swam breaststroke at Manhattan College after coming up through Bergen Catholic, and he’s been coaching with the Breakers for three years. When he’s not on deck, you’ll usually find him on the jujitsu mats.
Coach Tom Ham
Senior Prep
Senior Prep
Tom Ham swam D3 as a distance swimmer and now works as an engineer, a background that shows in how he breaks down technique for our Senior Prep athletes. He grew up in Paramus and attended Bergen Catholic.
Coach Emma
Navy/High School Development Lead
Navy, Sky, Slate
Emma is a Darlington lifeguard with a long list of saves to her name, and she brings that same focus to the pool deck, helping older athletes sharpen their technique and learn how to truly train.
Coach Dean
Ocean Lead
Ocean, Midnight
Dean swam at the D2 level and has brought that competitive background to leading our Ocean group. He’s a distance swimmer at heart, and yes, he’s a Swiftie.
Coach Beth
Ocean
Ocean
Beth grew up in Bergen County and swam on Tide at the Greater Bergen YMCA. She works in grants by day, but coaching gives her the chance to do what she loves most, inspiring the next generation of swimmers.
Coach Natalya
Slate/Sky Lead
Sky, Slate
Natalya swam at the national level in Russia before bringing that experience to our youngest swimmers, where she loves building the foundations that carry athletes through the rest of their swimming careers. She still swims herself, and splits her free time between yoga and skiing.
Coach Tom
Slate/Sky
Navy, Sky, Slate, Senior Prep, Midnight
A former Breaker himself, Tom has spent the last year and a half back on deck working with our youngest athletes. He works full-time in finance, but coaching, and sharing that love of the sport with his own son, is where his heart is.
Coach Bella
Long Course & Break Coverage
Bella is a distance swimmer working toward a career as a school counselor, and it shows in how she coaches. She’s all about developing the whole swimmer, not just the athlete.
Coach Lia
Team Administration & Coaching
Lia brings over five years of coaching experience and a deep connection to the IHA community, supporting athlete development through both her coaching and her education background.
Coach Andrew
Assistant Coach (Float)
Coach Lee
Incoming (joining us soon!)
We’re excited to welcome Coach Lee to the Breakers. Lee competed for South Korea’s national team in synchronized swimming, winning an Olympic bronze medal, and brings years of coaching and technical expertise to our staff.