Coaches & Directors

John Patrick Roy

Head Coach

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Head Coach John Royhas been leading the WAVE swimming program since his arrival in 2006. Since then, WAVE has grown in size, sportsmanship, and accomplishment. WAVE has proudly won the NC Swimming Open Water Championships, placed a number of athletes on collegiate swim teams, and moved up in the USA Swimming Virtual Rankings under the leadership of Coach John.

Prior to coming to Raleigh, John was the head coach at Bengal Tiger Aquatic Club (BTAC) and Episcopal High School in Baton Rouge, LA. From 1996-2002, Coach John was the head coach of The Baylor School in Chattanooga, TN. In TN, he earned Tennessee High School Women’s Coach of the year, was president of the Tennessee Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association, and chaired the Southeastern LSC in 2002. In 2001, Coach John was an American Swim Coaches Association Award of Excellence honoree.

Coach John is a proud graduate and fan of the University of Tennessee. John is married to Nancy, they have an 9 year-old daughter Maggie (who swims on WAVE), and Matthew who will turn one in October. 

Ed Lower

Assistant Coach

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Ed Lower has coached in Raleigh for the past ten years. Over this time he has shown himself to be extremely talented at helping swimmers achieve their goals. He was named National Club Swimming Associations "National Co-Coach Of The Year" in 2004 and the North Carolina Senior Coach of the Year in 2002.

Coach Lower believes in developing the entire swimmer. He has his swimmers concentrate on good technique, endurance, speed and power, and he wants his swimmers to improve throughout their swimming careers. He has sent 20 swimmers to swim on scholarship at these universities  Davidson, UNC Wilmington, NC State, UNC, Texas, ECU, Naval Academy, Mary Washington, Washington University, TCU,  WVU, Emory, Delaware and Old Dominion.

Before moving to Raleigh, Coach Lower was a head facility coach for world renowned Curl-Burke Swim Club. He coached for four years with Curl-Burke including in the early 1990’s when he helped coach the Olympic gold medalist and World Record holder in the 200 breaststroke. Coach Lower also coached the breaststroke and sprint IM swimmers at the University of Nebraska, Big 8 Champions, while heading up the swim team’s dry land and lactate analysis programs. He has coached swimmers to many top 16 performances as an age group and a senior coach, and guided master swimmers to World record performances.

Prior to his Curl-Burke coaching stint, he was head coach for 7 years with the Siouxland Sharks, Sioux City, IA, where the team went from 28th to 4th at the state championship in one year; and the Galveston Island Swim Team, Galveston, TX. Lower was head age group coach for 4 years with the Space City Aquatic Team, Clear Lake, TX and for Swim Omaha, Omaha, NE.

Coach Lower graduated from the University of Iowa, with a bachelors of Science degree in physical education, teaching, and coaching. He was an NCAA All-America team member for 3 years, and was the U. of Iowa’s team captain his senior year. He finished his swimming career by qualifying for the 1988 Olympic Trials. In 2007 he served on the USA Swimming Zone Select Camp coaching staff. Coach Lower lives in Clayton with his wife Melissa and their two boys Christian and Jesse.

Jonathan J Bescher

Assistant Coach

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Jonathan Bescher originally started swimming in Connecticut where he swam for 14 years and helped coach young swimmers the last couple of years. He then went on to becoming a Manager at NC State where he was able to watch and talk to many great coaches and swimmers.  He graduated from State in 1998 with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics along with a minor in Computer Science. Jonathan then started to help coach at the Garner Road YMCA, where he helped them to 3 straight Division Championships. Along with coaching at the YMCA, he also became Head Coach at the Garner Dolphins and his last year helped them go undefeated and win the Division.

Coach Bescher is now starting his 8th season with WAVE. He has coached all levels within the team. For the first 5 years he has worked with the Senior Level swimmers and in 2006 started working with the Age Group level swimmers. In his time with WAVE, he has help coach many Junior Olympic swimmers, Sectional swimmers and a Top-16 Nationally ranked swimmer and relays ranked in the Top-5 Nationally.

He lives in Clayton with his wife Kendra and his dogs and cats.  Jonathan and Kendra have a daughter Kaylea born in September.

Jeff Pishko

Assistant Coach

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Groups: Level 4 Black and Level 2 Black at TAC

Coach Jeff Pishko brings with him a long list of accomplishments as well as being a highly successful and goal directed National Level Coach with a strong background in Leadership, Operations, and Management. Experiences include coaching at the YMCA Level, USA Swimming Club Level and, NCAA Division I college level programs. 10+ years of developing student athletes from Age Group Level through National Level capturing success in the pool, in the classroom, and in the community. In addition to his strong coaching experience Jeff also brings with him a strong business acumen, ties to the Triangle business community through the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, excellent organizational skills, and more than ten years experience in budget development and management from his years in the business world.

Coaching career highlights:

• Coached 1 NCAA Division I qualifier; 2 U.S. Sr National Qualifiers; 4 U.S. Open Qualifiers; 8 Jr. National Qualifiers; 10 Top 16 NAG Qualifiers and dozens of YMCA National Qualifiers, Regional Champions and State Champions.
• Member of NC Zone Coaching Staff in 1995 & 1996 that placed in the Top 5.
• Member of USA Swimming Club Development Committee 1997-1999 that met regularly at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO with Sr. Executives of USA Swimming.
• Coaching Staff Member of ECU that won 2 CAA Conference Championships in 1996 & 1997.
• As Head Coach, led Chattahoochee Gold Swimming to Top 5 combined team finish in Georgia Swimming State Championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002.

Jeff served as Head Site Coach with Chattahoochee Gold Swim Club in Atlanta from 1999-2002, GOLD is a 400 member Coach run club with multiple locations, third largest team in the state of Georgia behind Dynamo Swim Club and Swim Atlanta and is also considered one of the largest clubs in the USA . In addition to coaching Jeff was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Woodstock facility, including negotiations of pool time with local organizations, planning and practice schedules, while assisting with management of the other GOLD location. From 1997-1999 Jeff served as Head Coach of the Southwest Aquatic Team/Pulaski YMCA(now H2Okies) in Blacksburg , VA. Southwest Aquatic Team - Pulaski YMCA was a 200 swimmer parent run organization with two locations. SWAT was an affiliate program of the Pulaski YMCA and member of the Virginia YMCA League. Prior to being in Blacksburg Jeff began his USA Swimming coaching career in Greenville, NC as the Head Age Group Coach with Greenville Swim Club from 1992-1997. Greenville Swim Club(GSC) is a 100+ member parent run organization with one location at ECU’s Minges Natatorium in Greenville , NC . Jeff was responsible for the design of the Age Group program based on club policies and coordinated vision with the Head Coach and part time staff. After concluding a successful swimming career at ECU Jeff began coaching as an Assistant Coach with East Carolina University in Greenville, NC from 1993-1997
 
Prior to joining WAVE in the Fall of 2009 Jeff was President of a successful executive search firm in Raleigh as well as spending time with First Charter Bank, AmSouth Bank and Charles Schwab in a finance and accounting capacity. Jeff is happily married to Beth for 12yrs with three boys Joshua(10), Jacob(6) and Jordan(3).

Blair A Crosscup

Assistant Age Group Coach

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Blair Crosscup       is an Assistant Age Group Coach. She is currently coaching the Beginning Competitive group, Level 1, and Level 2 at Granite Falls.

Blair started swimming when she was five years old at the Nashua YMCA in New Hampshire. She then swam for Manchester Sunfish until she was nine years old. Between the ages of nine and eleven she swam for the Walnut Creek Aqua Bears in California. Blair then moved to Indonesia where she swam for four years on a swim team in the jungles of Borneo.

Blair moved back to New Hampshire where she swam for the Manchester High School Swim Team for two years. Blair began coaching at Hampshire Hills Sports and Fitness Club in 2001 and was the 12 and under head coach for both the recreational and competitive teams for 6 years. In September 2007, Blair moved to Raleigh North Carolina and was the assistant coach for the Saint Mary’s High School Swim Team for the ’07-’08 season.

Amy Walters

Assistant Age Group Coach

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Amy Walters is an Assistant Age Group Coach for the Beginning Competitive and Level 1 swimmers. Growing up in Cary, Amy swam at Kildaire Farms, RSA, and Cary High School. Going on to UNC Chapel Hill, Amy continued to swim while majoring in History. Most recently serving as the Head Coach for the McGregor McDolphins, Amy also has coaching experience at Regency, Kildaire Farms, RSA, Apex High School, and the New Wave Swim Team (in 2001-02). Amy is currently a special education teacher in the Wake County Public School System and has a Masters in Education from NC State University.

Lauren Nosal

Assistant Age Group Coach

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Lauren Nosal is an Assistant Age Group Coach for Level 2 swimmers. Lauren grew up in St. Charles, Illinois where she swam club and for her high school. Lauren went on to swim at the University of Illinois. Lauren coached St. Charles Country Club for 4 years in Illinois and is presently the swim coach at Panther Creek High School. She was also the 2008 head coach at Cary Swim Club, Lauren majored in Spanish Education and International Business and is currently a Spanish teacher in the Wake County Public School System.

Brendan Betts

Assistant Coach

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Brendan Bettsis in his second year with Wave.  Prior to joining Wave, Brendan spent four years as the Head Age Group Coach of the Y of the Triangle Area Swim Team (YOTA).   In 2009 Brendan lead a group of age group swimmers to six individual and three relay state records. He also coached swimmers to 25 new team records.  During each of the four years Brendan coached at YOTA the team had an increase in qualifiers for the major age group championship meets.  He also led YOTA to their highest ever finishes this decade at the NCS Short Course Age Group Championships (4^th) and the NCS Long Course Age Group Championships (3^rd) in 2008.  In addition, he was selected as a member of the 2007 and the 2008 NC Swimming Zone Team coaching staffs.

Before coming to YOTA, Brendan worked with one of the most dominant USA Swimming programs in the southeast and the entire nation - Dynamo Swim Club in Atlanta, Georgia. During his time at Dynamo, Brendan worked primarily with their top 12 & under swimmers, as well as with their developmental senior swimmers and their Masters group. While in Atlanta, Brendan also spent time as a volunteer assistant with the Emory University men’s and women’s swimming teams, both of which are NCAA Division III national powers.

Prior to his time with Dynamo, Brendan worked with Occoquan Swimming in Woodbridge, Virginia as a senior coach and team administrator. In addition, he has several years of experience teaching lessons for the storied Curl-Burke Swim Club in northern Virginia and Washington D.C. He has also served as an age group coach for the City of Charleston Swim Team in South Carolina.

Brendan has worked with some of the top coaches in the country, including Ed Spencer, former Head Coach at Dynamo, who is now serving as a Master Coach with USA Swimming. He has also worked with Pete Morgan at Curl-Burke who produced Olympic breaststroker Ed Moses.

Brendan holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from the College of Charleston. He is an ASCA level 3 certified coach. Brendan is married to Erica and they live in Raleigh with their lovable chocolate Labrador, Oliver. Brendan and Erica first child Hayden Alexander was born November 12th 2009.

Michelle Zimmermann

Assistant Age Group Coach

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Started swimming for NRG Swimming at the age of 9 and continued with that team until the age of 17.  She also swam for Neshaminy High School from 9-12 grade, and went on to swim for Elizabethtown College, where her season was cut short due to a shoulder injury.  From that point forward, Michelle chose to coach instead of swim.  

Michelle coached for NRG Swimming, the same team she swam for, for 7 years.  She worked with all ages, and managed the Gold Group (ages 8-12).  After moving from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, Michelle coached for Somerset Valley YMCA (SVY), at their level 1 program, as well as the pre-team group.  Michelle effectively took the Pre-Team to a new level, and created and organized swim meets for this group as well.

Coach Michelle is starting her first year with WAVE.  You can find her at TAC coaching the Beginning competitive groups, as well as Level 1.  She is so excited about the program and the swimmers!

Michelle currently lives in North Raleigh with her husband, Jeremy, and cat, Mufasa.  Michelle is also a sales representative for ASG Security, located in Garner, NC. Michelle graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in International Business, Finance and Management, and a minor in French.

Brandon S Reed

Assistant Coach

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Brandon Reed       has been with Wave since April of 2006 and is currently the site director for our Granite Falls site. Coach Brandon began his coaching career in 1994 coaching for Mentor High School outside of Cleveland, OH. Since that time coach Brandon spent three more years coaching for Mentor High School and four years coaching with Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin high school including two years as head coach. He was also an assistant coach with University Swim Club for five years where he coached beginning age group to the senior level. Brandon also spent a two years assisting with John Carroll University, near Cleveland, OH.

During his career Brandon has coached several All-Americans, academic All-Americans and many state qualifiers at the high school level. While a high school head coach his athletes broke 11 school records and qualified two individual boys to the state meet for the first time in school history. Brandon has coached swimmers to zone teams, USA sectionals, USA nationals and US Open. Brandon has served on the board of directors for Lake Erie Swimming as technical planning chair and with USA Swimming as a member of the National Education Committee for five years.

Zach Murray

Assistant Age Group Coach

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Zach Murray is the Level 2 Blue/White coach at TAC.  He started swimming competitively at age 5 for Green Valley Swim Team and continued all through high school where he was the captain for Page High School his senior year.  Zach continued to swim while earning his Marketing degree at NC State.  He began coaching 5 years ago in Greensboro for Green Valley and moved on to Greensboro Country Club for 2 years.  Most recently, he was the Head Coach at Cary Park during the Summer of 2009.  Zach is in his second year with WAVE where he has helped out with the senior level swimmers as well as running level 2 blue/white at TAC.

Colleen Murray

Assistant Age Group Coach

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Colleen Murray is an Assistant Age Group Coach. She is currently coaching the Beginning Competitive group and Level 1 at TAC. Colleen grew up in Greensboro where she started swimming when she was five years old with the summer league team, Green Valley from whom she swam with until she was 18. While in high school she swam with GCY and was captain of the Page High School varsity women’s swim team. Colleen is currently a summer league coach in Greensboro for Starmount Forest Country Club. Colleen is a now a sophomore at NC State University, with a double major in Business Marketing and Design Studies.

Blake Addison

Assistant Age Group Coach

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Blake Addison is the Level 3 Blue/White coach at TAC.   He started swimming competitively for New WAVE Swim Team and Planter's Walk Swim Team at the age of 11, he also swam for Enloe High School in Raleigh, NC for four years.  Blake has coached for five years with Planter's Walk Swim Team and is currently in his second year with WAVE.  He has helped coach Level 2 Blue/White through Level 3 Black.  Blake is currently a sophomore at North Carolina State University, majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Coaching Education and Political Science.

John Payne

Assistant Coach

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John has over 25 years of experience coaching swimmers, runners, soccer players, and multi-sport athletes of all ages and has worked with beginner to elite athletes at the state, national, and international level. He was Assistant Sr. Coach at the Raleigh YMCA under current NC State Head Coach Brooks Teal helping them to the 1988 Men's Short Course National title. Following his time with the YMCA, he served as Head Senior Coach with the Durham Aquatic Club. John then returned to Raleigh as Head Age Group Coach with New Wave Swim Team, and consistently developed state and regional championship-level athletes as well as national top-16 performances.

As an athlete, John is a former professional triathlete with top-25 finishes at the international level including the Bud Light USTS Triathlon Series championships, Bermuda International, Montreal International, and US National Sprint Championships. He was a Triathlon Today (now Inside Triathlon) magazine All-American.  As a swimmer, John was a prep-school All-American at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, TN, and swam collegiately at NC State University.

John and his wife Ann live in Raleigh with their three sons, Mitchell, Davis, and Jackson. John earned his B.A. in English and M.S. in Technical Communication from N.C. State University.