Coaches
Kim is a Charlotte native and lifetime swimmer. Kim’s passion for the water started at an early age. Kim swam for a competitive year-round swim team all through grade school and in college. Kim began teaching and coaching swimming while in high school. She organized and coached a community swim league with a free swim lesson program for the Double Oaks and NoDa communities in Uptown. After college, she worked as a high school biology teacher while also working as an assistant coach for the Hough High School swim team and The Aquatic Team of Mecklenburg. Kim’s passion for swimming developed to helping others learn the valuable life lessons swimming provides as an individual contributor, teammate and leader. When Kim is not near the water she is either working as a registered nurse or tending to her boys: husband, Anthony, sons ages 10 & 6 and their two dogs.
Julia and her family moved to Denver, NC in 2021. She started swimming competitively in early childhood and continued through high school. During high school and college, she spent her summers working as a swim team coach. Presently, she teaches swim lessons and still enjoys training in the pool. When she's not poolside, she works as a nurse and likes to read, play tennis and spend time outdoors. She is married and has two kids, ages 10 and 13 (and a dog).
Sara Lipman
Sara moved to Denver in June 2023. She started swimming competitively as a child and continued through adulthood, including swimming in the US Masters Swimming National Championships. She and her husband live in Westport and have three grown children who all swam growing up and served as lifeguards and aquatic center directors. Sara serves as our team's volunteer coordinator. You might also spot Sara working in Westport's pro shop!
Natalie McCord
Growing up in a lake community just south of Buffalo, NY, being in the water was a way of life—and not learning to swim simply wasn’t an option. That early connection to the water sparked a passion that carried me into competitive swimming through college. Summers were filled with early morning practices alongside my sister, followed by coaching younger swimmers and sharing my love for the sport.
These days, when I'm not in the water, I work as an accountant for nonprofits and continue to stay active with CrossFit. I also manage a lively household with three kids, two dogs, and one adventurous bearded dragon—but no matter how busy life gets, I always find my way back to the pool. I’m excited to spend the summer inspiring the next generation of swimmers and helping them build confidence, strength, and a lifelong love for the water.
Rebecca Johnson
Rebecca is a lifelong swimmer, born and raised in Raleigh, NC. She started swimming at a young age, swam every summer on summer team, and joined year-round swimming at age 8. She swam through college-level competition at Appalachian State University, and continues to swim today. Her favorite stroke is butterfly and she enjoys long-distance swimming. Rebecca has experience lifeguarding, coaching swim teams, teaching lessons, and helping swimmers of all ages and skill levels build confidence and improve their skills in the water. Rebecca brings a wealth of first-hand experience and a strong understanding of technique, training, and teamwork. She is excited to return to the pool this summer to share her love of swimming with the Stingrays. Outside of the pool, Rebecca works for a technology manufacturing company. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Jordan, and their three boys: Noah (10), Landon (7), and Eli (5). As a family, they enjoy outdoor activities, especially hiking and being on the lake, cook-outs, and movie nights.
