RC Swim and Dive Lesson Instructors

At RC, we have exemplary instructors on staff to help meet the individual needs of our young swimmers and divers. Lessons can be arranged as private lessons (one student) or semi-private lessons (2-4 students). 

To arrange a private or semi-private swim/dive lesson, please contact your instructor of choice directly, and they’ll work with you to schedule your lessons. 
If you have any difficulties with getting a lesson arranged and need assistance, please contact Maria Balcom, our swim lesson coordinator, or Aquatics Director Brad Huttenga.

If you’d prefer RC assigns an instructor, please fill out this form and we’ll get back to you shortly:  Coming Soon for 2024
*If you need to cancel an already scheduled lesson, please contact your instructor ahead of time.  No shows for scheduled lessons will be charged at full price.

Swim Instructors

Marea Balcom

Swim Instructor

My name is Marea, I just finished my senior year swimming at Dexter High School and will be attending U of M in the fall! I have been swimming since the age of 5 for Dexter community aquatic club including USA and WISC swimming. I also played waterpolo all four years at DHS. I have been working at Racquet Club for the past two summers teaching private swim lessons and I also teach lessons at Travis Point Country Club. I enjoy teaching swimmers of all ages, helping beginners learn to swim, as well as more experienced swimmers in their technique. I love to being able to teach and see improvement in this sport like I was once taught!

Amy Bornschein

Swim Team Coach & Instructor

Hi! I am the 8 and under lead coach and would love to work with any age. I have been swimming since I was 8, I went to Pioneer High School and swam 4 years on Varsity. I went to college at Denison and swam for them as well. My favorite stroke is backstroke, and I love helping people find their love of swimming, and getting their technique down. I married a diver and we have 3 kids, a German Shepard dog and we love to spend time Up North or going on camping trips as a family.

Isabel Chapman

Swim Group Lesson Instructor

Hi, my name is Isabel. I grew up in the pool swimming for Liberty Athletic club and then moved to Club Wolverine for a couple of years. However, I will be continuing my soccer athletic career at Cornell University this fall. I have worked private lessons and group lessons at Racquet Club these past 3 summers and have had a blast! I am here to help kids of all ages feel comfortable in the water while teaching them the basic strokes and breathing techniques. 

Stella Chapman

Swim Group Lesson Instructor

My name is Stella Chapman.  I started swimming when I was four years old, and I started swimming competitively at the age of nine for Club Wolverine.  I also swim for Pioneer High School, and have won multiple Division 1 individual state titles.  I am a rising senior at Pioneer High School and will swim for the University of Wisconsin beginning the Fall of 2024.  My main goal is helping kids learn to have fun and feel comfortable in the water.  I love working with any age group, no matter how young! 

Katie Leissner

Swim Team Coach & Instructor
 
katieleissner@gmail.com

*Katie is out of the country until June 21st and will be available after that.

Hello, my name is Katie Leissner and I am one of the swim coaches for 8 & Unders! I started to swim competitively as an 8&U in Chelsea and continued through high school, where I was mainly a distance swimmer and backstroker. I am currently studying at Miami University. I will gladly help your child learn new strokes, work on their technique, or practice starts and turns to help them be prepared to compete!

Sam Durrant

Swim Team Coach & Instructor
 

Hi, my name is Sam Durrant, and I’m the 9-10 swim team co-coach! I enjoy working with all ages on technique, various strokes, flip turns, starts, and anything to be competition ready.

Aubrey Baumhover

Swim Instructor

Hi! I’m Aubrey, I’ll be a senior at Pioneer in the fall. I’ve been swimming competitively since I was 4, and have been a lifeguard and swim instructor for 3 years now!

Lucy Schneidewind

Swim Instructor

Hi, I’m Lucy. I started swimming at the RC as an 8 and under, and this is my third year working as a lifeguard. I just graduated from Huron High School where I was one of the swim team captains, and will be heading off to Dartmouth in the fall! I like working with all age groups, from kids who just need encouragement to get  in the pool and be comfortable in the water, to those who want to improve their swimming technique.

Gabbi Prince

Swim Instructor

Hi my name is Gabriella (Gabbi) Prince. I love being outdoors and love being in and near the water since I was a toddler.   I learned to swim at a very young age up north and have swam on summer swim teams for many years.   I have been a certified life guard through the Red Cross for the last 2 years. I very recently graduated from Pioneer High School and participated in the trailblazer program at Burns Park Elementary this year.   I really enjoy working with children and and will be attending American Universiry where I plan on studying Public Policy and Environmental Science. I would love to be a swim instructor and have experience with children due to many years at camp Hayo-Went-Ha along with Trailblazers a program where I helped in a first grade classroom at Burns Park elementary daily. 

Savannah Farmer

Swim Instructor

Hello! My name is Savannah Farmer and I am a rising senior at Pioneer High School. I have been a member of the Racquet Club since I was a baby. I have always enjoyed being in the water, starting with the baby pool, then progressing to swim lessons, swim team, and privates to work on my technique for swim team. Over the years I swam for Club Wolverine and I currently swim for my high school. I am excited to share my love of swimming with kids of all ages, from getting comfortable in the water to perfecting stroke technique. 

Ashley Patterson

Swim Instructor

I am starting my 10th summer swimming for RC’s swim team and have just completed two years of varsity Swim and Dive and Water Polo. I am a certified lifeguard and love spending time at the pool! I have many years of babysitting experience and I am the oldest cousin of 9, so I have lots of experience with younger children. I enjoy working with children in all age groups. I love swimming in the pool and I have fun teaching kids to enjoy swimming as much as I do.

Dive Instructors

Brad Huttenga

Head Dive Coach
Aquatics Director

Brad’s been the Head Diving Coach at RC for over 20 years, and has experience with divers of all levels.  While he’s coached countless diving All-Americans, his focus at RC is using diving to help kids learn a variety of skills, build confidence, and enable more bodily awareness.  While he typically refers lessons to his assistants, he is still available for lessons when requested.

Will Brenner

Hi, my name is Will Brenner. I was a diver for 17 years, and I have been a coach for about 4 years now. I started at Orchard Hills, then started to take diving more seriously when I started diving with Brad Huttenga at Huron High School and Racquet Club. From there, I was able to get a spot on The University of Iowa Swim and Dive team where I competed for 4 years. Since then, I have been coaching kids of all different skill levels and age groups. I’m really excited to be back at Racquet Club and share what I have learned about this sport over the years. Hopefully, we will have some fun along the way as well.

Chrismon Clark

Dive Coach

My name is Chrismon Clark and this is my second year coaching at RC! I have been diving for 10 years and coaching for 3. I am a rising Junior on the University of Michigan Women’s Swimming and Diving Team studying Political Science and English. I also coach for the Michigan Diving Camps on the weekends. I love the sport of diving and coaching all levels of divers. I am so excited for another great summer at RC!

Dive Coach