Core Principle: “Being the Best You Can Be”
Our High Performance Service Team holds the swimmer’s best interest at heart, whether their focus is to achieve a personal best or qualify for a national competition.
TEAM MANAGER/HEAD COACH
Nikolay has a powerful background of training, personal achievements and education. He has also been mentored by many of the most successful, well known leaders and athletes who taught him all the basics, techniques and know-how in sports, leadership and business development. This exposure gave him a colossal support and foundation both in swimming and everyday life situations.
Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree and over 10 years of extensive study in Psychology, Business Management, International Business and Control of Education
Swimming experience:
- Russian Junior Nationals Winner
- US and Russian Nationals Qualifier
- US Open Qualifier
- NCAA US Nationals Winner
- ECAC Champion
- Certified Member of the All-America Collegiate Swimming Team
- Over 25 years of competitive swimming experience
Coaching Experience:
- Over 10 years as a Private Technique Coach working with swimmers of every level
- USA Swimming Certified Coach Since 2012
- Served as a Junior and Senior Swimmers’ Coach at Richmond Aquatics Club
- Member of American Swimming Coaches Association
- Selected Metro Zone Team Coach of 2014, 2015 and 2016
- Selected Coach for Metro All Stars Training Camp 2014 under the guidance of Olympic Coach Sergio Lopez Miro and Olympic Swimmer Peter VanderKaay
- Selected Coach for Metro Annual Outreach Swimming Clinic 2014 with Olympic Swimmers Doug Lennox and Brett Fraiser
- Selected Coach for Brackin Elite Training Best Swim Camp 2015 under the guidance of Olympic Coaches Dave Durden and Kim Brackin
- Selected Coach for 4UElite Swimming Clinic with Megan Romano 2018
Achievements and Awards:
- Selected Coach for 2019 USA Swimming Leadership Summit at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO
- Metropolitan Swimming’s Must Watch Age Group Coach of the Year for the 2016 – 2017 Season
- Active Member of Metropolitan Swimming Strategic Planning Committiee
- Riverbank Redtails International Invitational Coach Award 2014
- Honorable Mench*ion Leadership Award 2015
- Nikolay prepared numerous athletes who qualified for Sectionals, Senior Mets, Eastern Zones, IM Xtreme Games and Junior Olympics Championships as well as constantly being recognized as Metro Top – 25 fastest swimmers
HEAD LOCATION COACH
Merouane is expanding his role in our Freedom family by adding the title of Coach to his current “parent” status. Coach Abbou adds his international experience as a swim coach having coached in Morocco, United Arab Emirates, France and the USA as well as his ability to utilize the newest training techniques and his background in education, applied psychology and performance swimming to our coaching staff. He is a certified USA Swimming Coach – Level 2, ASCA – Level 5, NFHS – Level 2, Certified Interscholastic Coach – Level 2, a US Masters swimming member and is certified by the American Swimming Coaches Association – Level 5.
HEAD AGE GROUP COACH/TECHNICAL EXPERT
Sue Lecarreaux has a long and diverse history in swimming. She grew up in Ft. Lauderdale, FL with the great opportunity to swim under some renowned coaches such as Jack Nelson and Terry Carlisle. Proper technique was always stressed and there was always plenty of high level competition. She attended Florida State University and graduated with a B.S. in education.
But, there was no women’s swim team at that time, so swimming competitively seemed to be over. After teaching for 11 years in public schools and 4 years in private schools and raising four children, she returned to swimming as a Masters swimmer. Over the years she has had 77 US Top Ten swims and 3 World Top Ten swims. In 1999, she began using her teaching abilities and knowledge of swimming technique to teach children and adults to swim. Over the years she has helped many overcome their fear of the water, learn to swim, achieve success in competitive swimming and even trained many tri-athletes to swim with less effort and more speed.
“I love children and love swimming. The art and science of swimming develops the whole child. It builds character, teaches the acceptance of victory and defeat, teaches goal setting, working as a team, personal accountability, and how to make good decisions. I’m so proud and thankful to be coaching at Freedom!”
- Registered USMS Coach 2010-2015
- Member of USMS Swimming 1998-2016
- Registered USA Swimming Coach 2015-2016
- Member American Swim Coach Association 2010-2016
