Northgate Aquatics Club

Please help me welcome another new coach joining the Northgate Stingrays this year…

Coach Mekkiye!

I started swimming through a park district in Chicago in first grade and continued through high school. I swam at Lake View High School, where I was named MVP for two years before COVID-19 interrupted the season. During my sophomore and junior years, I swam for a club team to prepare for college recruiting. My senior year, I was recruited to Washington & Jefferson College to swim and play water polo. In college, I competed in the 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle, and 200 backstroke. Although I have not coached before, I am excited to meet everyone, share my love for the sport, and help each swimmer grow while having fun in the water!

Questions:

💙 Favorite Stroke: Backstroke

💛 Favorite Event: 200 Back

🍿 Favorite Snack: Cheddar Popcorn

🎵 Favorite Pump-Up Song: Homecoming by Kanye West

🏊 Favorite Swim Drill: Fingertip Drag or Streamline Drills

💬 Best Advice for Swimmers: My coach in high school use to tell me that it’s not about the people around you it’s about how far you can push yourself to be the best that you can be

🍕 Go-To Post-Meet Meal: Pasta!

🏖️ Dream Vacation Spot:I would love to go to Brazil!

🍦 Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Cookie Dough!!

Let’s welcome Coach Audrey to the Northgate Stingrays!

Coach Spotlight: COACH AUDREY


A little background on your swim career and any coaching history.

I was a competitive swimmer for over 13 years! I grew up swimming competitively with my club team the Chambersburg Chargers and swam for my high school team the Chambersburg Trojans. Then I competed as a Division III swimmer throughout my four years of college at Washington & Jefferson College (Go Presidents)! In college I developed into a distance swimmer, competing the 500, 1000 or mile almost every meet! I have coached swim camps and clinics at W&J for the past four years! I look forward to continuing my coaching journey with NGAC and hope to pass on the love for this sport to the next generation!
We asked Coach Audrey a few fun questions so you can get to know them better — here’s what they had to say!

Favorite Stroke: Backstroke

Favorite Event: 500 free or 100 back

Favorite Coaching Memory:

Favorite Snack: Gushers

Favorite Pump-Up Song: Breaking Dishes by Rhianna

Favorite Swim Drill: Any backstroke drill!!

Funniest Thing a Swimmer Has Ever Said:

Best Advice for Swimmers: Don’t be afraid to have big dreams and goals! Work hard and achieve them and of course have fun in the process!

Go-To Post-Meet Meal: Moes or hibachi

Most Used Coaching Phrase: “GO!!”

Dream Vacation Spot: Australia, Puerto Rico or Finland!

Favorite Part About Coaching: The swimmers!

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip
We’re so lucky to have Coach Audrey on our Stingray team, and we can’t wait to see what this season brings!

🌊 COACH SPOTLIGHT:
Let’s welcome Coach Alex to the Northgate stingrays!
Background: I began swimming at age 9 on a summer league team in Akron, Ohio, where I
lived until 2024. I started swimming competitively in 5th grade and continued through high
school, later competing on the club swim team at BGSU. My favorite events were the 200
IM, 500 Freestyle, and 100 Breaststroke. I began coaching as a junior coach at age 15, and
in 2021, I helped launch a USA Swimming club team at my alma mater, Copley High
School. Alongside a few other coaches, we grew the team to 75 swimmers. I took a break
from coaching in 2024 when I moved to Connecticut with my partner while they completed
school, then relocated to Pittsburgh in 2025 after accepting a job offer at Highmark Health.

We asked Coach Alex a few fun questions so you can get to know them better — here’s what they had to say!
💙 Favorite Stroke: breaststroke
💛 Favorite Event: 200 IM
✨ Favorite Coaching Memory: participating in our first USA meet as a club team
🍿 Favorite Snack: JIF peanut butter
🎵 Favorite Pump-Up Song: Espresso/Midnight Sun
🏊 Favorite Swim Drill: shark fin drill
💬 Best Advice for Swimmers: Coaches can guide, support and encourage, but true improvement comes from the commitment, effort, and belief you bring to the pool everyday.
🍕 Go-To Post-Meet Meal: Chipotle burrito bowl with a tortilla on the side
😅 Most Used Coaching Phrase: no breathing off the wall!
🏖️ Dream Vacation Spot: Japan or Peru
🏆 Favorite Part About Coaching: seeing swimmers develop a genuine passion for the sport, grow in confidence, and support their teammates along the way.
🍦 Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: cappuccino or banana
🦈 Spirit Animal: sea turtle
🌊 “Making waves, one practice at a time!”

Athlete Coach Spotlight! 📸

Let’s welcome back coach RACHEL BUZZARD

I’m currently a senior at Avonworth High School. This is my 3rd year as a coach and 8th year as a swimmer on this team. I also helped coach the Avonworth Alligators for the past 2 years. I’m excited to see what this season brings and watch all the swimmers improve!

🌊 Coach Spotlight: COACH RACHEL 🌊
This will be Coach Rachel’s 5th season with NGAC (1 season back in 2015-2016!). She swam competitively for 9 years and was on Sewickley YMCA, Avonworth Alligators and Quaker Valley High School Swim teams. Throughout her time with the Avonworth Alligators, she found her passion for coaching swimming. This led her to coach for Avonworth Alligators in the summer and Slippery Rocky Swim team while she attended Slippery Rock University. She is excited to be back for another season and looks forward to working with the other coaches to improve the swimmers’ strokes and endurance while having fun as we work hard to crush their goals at meets!
We asked Coach Rachel a few fun questions so you can get to know them better — here’s what they had to say!
💙 Favorite Stroke: Backstroke

💛 Favorite Event: 500 Free

✨ Favorite Coaching Memory: Watching how much the swimmers improved when I came back for the last home meet of the season after having my daughter

🍿 Favorite Snack: Goldfish

🎵 Favorite Pump-Up Song: Eye of the Tiger

🏊 Favorite Swim Drill: Breaststroke glide drill

😂 Funniest Thing a Swimmer Has Ever Said: “Coach Rachel, have you swam before?”

💬 Best Advice for Swimmers: Your best competition is yourself

🍕 Go-To Post-Meet Meal: Spaghetti

😅 Most Used Coaching Phrase: KICK!

🏖️ Dream Vacation Spot: Any beach with crystal blue water

🏆 Favorite Part About Coaching: Watching swimmers overcome obstacles they never thought they could at the beginning of the season

🍦 Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
We’re so lucky to have Coach Rachel on our Stingray team, and we can’t wait to see what this season brings! 🖤🤍🩶

SWIM SEASON IS ALMOST HERE, and we are excited to start announcing this years coaching staff! Starting with our head coach first…

🌊 Coach Spotlight: COACH Sean🌊
A little background on your swim career and any coaching history. Swim Career -
Since I was 4yrs old. Swam for the Weirton WV, Akron OH & Galion OH YMCA’s. High schools – Galion and Ashland. Then the East regional USA swim team until I was 20.
I have been coaching since 2006 with NGAC and recently joined the HS coaching staff. Every season is different and brings different challenges and rewards. Coaching is not a “job” to me. It is my happy space after working my real job.
We asked Coach Sean a few fun questions so you can get to know them better — here’s what they had to say!
💙 Favorite Stroke: Breast Stroke

💛 Favorite Event: 100 Breast

✨ Favorite Coaching Memory: Winning our first Championship and beating the mighty Grove City

🍿 Favorite Snack: Chips & Salsa or Ice Cream

🎵 Favorite Pump-Up Song: If you want Blood or Thunderstruck by ACDC

🏊 Favorite Swim Drill: Freestyle arms and Free kick (for Butterfly timing)
😂 Funniest Thing a Swimmer Has Ever Said: I am not sure I can narrow it down to one thing. LOL

💬 Best Advice for Swimmers: Focus on the Mental side of swim. “Never beat yourself before you get on the Block”
🍕 Go-To Post-Meet Meal: Pizza or Mexican

😅 Most Used Coaching Phrase: Kick!!!

🏖️ Dream Vacation Spot: New Zealand

🏆 Favorite Part About Coaching: The kids!! They make your day every day. Watching them succeed, laughing with them and just the entire experience.

🍦 Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate/Peanut Butter Swirl

We asked Coach Jack a few fun questions so you can get to know them better — here’s what they had to say! 
💙 Favorite Stroke: Breaststroke
💛 Favorite Event: 100 Breaststroke
✨ Favorite Coaching Memory: Watching my two friends shatter my 100 free record in the same year.
🍿 Favorite Snack: Takis
🎵 Favorite Pump-Up Song: Welcome to the Jungle
🏊 Favorite Swim Drill: One Arm Fly
😂 Funniest Thing a Swimmer Has Ever Said: “Coach, your outfit today is really bad.”
💬 Best Advice for Swimmers: Bet on yourself and look out for your teammates
🍕 Go-To Post-Meet Meal: Eatn Park Salad Bar
😅 Most Used Coaching Phrase: “Let’s Ride”
🏖️ Dream Vacation Spot: White Cliffs of Dover
🏆 Favorite Part About Coaching: Seeing the swimmers achieve their goals
🍦 Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate
We’re so lucky to have Coach Jack on our Stingray team, and we can’t wait to see what this season brings! 🖤🤍🩶

🌊 Coach Spotlight: COACH ALEX🌊
We asked Coach Alex a few fun questions so you can get to know them better — here’s what they had to say!
💙 Favorite Stroke: backstroke
💛 Favorite Event: 200 back
✨ Favorite Coaching Memory: the end of the year banquets
🍿 Favorite Snack: white cheddar popcorn
🎵 Favorite Pump-Up Song: Roll-Up by Wiz Khalifa
🏊 Favorite Swim Drill: thumb-drag
😂 Funniest Thing a Swimmer Has Ever Said: “Do we have to swim the whole workout?” (Five minutes into practice)
💬 Best Advice for Swimmers: Control what you can control. Your effort, attitude, and preparation are always in your hands.
🍕 Go-To Post-Meet Meal: bagel with PB/ and a smoothie
🎬 Favorite Movie or TV Show: One Tree Hill
😅 Most Used Coaching Phrase: HEAD BACK
🏖️ Dream Vacation Spot: Hawaii
🏆 Favorite Part About Coaching Stingrays: the energy from the kids, the parents, and the coaches I get to work with every day to help these swimmers thrive
🎧 Current Favorite Artist or Band: Morgan Wallen
🍦 Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: birthday cake or cookie dough
🦈 Spirit Animal: sea turtle
🌊 “Making waves, one practice at a time!”
We’re so lucky to have Coach Alex on our Stingray team, and we can’t wait to see what this season brings! 🖤🤍🩶

🌊Coach Spotlight🌊
We asked Coach Mara a few fun questions so you can get to know them better- this is what they had to say!

💙 Favorite Stroke: breaststroke
💛 Favorite Event: 100 IM
🍿 Favorite Snack: sour gummy worms
🎵 Favorite Pump-Up Song: Hey Ya! by Outkast
🏊 Favorite Swim Drill: backstroke while balancing a cup of water on your head
😂 Funniest Thing a Swimmer Has Ever Said: Asked me what stroke they supposed to swim while ON THE BLOCKS at CHAMPS
💬 Best Advice for Swimmers: Attitude is Altitude!
🍕 Go-To Post-Meet Meal: Chipotle
😅 Most Used Coaching Phrase: Put your head in the water!
🏖️ Dream Vacation Spot: Switzerland
🏆 Favorite Part About Coaching: Being a part of swimmers achieving their goals
🍦 Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate

🌊 “Making waves, one practice at a time!”
We’re so lucky to have Coach Mara on our Stingray team, and we can’t wait to see what this season brings! 🖤🤍🩶

Happy Memorial Day! ❤️💙 🤍