Our Instructors

I swam for Splash Aquatics for 15 years. In 2009, I became a certified swim coach for Splash and I now specialize in stroke development and technique. I have also worked at a preschool/elementary school in Cypress that focuses on children with special needs. I have a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Arizona and a Masters in Education in School Psychology from Alliant International University. I am current working on my Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in School Psychology at Chapman University.

My goal is to develop a nonprofit swim program that is fully inclusive for all children. I have experience teaching children with different abilities and want to build a program at Jump Start Swimming that will work for any child. All children should be water safe.

I am half way to my goal. Jump Start Swimming is a nonprofit organization and we provide lessons to all children who attend our program; however, I am still determined to increase instructor knowledge, techniques, and experience so that all our instructors are able to work with all children with special needs.

Certifications: Life-guard, CPR, First Aid: Infant and Child, First Aid: Adult, Safety Training for Swim Coaches, USA Swim Coach

I started swimming for Splash Aquatics when I was five years old. I swam at Splash until I reached high school and began playing water polo at Fountain Valley High School. Water polo became my love. I have played water polo for my high school, college, and on a club team. I live in the water and spend my time either at the beach or in the snow! I have taught swim lessons for the last three years. I have also been able to help teach children and adults with a range of disablities.

I started swimming in 2005 back when Los Amigos High School held swim lessons during the summer. A year later, I started my 13- year long journey of competitive swim with Riptide in 2006 and then Splash in 2012. Additionally, I swam my first two years of high school (2015-2017) before realizing that I enjoyed coaching more than I did swimming. I started coaching in the summer of 2015. Since then I have had many opportunities to coach at schools like Estancia specializing in basic techniques for beginning swimmers. Currently, I am rekindling my love for the water after having spent so much time outside of it and sharing my love for teaching and instructing.

Hi, everyone! My name is Samantha Bell and I am so excited to be a part of the Jump Start Swimming team. As a former competitive swimmer for Nova Aquatics, Goldenwest Swim Club and Huntington Beach High School, I am excited to jump back into the pool and help the new generation of swimmers. Throughout my time at HBHS, I was a member of the varsity swim team, Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook and an active member of the student council. After graduating last spring, I headed off to college to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a journalist and currently attending the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications. I have taught swim lessons for the past two years and have a great deal of experience with children of all ages. Teaching swim lessons has become the highlight of my summer and I love to pass on my love for the water onto others. I'm super excited to dive into this summer with everyone!

I graduated from Guajome Park Academy in Vista, California in 2021. I am currently furthering my education in Child Development. I have been swimming since I was little but was never able to compete. I love teaching and working with kids. I have babysat and taken care of kids since I can remember. I am currently working with kids with disabilities and preschoolers at a school in Orange County. I volunteered at Jump Start last year and help on the pool deck and in the water. I am very excited for this swim season!

Hi! My name is Chloe Douglas, I am a junior at Huntington Beach High School. I have been teaching swim lessons for four years and I have been lifeguarding for three years. I love working with kids all ages! I've been babysitting and I have been around kids with disabilities and I love working with everyone! I love being in the water and I love swimming!

Hello my name is Patrick! I’ve been a swim instructing and lifeguarding for 5 years. I have experience with all ages and multiple disabilities! I love teaching and I'm currently a college student working on my degree in education. I want to start in elementary and work my way up to high school and hopefully become a college professor after getting my doctorate. I work really well with everyone and I can’t wait to see your faces this summer!

I’ve always loved to swim, and as a former competitive swimmer for Golden West College, I’m excited to return to teach a sport I love so much. Since I was in high school, I’ve taught youth and young adults, coordinated events, lead small groups, and I’ve had so much amazing experience with teaching and mentoring. Now I’m taking my people skills and energy to study Communications at Cal State Long Beach this fall.

Hi, my name is Sofia Fex, and I'm excited to be a part of Jump Start Swimming this summer! I have been swimming since i was little and began swimming competitively in 2012, participating in multiple club teams before joining my varsity swim team in high school. I lifeguarded at The Great Wolf Lodge for two years and was a swim assistant at Blueray Aquatics for one summer. I have extensive experience with children of all ages, gained through years of babysitting and assisting my mom in summer school courses. Currently, I am a college student at Washington State University, majoring in journalism, and I hope to pursue a career in the field after I graduate. I'm thrilled to be back in Southern California for the summer and am eager to be back in the water!

I started swimming when I was three years old with Green Valley and absolutely fell in love with the water. I continued swimming with them every summer until I was eighteen years old! Once I entered 3rd grade I started swimming competitively with Riptide Aquatics. I continued with Riptide until I started high school. I went to Ocean View High school and immediately started playing water polo. I fell in love with water polo. I swam and played water polo all four years at Ocean View, and continued to do both in college! Currently, I am a water polo coach for Riptide Water Polo and for the Ocean View High School water polo teams. I am attending Golden West College, where I am playing water polo and majoring in Art Education.