EARLY SWIMMING BACKGROUND
My relationship with swimming started early. As a young swimmer, I earned a spot on the Colombian National Team and represented Colombia for multiple years. Competing internationally at a young age taught me discipline, pride in preparation, and respect for the process long before results ever mattered.
TRANSITION INTO COACHING & MENTORSHIP
I later swam at Oklahoma Baptist University, where swimming became much more than training and racing. I had the opportunity to learn under Dr. Sam Freas, not only as a swimmer, but later as a coach. I stayed on and coached under him for four additional years, which completely changed how I see athletes and teams. Seeing the sport from both sides, first as someone being coached and later as a peer, shaped how I think about leadership, culture, and long term development.
HIGH PERFORMANCE & INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
From there, my coaching path took me through age group programs, elite club environments, Division I college swimming, professional teams, and international competition. I spent key years at Team Elite San Diego, where I worked with 19 Olympians from 12 different countries under the leadership of David Marsh. Being in that environment raised my standards and showed me what excellence looks like on a daily basis.
During that same period, I was also involved with the International Swimming League and traveled extensively, working in fast paced environments and helping prepare athletes from different countries for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Those experiences reinforced how important structure, communication, and adaptability are when performance truly matters.
PHILOSOPHY IN PRACTICE
One of the things I am most grateful for from that time was the contrast in my work. During the week, I was surrounded by some of the best swimmers in the world. On weekends, I was teaching lessons to kids. That overlap forced me to constantly translate elite level work into simple fundamentals. It is a big reason my coaching leans toward the technical and clinical side of the sport.
PROGRAM BUILDING & LEADERSHIP (UNC)
At the University of North Carolina, I was given the freedom to be myself as a coach and to put into place everything I had learned from my previous mentors, both in and out of the water. That trust allowed me to build systems around training, communication, and athlete support that reflected my values.
During my time at UNC, I helped develop athletes who went on to represent the United States at the national team level. I was also deeply involved in advising the program on media, branding, and communication, helping modernize the team’s digital presence and strengthen alumni connections. I worked with staff across the university and helped create a for credit course through the School of Journalism, giving student athletes tools to understand media, visibility, and life beyond the pool.
ADVISING & CONSULTING
Alongside coaching, advising has become a major part of my work. I advise teams and federations on performance structure, training environments, and systems that support long term athlete development. I also work with programs on media and branding, helping them align performance with how they communicate and represent themselves.
I also advise coaches, both in the United States and overseas, helping them understand their own path in the sport. That work often focuses on clarifying goals, navigating different stages of a coaching career, and identifying practical steps to move toward where they want to be.
Real progress does not come from shortcuts. It comes from strong fundamentals, clear feedback, and helping people understand what they are doing and why.
Everything I do is built around the same idea. Teach swimmers and coaches to think, feel, and take ownership of their development.