Coaches & Directors
Coaching Staff
Brandon Converse
Head Coach/CEO; Head Age Group Coach
Email: coachconverse@egrawaves.com
Brandon is the Head Coach and also coaches the Senior group. He has been a part of the Waves for the past 20 years and has coached every level on our swim club.
Brandon's swimming experience started at the age-group level and progressed all the way up to swimming at Hope College. His coaching career started immediately following college by working with various age-group and high school programs. Brandon has also been an assistant coach for Calvin College and currently is an assistant to the EGR Girls and Boys Varsity Swim and Dive programs.
In Brandon's own words:
"I feel very fortunate to be able to work with great athletes, parents and volunteers in a community that values swimming and the experiences it provides. I believe that swimming teaches our kids about work ethic, perseverance, being a team player, empathy, goal setting and developing life long skills that will help them long after their swimming careers are over. I am here to help kids reach as high as they want to go and I value all those who make the commitment to improve themselves as swimmers and people."
Go Waves
Josh Dolecki
Head Senior Coach; Masters Coach
Email: coachdolecki@egrawaves.com
Josh is the Head Senior Coach, and Masters Founder and Coach, for the EGRA Waves program.
Josh has been swimming competitively since the age of eight in both club and middle/high school. He was a four year varsity swimmer at Brandon High School and captain both his Junior and Senior year. He comes from past coaching experience as the head coach of the Deer Lake Dolphins Rec Swim Team out of Clarkston, Michigan and has been with the EGRA Waves for 12 years now.
He has coached all levels within the program; teaching the foundations of stroke with the Developmental Groups at Wealthy, introducing the competitive elements of swimming and training cycles with Silver and Gold groups as the Head Age-Group Coach, and uses his years of coaching experience to help the Senior level athletes set their goals and reach for the highest level of success. He is also the founder of the EGRA Masters Team, and coached and grew that adult swim program for 10 years. He is proud of his swimmers and athletes, and has guided his swimmers to achieve their highest goals in swimming, anywhere from Regional to Junior National levels.
He graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science focusing on Health and Fitness. Josh is a recognized Masters Coach in US Masters Swimming (USMS) and an American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) certified coach. He has also been involved with Michigan Swimming as a Zone Coach in 2018 & 2019, and recently, the training of triathletes and open water/enduro-swimmers.
Alan Kotenko
Head Developmental Coach
Email: coachalan@egrawaves.com
I am a retired father of three and grandfather of 6. I have 20 years of coaching experience in: travel baseball, basketball, soccer, and swimming. I have been with the Waves for 4 years as the Head Developmental Swim Coach. I enjoy watching the kids improve and reach levels they did not think possible. We work hard and have fun doing it.
Brenna Anderson
Assistant Coach
Email: berick0309@gmail.com
Hi, my name is Brenna, and I’m one of the Silver/Gold coaches! I love coaching because it’s incredibly rewarding to watch swimmers grow, improve, and reach their goals. Being part of that journey—and helping build confidence along the way—is what makes this role so special to me When I’m not on the pool deck, I’m teaching my 4th grade class, spending time with my two dogs, Reina and Denver, or exploring Grand Rapids in search of the next greatest restaurant with my husband. I can’t wait to see you at the pool!
olivia barbour
Assistant Coach
Email: obarbour99@gmail.com
My name is Olivia Barbour and outside of the pool I work as an elementary special education teacher. I swam for waves for 9 years growing up. I love swimming so much and helping swimmers improve, set goals, and fall in love with the sport is so rewarding for me!
barbara bart
Assistant Coach
Email: barbarlbart@gmail.com
Hello parents and swimmers! My name is Barbara Bart and I am a coach for our Wealthy groups as well as our Silver and Gold groups! I love the outdoors, spending time with loved ones and friends, and being creative any way I can!
I have been a swimmer since I was 5 years old and even swam for Waves and EGRHS teams! I pursued my education and swimming career at Oakland University that made me appreciate the sport so much! I love to share my swimming knowledge and experience with the kids along with making as many great memories as I have!
Thank you for supporting the Waves!
Jonathan Bloedow
Assistant Coach
Email: jwbloedow@gmail.com
I first joined the Waves program in 2009 as a swimmer. Then, after graduating from Forest Hills Northern, I went on to swim for four years at Grand Valley State University and graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in clinical Exercise Science. My coaching journey began in January of 2023 when I had to complete an internship requirement before graduating. Post graduation, I ultimately decided to continue coaching because it was so much fun, and I steadily realized how much I missed the Waves family. As a swimmer I had my own obstacles to overcome that taught me lessons about perseverance, hard work, dedication, teamwork, plus so many others that I have taken beyond the pool deck. What I learned from these experiences is what I put into my coaching. Although at many times during a challenging set or meet I felt like quitting, I never gave up. Even when it seemed impossible to do so, I still enjoyed every minute of the journey, and I want to cultivate the next generation that can strive beyond failure and enjoy the process as much as I have. At the end of the day, swimming is just another sport; there’s more to life and if you’re not having fun, you’re working too hard.
Jenea Born-Holcombe
Assistant Coach; Silver/Gold & Senior
Email: jenearae1@gmail.com
Hi! My name is Jenea! I moved to Grand Rapids in 2017 to attend and swim for Calvin University, where I obtained my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Exercise Science. I now work part-time with the Waves and for the YMCA while also staying at home with my son, Maxwell.
I am grateful for the opportunity to coach because it allows me to help instill self- confidence, mental toughness, and good teamwork into young athletes. It is also so much fun to get to see these kids grow up and improve over multiple years in the sport.
kelsey cooper
Assistant Coach
Email: Kcooper@fruitportschools.net
I grew up in East Grand Rapids and started swimming at age six for the Blue Racers, later renamed EGRA Waves. After competing on the swim team at Ohio Northern University, I returned to East Grand Rapids with my husband, Ian. We have two children and a dog named Rosie. I am a full-time kindergarten teacher in Fruitport and coach swimming because I love the sport and enjoy helping athletes reach their goals. Giving back to the team and community that supported me is a true honor.
Rileigh Eding
Assistant Coach
Email: edingrileigh1@gmail.com
My name is Rileigh, I’ve been with Waves since 2023. I grew up swimming all through high school, and swam at Oakland University before transferring and finished my collegiate career at Albion College. I love coaching because I get to give back to a sport that gave me so much. I enjoy seeing each kid set goals and achieve them. I currently work full time as a pediatric physical therapist. I live in Grand Rapids with my fiancé and dog, Olive. When I’m not at the pool, I love reading, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Catherine Erickson
Assistant Coach
Email: ericksoc@mail.gvsu.edu
I love being a coach because I like helping kids reach their full potential, see them succeed, and develop a love for swimming. Outside of coaching, I work in a school as a parapro, I love to read in my free time, and spend time with my family, friends, and cat.
Meghan Hincher
Assistant Coach
Email: meghan.mccw@gmail.com
My name is Meghan, and this is my second year coaching for Waves! I have been a club swimmer since I was nine years old and continued to swim in high school and college, where I was fortunate enough to be a captain for both of those teams! I am also a swim instructor at Wealthy Elementary School, and I am so lucky that I get to be around water so much! My favorite things to do outside of the pool are to spend time with my loved ones, watch movies, exercise, and hang out with my cat! I coach because I love to see how much the kids grow in their love for swimming and their ability to swim. Watching them form new friendships and skills is extremely rewarding and makes me so proud.
Amanda Clark
Assistant Coach; Senior
Email: amanda.kronemeyer@gmail.com
Amanda has been coaching with the Waves since 2019, working primarily with the senior age group. She loves seeing how the swimmers develop and grow through the years, both in swimming and in life. When she is not coaching, Amanda is a nurse at the children's hospital, and enjoys being outside with her husband and dog.
Willow Kuech
Assistant Coach; Developmental Groups
Email: willowkuech@gmail.com
Willow is currently a student at Grand Valley State University and will be assisting with the Bronze, Blue and Precompetitive developmental groups.
Laura Schumacher
Assistant Coach; Senior
Email: lschumacher0012@gmail.com
Laura is a former collegiate swimmer and current physical therapist. She assists with the Senior Groups.
