Heather Coulson Haddock
OWNER/PRESIDENT
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Heather Coulson Haddock has spent the majority of her life in
and around the pool. She attended the University of Tennessee on a
full swimming scholarship. Heather was a nationally-ranked,
All-American swimmer for the Volunteers and competed in the 1988
Olympic Trials in the 400 Individual Medley and was also World
ranked. The 2010/2011 season represents her fourteenth year as
the Owner and Head Coach of Mako.
In the past, Heather also served as the Head Swim and Dive Coach
of the Robinson High School for five seasons - leading the team to
a 90% winning dual-meet record and three consecutive Patriot
District Championships titles in 1996, 1997, and 1998.
She also coached the Commonwealth summer league team for two
seasons, including one undefeated season in Division 5 in 1996 and
1997.Heather founded the Mako team in 1996 with a handful of
swimmers from both Robinson High School and Commonwealth swim
teams. Her philosophy is built on her own collective swimming
experiences. In 1998, Mako joined Potomac Valley Swimming as a USA
Competitive swim team. Today, the team is comprised of nearly 400
swimmers, a staff of excellent coaches, and trains exclusively in
the finest swimming facility in the Northern Virginia region, the
George Mason Aquatics and Fitness Center in Fairfax.
Heather takes great pride in the team’s unwavering
commitment to developing outstanding athletes in a positive, fun
and family-oriented environment. Heather holds a bachelor’s
degree in early childhood development from the University of
Tennessee and a master’s degree in special education from the
College of William and Mary. Heather continues swimming
competitively for the Patriot Master’s Swim Team, where she
holds several individual and relay records. She was also
Master’s National Champion in the 50 Meter Backstroke in
Hawaii in 2002.
Heather is married to Chris Haddock, has two children, Logan (14)
and Ryan (12), and resides in Chantilly.
Peter Ward
HEAD SENIOR/NATIONAL COACH
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Peter Ward is the Senior Coach at the Fairfax campus leading the
National, Senior and Senior Sprint programs. Peter has also served
as the Head Coach of the GMU collegiate team for the past six
seasons, where he has lead the Patriots to four straight Colonial
Athletic Association (CAA) league titles, received CAA "Coach of
the Year" honors four times, produced seven Olympic Trial
qualifiers, 22 All-America athletes, and 42 CAA champions and 18
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champions.
A world-class swimmer, Ward was a member of the Canadian National
Swimming Team from 1979-88. He placed seventh in the 200 butterfly
at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and was a silver
medalist at the 1987 Pan American Games. He held the Canadian
national record in the 200-meter butterfly from 1981-84, and was
the Canadian champion in that event in 1981, 1984 and 1986.
Ward, who is a member of both the American Swimming Coaches
Association and the College Swimming Coaches Association of
America, has also been involved with Special Olympics, and also
assisted with the Washington D.C.-area bid for the 2012 Summer
Olympic Games.
He and his wife, Cheryl, who was also an All-American swimmer at
Arkansas, an international medal winner and an Olympic finalist,
have two daughters, Rebecca (14) and Rachel (11). The Wards reside
in Fairfax.
Mike Cook
HEAD AGE GROUP JUNIOR & SR PREP COACH
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Mike Cook is a native Northern Virginian having
grown up in Falls Church. Mike has 20+ years of USS and summer
league coaching experience. He has been involved with the NVSL
having swum at Woodley for 12 years, moving up to coach the team
for 3 years and then moving onto Lee Graham, where he has been
coaching for over 20 years.
Mike
has coached all ages but has concentrated his expertise in age
group development. His coaching philosophy focuses on the
development of a well rounded swimmer, a swimmer who is proficient
in all 4 strokes. His goal is to help each swimmer develop a love
of the sport and to challenge them to realize their own swimming
potential. Mike is an active member of the American Swim Coaches
Association, and continues to educate himself on new training
methods and techniques that he incorporates in his
practices.
Mike
leads the Junior High Performance and Age Group High Performance
programs and the Senior Prep group.
Mike’s formal education
includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Recreation from
Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a former college and club
rugby player and continues to train for local triathlons, and a
graduate of Falls Church High School where he helped start the
school swim team.
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Beth Bedell
HEAD MINI MAKO COACH
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Beth Bedell enters her six year as an age group coach with
the Mason Makos. She has spent the last three summers as Head
Coach of the Little Rocky Stingrays. Before Makos, she spent 30+
summers teaching younger children to swim.
Beth enjoys the challenge of working with age group swimmers (10
and under) and helping them develop their strokes. She continues to
update her techniques and training skills by attending
seminars that provide the most updated information on age group
swimming, strokes, nutrition and psychology. She is certified by
American Swim Coaches Association as a level II coach, and she has
her Water Safety Instructor certification as well. She spent over
15 years swimming in California competing for age group, high
school and college teams.
Beth has a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Long Beach in
Health Science with a specialty in Radiation Therapy.
Brian DuFour
HS Group Coach
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Brian is entering his second year as a Makos’ coach.
Brian will be workng with our High School group this season.
Brian has also finished his third season as head coach of the
Fairfax Frogs. He is also coaching for Woodson High School
and previously coached for TC Williams High School. Before
moving to VA Brian coached for many years in the MCSL (Montgomery
County Swim League).
Growing up, Brian swam in the MCSL as well as for Rockville
Montgomery Swim Club and for Winston Churchill HS.
Brian teaches 5th Grade for FCPS.
Caitlin Impink
Junior I
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Caitlin Impink is a new addition to the Mako staff. Caitlin is a
recent graduate of George Mason University with a major in English
and a Minor in Education. She just finished her fourth year
swimming for George Mason and is excited to begin coaching at such
a familiar pool.
Caitlin has been coaching swimming since 2004 and has head
coached the last two years in the NVSL for the Parliament Panthers.
She also coached the Fair Oaks Sharks in the summer of 2008.
As an aspiring teacher, Caitlin is ready to teach and lead her
Mason Makos groups to achieve their highest goals. Caitlin
will be working with the Junior I and Age Group II groups this
season.
Chris Schwindt
Age Group I, Junior I, MSM
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Chris is entering his second year as a member of the Mako's
professional coaching staff. He will be coaching the Age
Group I, Junior I and Mako Stroke Mechanics groups this season.
Chris is no stranger to the Mako family. Chris was a volunteer
coach with Makos working with the Mini Mako developmental and high
performance groups from 2002-2005 as well as swimming for Makos
senior/national group from 1998-2005.
Chris was a captain and four year letterman for Centreville High
School Swim Team. He served as an assistant coach for The
Little Rocky Run Stingrays in 2004 and 2005 where he also swam.
Chris then went on to become head coach for The Brookfield Breakers
Swim Team in Chantilly during the summer seasons from 2006-current.
Chris is a graduate of East Carolina University where he
received his degree in Architectural Design with a minor in
business in 2009. He swam club at East Carolina University and is
excited to be back working with The Mason Makos.
