Meet Your DH Swim Coaches
Our great coaches bring out the best in our athletes!
Many moons ago on a clear day high above the fabled water of the Douglass Hills Swim Club I was born in mid-air as my mom and dad were skydiving. Not really, I was born in Louisville, KY in July of 1971. I grew up in the enchanted land of Douglass Hills, wrestling brown bears and flossing my teeth with the whiskers of saber-toothed lions I bested in daily skirmishes. Not really, I grew up in Douglass Hills, attended Crosby and Eastern, graduated from the University of Kentucky and today teach AP Psychology at Eastern High School, coach the Eastern High School Swim Team and sell real estate for Stonelake Realtors. When not wrestling bears and lions I spend time with my awesome family—my wife Erin and my boys Austin and Travis. They get to partake in my favorite of all past times, helping coach the Hurricanes of Douglass Hills. I’ve been on the warpath with this team since I was 7 years old—and it never gets old. I am also a complete geek for University of Kentucky sports teams, the Boston Red Sox and Boston Celtics, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, ------when I’m not out lassoing Unicorns. See you on the deck of the Douglass Hills Swim Club—I’ll be the one with claw marks on my back.
Born on the banks of the Ohio River on a cold, foggy morning of March 21st a long, long time ago. My name is T.J. Lechner, I have been associated with Douglass Hills for 24 years (swam for 13, and this will be my 11th season of coaching). I am known for being goofy, "beardful" (it's a word I made up for myself due to my ability to have such awesome facial hair…see picture), and passionate more than most about Douglass Hills. Douglass Hills is my lifelong love. So is teaching, mentoring, and coaching the kids/swimmers on the team. I also coach throughout the winter. Can't wait to see the gates open for another season! Lets Go DH! #hurricanepride
Legend has it that the day I was born and brought home from the hospital, my dad handed my perfect swaddled self to my mom along with the remote control and said, "Sorry, I have to go coach a swim meet." And I am proud to say I've carried on that tradition. My name is Shannon and for me, swimming has been the family business growing up amongst swim coaches logging many hours at the Thanksgiving table listening to discussions of time splits and swim sets. The amount of people I've seen be impacted by the sport of swimming and positive coaching is truly powerful...and I love getting to be apart of that! The majority of my life and coaching experience comes from the Chicago land USA swim clubs, high school swimming, and summer leagues where I grew up (Da Bears!!!). Since moving to Louisville, I've coached Tsunami Swim Club, been Lead Personal Trainer at Burn Boot Camp, trained Lifeguards, and ran pool stuff at Northeast Y. I've also recently gone back to school to become a student again so I can get my Masters and teach other students. I'll be stepping into teaching this fall so you can catch me being an adult...only in the winter months though. My happy place is on the water boating, skiing, fishing, or dancing around the pool deck. Besides swimming: fitness, gym life, dancing, hiking, yoga, being weird and surviving parenthood are my other favorite hobbies! So be on the lookout for my crazy mini me's: Delaney, Walker and Holly, who are just a bunch of DH pool rats all summer, something that could not fill my heart more. Apologies in advance for how loud my husband, Mike, cheers (he may or may not have been kicked off a pool deck before). I am beyond thrilled to be back coaching DH as my full time summer gig. Let's do this, summer!
On the eighth of November, two thousand and one, during the first and only hurricane that has ever struck Louisville, I was born, destined to walk the hallowed pool deck of Douglass Hills, and began swimming for DH in 2006. With an iron heart and a high elbow, I tore through the waters, creating bonds with my teammates that would never be broken, Wahoos and Barracudas alike ran and hid at the mere mention of my name. DH started my love for swimming, leading me to swim for Saint X, where I went to high school, and where I now swim at Transylvania University. You may confuse me for my older, less-handsome brother John, who coached for a few years in the past, but I assure you, I’m only half the buffoon that he was. I can’t believe this is already my third year coaching, with hopefully many more years to come! I’m excited to see everyone at the pool this summer and have a blast!
It is said that on the day of my birth (December 1990), a hurricane changed paths and headed directly for Louisville, KY. Born to a DH dynasty family, I was destined to spend my life on the legendary decks of Douglass Hills Pool. I physically, not figuratively, bleed blue and yellow. My mother (who swam circles around Heuke back in the day) threw me into the DH pool at the age of 3 (not an exaggeration). I terrorized the DH coaches for 15 years as their prized athlete, and vowed to never leave. It was a devastating day when, after coaching for 5 years, the evil world wouldn't give me my summers off anymore. It took some time, blood (still blue and yellow), sweat and tears to make it back to these holy waters but I am here to stay, I only had to change careers and move to Middletown to do it. My husband, Travis, asked why (he isn't from around here), and I'll tell you: This isn't just a swim team, it is a swim family. Families of all ages, sizes, and talents come together to fight for each other and support one another, and there is NO OTHER PLACE LIKE IT IN THE WORLD!
It is known to be true that on the third day of the first month of the fourth year of the twenty first century I was born in the eye of a magnificently powerful hurricane that shook many places. Through the wild winds and waters of that storm I washed up on the pool deck of Douglass Hills where I was destined to swim. Only a few short years later I began swimming on Douglass Hills when I was four years old and that led me to a life of swimming. I continued swimming for Douglass Hills all my life as well as joining a club team Triton where I swam year round. I swam for Eastern High School as well and graduated last year. These events have led me to Centre College where I continue my passion for swimming and now back home to coach for the greatest swim team of all time. I'm so excited to coach this year and can't wait for an awesome summer at DH!!
A not very long time ago, in a land not very far away, I was birthed. I was fortunate enough to grow up in the brilliant neighborhood of Douglass Hills, which lead me to be swimming in my shorts for my first practice with the DH swim team at the age of 7. Since then I have always loved the sport of swimming and even swam for my high school team at Eastern. After almost filing a restraining order against Shannon for how much she would beg me to coach at Tsunami, I finally gave in and had my first year with them over the past winter season. I’ve always wanted to coach at DH after graduating because something has just felt missing since not being on the team. I finally get a chance to do so this season and can’t wait!
In the year following the end of the first twentieth of the twenty first century, I became the last-born child of my immediate family. Following in the footsteps of my older sister and brother, I joined Douglass Hills at age 4, and have always been around a pool since. I have continued to swim for Douglass Hills every summer since, until my senior season last year, and also was a part of the dive team for several years. Because Douglass Hills ignited my passion for swimming, I eventually joined club teams Tsunami and then Triton, competed for Eastern High School, which I graduated from last year, and additionally have participated in club swimming during my freshman year at Florida State University. Now, I am absolutely thrilled for this summer to be able to coach for the best team from east to west. I can't wait for an awesome season! Go DH!
Legend has it, I was born. After this event in 2005 and 7 years of preparation, I joined the Douglass Hills swim team in 2012. Was it the universe? Or destiny? Or both? Yes. I remained on the DH swim team for 12 years and dabbled in year-round swimming at Lakeside for 4. My brother Roland, of course, has followed in my footsteps and is still swimming for DH. Throughout my time as a swimmer, I played volleyball as well. Although I have always loved swimming, I decided volleyball was the sport I wanted to continue to play in college. I graduated from Assumption last year and now study and play volleyball at Colorado School of Mines. I love DH, and I am over the moon to be back to my home pool and coaching swim this summer!