Coaches

E-mail Coach Brian	Coach Brian Wrighton became the Head Coach and Program Director of BSL in September 2007. Coach Wrighton is beginning his 12th year with BSL. He has been coaching full time for the past sixteen years, coaching all levels of swimmers. Most recently he was the Head Age Group Coach here at the Birmingham Swim League. Coach Wrighton swam at the University of Alabama under USA-S National Team coach Jonty Skinner while earning his degree in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. When Brian finished swimming he took a job with the Tuscaloosa Swim Club, where he coached every group over a four and a half year period. In addition to this, Brian volunteered his time with the University team working with SEC champions, NCAA finalists, as well as two Olympians. With the age group team, he developed Southeastern Swimming champions and one Junior National Qualifier. After leaving Alabama, Brian served as Head Age Group Coach for the New Jersey Wave in Paramus, NJ. There he developed many New Jersey state champions and record holders, as well as six relays that swam Top 16 reportable times. The team finished in the top 3 at the New Jersey Junior Olympics every season. In the summer of 1998, Brian was selected to coach the New Jersey Zone Team. Brian has coached many nationally ranked age group swimmers and relays while at BSL, and was on the Zone All Star Team Staff for Southeastern Swimming four years in a row. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Southeastern Swimming as the Laws and Legislation Chair.


E-mail Coach Suzanne	Coach Suzanne Wrighton is the Head Age Group and Masters' Coach. Suzanne has been coaching for 9 years. Her first four years she was an age group coach at her home club of the Winston-Salem YMCA in Winston-Salem, NC. At WSY, Suzanne coached numerous North Carolina State and Regional Champions. Suzanne was Head Coach of the Salem College Swim Team for 2 seasons, and named Salem College's Coach of the Year in 2000. Coach Suzanne served as Assistant Coach at the 2004 Regional Distance Camp at Penn State, the 2002 North Carolina Swimming All Star Camp and the 2002 North Carolina Zone All Star Team. She was a 4-year NCAA All-American at Southern Methodist University and a two-time Olympic trial qualifier. In 1997, she was the 800m and 1500m Champion at the World University Games in Sicily, Italy. She was a 1997 USA National "A" Team member based on her 4th place World ranking in the 1500 meters Coach Suzanne has a Bachelor of Arts in History from Southern Methodist University.


E-mail Coach Nick	Nick Lambert is our Senior assistant coach and Silver group coach. Nick is starting his fourth year with BSL. For the past two years he has been the head developmental coach for BSL and has assisted with all groups on the team. Nick has been coaching and/or teaching swim lessons for the past nine years. During the summer he is the head coach of the Greystone Golf and Country Club Gators. He has also summer coached at the Greystone YMCA. Coach Nick swam and ran track for Oak Mountain High School. He also ran track and field at Troy University. He is currently pursuing an Athletic Training degree and was an athletic trainer for the Troy University football team. Coach Nick is married and with his wife, Jennifer, they have one child, Lacey.


E-mail Coach Mitchell	Mitchell Johnson coaches our Green group and assists with all other groups. Mitchell grew up swimming for BSL and graduated in 2005. He has coached at various summer teams in the area over the past 6 years. Mitchell was a four-year member of the Southern Methodist University swim team and helped lead the Mustangs to four consecutive Conference USA titles. He was a U.S. Open qualifier and a National qualifier in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. Coach Mitchell graduated from SMU with a business degree concentrating in management and is now pursuing an MBA at Samford University.


E-mail Coach Kandi	Kandi Kendall is beginning her second year as our swim school director. She is in charge of our SwimAmerica lesson program that recently debuted at the Gold's Gym locations in Vestavia Hills and Pelham. Information about this program can be found under the Programs tab above. Kandi comes to us with vast experience in aquatics. She has worked with us off and on for the past 5 years in multiple capacities. Most recently she was with 119 Health and Wellness as a personal trainer and aquatics specialist. Kandi and her husband, Jason, live in Calera, AL. They recently had their first child, Boston Hayes Kendall.


E-mail Jan Hinson	Jan Hinson joined the BSL team as our office manager in October 2009. Jan is an Alabama Licensed Massage Therapist (since 1994) and an AFFA Certified Personal Trainer (since 2005). She was born in South Carolina and graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Recreation Administration. Jan comes to BSL with a swimming background as she has competed in triathlons and began swimming masters in 1991. Over the years she has worked as a lifeguard, taught swim lessons, assisted coached with the Lakeshore Swim Team, and assisted coached with BSL in 1992. Jan has been ranked in the USMS Top Ten in the Southeast. Jan has also received top ten places in the Senior Olympics and at USMS Nationals. Jan is married to Mike Hinson and has two children - Erin, 28 and Alex, 22. They have lived in Birmingham for 31 years.


E-mail Coach Jessica	Jessica Dell’Italia assists with our Green, Bronze and Silver groups. She has worked with BSL in the past teaching lessons and lifeguarding. She will graduate from UAB with a Fitness Leadership and Physical Education degree in May 2010. Jessica has worked at Lakeshore Foundation as a swim instructor/ lifeguard since October 2001 and has helped with numerous camps for kids with disabilities. She grew up in Birmingham swimming for BSL and graduated from John Carroll High School in 2004.


E-Mail Dr. Dugas	Jeffrey R. Dugas, M.D. Jeffrey R. Dugas, M.D., treats all types of orthopedic sports injuries, including injuries of the shoulder, elbow, knee, ankle and foot. He also performs total joint replacement surgery of the shoulder and knee. He maintains a special interest in throwing athletes, since much of his research concentrates in this area. He is certified in cartilage and meniscus transplantation for the treatment of arthritic defects of the knee. He is board certified in Orthopedic Surgery and the sub-specialty of Sports Medicine. Email Dr. Dugas with any questions or concerns through his assistant, Kelsey McLemore. To make an appointment contact Deb Reid at 581-7125.