Michael Brooks

The YMCA of York and York County and the York YMCA Aquatic Club, furthering a longstanding tradition of competitive swimming excellence, proudly announce the hiring of Michael Brooks as their team’s new Head Coach. Among many qualified candidates considered for the head coaching position, Michael clearly stands out as the one the Y and the Aquatic Club are certain will lead our program back into regional and national prominence. Michael’s demonstrated record of achievement and success speaks for itself and we are certain that success will continue here at the York YMCA. 

Michael Brooks comes back to York from the Brophy East Swim Team in Phoenix, AZ where he was Head Age Group Coach. Prior to Brophy, Coach Brooks coached at one of the most prominent teams in the country: The North Baltimore Aquatic Club which has produced 11 Olympians since 1984, including Michael Phelps. He was the Head Coach of NBAC’s satellite program here in York.

Prior to assuming his responsibilities with NBAC, Coach Brooks served as the Head Age Group Coach of the Tar Heel Aqua Racers in Raleigh, North Carolina, and as Head Coach of Rams Aquatics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Coach Brooks has coached swimmers to national “top 16” rankings in all events in all age groups! He was honored as the 2003 Maryland Age Group Coach of the Year and on two occasions as the Utah State High School Coach of the Year.

His colleagues in the coaching profession describe him as a perfectionist who is extraordinarily knowledgeable about the sport of swimming and who is committed to instilling in his swimmers a passion for the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their lives. Coach Brooks has received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Carleton College and in History from the University of Utah. He has received a Master of Arts degree in History from the University of Notre Dame.

Andy Stewart

Andy started swimming at the York Y in 1973.  At 12 he was the 50 Fly State champ and at 14 the 100 & 200 free state champ.  In high school, he swam for Suburban where his teams were District 3 Champions four years in a row and he was a four time All-American.  He went to Bucknell University where he studied Business Management and swam for his first 2 years.

Andy currently works for Graham Packaging. Andy and his wife, Judy, have four children:  Sada, Tessa, Noah and Coleman, all four of whom now swim for the Y.  In fact, it was his kids’ involvement in swimming that spurred Andy  into coaching and he is very glad he did. Working with the kids and coaches involved with York YMCA Swimming is a great privilege! 

Clyde Vedder

Clyde has been involved in the YMCA swim program most of his life.  He was taught to swim and to teach swimming at the YMCA by John deBarbadillo.  He began swimming competitively in the Y age group program at age 8.  He was coached by Bill Schmidt both at the Y and ad York High.  He was a collegiate All American for 3 years.  In 1976, he won the 100-Yd. Butterfly at NCAA Division III Nationals and in 1987 he was inducted into Dickinson College's Sports Hall of Fame.

He enjoys coaching and developing swimmers of all ages.  He and his wife, Beth, reside in Spring Garden Township with their daughter, Emma, who is a swimmer on the Y team.

He still swims daily at the Y, competes in long distance swims such as the Chesapeake Bay Swim, St. Croix 5-miler and local triathlons and when at the beach, bodysurfs with Emma.

Nate Gentzler

Coach Nate has been involved with competitive swimming since he was eight years old.  He was introduced to competitive swimming by hall of fame coach John deBarbadillo at the York YWCA, where he swam for three years.  Nate then joined the York YMCA swim team in 1995, where he swam until he graduated high school in 2002.  While in high school, Nate also swam for the West York High School swim team, where he earned varsity letters all four years, and was elected captain his senior year.  Nate’s favorite events are the 200 and 500 freestyle. 

Nate has been coaching for West York High School since 2002, and began coaching for the York YMCA in the spring of 2007.  He will be the primary coach at our Southern branch facility in Shrewsbury for the winter 2008-2009 season.

Nate had a very memorable swimming career and wanted to remain involved in the sport, which is why he decided to start coaching.  He enjoys teaching both swimming skills and life skills.

Nate still swims daily at 6 AM, along with Coach Clyde and several other members of the “York Y Zoo Crew”, and participates in United States Masters Swimming.  He works full time as an IT assistant (basically, a “computer guy”) at theYGSgroup, a printing company in York.  When not busy working or coaching, he enjoys hanging out with friends or spending time with his family.  Nate is also a volunteer firefighter and EMT.

Sandy joined the York YMCA program in the spring of 2008 with her two children, Jacob and Aleni.   She is the primary coach of the novice / 8 & Under group at the Downtown York branch.

Sandy started swimming her sophomore year at Mary Baldwin College on the club team, and from there went on to teach swimming lessons and coach 8 & unders at the Staunton, Virginia YMCA for 2 years. She and her husband, Michael, relocated to the York Area in 1997. Sandy rejoined the swimming scene in 2006 when her kids joined the Spring Grove Swim Club, and began coaching for that team shortly thereafter. There she coached 8 & Unders for three seasons.

In her free time, Sandy is a wife and stay-at-home/home schooling mom.

Tim is the primary coach at our Southern branch facility in Shrewsbury.  He will be taking the 2008-2009 winter season off to complete his college degree, but he will be returning for the summer 2009 season.

Micah is an assistant coach at our Southern branch facility in Shrewsbury.

He is a 2005 graduate of the Dallastown Area High School, the Wildcat Swim Club (where he competed for six years), and the Wildcat Swim Team (where he competed for four years).  The close of the 2004-2005 high school swim season was the beginning of a six month swimming hiatus for Micah.

In the fall of 2005, Micah enrolled as a full-time student at the Pennsylvania College of Technology.  It was at this time that he began swimming again, and shortly thereafter started competing in meets sponsored by the Allegheny Mountain Masters Swimming Association, where he still competes as part of the Lock Haven Team.

Micah has earned two degrees from PennCollege (Diesel Technology, A.A.S. & Heavy Construction Equipment Technology - Technician Emphasis, A.A.S.) and will earn a third (Technology Management, B.S.) by May of 2010.  He currently holds a number of different industry certifications and memberships.

Micah is currently employed by PennCollege in several capacities during the academic year, and is also employed by Alban Tractor Company at their Edgewood Branch in Abingdon, MD, as a Technician.  He also runs his own computer business, where he specializes in end-user technical support.

In his free time, Micah enjoys spending time with friends and family, outdoor activities of all kinds, attempting to keep up to date with technology, and gradually turning “The Land Yacht” into a sleeper.  He
is also involved with Scouting and has recently begun competing in trail challenges.