Mike Pliuskaitis
Lansdowne Lightning GM
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Olympic and World Championship Level Coach
25 Years Coaching Experience, CSCA Certified
10 years with SNOW
1994 Canadian Swim Coach of the Year
5 Time Canadian National Team Swim Coach
4 Time Ontario Coach of the Year
"To promote the sport of swimming and its excellence at all levels
in the Loudoun community."
Martin Edwards
Head Coach (AM)
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Coach Martin Edwards competed in the 1972 Munich Olympic
Games.
As a graduate of Pepperdine University, Coach Edwards brings 30
years of coaching experience with him which includes success with
many USA Swimming Senior and Junior National level qualifiers and
champions.
He has experience working across the entire swimming spectrum
from young age group swimmers to International level athletes.
Coach Edwards is proud to have coached Ian Crocker (current world
record holder in the men’s 100 Fly) as a teenager!
Valerie McMullan
Assistant Head Coach
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Coach Valerie Q &
A
Coach Valerie will be attending The
University of Utah on a full swimming scholarship this fall.
The Lightning are lucky to have coaches who are elite in their
sport and who offer their skills and knowledge to our team.
Coach Valerie took time to answer the following questions about her
swimming.
1. How long have you been
swimming?
I have been swimming year
round since I was ten.
2. What was a big motivator for you in the
sport?
A big motivator for me
was knowing that other swimmers I swim against/ with are doing the
same thing and if I don't go to practice I won't be as good as I
want to be, giving them the advantage.
3. What is your favorite stroke, and has that changed over the
years?
I love to swim free,
breast, and back. I would really like to be an I.Mer if we
could just switch something else for butterfly! Now I mainly
swim free/ back, which I love.
4. What are you looking forward to the most as you head to a
college swim team?
I'm looking forward to
everything, the school, swim team, meeting new people, traveling to
different places for meets. I'm really looking forward to
competing in the PAC 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. What advice can you give to swimmers who are just starting
their competitive swimming?
:) Listen to your
coach. I swim for SNOW under Mike, and I have had some
awesome races because I did exactly what he told me to do. I also
have had some not so awesome races because I wanted to swim the
race my way. So swimmers, you may not think that what you are doing
is relevent or may be a waste of time, but your coaches know better
so just put your head down and do it.
6. Tell me about your scholarship and where you will be
going to college.
I received a full ride
scholarship of $130,000 to swim for the University of Utah. Go
Utes!
7. What is your favorite thing about coaching summer league
swimming?
Seeing everyone's
progression. In the beginning we're all new, but as the summer goes
on you meet new and fun people. It's exciting to watch the groups
develop new skills, break meet records and have a good time while
doing it.
8. What is the best part of competitive swimming, in your
opinion?
For me the best part
about competitive swimming is the close races. I love the
adrenaline I get when everyone is cheering, whether it's for me or
for the other person.
9. What meets are you currently preparing for?
I'm preparing for the
Potomac Valley Senior Championship meet where I want to qualify for
the United States Nationals.
10. What have your coaches taught you about perseverance and
dedication?
Mike can laugh at me for this because
he knows it's hard for me to admit. Patience is the key to fast
swimming. Just keep going to practice, keep your chin up
whenever you've had a bad race and know that you can always to
better, even in a good race.
Dani DeGooyer
Junior Coach, PM
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I have been on the Lansdowne Lightning since it began four years
ago. I was the first recipient of the Coaches’ Award in
2005; Ireceived the Most Valuable Swimmer awards for my age group
in 2006 and 2007; and I have been an assistant coach since
2007.
I began my career in water sports when I was nine as a
synchronized swimmer, eventually going with my trio team to
Nationals in Buffalo New York in 2005. After leaving
synchronized swimming, I swam with Snow Aquatics (with Junior
Olympics times in fly, breast and IM) until injuring my shoulders
which caused me to leave high performance swimming last fall.
I did, however, swim for Stone Bridge High School this year and was
one of two freshmen who made it to the district finals (we both
swam in the 500 freestyle). I am also an assistant coach for
KLF Striders, a Loudoun County cross country team for 8 to 14 year
olds. When I’m not coaching, I love to sing and write
music.
