Meet the 2026 Coaches!

Head Coach - Chase Knudsen

Swimming has been a part of my life for over 14 years, and it's honestly one of the best things I have been ever done. I have swam on multiple teams-Lanier High School, the Wahoos, and Gwinnett Swim-and each one taught me something different about the sport. My favorite events to swim are the 100 free, 50 free, and 100 breaststroke. This is my fourth year as head coach, and I am super excited for the season.  I can’t wait to see everyone improve and have an awesome time.

Assistant Head Coach - Allie Gertson

This is my second season as the Assistant Head Coach, and I'm so excited for another great season! I'm graduating from North Gwinnett High School (and heading to UGA) where I swam all four years on the swim team. My favorite stroke is butterfly. I've been swimming with the Wahoos for 8 years and I can't wait to keep growing with all of you!

2026 Coaches

Azuki Hattori

I have been on the team for 13 years. I’m graduating this year from NGHS and will be heading to college, and I’m really excited for this season and the opportunity to work with both returning and new swimmers. Outside of swim I enjoy hanging out with friends and playing flute and piccolo. My favorite stroke is freestyle.

Charlie Klein

I will be a Senior at North Gwinnett High School next year. I have been doing Summer Swim Team since I was in kindergarten at the Edinburg Marlins. I have been with the Wahoos for 8 years and did year-round swim at Gwinnett Swim for a few years. My favorite strokes are breaststroke and freestyle. I am very excited to be coaching again this year!

Noah Nelson

I will be a Senior at North Gwinnett High School next year. I have been doing summer swim team since I was 6 years old. I swam year-round with Gwinnett Swim for three years and am currently swimming with Swim Atlanta. I am also on the high school swim team at North and was on the County Team the past 2 seasons. My favorite strokes are breaststroke and freestyle.  I look forward to football season every year, Go North and Go Georgia Bulldogs! I am excited for my fourth year coaching with the Wahoos!

Jack Chen

I will be a Sophomore at GSMST. Swimming has been a part of my life since I was 6 years old. I started swimming in order to be closer to my older brother, Iian, but eventually grew a love for it myself over the years. My favorite stroke is breaststroke while I enjoy swimming all other strokes too. I look forward to involving myself in the Wahoo community again as a coach for the Wahoos this season. :)

Hunter Freeman

I'm going into the 10th grade at NGHS. I've been swimming with the Wahoos for 9 years now. I've done year-round swimming since 5th grade and I'm currently swimming with Gwinnett Swim. I joined North Gwinnett High School's swim team and made it to State. I love swimming because of the community it builds. My favorite strokes are butterfly and freestyle. I'm very excited to work as a Coach again for the Wahoos this season!

Chance St. Clair

I’m going into 10th grade at Buford High School. I have swam with the Wahoos for 6 years and I have also been swimming year-round at Gwinnett Swim for almost 4 years. I love to challenge and push myself with difficult events and to push for faster times. My favorite strokes are butterfly and backstroke and I am excited to be coaching with the wahoo team again this season.

2026 Junior Coaches

Tessa Freeman

I'm a rising 9th grader at North Gwinnett High School. I've been swimming with the Wahoos for 8 years and year round swimming with Gwinnett Swim for 5 years. My favorite strokes are freestyle and butterfly. I'm excited for my first coaching season with the Wahoos. 

Maren St. Clair

I'm a rising 8th grader at Buford. This is my 6th year with the Wahoos. I'm also in my 2nd year swimming year round with Gwinnett Swim. My favorite strokes are butterfly and breaststroke. I'm excited for my first year of coaching. Go Wahoos!

Katie Nguyen

I will be a Sophomore at NGHS. I have been a part of the team for about 2 years and I am so excited for many more! My favorite stroke is breaststroke (the best one). Go Wahoos!!! 

Jiseop Lim

Jiseop is 14 years old and a rising 9th grader at North Gwinnett High School. He has been swimming profoundly since he moved to Georgia around 4 years ago. His passion began at a young age back in California and has continued his growth in swimming. He has been with the Wahoos for multiple years and hopes to grow with the team together.

2026 Private Lesson Information:

All coaches are willing and able to do private lessons! Every coach will charge $20 for a half-hour, or $30 for a half-hour with multiple kids concurrently. Feel free to reach out to any one of us! 

Chase Knudsen (College Student) - (678) 614-2769

Allie Gertson (Graduating Senior) - (678) 630-6607 

Applications for 2026: Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Volunteer Junior Coach and Independent Swim Instructor. Please see the position descriptions and requirements for each position:

Head Coach

Requirements:

• 3 years/seasons+ swim team experiences
• 2 years/seasons coaching experience (this can combine junior coaching and some volunteer coaching experiences)
• Lifeguard certified (including CPR)

Head coaching responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Lead and inspire athletes to desire to improve
• Foster a love of swimming among the entire team to build a strong Wahoo community
• Balance athlete improvement and fun
• Oversee all swim practices (and fun Fridays), determining what each practice will including for conditioning and growth of team athletes
• Manage and oversee the coaching staff and volunteers by directing staff to assist in teaching, training and conditioning swimmers
• Manage the staff and volunteers schedule to maximize coaching but minimize expenses
• Oversee all aspects of the meet including meet line up, communicating with opposing team, meet exchanges, meet set up (including staffing required)
• Work with team presidents to make pertinent team decisions
• Conduct exit interviews with staff

Head Coach Application

Assistant Coach

Requirements:

• 3 years/seasons+ swim team experiences
• Participate as a Wahoo swimmer, 2023 season
• Wahoo coaching experience or volunteer experience, preferred
• Lifeguard certified (including CPR), preferred

Coaching responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Work with Head Coach to lead and inspire athletes to desire to improve
• Foster a love of swimming among the entire team to build a strong Wahoo community
• Conduct practices under the direction of the Head Coach
• Attend practices as a both a coach and a swimmer as scheduled and on time
• Participate in hands on coaching in the water with athletes to improve strokes, side breathing and flip turns
• Attend and assist at all swim meets as scheduled by the Head Coach this may include 

Coach Application

Volunteer Junior Coach

Requirements:

• 2 years/seasons+ swim team experiences
• 1 Year Wahoo team swimmer experience
• Participate as a Wahoo swimmer, 2023 season
• 13 years or older

Volunteer Junior Coaching responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Work with Head Coach and Coaches to lead and inspire athletes to desire to improve
• Foster a love of swimming among the entire team to build a strong Wahoo community
• Assist in conducting drills and exercises at the direction of the Head Coach and Coaches
• Work with Coaches to learn coaching strategies
• Attend practices as a swimmer and volunteer as scheduled and on time
• Participate in hands on coaching in the water with athletes to improve strokes, side breathing and flip turns
• Attend and assist at all swim meets as scheduled by the Head Coach; this may include meet set up and tear down, swimmer check in, bull pen, swimmer line up, etc.
• Participate on the Wahoo Swim team, including meets

Junior Volunteer Coach Application

Independent Swim Instructor

(please see the application for more details)

Requirements:

• 2 years/seasons+ swim team experiences
• Participate as a Wahoo swimmer, 2023 season
• Wahoo coaching experience or volunteer experience, preferred
• Lifeguard certified (including CPR), preferred

Responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Communicate directly with the families to whom you give lessons
• Work with families to understand what skills need to be improved during lessons and set objectives/goals for the lessons
• Ensure all lessons do not interfere with the Swim Team
• Be dependable and timely
• Represent the Wahoo team with integrity
• Lead and inspire athletes to desire to improve
• Foster a love of swimming among the entire team to build a strong Wahoo community
• Participate in the Wahoo swim team, including meets

Independent Swim Instructor Application