Jody Braden

Head Coach

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Head Coach Jody Braden came to PAC in October of 2004 from the Bellevue Club where he was the head assistant coach. Since his arrival PAC has become one of the top 5 swim programs in the state of Oregon and number one in Portland . PAC swimmers have broken over 700 records and have won state titles at the 10 and Under Champs, 11-14 Champs, and Senior Champs. Also, PAC swimmers have competed and placed amond the top at the Northwest Section Age Group (three Champions in 2010) and Senior Sectional Championships, Western Zones and Junior Nationals, and one ended 2008 with a USA Swimming #1 ranking.

Before coaching, Jody was a top swimmer in the Northwest and the world. He competed and placed among the top at Junior and Senior Nationals and the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Trials and was ranked among the top 10 swimmers in the world in the 400 IM. He was a USA National Team member in 1991-1992 and won a silver medal in the 400 IM at the 1991 Pan-American Games in Havana , Cuba . He was a 3 time High School All- American, 4 time NCAA All-American in college, winning the 400 IM at the 1991 Pac-10 Championships and still holds two University of Washington team records and was inducted into the University of Washington Hall of Fame in 2006!

After the 1992 Olympic Trials Jody began coaching for the Bellevue Club where he became an ASCA level 4 certified coach (of the 5,000 registered coaches in the United States only 10% hold level 4 or 5 certification). He has coached swimmers to Junior and Senior Nationals, top-3 placements at Junior Nationals, and numerous Pacific Northwest record holders, Northwest Section and Zone records (one was just broken in 2010)! He has had swimmers go on Division I Universities where they have competed and placed at the NCAA Championships, one setting an American Record in the 200 Medley Relay!

Jody oversees PAC’s seven experienced coaches in developing their training programs. He is a demanding yet compassionate coach who expects a lot out of his swimmers in and out of the water while making the process fun and enjoyable!
 

Tom W McLaughlin

Columbia Site Coach

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Tom has been involved with swimming for the past 25 years. Starting in 1988 as a parent, board member, Treasurer, President, Official (He was named Volunteer of the Year, for Alaska HS swimming, in 1996) and finally, as a coach.

Before that he was involved with Nordic skiing, having coached with the Salcha Ski Club and Alaska ’s Junior National Ski Team.  In his youth, Tom was one of the fastest H.S. 2 milers in Oregon state history. He swam for Max Strauss and the River Road Swim Team in Eugene.

Tom has coached swimmers to team records, State Championships, State records, Age Group Sectional wins, Zone times, NAG 16 times, and college scholarships. In 2010, he was named the winner of the Excellence in Coaching Award for the state of Oregon. His oldest son, Brendan, swam for Duke and is now a lawyer/investment banker in NY. His youngest, Treg, swam for Pacific Lutheran University and is pursuing a degree in Business while working in sales in Sandy, UT. His wife, Mary, is a Senior Project Manager for adidas.

Tom is a retired elementary and middle school teacher from Alaska. Coach Tom has taught reading, first grade and kindergarten at Woodlawn Elementary School in Portland and now subs occasionally. 
 
 
 
 

Desire      Determination    &     Dedication    (take you over every hurdle).
 
 

Jesse Raskauskas

Mt. Scott Site Coach

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Jesse’s competitive swim experience started in 1989 when as a seventh grader he got involved with the Corvallis Aquatic Team (CAT) He continued with CAT through his high school years. From 1990-94 he also swam for his high school team where he excelled in multiple events.

After high school he did not stray far from the pool. The year after graduating he stayed on as a coach for CHS, as well as life guarding and teaching swim lessons. In 1999 he moved to Portland to pursue an education degree at Concordia University and is now teaching elementary school.

Since moving to Portland he has coached the T hills Barracuda’s starting in 2000 and continuing to the present. He also coached for Sunset High School during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. In addition he now coaches the Mt. Scott Team. In his spare time he enjoys competing in Triathlons as well as long distance cycling.

Laurie J Kilbourn

SWCC Site Coach

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Laurie Kilbourn is the Portland Aquatic Club Swim Team site coach for at the Southwest Community Center, where she’s been with the team since August 2000. Since 1996, she has coached on deck at Total Immersion workshops around the northwest, and she works privately with adults and kids. She is a lifetime member of ASCA, the American Swimming Coaches Association.

“I love working with PAC’s newest swimmers!” She said, “When their strokes click and they start to realize their potential, the transformation is amazing. Seeing the pride in their faces, knowing they did it themselves, swells my own heart to the bursting point.”

Laurie has been a competitive swimmer for more than 30 years, and with technique changes, she’s still setting personal best times. With technique improvements, she went from being a sprinter and “dying on anything longer than 200 yards,” to being a well-rounded, any-distance swimmer. She swam in the 10,000 meter National Open Water Championship in 2000, and participated in the 2003 and 2008 Alcatraz Challenge (1.5 mile swim, followed by a 7.5 mile run across the Golden Gate Bridge and back), and she placing in the top ten  at the 2008 USMS long-course Nationals, competing in the 1500 free, 50 breast and 50 fly.

Laurie grew up in Portland and went to college at Portland State University and the University of Oregon, where she earned her degree in Journalism with a minor in Communication.

Sheri Bottelberghe

Dishman Assistant Coach

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Sheri has been involved in swimming for the past 33 years.  She has 24 years teaching experience in all levels of swimming from beginning skills to advanced stroke technique for all ages and abilities.  She has over 18 years combined swim coaching experience for high school, USA Swimming and CYO  Swim Teams.  She holds a level 3 cerification from the American Swim Coaches Association held by only the top 15% of swim coaches.  She was the Head Age Group Coach for the Vancouver Swim Club for 4 years.  While coaching for VSC, Sheri was selected by her peers as a Coach for the Oregon Swimming All Star Team in 2005 and 2006.  She has been coaching with PAC since 2008.  Sheri competed in swimming for 17 years achieving All American Status all 4 years in High School and Collelge and was inducted into the Swimming Hall of Fame at the University of North Dakota in September of 2007.
 

Kyle J Finley

SWCC Assistant Coach

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Jacob Rotherham

Columbia Assistant Coach

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Jacob Rotherham has brought swim experience and knowledge to the Columbia Pool community for as long as anyone can remember. Growing up across from the park, Jacob has been swimming at Columbia Pool since before he could even walk. Always full of energy, Jacob loves to share his passion for swimming with the next generation,;serving as Portland Parks Summer Coach @ Columbia for two years and as Head Swim Coach for two years. He has also been in charge of Columbia swimming lessons since 2009 and has for the past two years served as the Pool’s Summer Assistant Manager. In his personal life, Jacob has an excitement for: Rock climbing, biking and soccer. Jacob has career aspirations that are pointing towards the nursing field. Jacob very much looks forward to his opportunity to positively shape more young lives with PAC and to introduce many of them to a healthy love of swimming!

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Dustin Dustin Schnelle

Mt. Scott Assistant Coach

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Hi my name is Dustin Schnelle and I’m Jesse’s assistant coach for PAC at Mt Scott. Swimming has always been a passion of mine ever since I was little. I use to spend the whole summers just messing around in swimming pools. It wasn’t until high school though when I tried competitive swimming. Form the moment I entered to the water on my first day I feel in love with the sport. I ended up swimming all four years for Rex Putnam High School. Which I lettered three out of my four years and found myself improving every year. In high school I also played three years of football. On top of all of that I played two years of lacrosse as well. I was actually the captain of the lacrosse team my senior year. From that experience I learned what it’s like to be a leader. After high school I ended up working at Mt Scott as a lifeguard and swim instructor. I was never fully done with the sport of swimming though. I went back to Rex Putnam to become the assistant coach along with joining USA Masters Swimming. I currently still coach Blue Makos at Mt Scott after coaching Summer Swim League. I’m still new to the whole world of coaching, but I feel that I bring a lot of new ideas to the table. I’m really looking forward to growing as a coach and watching the kids grow as swimmers as well.

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