|
|
AmberJax Staff
|
|
We are here to support your needs so please
feel free to contact any of the coaches for questions related to
workouts, meets or technique questions. For administrative
questions including dues and billing, please contact our Team
Administrator Susan Schuster at:
(904) 396-5751 x 1608 or
schusters@episcoaplhigh.org
|
 Benji E DeMotteHead CoachEmail
Coach DeMotte became the
AmberJax swimming’s head Coach in March 2007. Among Head Coach Benjamin “Benji”
DeMotte’s greatest accomplishments was coaching one of his
swimmers to compete in the 2004 Olympics in the 50-freestyle, and
recruiting
Binghamton
University
’s first Olympic medalist in the
process. His swimmers hold the Austrian
200-backstroke and Hungarian 50-freestyle records and he has
coached seven All-Americans in Divisions I, II
and
III
. Additionally, he has coached six Conference
Athletes of the Year and earned the Conference Coach of the Year on
six separate occasions. His coaching career holds 11
conference records, 92
Binghamton
team records, six
University
of
Arkansas
team records and he has coached four Binghamton
Athletes of the Year. Benji was the head age group coach
for the Northwest Arkansas Aquatics in
Bentonville
,
Arkansas
. Before that, he held the positions of
assistant coach for women’s swimming and diving at the
University of Arkansas, associate and then head coach for
men’s and women’s swimming and diving at Binghamton and
president of the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Swimming Conference
in Binghamton, New York. Since joining the
AmberJax the club has grown from 14 swimmers 1
facility and 1 coach with a national ranking of
1180th to over 250 swimmers 3 facilities 11 coaches
1 nutritionist, 1 team administrator and a
national ranking of 168th.
Benji earned his Bachelors of Science
in exercise physiology from
Syracuse
University
in 1994 and his Masters in Business Administration
from
Binghamton
University
in 2002.
Cell: 904.735.7417
Pool: 904.396.5751, 1643
 Doug SchusterHead Age Group CoachEmail
Coach Schuster joined the
Episcopal swimming staff in June 2007 as the head Age Group
Coach. Before joining the Episcopal
coaching staff, Coach Schuster most recently was an
assistant coach for the Savannah
swim team and served as the head high
school coach in Dutch
Harbor, Alaska. He
has also been an age group coach with The Bolles School
and the Coast Guard Swim Team in Mobile,
Alabama. Coach Schuster has knowledge and
experience in all levels of age group and senior programs;
including seasonal plans, practice structure, junior coach
development, all phases of day or overnight camps, swim lessons,
clinics, home meet preparation, championship meet prep. Coach
Schuster consistently develops swimmers to their full
potential. Year after year swimmer reach national top
16 awards. Coach Schuster has led the AmberJax JO team
from a 36th place finish to 11th in just 2
years. Coach
Schuster is a graduate of
Western Kentucky University and
currently serves as Episcopal’s Director of Campus Safety
& Security.
Cell: 904.868.1490
Office: 904.396.5751, 1607
 Susan SchusterAdministrative AssistantEmail
Susan Schuster joined the staff of the AmberJax
in June 2008 as the administrative assistant. Susan also currently serves as Episcopal’s Head of
Attendance.
Susan’s swim experience is
extensive; Susan held a similar position at Bolles for 8 years
prior to her move to Episcopal High School. Susan was the Head
age group coach with the Coast Guard Swim Team in Mobile, Alabama
where she grew a 20 swimmer program to over 100. During her
tenure in Alabama the team quickly rose to South Alabama Champions
and Susan was the GMSDL Coach of the year in 2000 & 2001. Susan
grew up and competed for the Plantation Swim Team in Louisville,
Kentucky through high school. She was the first female
swimmer at the University of Louisville. Susan is a graduate of the
University of Louisville BS in Business. During college Susan
taught swimming and gymnastics for LouisvilleParks and Recreation
Department.
Susan is married to Doug Schuster,
Head Age Group Coach for the AmberJax swimming program, and mother
of Stephanie and Taylor.
Office: 904.396.5751, 1608
 Andy BergrenSilver Group Coach/Website ManagerEmail
Coach
Bergren joined the AmberJax swimming staff in August 2008 after
wrapping up a successful swimming career at Clemson University.
Coach Bergren was a First Coast high school all-star and state
champion in the 200 I.M. for Wolfson. After graduating high school,
he received a swimming scholarship from Clemson University where he
set numerous school records and received awards for both,
“Performance of the Year” and “Coaches Award for
Outstanding Leadership.” He has extensive experience in the
Jacksonville swimming community and throughout the state of Florida
and still holds Florida age group records and a 13-14 Junior
Olympic record in the 200 breast. He is currently earning his
Masters in Business Administration from the University of North
Florida.
 Stephanie L SchusterSilver Group Coach/Senior AssistantEmail
Stephanie
Schuster joined the Amberjax coaching staff in May of 2009.
Currently she is an assistant coach for the Episcopal High School
Swim Team and is one of two coaches for the silver group at the EHS
location. Stephanie began swimming when she was ten years old in
the state of Alabama with Brian Evans Swim Team. She swam three
years in high school for The Bolles School and their club team. She
is currently earning her bachelors degree in Social Science
Education at the University of North Florida.
 Chris GeorgeCecil Field Head CoachEmail
Coach Chris
started working for the Amberjax in August of 2009 and is now the
head coach at the Cecil Field location. He started swimming with
Amberjax Swim Team in 1990 with Coach Randy Reese. He graduated
from the Bolles School in 2004. As an eighth grader, he was a part
of the 1999 High School Mythical National Championship team placing
7th at the State Championships of that year. Chris
was the 2003 state champion in the 500 freestyle and was selected
to the All First Coast High School All-Star Team for all five years
of his high school career. In 2004, Chris qualified for the US
Olympic Trials and placed 9th in the 1500 meter
freestyle. After high school, Chris received a scholarship to
swim at the University of Pittsburgh where he was a four year
varsity lettermen for swimming. During his tenure at the
University of Pittsburgh, he held the fastest times in the 1650,
1000, and 500 yard freestyle as well as the 200 yard
butterfly. He again qualified for the 2008 US Olympic Trials
in the 1500 meter Freestyle and the 400 meter IM. Chris
graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in
Communications and Rhetoric, Spanish, and a minor in Administration
of Justice.
 Mike DingfieldGold Group CoachEmail  Pat RaisorJCDS Age Group CoachEmail
Coach Pat joined the AmberJax coaching staff in
August of 2009. Pat began his swimming career in the state of
Indiana. While in high school, Pat won numerous sectional
titles and was also recognized as an All-American. Pat
received a swimming scholarship from Clemson University in the fall
of 2004. Currently Coach Pat is an assistant Age Group coach
at the JCDS location.
 George GarciaSenior Assistant CoachEmail
Coach Garcia joined the Episcopal swimming staff
in January 2007. Coach Garcia was a First Coast high school
all-star in Jacksonville. After high school he attended the
University of Florida where he was a team manager for the Gator
swimming and diving teams. Coach Garcia was the head coach
for the Ponte Vedra Country Club swim team and is currently the
Associate Episcopal High School Head Swim Coach and the Senior
Assistant swim coach with the Episcopal AmberJax year round swim
team. Coach Garcia is also in his second year at Episcopal,
teaching History for seventh and eighth grade.
 Shannon SmithersAge Group Coach JCDSEmail  Shannon S BlizzardAge Group CoachEmail
Shannon Blizzard
has been swimming for the Episcopal Amberjax since 2004 and holds
numerous club records. Shannon graduated from Stanton College
Preparatory School in 2009. While in high school, Shannon was
All-Conference for 4 years, a state qualifier for all 4 years, and
holds numerous school records. Also while in high school, Shannon
was a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American for having over a 3.5
GPA and for having Junior Nationals qualifying times. Shannon has
also qualified for Winter Nationals in the 100 Fly. Currently, she
is attending Florida Gulf Coast University. At FGCU, she holds a
freshman record and was All-Academic in the Coastal Collegiate
Swimming Association conference.
Cameron J Pfahler Age Group CoachEmail  Amanda Leann Singleton Age Group CoachEmail
Amanda Singleton
has been swimming in the Jacksonville area since 2003. She began
swimming at Bartram Trail High School, as the teams first home
schooled swimmer. After competing for them for 3 years, she
competed on the first Women’s Diving Team at Bartram Trail
her senior year. Her senior year Amanda signed with Pfeiffer
University on a full ride. She completed her freshman year earning
the title of All-Conference in the Bluegrass Mountain
Conference.
After one year
at Pfeiffer, Amanda returned to Jacksonville to attend and swim for
the University of North Florida, where she is currently majoring in
Nursing. Amanda competed for UNF for one season where she earned
the status of All-Academic in the Costal Collegiate Swimming
Association, as well as being awarded an athletic letter.
 Axie J PhillipsCecil Field Age Group CoachEmail
|
|
