Phil Smith has been the Head Coach of the Storm Swim Club since 2002 and the President of the Non-Profit since 2006.  In that time, he has found incredible success most recently leading the Storm to it first two State Championships in the club’s history.  The first was in March of 2023 and the second was in July of 2024. 

Accolades his swimmers have achieved:

2 Gold Medals in the Olympics, 6 Bronze Medals in the Olympics

5 world Records, 11 American Records

24 National Age Group Records

115 Minnesota State Records

As a former HS swimmer in Lakeville, collegiate runner at the University of MN and semi-professional triathlete he has not only been there himself, but he has watched and learned from some of the best in the world.  He continues to be active and enjoys rock climbing, ultimate frisbee, volleyball and fishing to name a few.  He strongly believes that passion will lead to success and that training the mind is equally important to the body.

As a Graduate of Lakeville HS and having achieved a BS in Kinesiology at the University of MN, his passion for athletes and training is something he feels fortunate to have found his place for. 

Coaching:

Twin Cities Swim Team: 

• Assistant Coach: Mound/Minnteonka 2001-2002
• Head Coach in Waconia from 2002 - 2004

South Metro Storm

• Head Age Group Coach 2004 - 2007
• Head Sr Coach - Prior Lake 2007 - Present
• Vice President/Treasurer 2005 – Present

ASCA Achievements

• Level 5 Swim Coach - only 3% of all coaches hold this designation

Athletic Achievements

Swimming

• Six-year letter winner at Lakeville High School
• Two time all state in 100 Fly and 200 IM
• Captain during his Sr Year

Track and Cross Country

• Four-time letter winner in both sports at Lakeville High School
• Two time all state in CC and two time all state in track
• Competed at the University of Minnesota in both sports for four years
• Lettered during his Junior year
• Two time Academic All-Big Ten

Triathlon

• Placed 6^th in the country as an amateur at USA Nationals in 2004
• Placed 27^th in the country as a professional at USA Nationals in 2005
• Won 10+ races in the Minnesota and surrounding area from 2003 – 2005

Personal

Chuck is married to his lovely wife Nicole and they have son named Braden and a daughter named Chloe!  They love the outdoors, playing Ultimate Frisbee, Mountain Biking and camping. If you’re up for a ride, you can join Chuck on most sunny days at Murphy Hanrehan!

Linay’s Swimming Involvements:

· Swam for Prior Lake high School for 6 years

o   Section Champion

o   All American

o   6-time letter winner

o   6-time All-Conference winner

o   5-time state participant

· Swam for University of South Dakota in College

• Recorder Holder in the Mile
• 4-time letter winner
• Swam for Storm for 12 years
• WSI Instructor/ Lifeguard for Prior Lake Schools for 6 years

Linay started as a coach for Storm in the fall of 2021. In her time outside of the pool she enjoys being outside, spending time with her nephew and family, and being a board member of the Richfield Foundation and Chamber. She also works as a community outreach coordinator at a senior living community during the day and is very excited to be back working as an Age Group Coach with Storm!

Coach Christina started with Storm in the Spring of 2023.    She grew up in Faribault and was a swimmer and diver for the Faribault Falcons from 7 ^th  – 12 ^th  grade.    She was a 5-year letter winner and was given the team’s Most Inspirational Swimmer/Diver award by her teammates her senior year.    In college, Christina’s school didn’t have a swim team so she developed one, organizing practices and informal competitions with other local colleges.    She also trained for and successfully completed a 20-mile swim as a fundraiser for charity during her senior year in college.    In her spare time, Christina still loves to swim and attempts to keep up with her three kids while working her day job as a social worker.    She also loves hiking, hanging out with friends, writing, and jamming out on the guitar.   

Karin swam competitively for several years, starting at the age of seven. Throughout her life, she’s enjoyed participating in a variety of other water sports, including waterskiing, wakeboarding and scuba diving. Her love for swimming was reignited as an adult when she and her family moved to Costa Rica, where they lived near the ocean. It was there that she joined a Masters swim team, which included open-water swimming, and was trained by some of the best coaches in that area. She’s been hooked ever since, and she continues to be an avid Masters swimmer.

At Storm, in addition to coaching the AG groups, she also teaches adult swim lessons and coaches an adult technique-focused group. During the fall, Karin is one of the coaches for the Lakeville middle school girls swim team. Outside of Storm, she volunteers as an Adult-Learn-To-Swim instructor through a MN Masters community outreach program because she’s passionate that swimming should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. Because Karin’s first experiences in water as a very young child weren’t positive, she aims to make swimming a fun, enjoyable, safe experience for her swimmers of all ages, with the goal of it being a lifetime sport for them.

Karin enjoys spending time with her husband, three children (one who swims for Storm’s senior group), and her dog. She also enjoys swimming, biking, competing in triathlons and traveling. 

High School Years:

• Graduated from Eastview High School in 2011.
• Captain in 2010-2011 season.
• Four year letter winner in swimming.
• Three time state participant in 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 seasons.
  • 2008-2009- 9^th in 200 free relay.
  • 2010-2011- 10^th in 200 freestyle and 23^rd in 500 freestyle.

College Years:

• University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, BS in Recreation Management 2015
• Four year letter winner in swimming
• Three time WIAC Conference Champion
  • 2011-2012- 200 Freestyle
  • 2012-2013- 200 Freestyle
  • 2013-2014- 800 Freestyle Relay
• Two time school record holder
  • 200 Freestyle
  • 800 Freestyle relay

Garrett enjoys spending time with family and friends when he isn’t working. During the non-winter months he enjoys playing golf and spending time at the cabin.  During the winter months he enjoys downhill skiing with his family.  Garrett has a huge love for the sport of swimming and wants to do as much as he can to improve the younger generations of swimmers.  He spent time in 2015 being a volunteer swim coach for the La Crosse Special Olympics. 

Kimberly grew up in Bloomington MN and started swimming competitively when she was 8 years old.   She swam in high school for the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars and lettered her first year starting in 8th grade and was captain her senior year.  Kimberly decided not to swim in college and instead focus on her academics to pursue a double major. She graduated from Concordia St. Paul with a Bachelor of Business degree in both Accounting and Finance and obtained her Master’s degree from Bethel University.  She has always enjoyed swimming any event that included the butterfly but an injury to her shoulder early on made her  switch  her focus to distance freestyle events, specifically the 500 freestyle. Back in 1996 she qualified to go to zones in the 500 free.  She currently lives in Shakopee with her husband and two kids who are also swimmers swimming for Storm.  When Kimberly isn’t at the pool coaching and cheering on her kids you will most likely find her sitting behind a computer, crunching numbers and auditing procedures. She has worked for Portico Benefit Services as an auditor since 2019 and loves every minute of it. In her free time she loves to travel with her family.

Coach Ryan began teaching swimming lessons in 1986.  His full-time coaching career started in 1994 with Edina Swim Club.  Ryan has coached country club, high school, and masters swimming along with his club coaching. At South Metro Storm Ryan will coach Junior 1 and Junior 2.

Under Ryan's guidance athletes have achieved:

>  Numerous National Age group Top 16 swims
>  200+ Central Zones Qualifying Times
>  4 Age Group Team State Championships as Head Age Group Coach
>  Minnesota Age Group Coach of The Year 1998

In his spare time Ryan enjoys fishing, skiing and paddle sports.  He stays busy raising 3 beautiful children with his wife, Mellanie.

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