Coaches

Laurie Sieminski - Head Coach

Laurie has been coaching at Riptide for 7 years. During that time, she has been responsible for developing and coaching our very successful Tiny Tides program, as well as being the head coach of the Coed Team and an assistant Nationals Team Coach. Laurie previously coached and managed the New Horizons Swim Program at Rutgers University.

She is a Rutgers graduate and holds a master's degree in counseling and psychology from Rutgers. She is currently a guidance counselor at Weehawkin High School. Laurie is getting ready to compete in her first triathalon, and in her free time likes to watch Rutgers football and cook.

CarrieAnn Ravagas - Girls Team Coach

CarrieAnn is a former Riptide swimmer, having joined the team when it was still the Central Jersey YWCA "Tunas". She captained the team in both her junior and senior years. CarrieAnn continued her swimming career at William Paterson University, where she was a 4 year varsity swimmer and, again, captain of the team in her junior and senior years. CarrieAnn was one of the top 15 highest point scorers for William Paterson University.

CarrieAnn's coaching career began at Brookside Swim Club, where she has been a coach for over 10 years. She also coached the Boonton High School Swim Team for 3 years. Last year she was the head coach of the boys team and an assistant Nationals Team Coach, while this year, CarrieAnn is the head coach of the girls team and the coach for the junior 2 practice group. CarrieAnn is a pre-school teacher for children with disabilities, and teaches in the North Brunswick Township school district. She lives in Hightstown with her husband and their dog, Mason.

Brian Rose - Boys Team Coach

Brian swam for Riptide from 1995 to 2002, and he is proud to say he never missed a single dual meet in that time! He went on to swim 4 years at Swarthmore College, specializing in the 200 Breaststroke and 400 IM. Brian was also head coach of the Nob Valley summer swim team from 2002 to 2007.

Now in his fourth year coaching for Riptide, Brian is the primary coach for the Boys Team and the Senior 1 practice group. Part of the Nationals Team coaching staff the last three years, Brian prides himself on being a devoted student of swimming technique, as well as a heck of a guitar player. He can recite large portions of the Riptide Top Times Report from memory.

Ryan Tighe - Coed Team Coach

Ryan was a swimmer for Riptide for 11 years. He swam for The College of New Jersey Lions Men's Swimming for 4 years. Ryan has coached Brookside Swim Club's summer team in the past. He returns for his second season as a Riptide coach. Previously coaching the Senior 1 group and the boys swim team, he was also an assistant Nationals Team Coach. This season Ryan will be head coach of the Coed Team and will be coaching the Senior 2 practice group.

Ryan is a graduate of The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ with a BA in Criminology and a minor in Psychology. He is currently working on his Master's degree at Rutgers University in Criminology intending to pursue a career with the government. An avid sports fan, feel free to talk to him about the Yankees, New York Rangers, and of course the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mary Beth Brown

Kelly Grotrian

This will be my second season working with the Tidal Wave group. Prior to coming to Riptide, I coached the Columbia High School Girls Swim team in in Maplewood, NJ for 4 years, taught the Competitive Edge program at Rutgers Recreation (New Horizon Swim Program), and coached the Maplewood Makos Summer Swim team for five years. I swam competitively for the Montclair YMCA and am very excited to be apart of another Y-program. I have a Masters in History from Rutgers & NJIT and will be starting my fourth year as an 8th grade history teacher in East Brunswick this winter.

Mike Hiedelberg

Chris Martinetti

Lynette Mullins

Lynette swam on Riptide for 10 years. She graduated from and started coaching Riptide in 2005. Lynette's main coaching focus groups are the Tidal Waves and the Coed Team. She is also the Head Coach of Village Swim Team and the manager of Village Swim Club. She graduated from Middlesex and is now studying at Kean University, majoring in Early Childhood Education. She works full time at the Children's House Montessori School in Highland Park as a Teachers Assistant and the Head Director of After Care.

Scott Thompson

Scott started the Boys swim team at the Central Jersey YWCA in New Brunswick in 1986 and was the head coach at CJY for both boys and girls teams through 1994. In 1995, Scott moved the team to the Raritan Valley YMCA and formed Riptide, and continued as head coach through 1997. He returned to coaching at Riptide in 2008 and is currently coaching the Junior 1 group. Scott works as the Senior Manager for Global Sales Reporting at Avaya, Inc. in Basking Ridge, NJ. He is married to wife Leslie and has two children, Courtney & Andrew, who are current members of Riptide. Scott enjoys coaching swimming, baseball & softball and spending time with his family.