RIPTIDES COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Mike Godwin
1. What is your swimming background (year-round, high school, collegiate, etc)?
I started as a lifeguard in high school. I have run pools in Goldsboro and Greenville. I have created 3 separate swim teams from scratch and 2 complete swim lesson programs. Although I have never swam competitively, I train and certify swim instructors to teach 6 different strokes.
2. How long have you been affiliated with Riptides?
Since it started. This is the third team I have created in my career but the first year-round program. I have handled the admin duties since the beginning of Riptides.
3. What would the swimmers be surprised to find out about you?
I never swam competitively. My high school was small and had no swim team.
4. What is your favorite stroke to swim? To coach?
Freestyle to swim, it's kind of like running with the myriad of different ways to practice (and I hate running). I love teaching Breaststroke, it's so complex but when broken down it can be so simple in its movements and rhythm.
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5. What is your favorite part of coaching?
I'm motivated by accomplishment. Each day we should all accomplish something. I enjoy watching swimmers take what we give them and accomplish things they didn't know were possible.
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6. What advice would you like to share with the Riptides team?
I want this team to understand that you can work hard, swim fast, and have fun. Swimming does not have to be over-serious or a 7 day a week commitment to be meaningful.
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Age Group Coach (Silver): Shelby South
What is your swimming background (year-round, high school, collegiate, etc)?
I swam for a year round team during my elementary school years. I swam varsity all 4 years in high school and as I continued to college I chose to continue my swimming career with ECU Club Team.
2. What is/was your favorite swim stroke and event?
My coach used me as a versatile swimmer in high school but I enjoyed swimming the 200 Individual Medley and the 400.
3. What piece of knowledge did one of your coaches teach you that you use in your own coaching techniques?
The best piece of advice I took away from my high school coach was that even the smallest improvements whether it be in times or technique we still improvements.
4. What is your favorite thing to do when you're away from the pool?
Away from the pool I enjoy fishing, riding my bike through trails or finding new spots to explore.
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5. Favorite food?
Ice Cream
6. Favorite beverage?
Root Beer
7. What is one thing you hope Riptide swimmers learn from you?
I hope the Riptide Swimmers take away a strong passion for swimming and a mindset to always push towards new goals.
Age Group Coach (Blue/Silver): Mackenzie Maye
1. What is your swimming background (year-round, high school, collegiate, etc)?
I swam year round until my sophomore year of high school, then did HS team and am now on the ECU club swim team.
2. What is/was your favorite swim stroke and event?
Backstroke is my favorite stroke and my favorite events are 100 back and 200 free.
3. What piece of knowledge did one of your coaches teach you that you use in your own coaching techniques?
Never get lazy on your kick! If your arms are getting tired in a race, kick harder.
4. What is your favorite thing to do when you're away from the pool?
Spend time with friends and family.
5. Favorite food?
Anything from Chick-fil-A!
6. Favorite beverage?
I only drink water.
7. What is one thing you hope Riptide swimmers learn from you?
We want you to succeed. Pushing yourself can be the most challenging thing about swimming, but if you do that you will love the outcome.
Masters Swim Club Coach: Ricky Davis
1. What is your swimming background (year-round, high school, collegiate, etc)?
Growing up in Greenville I swam on a summer swim team for 9 years. I took a few years off from the pool before I later became a life guard and began swim training again. I focused on strengthening my freestyle and began competing in Triathlons. I have now competed in Sprint Triathlons for the last 8.5 years.
2. What is/was your favorite swim stroke and event?
While swimming summer swim team as a child I LOVED swimming the 100IM because it gave me a chance to swim all four strokes. Fast forward 20 years and I am not as fond of the IM, I much more prefer a longer distance freestyle swim!
3. What piece of knowledge did one of your coaches teach you that you use in your own coaching techniques?
Something I learned from one of my coaches that has held true to many things in life, is that there will always be someone better than you so don’t let that get you down instead be the best YOU can be!
4. What is your favorite thing to do when you're away from the pool?
My love for the water is very evident because even when not working at the pool I prefer to be by the water either at the beach, river, or pool relaxing and swimming around. From spending long summers at Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head with my dad’s family growing up and living in Wilmington NC for 6 months I long to move back to the beach permanently one day.
5. Favorite food?
When it comes to favorite foods its so hard to narrow it down to just a few, but I love all kinds of fruit, chicken salad, eggs, peanut butter and cheeseburgers.
6. Favorite beverage?
I am constantly drinking lots of water as it is probably my favorite drink. I also love almond milk!
7. What is one thing you hope Masters swimmers learn from you?
Exercise is so important in our lives and especially as we grow older. I hope by coaching Masters it teaches/encourages the swimmers to engage in healthy movements daily and to choose swimming as a main source of this for the great workout it provides through cardio, resistance and strength training!
Age Group Coach (Silver): Sara Morgan Woods
1. What is your swimming background (year-round, high school, collegiate, etc)?
I first started swim lessons at Raynez Swim School at 3 years old and then swam for Greenville Swim Club (now East Carolina Aquatics), Rose High School, and finally East Carolina University. I continue to keep up my swimming fitness for triathlons. I have coached club teams, high school teams, and taught group and private swim lessons at multiple facilities in Greenville to swimmers of all ages.
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2. What is/was your favorite swim stroke and event?
My favorite stroke is backstroke because you get to breathe the whole time! My best event was 400IM but I also swam 200IM and 200BK.
3. What piece of knowledge did one of your coaches teach you that you use in your own coaching techniques?
"It is better to try and fail than to not try at all"
I don't remember who said it to me but it's stuck with me ever since. You can learn more from a bad practice or race than you can from a good one.
4. What is your favorite thing to do when you're away from the pool?
My hobbies include singing in the Greenville Choral Society, training and competing in triathlons, traveling with my husband, and playing with our two dogs, Muffin and Ghost!
5. Favorite food?
Hands down Pasta, of any kind! A close second is ice cream!
6. Favorite beverage?
Sweet tea and handmade orangeades!
7. What is one thing you hope Riptide swimmers learn from you?
I hope they learn that proper stroke technique is the foundation of swimming. Sometimes it's better short term to sacrifice speed for technique so that long-term results can improve! It's not always about winning and going fast, it's about training for set goals!
Age Group Coach (Green): Jariana Vazquez-Soto
1. What is your swimming background (year-round, high school, collegiate, etc)?
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2. What is/was your favorite swim stroke and event?
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3. What piece of knowledge did one of your coaches teach you that you use in your own coaching techniques?
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4. What is your favorite thing to do when you're away from the pool?
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5. Favorite food?
6. Favorite beverage?
7. What is one thing you hope Riptide swimmers learn from you?
Age Group Coach (Red): Randall Cobb
1. What is your swimming background (year-round, high school, collegiate, etc)?
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2. What is/was your favorite swim stroke and event?
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3. What piece of knowledge did one of your coaches teach you that you use in your own coaching techniques?
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4. What is your favorite thing to do when you're away from the pool?
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5. Favorite food?
6. Favorite beverage?
7. What is one thing you hope Riptide swimmers learn from you?
Dryland Coach: Alyssa Stanley
1. What is your workout/training background?
I started weight training for martial arts about 15 years ago. Fell in love with the gym and got my certification in personal training. I’ve spent 12 years focusing on sports and agility training athletes from all different type of sports backgrounds.
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2. What is your favorite style of workout (yoga, weights, etc.)?
Weight lifting is my favorite style of working out.
3. What piece of knowledge did one of your coaches or trainers teach you that you use in your own training techniques?
My mentor in Taekwondo always made sure to stress the importance of good form and how hard it is to correct bad form. That is a game changer as an athlete. To focus on your form first and let the rest come after.
4. What is your favorite thing to do during downtime?
Spending time with my husky is my favorite thing to do when I am not working!
5. Favorite food?
Sushi
6. Favorite beverage?
The Starbucks menu.
7. What is one thing you hope Riptide swimmers learn from you?
I hope my time training the Riptide swimmers helps them to develop a true passion for their sport and their overall fitness. I would love to see them coaching one day!