LY COACHES
LY COACHES HAVE OVER 100 YEARS OF COACHING EXPERIENCE. ALL COACHES, BOTH FULL AND PART-TIME, ARE USA SWIMMING CERTIFIED AND YMCA CERTIFIED.
Head Coach, TJ Liston, has been recognized at the
National level as well as at the LSC level. His
s
wimmers have been ranked both nationally and internationally
and hold national records. His swimmers won a National Open Water title. He has coached a two time
National Champion, an Olympic Trial finalist, two
Junior National Champions, a Virginia State Record Holder, and a YMCA National Record Holder. His swimmers have been ranked both nationally and internationally. His swimmers are routinely honored as the top high school swimmers in Lynchburg and under his supervision the LY team has scored at each of the last five Y National Championships. TJ spent many years on the Board of
Directors of South Carolina Swimming. He was the Chair of the Eastern Section
of the Southern Zone for USA Swimming for 6 years. TJ currently sits on
the Senior Committee of Virginia Swimming as well as the USRY Regional Committee. As the Coaches' Rep for Virginia Swimming, he is also a member of the VSI Board. Phone: 434-384-6338 or cell 434-444-1256
Hours between 10AM and 2PM. Email:
CoachListon@comcast.net
Assistant
Coach Lisa Liston is the wife of TJ. Lisa holds a Masters Degree in English
Literature from Middlebury College and was an adjunct English teacher
at The Citadel in Charleston, SC. She is entering her twentieth season
of coaching and is responsible for many of the
administrative tasks of running the program. Lisa works primarily with the
10 & under swimmers through the short course season. Lisa's swimmers
include many IM Tough Award winners, LAL champions, and state
champions.
Lisa served on the Board of Directors of South
Carolina Swimming for four years and was also the Camp
Coordinator for South Carolina Swimming, running two
very successful Zone All-Star Camps for South Carolina
Swimmers. Lisa currently sits on the Age Group Committee for Virginia
Swimming and is the outgoing President of the Virginia YMCA League. Phone: 434-384-6338 Hours between 10AM-2PM
Email: LisaLListon@aol.com
Priscilla Bettis continues with the LY coaching staff this year. Coach Priscilla Bettis brings twenty eight years of coaching experience to the team. She grew up in Alaska but thawed out after several years of living in the South. Priscilla has been a competitive swimmer herself, competing for the past thirty-five years. Priscilla holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Oklahoma and is able to apply her understanding of wave mechanics and fluid dynamics when teaching stroke technique. She has coached swimmers of all ages and abilities including age group, junior high school, Special Olympics, summer league, and Masters, including a national Masters champion. In 2000, Priscilla coached the Masters 2000 Long Course National Champions. Priscilla enjoys motivating young athletes and promoting the great sport of swimming. Phone: 239-7540 Email: pbettis@gmail.com
Coach Hank Reed will also be returning to coach with LY and we look forward to having his years of experience on deck and at meets with the LY Piranhas. Hank's experience covers swimmers of all ages, from first grade to high schoolers. Hank works primarily with the Gold and Varsity group and his expertise and enthusiasm mesh well with this varied group of swimmers. Hank has been the head coach of the Hill City Dolphins for many years.
Phone: 525-4959 Email: LYCoach@aol.com
Coach Karis Kemper grew up swimming year round in Baltimore, Maryland, and currently competes as a member of the Liberty University Women's Swim Team. Her youthful energy is a tremendous benefit to coaching the younger swimmers. Karis spent a summer as an assistant coach with the Wildwood Swim Team and was the head coach of FAST in the summer of 2011. We are excited to have Karis back on deck as she starts her third year with LY. Email: kekemper@liberty.edu