Meet Our Coaches:
Hi, I’m Alyssa Miceli. I've been a military spouse for the past 18 years and a mother to four children! I also have been a health and fitness instructor over the past decade, which makes me delighted to be one of your DryLand Coaches! With practice and determination you are totally capable of being the best version of yourself! As a team we want to encourage and guide you to apply yourself during any season in your life! Please let me help you see your fullest potential in health and fitness!
#GoSeaHawks #Strengthyouneverknewyouhad #DryLandCoachAlyssaMiceli
Hi all! I am Chloe Stevenson, a 25 year old dog mom from Colorado. I did competitive swim all four years of high school. In the off season I worked as a lifeguard as well as a swim instructor.
Growing up I’ve always been called a water bug, always looking for a chance to work or be by the water. Our last duty station I worked at AquaTots and now I’ve been given the opportunity to coach for the Yokosuka Seahawks! Very excited to see your little ones thrive!
Hi all! I am Emmerick Thompson, I am 25 years old and grew up in Chicago, Illinois! I moved to Japan August 2021, and after a long year of not knowing where my life in Japan would take me I found YJSST and began coaching Red/Green in fall 2022. During the 23’-24’ season I moved up to Juniors and seniors to coach! For the 24’-25’ season I will be bouncing between red/green as well as juniors and seniors before I am due to PCS this fall!
I am USA Swimming Coach certified, USA Swimming Age Group certified, as well as hold my Red Cross Lifeguard/CPR certificate. Growing up I competed in many different sports, but mainly swimming and triathlon. I swam competitively from age 8-15 with HWSA out of Palos, Il, and can happily say that is the team that helped foster my love for the sport! I can’t wait to coach your swimmers and be able to instill the same love I have for the sport!!
I am Jen Emge, an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor. I am also a Youth Fitness Specialist, with years of experience coaching youth in a variety of sports (baseball, softball, cheer, football, basketball) as well as leading youth fitness camps and clubs.
Some of my own personal fitness accomplishments include running three full marathons — Marine Corps Marathon (Washington, D.C.), Sundown Marathon (Singapore) and the Great Wall Marathon (China). I thoroughly enjoy helping kids learn to love exercise and teaching them how it can have a positive influence on their life as they reach their goals.
I was a competitive swimmer and diver in highschool. I was also a club swimmer and diver, and a collegiate diver.
My main swimming events were anything IM (200/400) and Fly (100/200 and relays)
When I was in HS my summers were spent working for Aquatics in NYC. There I coached and taught swimming lessons, from tots to more senior swimmers. Because of my competitive background, I was given the opportunity to work more with the kids who already knew 4 competitive strokes and I would focus on technique (breathing, flip-turns, positioning, better starting). When I went on to college, I still coached in the summers back in NYC and this time I was able to work with my club team doing the same. The last coaching/ teaching job I had was when I worked at a water park in Texas, in the mornings they had swimming lessons again ranging from tots to competitive swimmers. There, I had the opportunity to work again with advanced swimmers and very beginner swimmers. The instructors were shuffled around so that everyone had the opportunity to experience all 4 levels (that's what they divided the swimmers into). Overall, I've had experience with beginner to more experienced swimmers as well as competitive swimmers.
Welcome to the 2024-25 season! We are looking forward to a great season!
My name is Leah Zang and I’m returning for my 2nd year as head coach and will be coaching the White and Blue teams.
A little about me: I was born, raised, and educated in the Pacific Northwest. I have a master’s degree in teaching and have taught elementary school in VA and CA. I currently work as a Financial Analyst for a government contractor. I have been married for 14 years and have two kids who will be awesome cheerleaders at the swim meets �� I was on the swim team in high school and have coached four years of high school swimming and 8 years of a summer swim league. My family and I got to Japan in March '23 and have just been getting settled and exploring our new home!
My name is Matt Keller and I am coaching morning swim team practice from 0600-0700 every Monday and Wednesday. Practice will focus on a combination of technique, endurance, starts, and turns. The typical distance is around 2000-2500 meters, so primarily geared to the older kids but all ages are welcome.
You may know me either as one of the swim officials, or because I have 3 boys on the team. My background includes swimming at the youth and collegiate level. Look forward to working with your kids!
Best regards,
Matt Keller
Hello everyone, my name is Taka and I am a new member of YJSST this season.
I started learning to swim shortly after I was born, joined a swim team when I was 10 years old, and am still an active masters swimmer to this day. My specialty is the 50m/100m backstroke and I also swam free and butterfly as a student. I swam the 200m MR in 2002 and broke the Japanese junior high school record in the 200m MR. I was 15 years old at the time and swam the free and contributed to the team with a time of 23"49. (Now there is no shadow of that record, lol). I also participated in many national championships in Japan, such as the All-Japan Junior High School Championships, All-Japan High School Championships, All-Japan Student Championships, JOC Junior Olympic Cup, Kanagawa Prefecture's representative at the All-Japan National Athletic Meet, and the Japan Championships. I am also training to maintain and improve my records to this day, including placing 8th in the 100m backstroke at the 2023 World Masters Swimming Championships.
In addition to swimming, I am also active in open water swimming and SUP. I have been teaching swimming for 20 years this year, and during this time I have also been involved in coaching swim teams for 6 years. The athletes I have trained in that time have participated in the Kanagawa Prefecture School Children's Record and two athletes in the Junior Olympic Cup. (The level of swimming in Kanagawa Prefecture is among the highest in Japan!) I am a certified swimming instructor with the Japan Swimming Federation, Droutability, ARC LG/WSI, and a certified swimming instructor with the Japan Sports Association.
I may not be up to par in many ways, but I will continue to support you as you continue to challenge yourself in various things through swimming!
Hello, my name is Yajaira Bish. I am originally from Mexico and moved to the United States when I was 14 years old. Swimming has always been a significant part of my life; I started swimming at the age of 4 and continued through my high school years. I swam competitively in Mexico from ages 4 to 14 and continued competing in the USA from ages 14 to 17. During my time in Texas, I had the honor of being selected as one of the top Texas swimmers for two consecutive years & was selected to swim in the Junior Olympics.
I have been married for 17 years and have two teenagers. My family and I relocated to Japan in September 2022. I am excited and looking forward to a fantastic swimming season ahead.
We are hiring! We have volunteer or paid coaching positions available! Please send us your resume & include all swim, teaching, and coaching experience you have had.
