Chris is GCSTO's Head Coach. Chris took over the role of Head Coach & Owner of GCSTO in the summer of 2021 after the untimely passing of previous Owner, Mentor, & Friend, Steve Nye. This will be Chris’ 10th season with the Senior Team and 14th season, overall, with GCSTO (2011). During his time with the Senior Team, his swimmers have bettered more than 60 team records and qualified for meets ranging from Age Group State Championships to the USA Olympic Team Trials. Prior to working with the Senior Team, Chris was part of the Age Group coaching staff (Head Age Group Coach and Head Level 2 Coach). While working with the age group swimmers, he coached numerous Age Group State Qualifiers and Finalists as well as Age Group Zone Qualifiers. His athletes broke multiple team records within their respective age groups.
As a swimmer, Chris began his career at age 11 with the Vacationland Swim Club in Sandusky, OH. He was a finalist in the 100 Fly at the 1998 USA Swimming Junior National Meet. He was also a finalist at the Ohio High School State Meet in the 100 butterfly and three relays during his Junior and Senior years. Chris was a two-time High School All American his senior year (100 Fly and 200 Medley Relay). After high school, Chris swam at The Ohio State University, where he was a four-year letter winner and competed at the Big Ten Championship Meet in each of his four seasons.
Chris currently works as a Compliance Consultant for Nationwide and lives in Pickerington, OH with his wife, Rachel, and their two children, Ryan and Brynn, both of whom also swim for GCSTO.
Scott is joining GCSTO as the Head Level 4 Coach. Here is a quick outline of Coach Scott's background!
Swimming career: GCSTO (Eastmoor H.S) 1984 - 1986, University of Mount Union College 1986 - 1990.
Swim Coaching career: Denison University 1991 - 1998, GCSTO 1996 - 1998, Westerville Aquatic Club 2011 - 2012.
Spring and Summer Swim Coaching: Westerville Aquatic Club level 4 Coach 1994 and Mission Viejo Nadadores Interim JR National Coach 1995.
Hobbies: Singing Bass with the Singing Buckeyes, playing trumpet, playing guitar, stand up comedy, Hiking, and Grilling (cooking).
Erin is returning as GCSTO's Level 3 Head Coach. Erin grew up in Findlay, OH, where she was a part of her neighborhood swim team, Findlay Area Swim Team and Findlay High School. Throughout HS and college Erin worked as a lifeguard and head swim coach at her neighborhood summer pool. After HS, she attended the University of Toledo, majoring in Recreational Therapy. While in college, Erin served as an assistant and head coach for the Toledo YMCA. She recently coached with LTPY here in central Ohio. She currently works for The Ohio State University at Harding Hospital as a Recreational Therapist and is pursuing a Master's Degree in Healthcare Innovation.
Austin is entering his first season as the full-time Head Level 2 Coach. Previously, Austin has served as the Head Level 4 Coach (2023-25) as well as Head Level 3 Coach (2020-21) with GCSTO.
Austin started swimming at the age of nine with his hometown summer league team, the Willard Waves, in Willard, Ohio. He went on to swim with the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops in college, where he earned four varsity letters and served as team captain his senior year. Austin has contributed to several programs over the years, including the Willard Waves, Delaware Ohio Racing Club and Chevington Woods Summer Swim Team. In addition to coaching Level 2 with GCSTO, Austin also serves as the head coach of the Pickerington Tiger Sharks Summer Swim Team and is an assistant coach with the Gahanna Middle School Swim Team.
Austin is thrilled to return for another season with GCSTO!
Libby is returning as the Head Level 1 Coach. This will be Libby's 11th year coaching club swimming, 5th year with GCSTO, and 4th year leading Level 1. Libby has also coached with the summer league team, Bexley Marlins, and served as a volunteer coach for the Pickerington Tiger Sharks, as well as Westerville South High School. Coach Libby grew up with swimming and competed at the district level in high school...their events were distance and butterfly. Outside of swimming, they have been working in early childhood education for 6 years. Libby and their wife have 3 cats and 2 turtles, and they love to rockhound (look for cool rocks in different states!)
Cheryl Max is GCSTO's Head Novice Coach. "Coach Cheryl", as she is known to so many of her athletes, first became associated with GCSTO in 1998 when her son joined our team. Cheryl quickly became involved with the team as a volunteer. She worked in all aspects of volunteer coordination & meet operations with the team. By 2002 Cheryl was hired to work as a lesson instructor within our Swim Lessons program where she quickly became the most requested instructor on staff. Soon thereafter she was offered the position of Head Novice Coach where she continues as the leader today.
As our Novice coach she is firm, yet understanding and holds her expectations high for our Novice swimmers. Her patience with younger athletes is amazing and she holds a tremendous ability to maintain control over these younger swimmers in practice so that practices are organized, efficient and effective. She's an absolutely amazing role model for our young swimmers and is one of the most incredible coaches that these swimmers could have as they are introduced to the sport of swimming.
In addition to coaching GCSTO's Novice group, Cheryl will be entering her third season with the Pickerington High School North swim team, where she was recently named Head Coach! She also serves as an assistant coach with the Pickerington Tiger Sharks Swim Team.
Maddie is returning as an Assistant Coach, primarly working with Level 3. More information coming soon!
Phoebe will be returning as an Assistant Coach, primarily working with our Level 2 group. This is Phoebe's third year with GCSTO, and her second with level 2. Phoebe is originally from Houston, Texas, and swam for her summer and high school teams back home before moving to Ohio and swimming with the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops throughout college. She has previously coached club, high school, and summer league swim in Delaware, Ohio, and just finished her first summer season with the Pickerington Tiger Sharks swim team. Phoebe's favorite stroke is butterfly, but her favorite animal is now a polar bear (go GCSTO)!
Chayse is returning as an Assistant Coach, primarly working with Level 1. Chayse is from Gahanna, OH and has been part of the GCSTO family since she was 10 years old. She swam for Gahanna high school and GCSTO until she graduated and started coaching. Chayse has been coaching with GCSTO for 3 years, working mostly with the Novice and Level 1 groups. Outside of swim, she is working toward a degree in Illustration at CCAD.
Sophia is returning as an Assistant Coach. Sophia was born and raised a Buckeye as she is originally from Gahanna but spent most of her years living the Army kid lifestyle. Every couple of years the family would get orders to move. Starting over in a new place was not the easiest, but she adapted by participating in many sports. Sophia spent most of her childhood with her grandpa at the pool or on the court shooting hoops.
In addition to coaching, Sophia is also GCSTO's Lessons Director for the swim lessons program. Sophia has seven years of teaching swim lessons and lifeguarding. As a child, she swam for GCSTO and her middle school team. Her experience with lifeguarding, swim lessons, and her time as an athlete highlights her dedication to water safety and skill development in young swimmers. Through her commitment, Sophia not only ensures a safe swimming environment but also fosters a love of the water and for the sport of swimming, encouraging students who are ready to transition from swim lessons to joining the swim team with confidence. As a coach and Lessons Director, swim lessons students will recognize a friendly face with Sophia (along with other instructors) as they move from swim lessons to swim team!
Outside of the pool, Sophia became a licensed esthetician in 2020 and is still currently in the esthetics business. When she is not on the pool deck or providing beauty services, Sophia stays active outdoors with her dog, Piper. She also enjoys travelling and activities that stimulate a creative process.
Shannon is returning to GCSTO as an Assistant Coach, primarly working with the Novice group. More information coming soon!
Kassidy will be rejoining GCSTO as an Assistant Coach this season. Kassidy started her swimming journey when she joined GCSTO at the age of 5 and swam with the team for over 13 years! Prior to that, she learned how to swim through GCSTO's lesson program. She was a member and team captain of the Canal Winchester swim team, and was a 4-year district individual qualifier, as well as state qualifier and All-Ohio finisher as a member of the 200 free relay. After high school, Kassidy attended the Ohio State University. While there she was on the Ohio State club swim team and also started as an assistant coach for GCSTO in 2020.
As a coach, she was an assistant swim coach for the Canal Winchester Dolphins summer swim team from 2018 through 2022. In addition, she taught numerous swim lessons both privately and through GCSTO's Autism Speaks Program. Kassidy took a brief hiatus in 2023 from swimming to obtain her Master's of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at Marietta College and is now back and very excited! A fun fact about Kassidy is she has a great dane named Franklin and a golden retriever named Winnie.
