WELCOME TO TSM AQUATICS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ HEAD COACH

EMAIL: MAK@TEAMSANTAMONICA.ORG

Coach Mohammad started his coaching career at the Santa Monica YMCA in 2007, and was promoted to Head Coach of the YMCA Team in 2011. Similarly, he joined TSM Aquatics as an Assistant Coach in 2015 and was promoted to Head Coach four years later, in 2019.

Since joining TSM, Mohammad has been leading swimmers to competitive rankings in Southern California, USA, and internationally. He has been able to coach TSM swimmers to Junior National, National, Olympic Trials, Junior Pan Pacific Championships, World Junior Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games levels during his time as the Head Coach of the program. Coach Mohammad’s dream of becoming an Olympic Coach became a reality in 2024 when he led Ivan Puskovitch to the 2024 USA Olympic Team...

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH

EMAIL: IMAN@TEAMSANTAMONICA.ORG

Coach Iman hails from Iran and came to the US in 2003. Iman coached at the Santa Monica YMCA 2009-2014 ultimately as Head Coach, leading the team to the Southern California YMCA League Championship, and also serving as Aquatics Coordinator and heading the swim lessons program of over 300 swimmers. In 2014 Coach Iman joined Westside Aquatics and assisted in starting a new program in Santa Monica. Soon after Coach Iman became the Head Age Group Coach at Westside. In 2014 Coach Iman also became the Head Coach of a Master’s Program.

Coach Iman is currently in his 8 th year of coaching. He has coached swimmers ranging from novice to Sectional qualifiers. He has also had his swimmers recognized by USA Swimming as the top 20 swimmers in the nation in their age group...

ASSISTANT COACH

EMAIL: DAN@TEAMSANTAMONICA.ORG

Coach Dan grew up in Green Bay, WI where he began his coaching career at the age of 16 working with the Green Bay YMCA. After attending college in Milwaukee, Dan helped start a new swim program on the south side of Milwaukee that grew to over 100 swimmers after one year. He then moved to Virginia where he assisted in restarting the women’s swim team at Emory & Henry College and started his own club, Blue Ridge Aquatic Club. While there, Emory & Henry had their first NCAA qualifier in the teams’ history. From there, Dan moved to Southern California to coach at the University of Southern California and the Trojan Swim Club.

Throughout his 15 years of coaching experience, Dan has coached athletes ranging from beginners all the way to current world record holders. His philosophy is that, through swimming, young athletes can learn valuable skills, both in and out of the water, that they will carry with them for life. 

ASSISTANT COACH

EMAIL: CHRIS@TEAMSANTAMONICA.ORG

Coach Chris has swim coaching in his family lineage and a huge passion for the sport of swimming. Coach Chris was thrown into the waters at the young age of 2 and started swimming competitively at the age of 5. Coach Chris has been coaching competitive swimming in Southern California since 2009. He brings 13 years of coaching experience to Team Santa Monica.

Coach Chris has helped produce a wide range of swimmers from Gold Medalists at Super JO's to Top 3 Ranked in Southern California. Coach Chris was also selected to assist Coach Mohammad at Western Zones Age Group Championship for 2 years running, as well as selected for All-Stars Festival Coach back to back to back years. Coach Chris believes technique and mental fortitude can be instilled at a young age as a firm foundation for success...

ASSISTANT COACH

EMAIL: SYDNEY@TEAMSANTAMONICA.ORG

Coach Sydney grew up on the East Coast in Boston, where she began swimming competitively at a young age. As a club swimmer, Sydney achieved Winter Junior Nationals and consistently demonstrated leadership both in and out of the pool. She continued her swimming career at Boston University as a Division 1 swimmer, where she studied neuroscience. During her time at BU, Sydney served as captain for both her junior and senior years, earning multiple team accolades, including Hardest Worker and Most Valuable Swimmer. In her senior year, Sydney was also recognized as BU Athletics’ Teammate of the Year.

Sydney joined TSM Aquatics in 2023, and in 2024, she was selected to coach at the Southern California All-Star Festival Meet. Her passion is to help her athletes find love in the sport and passion in their daily practice. As a strong mental health advocate, she believes, "a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer."

ASSISTANT COACH

EMAIL: STEFANIE@TEAMSANTAMONICA.ORG

Coach Stefanie grew up in NJ swimming for Somerset Valley YMCA (now Greater Somerset County YMCA) where she was a Summer YMCA Nationals qualifier. Stefanie was a four-year letter winner for the Hamilton College Continentals Swim Team, Clinton, NY from 2005-2009. As a senior, Stefanie was a captain for the Hamilton College women’s swim team. She was named to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) All-Sportsmanship team in 2009.

Stefanie continued to swim after graduating from Hamilton. She swam with the UCF club team, winning three events (400 IM, 200 & 100 Breaststroke) at the 2011 East Coast Championships. She is a YMCA Masters national champion and record-holder and US Masters Swimming National Champion, Top Ten and All-American swimmer. Stefanie still currently competes for the Rose Bowl Masters team...

PRE-COMPETITIVE COACH

Coach Misael began his coaching experience at a Culver City YMCA in 1999 and has been coaching in Santa Monica since 2002. His experience in aquatics ranges from teaching Parent and Me classes, swim lessons, age group swim teams, water polo, spring board diving, adult fitness classes, working with IronMan and Ultra Athletes with a focus on stroke development. Additional training includes: Classical Pilates, Hatha Yoga, Psychology of Anatomy, Tai Chi, Personal Training for Strength, Performance, and Corrective Exercise.

Coach Misael hopes to inspire a lifetime commitment to movement by facilitating an environment that enables athletes to do their best. He believes in TSM’s mission to “instill character and foster the skills and qualities” necessary to overcome challenges we face in our lives. 

“Rest at the end, not in the middle.” Kobe Bryant

HEAD WATER POLO COACH

EMAIL: MATT@TEAMSANTAMONICA.ORG

Coach Flanders grew up playing water polo and swimming first at TSM Aquatics in the 80s, and then moved on to the Santa Monica High School teams where he earned all league, all CIF and All American nods in his 4 years as a Viking.He then moved on to play 4 years at UCSB, earning all conference honors as well as the team MVP his senior year. At the same time Coach Flanders was playing on the USA Junior National team.

After college Coach Flanders moved into coaching, first as a graduate assistant at UCSB, and then as the head coach for Samohi's water polo and swim teams. At Samohi he has one numerous league championships in both swim and water polo, as well as CIF championships in girls and boys water polo, earning CIF coach of the year both times. Players he has coached have grabbed all league, All CIF and All American awards.

Coach Flanders also coached at Westside Aquatics for many years, guiding that program to consecutive Junior Olympics appearances as well as two trips abroad to play in Croatia. Coach Flanders still plays water polo regularly, earning All American honors at the masters level, as well as 3 national championships.oes here

ASSISTANT WATER POLO COACH

Shanna grew up in Santa Monica, California and started to swim at the age of 2. Her freshman year of high school is where she started her water polo career. Her junior year she helped make Santa Monica High School history by leading her team to their first ever CIF championship. She also earned CIF First Team as well as Team and League MVP.

She continued her water polo career with a D2 athletic scholarship at Azusa Pacific University. She now wants to share her passion for the water with all of her athletes.