Staff

Andrew Kramer joined the Dayton Raiders coaching staff in Fall 2020 and has been coaching for more than 12 years. Before joining the Raiders, Andrew coached at Miami Valley School, Columbus School for Girls, Versailles Swim Team, Woodhaven Swim Team, and Ritter Sports Performance.

Andrew grew up swimming for the Darke County YMCA, where he qualified for the Ohio State Championships and still holds several team records. His own experience as a swimmer shaped his approach to coaching and his belief in creating opportunities for athletes to surprise themselves.



Andrew's favorite moments as a coach are when swimmers accomplish something they didn't think was possible. He strives to create a positive team culture where athletes want to be at practice, work hard, and become great teammates. Andrew served as Interim Head Coach in 2022 and 2023 before becoming Head Coach in 2023, working closely with and learning from longtime Raiders coach Kevin Weldon.

For more than 30 years, Coach Brent has been using a mixture of creativity, enthusiasm and innovative techniques to create one of the most comprehensive age group programs in the region. Coach Brent has coached swimmers to hundreds of “Top 10” National Rankings, achieve various qualifying levels to include: Sectional/Junior Nationals, National Age Group Top 16 Swimmers, State Record Holders, Zone Qualifiers and Record Holders, and Numerous Ohio Junior Olympic State Champions, and one National Relay Record. Known for his high energy and smile, the former Ohio Age Group Coach of the Year is also a Team Manager for the Ohio All-Star Zone Team. Prior to the Raiders, Coach Brent was the Head Age Group Coach for the Wright-Patterson Flying Fish at Wright Patterson AFB. He was also the Head Coach for Fairborn (OH) High School, and led the Wayne Swim Club, a summer team in Huber Heights, to winning 2 Miami Valley Swim Association Titles. Coach began his age group swimming in San Pedro, CA and competed in the European Forces Swim League (EFSL) while attending HS in Madrid, Spain. Coach Brent constantly strives to put the fun in swimming.

Kevin Weldon has been a part of the Dayton Raiders organization since 1989 and has spent more than 45 years coaching swimmers at the club and collegiate levels. Before joining the Raiders, Kevin coached at Sunkist Swim Team, Kankakee Y, the University of Nebraska, and NC State University. He spent four years as a Division I collegiate coach before beginning his 38-year career in club swimming, including 33 years as the Dayton Raiders’ Head Coach.

As a swimmer, Kevin was a three-time Ohio High School State Champion, an Olympic Trials qualifier, and an All-American swimmer at NC State. Throughout his coaching career, he has helped develop 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers, 40 Ohio High School State Champions, and multiple USA Junior National Championship teams.



Kevin has been named Ohio LSC Senior Coach of the Year multiple times, was the 2013 NCSA Coach of the Year, and was inducted into the ISCA Hall of Fame in 2018. While he no longer coaches regularly, Kevin remains a valued resource for the Raiders and enjoys sharing his experience with athletes and coaches. He is grateful for the many years he has spent as part of the Dayton Raiders organization.

Coach Jaclyn has been coaching since 2008, and brings her personal experience as an outstanding swimmer from both the local high school and University ranks to the Raiders pool deck. She was a standout student/athlete at Centerville High School and the University of Miami in Florida.

Jaclyn is currently a chemistry/biology teacher at Alter High School. She prides herself in her ability to utilize her teaching skills both in and out of the pool to best teach her athletes. Coach Jaclyn believes athletes should learn what it means to work hard, but have fun while doing so. Her groups target listening skills, team building, goal setting, and more.

Coach Jaclyn hopes to develop each of her swimmers into the best athlete and person they can become.

Coach Bethany joined the Raider staff in the fall of 2019. Coach Bethany served as the Head Coach of the Yellowsprings Sea Dogs from 2012 to 2023, helping grow one of the smallest summer clubs to a 100+ team and strong presence in the Miami Valley Swim Association (MVSA). She was also the former Head Coach for the Yellowsprings HS Swim & Dive Team.  Coach Bethany began her swimming career at the Dearborn County YMCA and later was a member of the MAKOS Swim Team in Oxford, OH. Coach Bethany works as an Intervention Specialist at St. Brigid's. Coach Bethany and her husband have 4 children and two of them swim for the Raiders.

Coach Bethany enjoys instilling fundamentals like uw kicking and fast kicking for swimmers, and has served as the lead coach of our 9-10 year olds for the last 4 years.

Coach Holly joined the Raider staff in the fall of 2021 after a decorated swimming career. Holly was a Winter Jr. National Qualifier in the 200 backstroke, and swam at both West Point and Wright State University. She got her start coaching summer league in Kettering during college summers. 

Holly has served as a lead coach for Red Jr. swimmers and is the current lead coach of our Senior 2 group. Coach Holly is excellent at helping swimmers smile during practice, even ones that are very challenging! Coach Holly is always learning and is passionate about building the Raiders program up!

Coach Ken Hunter is the Director of Fitness and Dryland for the Dayton Raiders. 

Coach Ken brings over 15+ years of experience in the health and fitness industry. His professional experience originates from Personal Training, Martial Arts, Yoga, Pilates, and Joint Pain Reduction. He has trained collegiate, elite, and junior elite athletes and effectively helped many clients reach weight loss goals and get in shape.

Ken has a genuine passion and dedication to promoting healthy lifestyles, encouraging fitness for the whole family, and activating today’s youth. Ken has thoughtfully developed effective fitness programs that teach, motivate, and promote hard work while ensuring that the time is enjoyable for all. Ken’s programs encompass the true meaning of fitness.

As the Director of Fitness for the Dayton Raiders Swim Club, Ken ensures the fitness environment at DRAC to be one of learning, safety, growth, and personal development. Swimmers enjoy the challenges and creativity his dryland workouts bring. The work coach Ken does helps keep swimmers healthy and gettering stronger throughout their time as swimmers, while also staying balanced.

Richard “Dutch” Kipp joined the Dayton Raiders coaching staff in Winter 2023 after spending two years as a lead group coach at the Coffman YMCA. He has been coaching for more than 12 years and is a USA Swimming, United States Masters Swimming, and ASCA certified coach.

Dutch is a lifelong swimmer and spent several decades competing as a triathlete, primarily in sprint and Ironman 70.3 distances. He has competed at the Olympic Distance National Championships, La Jolla Rough Water Swim, and Escape from Alcatraz, along with numerous YMCA and USMS National Championships.

Dutch's connection to the Raiders is also a family affair. Both of his children swam for the club and went on to compete at the collegiate level. His daughter, Noelle, was a four-year NCAA Division I swimmer at Cal Poly, while his son, Dutch, was a four-year NCAA Division III swimmer at Rose-Hulman, where he became a First Team All-American and broke three school records.



Dutch enjoys helping swimmers improve, achieve their goals, and discover what they are capable of both in and out of the pool.

Coach Jen Sparks has had two different stints coach for the Raiders, one that began in 2005, and another that began in 2023 She began swimming at the age of 9 at the Beavercreek YMCA and joined the Dayton Raiders when she was 12. Throughout her high school swimming career at Beavercreek High School, she was a 4-year varsity letterman, 4-year district qualifier and a 3-year state qualifier.. Jenny continued her swimming career at the College of Wooster for 4 years, where she specialized in backstroke and distance freestyle events. While in college, Jenny had the opportunity to help host two NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. Jenny coached for three years at Woodhaven Swim Club in Beavercreek, Ohio, leading them to 3 consecutive league championships. In 2004, Jenny graduated from The College of Wooster with a degree in Communication Studies and is employed at The Ohio Periodontal and Dental Implant Center. Jenny and her husband, Doug, welcomed their first child, Aiden, in February 2010, and their daughter Hailey a few years later. Coach Jen works with the Bronze group, and is especially good at helping young swimmers keep things in perspective.

Coach John joined the Raider staff in the fall of 2017.  Coach John has over 20 years of coaching experience at the age group, senior and college level. 

John is the director of swim academy/lesson program, and enjoys watching big dreams start with tiny bubbles. John's journey in swimming started here in Dayton as a swimmer at South YMCA - he went on to swim at Wilmington College. John coaches for a variety of clubs and colleges in North Carolina, including as head coach for a YMCA swim team, before returning to the Dayton area and taking over our swim academy. 

Coach John is the lead coach for our homeschool group. 

Outside of the pool, Coach John enjoys fitness and spending time with his wife and three sons. 

Nicole joined the Dayton Raider coaching staff in the fall of 2023. She was a Dayton Raiders herself, swimming under coaches Brent Peaden and Kevin Weldon. Nicole is a professor at Wright State University, and enjoys building relationships with swimmers and helping them improve. She is passionate about fitness and health and hopes to inspire lifelong swimmers!

Coach Kara joined the Raider staff in the fall of 2024. She grew up in Cleveland, OH and swam at Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH in college. She has been coaching age group swimmers since 2008, including for the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins and the Blazing Barracudas. She also served as the Head Site Coach for the Cleveland Swim Institure, managing all aspects of the program. 

Coach Kara loves to go in-depth in teaching technique, and has spent a lot of time studying the finer points of each stroke. She enjoys passing this knowledge on to swimmers to help them go faster!

Coach Kara works with our white, blue, and bronze groups.

Bella joined the Dayton Raiders coaching staff in Fall 2024. A lifelong swimmer, Bella grew up swimming in Indiana before being recruited to swim at the United States Air Force Academy.

After stepping away from competitive swimming, Bella quickly realized she wasn't quite ready to leave the pool behind. She enjoys helping swimmers improve their technique, find new ways to get faster, and develop a better understanding of their strokes.



For Bella, coaching is a way to stay connected to the sport she loves while helping the next generation of swimmers find their own success in the pool.

Claudia Hollis joined the Dayton Raiders coaching staff in January 2026 and brings more than six years of coaching experience to the program. She has previously coached with Parkway Swim Club in St. Louis, Birmingham Swim League, and the University of Evansville.

Claudia began swimming at age eight with Excel Aquatics in Nashville, Tennessee, and continued swimming competitively through several moves before committing to Lindenwood University. During her collegiate career, she earned her team's Most Improved Award as a freshman and helped Lindenwood compete for a GLVC Conference Championship as a junior. After graduating, Claudia served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Evansville while using her final year of swimming eligibility.



Claudia believes coaches can be a catalyst in an athlete's career. She hopes to encourage her swimmers to have fun, keep an open mind, and look forward to coming to the pool every day.

Coach Heather is originally from Huber Heights, Ohio and began her career with the the Raiders as an athlete. Prior to that, Coach Heather swim for the Wright-Patterson AFB Flying Fish. For 6 summers Heather coached Wayne Swim Team in Huber Heights and she also swam 4 years for Wayne High School. Coach Heather was a coach member of the 2005 Ohio All-Star Zone Team that traveled to Ann Arbor (MI). Heather graduated from Miami University.  Coach Heather is employed by the Fairborn YMCA.  In her free time, Heather plays rugby for the Dayton Area Rugby Club.  Heather and her husband, Ryan, have 3 children involved in several sports.  Heather assists with the Prep, White, Red, Blue, Bronze groups

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