Swimming

Tim Larkin
Head Swim Coach
Email: [email protected]

Swimming has been a part of Tim's life since he was very young. He was born and raised in New York where he swam competitively from the age of nine through his senior year in college. He attended the University of Stony Brook where he received his Bachelor's in Sociology. During his time at Stony Brook, he was a team captain and 2-time team MVP.

Tim has over 17 years of coaching experience. He began at the age of 16 when working with Hilltop Swim Club in Yonkers, N.Y. From 2006-09, he was the assistant coach for the boys and girls swim team at Washingtonville High School. During this time, he was also the assistant head coach at Viking Aquatic Club in Montgomery, N.Y.

Tim moved to Oregon in 2009 and became the North Coast Swim Club Head Coach. After that, he coached for Tualatin Hills Swim Club, working with all levels of the team, from directing the pre-competitive program and running the 10 and under novice squad to working directly with developmental and advanced middle school, high school, and college swimmers. Tim moved to MAC in 2017 and spent one year as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach. Tim has coached his swimmers to become multiple OSI, Age Group Regional, Zone, Senior Sectional, and Futures champions as well as OSI record holders and Olympic Trials qualifiers.

In his free time, Tim enjoys spending time with his wife Paige, his daughter Iona, his son Desmond, and their dog Ollie. His hobbies include lifting, hiking, reading, and swimming.

Kevin Fox
Assistant Coach
Email: [email protected]

Coach Kevin has been involved in swimming from an early age. Born and raised next to the water on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington, Kevin swam for the Poulsbo Piranhas Swim Team until graduating from high school. He attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland where he swam on the NCAA DIII swim team and earned a bachelor’s degree in music composition and theory. While at Lewis & Clark, Kevin was a part of a record-breaking 200 medley relay team and a two-year captain.

Kevin started his coaching career his childhood club swim team, helping develop age group athletes. During college, Kevin coached summer swim camps hosted at Lewis & Clark. Prior to joining MAC, he was the assistant head coach for Central Catholic High School in Portland.

Coach Kevin’s guiding philosophy is the development of the whole athlete, meaning all components of an athlete’s life account for their success in the sport of swimming. Creating strong and healthy social, educational, and athletic goals are crucial for fostering a positive and enduring swim career.

In addition to swimming, coach Kevin is a music teacher and musician in his free time. Although he mainly enjoys creating music on his laptop, he plays numerous other instruments including piano, bass, drums, singing, and more. His other athletic interests outside of swimming include running and bouldering. When he needs to sit back and relax, Kevin enjoys playing video games on his computer and Nintendo Switch or watching anime with his partner, Nicole. He also has two adorable and obnoxious cats, Simon and Cheese.

Oscar Tippol
Assistant Coach
Email: [email protected]

Coach Oscar possesses a rich and diverse background that brings a unique perspective to his coaching career. His journey in the world of swimming began at the early age of eight when he first discovered his passion for the sport. He honed his swimming skills as he competed for Socal Aquatics and the JCC Waves in California, gaining valuable experience and expertise. Before his junior year of high school, Oscar relocated to Texas, where he continued to pursue his swimming ambitions by joining the Southwest Aquatic Team.

Oscar's coaching journey commenced during his freshman year of college, demonstrating his commitment to the sport and his desire to help others excel in the pool. Although he did not swim competitively in college, he dedicated himself to coaching age-group swimming at Southwest Aquatics (SWAT). During his time coaching for SWAT, he developed a highly successful program, guiding swimmers to the prestigious Texas Age Group Swimming (TAGS) championship meet. TAGS is renowned as the fastest meet in all of Texas, and under coach Oscar's guidance, one of his swimmers achieved a remarkable victory in the 50 free and secured a second-place finish in the 100 free in 2010.

While coach Oscar briefly paused his academic pursuits to embark on a music career in California, his dedication to coaching swimming remained evident as he continued to mentor swimmers at the JCC Waves. Oscar's music career eventually led him to Los Angeles, where he continued to make waves in the music industry while coaching part-time at BLAST.

During his time coaching at BLAST, coach Oscar achieved remarkable milestones. He played a pivotal role in growing the team from 40 to an impressive 175 athletes, a testament to his coaching prowess and ability to inspire young swimmers. Coach Oscar's dedication and guidance resulted in the coaching of over five Junior Olympic finalists, with two of them achieving placements within the top 10, showcasing his commitment to nurturing exceptional talent. Through a collective coaching effort, the team surged from a 12th-place standing to a remarkable third-place position in just three seasons.

Coach Oscar brings a wealth of experience, both in the pool and beyond, to his coaching role. His diverse background and unwavering commitment to personal and athletic growth make him a valuable addition to MAC’s coaching team as he continues to inspire and guide young swimmers toward their goals.

Coach Oscar's Philosophy: “I believe in unlocking every athlete's potential through dedication, discipline, and teamwork. I aim to instill self-belief, resilience, and a growth mindset, shaping not just swimmers but champions in life. Together, we'll reach new heights in and out of the pool, and I'm honored to be part of this journey.”

Claudia Velie
Assistant Coach
Email: [email protected]

Growing up in Kingston, Wash., coach Claudia has been immersed in the world of swimming from a young age. She began at seven years old with the Poulsbo Piranha Swim Team, where her passion for the sport took root. Claudia continued to compete in swimming throughout high school and pursued her collegiate swimming career at Linfield University.

At Linfield, Claudia swam with the Wildcats in the NCAA DIII Northwest Conference. She was a captain of the 2022-23 women’s swim team, which claimed the conference championship that season. Claudia was also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for two years.

Graduating in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, Claudia combines her academic knowledge with practical experience to offer a well-rounded coaching perspective. This is her first coaching position, and she brings with her a fresh, dynamic approach, rooted in her experience as a swimmer and her academic background.

Coach Claudia’s philosophy centers around the development of the athlete and the person. Swimming offers valuable life skills such as resilience, strength, and personal growth, and her coaching aims to foster an environment where those skills can be both learned and practiced.

Outside of swimming coach Claudia enjoys weightlifting, skiing, and cooking. To relax, she enjoys movies and TV of any genre — but especially sci-fi and fantasy — and reading.