April 2012
Welcome to the Settler’s Landing Swim Team! Come join us in what should be another exciting season where we build on our RMAL C Division Championship from last season and continue our dominance in the RMAL! All of our coaches, Tim, Nicole, Mary, and Christian, will be returning this season. Together, the four bring many years of experience to the table and will provide you with coaching that is second to none in the RMAL. Not only will you learn how to swim faster and stronger, but you’ll have fun and you’ll be bursting with Shark Attack pride!
Tim Johnson returns to the Sharks coaching staff where he enters his 5th year of coaching. Settler’s Landing pool played a major part in Tim’s life as he swam for the Sharks from 1991-2001 helping the team secure several division titles. For much of the 90’s, Tim was a fixture at the pool, where he started working as a gate guard then moved up to the Snack Shack eventually becoming a lifeguard. In August 2001, Tim left Settler’s to enroll at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia where he would earn his B.A. in International Studies and Political Science in May 2005. Currently, Tim serves as the Head Swim Coach and Head Girls Varsity Soccer Coach at Richmond Christian School while also working as a substitute teacher for Chesterfield county and attending graduate school through Regent University.
Nicole Snider returns to the Sharks this year for her 3rd season with team. She previously coached at Shady Acres for two seasons before joining the Sharks. No stranger to swimming or Settler’s Landing, Nicole began swimming at the age of 6 as a mini-mite for Shady Acres, swam two years for Poseidon Swimming and concluded her summer league swimming career as a Senior with Shady Acres and the Settler’s Landing Sharks. She also is the Vice President of the Longwood University Swim Club. Outside of competitive swimming, Nicole is an experienced lifeguard working at several pools in the area including Settler’s Landing where she has experience with swim lessons and has serves as a weekend manager. Currently, Nicole will graduate from Longwood University with an undergraduate degree in Education in May with hopes of attending graduate school at VCU and becoming an Elementary School teacher.
Mary Gargula joins the Sharks coaching staff for her 2nd season after a phenomenal swimming career with the Sharks which spanned several seasons beginning in 2000 and ending at the completion of the 2010 season. Swimming since the age of 5, Mary owns dozens of Settlers Landing records, MVP awards, and Championship titles. Much of her success in swimming can be attributed to her parents and her years of experience gained through her participation with Poseidon Swimming. Following graduation from James River High School, Mary joined the Women’s Swim Team at James Madison University where she specializes in Breaststroke events. Outside of swimming, Mary has worked as a lifeguard at Settlers Landing for four years.
Christian Conklin enters his second year of coaching with the Sharks where he is a familiar face to the Settlers family as he was a member of the team from 1996 through the 2010 season. During his time with the Sharks, Christian distinguished himself as an incredible swimmer setting dozens of Settler’s Landing records, helping the team secure several titles, and winning many individual titles. Christian was also a member of Poseidon Swimming for four years. As Christian grew older, he left year round swimming to focus his efforts into his football career. After a standout career at Clover Hill High School, Christian enrolled at the University of Richmond and joined the Spiders football team where he just completed his first season playing the position of Tight End (which helps his strength and ability to throw kids further in the pool than the rest of the coaching staff). During the summers when not at swim team, Christian can be frequently spotted on the nearest lifeguard stand or playing deck soccer with the little Sharks.
We hope you like what you see and are excited about joining the Sharks this season! It is sure to be a memorable season full of great teaching, great competition, and tons of fun. Don’t spend your summer bored on the couch watching cartoons or playing video games when you could be at Settler’s as a part of the best team in the RMAL! Join us and make it a great season! Make the Sharks YOUR team!
Looking forward to another great season,
Tim, Nicole, Mary, and Christian
