Coaches and Directors
Dave Gibson, Head Coach, is a certified ASCA (American Swimming Coaches Association) Level 5 Coach with 45 years of coaching experience including:
-- Head Coach/General Manager at the Phoenix Swim Club in Arizona
-- Head Coach/CEO at the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club (SwimMAC Carolina) in Charlotte, North Carolina
-- Head Coach at Fort Wayne Aquatics in Indiana
-- Assistant Coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Dave has coached all levels of swimmers from the novice to the world-ranked, including three Olympians (most recently Rickey Berens). In addition, Dave has served as a USA National Team Coach for several international meets. He has received the following accolades during his career: ASCA Gold Medal Coaching Award; Coach of the Year in Arizona, Indiana and North Carolina; and he is an Indiana Swimming Hall of Fame Inductee. Dave is currently an ASCA Board member.
Marty Hendrick is a Level 4 USMS Certified Coach. He has been coaching at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, home of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, full time since 2005, initially as the Head Masters Coach of FLA Masters (FLAQ) and since January 2012 with Swim Fort Lauderdale Masters (SFTL). Marty’s experience as a USMS coach includes winning seven National Club Championships; 2010 USMS Summer Nationals in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2014 USMS Summer Nationals, College Park, MD, 2015 USMS Summer Nationals, Cleveland, OH, 2016 USMS Summer Nationals in Portland, OR, 2017 USMS Summer Nationals in Minneapolis, MN. 2021 USMS Summer Nationals in Clevelend, OH and 2023 USMS Summer Nationals in Sarasota, FL. Swim Fort Lauderdale Masters was recognized as the 2015 U.S. Masters Club of the Year. In 2015 Marty was recognized with the Speedo/U.S. Masters Swimming Coach of The Year Award. Marty was inducted into the Broward County (FL) Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
Jennifer Gibson, Head Age Group Coach, is a certified ASCA Level 4 Coach with 40 years of coaching experience including:
-- Head Developmental Age Group Coach of Fort Lauderdale Aquatics
-- Head Age Group Coach at the Phoenix Swim Club in Arizona
-- Assistant Coach at the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club (SwimMacCarolina) in Charlotte, North Carolina
-- Head Age Group Coach at Fort Wayne Aquatics in Indiana
-- Age Group Coach at the Southeast Family YMCA in Indiana
-- 20 years coaching high school swimming in Indiana and Arizona.
Jennifer is a member of the USA Swimming Board of Directors, the FGC General Chair, and also has served as a USA Swimming National Team Manager for the Junior Team, World University Games, Pan-Pacific Games and Short Course World Championships. She has received the following accolades during her career: 40+ National Top 16 Age Groupers with two national records; Indiana Coach of the Year; Indiana Age Group Coach of the Year; and Indiana, Arizona & FGC Zone All-Star Coach and Camp Coordinator. Jennifer is married to Coach Dave Gibson.
Michael Averett, Age Group Yellow II Coach / Masters Coach, is a certified ASCA Level 2 Coach as well as a certified Master's Level 2 Coach, with over 25 years of experience in the sport of competitive swimming.
Graduated from Florida State University in 2005; Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Sport Management / Graduated from Pine Crest High School (Fort Lauderdale) in 2001.
Team Captain of the Pine Crest High School Swim Team, 2000-2001; High School Swimming State Champion in the 100 Butterfly, 2001; Senior Nationals Qualifier; Atlantic Coast Conference Swimmer of the Week Honors, 2004; Team Captain of the Florida State Swim Team, 2004-2005; Golden Nole Award Winner, 2004-2005; Golden Torch Award Winner, 2004-2005; Pine Crest High School, Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, 2010.
1 year as Team Manager / Assistant Coach with the Florida State Swim Team in Tallahassee, FL; 2.5 years as Head Age Group Coach / Assistant Swim Camp Director at Pine Crest School in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; 2.5 years as Head Age Group Coach with Ft. Lauderdale Aquatics in Boca Raton, FL; 11 years with Swim Fort Lauderdale
FGC All-Star Head Coach 2017 & 2018; FGC All-Star Age Group Coach 2010, 2014, 2016, 2021
FGC Age Group Chair 2023-2024; FGC Safe Sport Chair 2015-2023
Certified Florida Gold Coast Swimming Admin Official
Madison Yelle, Age Group Yellow I Coach, is a certified ASCA Coach. Madison graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology in 2018.
Madison had a great 15 year competitive swimming career before coaching, earning such accolades as: 2x SSC Conference Champion, 2x NCAA D2 National qualifier, and All American status in the 500 Freestyle at NCAA in her Senior year. Madison has been on many great teams, namely winning Conference for 3 out of the 4 years she competed with NSU. This experience is being carried on to a new great team — SFTL!
American Red Cross Lifeguard Certified, Red Cross Water Safety Instructor
Ulyana Navarro - Seahorse, Starfish, & Rising Stars Coach
Coach Ulyana swam for the club for 8 years back in Russia, combining with ski school in the winter time (6Mo./6Mo.) She began coaching at Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores. Ulyana has coached top 5 placing athletes in the High School States Championship (FHSAA). She is currently working as an instructor at Miami Swimming Academy, and really enjoys working with the little ones. Ulyana is married and has 2 kids; Gabriel and Michael (both are swimmers at SFTL)
Certifications: USA Swimming Registered/Certified Coach, CPR/AED for Lifeguards, Water Safety Instructor (WSI), Safety Training,
Blake Woodrow, Masters Coach, is a certified USMS Level 1 Coach. Blake graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 2018.
Before coaching at SFTL, Blake swam (distance freestyle) for 16 years competitively earning many accomplishments along the way. Some of which include: over 10 Top 10 finishes in USA Swimming (3x National Champion) during his Age Group Career, 2x SSC Conference Champions for Men's Swimming, 4x NCAA D2 National Championship qualifier, 8x NCAA D2 All-American honorable mention, 2x NCAA Academic All-American, and 1x NCAA D2 All-American Athlete (1650 Freestyle).
Following his college career, Blake Woodrow was a volunteer coach at Nova Southeastern before eventually joining SFTL as a full-time coach in 2019.
FGC Swimming Admin Official; American Red Cross Lifeguard certified.
