Coaches
We are here to support your needs. If your questions are related to workouts, meets, events, goal setting, and other swimming related needs, please contact Head Coach Caroline Thompson. Interested in one-on-one coaching with your child, contact a coach of your choosing found here or on the Palisades Pool website. For all administrative related questions, such as dues, safety, or policy issues, please contact Kim Penn, Shelley Vanneman and Patricia Balestra at [email protected].
Caroline's passion for swimming started at the age of six in Lexington, Kentucky, where she spent nearly every day at her local pool in the summer. Following her first summer season, she began swimming year-round. Upon moving to Montgomery County at the age of 12, Caroline swam for Solotar Swim Team and RMSC, but the highlight of her year was swimming in the MCSL for Watkins Mill, excelling particularly in 50 and 100 freestyle. In her twenties, she assumed the role of head coach for three seasons at Stedwick Swim Team. Years later, spurred by her children's passion for competitive swimming, Caroline found herself drawn back to coaching, serving as head coach at Montgomery Square Copenhaver for four rewarding years. Beyond the MCSL season, she enjoys teaching ELD at Gaithersburg High School to students learning English as a second language. A proud mother of three and the devoted companion of Nora, a black Labrador who shares her love for swimming, Carolinespends her free time enjoying her family, learning the bass guitar, and training for marathon swims. She is thrilled to join Palisades, a team known for swimming excellence, strong sense of community and great camaraderie.
Norah is a rising sophomore at Tulane University. She has been swimming as a Palisades Porpoise for the last 14 years, and this is her third year as a coach at Palisades. Norah previously swam competitively for Nation's Capital Swim Club, was a captain of Walt Whitman High School swim team, and currently swims for Tulane University's club swim team. She can't wait for this upcoming season and looks forward to all of the excitement of summer swimming!
Will is a current high school senior going to Duke University in the fall. He has been swimming for about 9 years, all 9 of them with the Palisades family! He also swims with All Star Aquatics and was a captain of the Walt Whitman swim team. Will's favorite Palisades traditions are home meet barbecues and beaver. I was a Junior Coach last year and am so excited to be back for another season. Go Porpoises!