LY COACHES

Head Coach, TJ Liston, has been recognized at the National level as well as locally, winning the South Carolina Coach of the Year award five times. His swimmers have been ranked both nationally and internationally and hold national records. He has coached a two time National Champion, an Olympic Trial finalist, two Junior National Champions, three USA Swimming All Americans, the 1998 NCAA South Eastern Conference Swimmer of the Year, and numerous South Carolina Swimmers of the Year. He coached two Olympic Trial qualifiers in 1996 and qualified two more swimmers for the 2000 Olympic Trials. He has spent many years on the Board of Directors of South Carolina Swimming.  He was recently endorsed by the South Carolina Swimming coaches' committee and elected to serve as the Senior Chair 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.  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 in Vermont and was an adjunct English teacher at The Citadel. She is entering her fourteenth season of coaching and is responsible for many of the administrative tasks of running the program.  Lisa works primarily with the 8 & under and new swimmers. Lisa's swimmers include many IM Tough Award winners, state champions, and sectional finalists. She has been involved in swimming in the Charleston area for the past twelve years. 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.   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 five years of coaching experience to the team.  She grew up in Alaska but thawed out after several years of living in the South.  Priscilla is a competitive swimmer herself and has been competing for the past thirty-four years.  She currently trains and competes with the Virginia Masters Swim Team.  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 group and his expertise and enthusiasm mesh well with this varied group of swimmers.  Phone:  525-4959  Email:  LYCoach@aol.com