Coaches
Coach Jen
Head Coach
We are so excited to have Jennifer Brunelli, MS, RD, LDN as our head coach this season! Jen brings so much to the table for this team. She's a crazy good swimmer, fellow parent that many of us know, and a leader in coaching of kiddos. She is a 7-time All American swimmer and her SIX all-time swim records that she holds at the University of South Carolina led to her induction as a Hall of Fame athlete there in 2017. She was also an Olympic Trials Qualifier from 2003-2008. Today, she works as a registered dietician and owns her company, SportsRD Pro LLC, which specializes in sports nutrition. Her clients include NASCAR and the Carolina Panthers among others. She also serves as a coach for SwimMAC. Most importantly, she is mom to Sloane (12) and Nathan (10), who will be joining the Lake Ridge gang as well!
Our beloved Jackson will be returning for his 2nd year with the Rapids, working as an age group coach among several groups. He is graduating from FMHS this year and swims for both the Rays and FMHS. He is the oldest of 3 children and has been our king of spirit.
Emilee is returning for her 2nd year with the Rapids helping primarily with clinics and practices as her school schedule allows her to be with us for only a few weeks. She's much loved by all and we are thankful that she spends the short time that she has at home with us.
Kelly has lived in Lake Ridge with her husband and 4 boys for 10 years. She began swimming competitively at age 5 for a USA Swimming sanctioned team in Western New York. She swam for this program (STAR) through age 18, competing as a long distance swimmer. In high school, she competed for her school team as well. She qualified and competed in several State Sectional competitions, often placing in the top 10 for the 500 freestyle. in 1999, she was named as an Academic All-American Swimmer with her name listed in the archives of the International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During college, she swam for the Elon University Swim Club. She was president of this club, managing and coaching practices, during her last 2 years. During that time, she grew the Elon Swim Club Invitational Championship to the largest swim club championship on the each coach. Kelly is excited to share her love of swimming! This is her 4th year with the Rapids.
Coach Brittany AKA Mrs. Jennings is passionate about kids and as you've probably heard, is joining us from Kingstown Elementary, where she works as a third grade teacher. Her swim background is in recreational teams such as this one and in (obviously) educating 9-10 year olds. She has an 8 year old little boy named Tillman and a little guy named Conner. This is her 4th year with the Rapids.
Coach Molly will be helping with all age groups this summer. This is her second "official" year coaching, but she volunteer coached the year before that, winning "Rapid of the Year". Molly is a rising junior at FMHS and swims for the Rays and FMHS as well.
I am so happy to be coaching the 7 and 8 year olds this summer. I swam competitively for 12 years and coached my neighborhood team when I was home from college in the summer. I also taught lessons to people of all abilities for four years. I look forward to getting to know more of you. Most importantly, I'm ready to have fun! I have 2 boys, Henry and Ryan, both of whom will be swimming this year! This is her 4th year with the Rapids.
Coach Ava will be helping with all age groups throughout the summer. She graduates from FMHS this year, loves kids, and has experience swimming for several years with the YMCA RAYS team. Her sisters, Kaitlin and Olivia, also swim for the Lake Ridge Rapids. This is Ava's 4th year coaching with the Rapids.
