Coaches
Katie Lopez
Katie started out with Learn to Swim. She soon realized that it had become a passion. Being around the kids and teaching them how to swim became her happy place. After 8 years with Water Safety, Access and Inclusion, teaching adults and competitive strokes courses up her sleeve, Katie took the plunge and became a coach. Diving into the unknown was daunting for her but, through her persistence and resilience, she became qualified. Katie has a bubbly personality and a voice that carries across the pool. She has a passion for teaching correct technique. Although her background is theatre and drama, she maintains, "The pool deck is my stage. Teaching all levels of swimming is my happy place. I don't think of it as a job. Everyone wants to be there. Everyone is happy and wants to learn. I am blessed to do what I love. Being part of the Miami Masters coaching team is a joy and so are the members. I am extremely lucky."
Judy Bonning
Judy Bonning first started coaching Masters in Santa Barbara, California in the mid 70’s and as a young adult she was inspired and fell in love with Masters swimming from the beginning. After some time at the University of Alabama and earning a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology she then transferred to south Florida, which during that time she met future husband and Masters coach John Bonning at the 1988 World Championship at the Chandler Centre.
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After nine years and two children, they moved to Sydney to work with Forbes and Ursula Carlile and Carlile Swimming. Judy was still able to coach Masters while helping John manage a very large swim school on the Northern Beaches. Wanting to own their own swim school (Billabong Swim School) and wanting to live on the beautiful southern end of the Gold Coast, they moved to Tweed Heads. Joining the Miami Masters has been wonderful and they have loved reconnecting them with many old friends. Judy loves running clinics and workshops emphasising good technique and is happy to be back coaching the Miami Masters when she can.
John Bonning
John was a co-founder of Miami Masters Swimming Club in 1987. He was one of Miami Masters first coaches in the late 1980’s before meeting his wife, Judy at the World Masters Swimming Championships in Brisbane and following her back to Florida in the USA. John became a Level 5 Age Group Coach and Level 5 Masters coach, the highest levels in the USA.
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In the USA, he received numerous awards for excellence in coaching, including 3 USA Swimming Walter Schlueter Stroke Awards for excellence in coaching stroke technique. He has coached over 40 USA national and top 16 age group swimmers as well as national champion and record holders.
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He helped direct the USA 1991 Masters National Championships when held in Boca Raton, Florida at Mission Bay with over 1700 participants and is a former Board Director for South Florida Swimming. Currently he and his wife Judy are Co-Owners and Directors of Billabong Swim School (Tweed Heads)
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John’s philosophy on coaching focuses on speak to every swimmer when coaching, showing an interest in them, and never sitting down while coaching. He strongly believes in giving feedback, stroke correction and helping swimmers with technique.
Peter Reaburn
Peter is a recently retired Professor of Exercise and Sports Science. His academic research interest was and remains performnace and health of the masters athlete. He has swum all his life. Initially at club and state level as a 10-14 year-old, then as a surf swimmer at state and national level until age 26, then in triathlon till the Hawaii Ironman lifelong goal was completed in 2005, and is now swimming for health or the occasional swim meet and open water swim.
Peter has completed the Masters Swimming Australia Club Coach Certification. Peter brings a deep understanding of the physiology of aging and sports performance to his coaching. He is passionate about each individual swimmer being challenged both technically and physiologically. He also understands masters swimmers swim for different reasons be they there for health and fitness or competition. He ailors his program and sessions to individual needs based on getting to know each individual swimmer’s past in swimming and what their motivations are for swimming.