Coach - Elisa Altom
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"Never measure your own self-worth with someone else's ruler"
Hello Everyone!
My name is Elisa, I am 5’6”, I like dogs, and I love long walks on the beach.
Even though that is all true, that is not why I am writing this. As your assistant coach this season I cannot wait to meet and get to know everyone better. So, to start things off, here is a little “autobiography”:
I am very excited to have been given this opportunity. Swimming has always been an important part of my life, and I am glad I am able to share this passion with you.
I began my swim team career at the age of 5 (with the Seariders!) and I swam summers with the Maplewood Gators. From 5th grade to 8th, I participated and competed in synchronized swimming over the winter while continuing to compete in the summer with the Gators. My favorite stroke always was and will be … BUTTERFLY! I also swam IM, and every distance of Freestyle. The only thing I never competed in was Backstroke.
When I got to high school, I swam for the Stow Bulldogs. I was one of two freshmen, and the only female freshmen, to make it to Districts. Sadly, my competitive swimming career ended, pretty much in my junior year, when I found out I had multiple stress fractures in my back. I finished out high school and tried college swimming, but it hurt to much to make it worth it.
So, I turned to teaching others how to swim. I have been teaching lessons for about six years now.
I attended Ashland University for my undergraduate degree. There, I majored in Electronic Media Production (or Film & TV to put it simply) and minored in Theatre. Currently, I am attending Kent State University and working on a Masters in Journalism & Mass Communication – Convergence (or using multiple outlets for media).
In addition to classes, I have an assistantship that requires me to work 20 hours a week. On top of that, I am continuing my internship at PBS 45 & 49 here in Kent in order to gain more work experience. So, if you see me running in and out of practice, it is not because I do not want to talk, I am probably running off to another meeting or class.
If you ever want to talk about anything, please feel free to come up and talk to me. I love getting to meet new people and learning about them. I look forward to this season; I know it will be great! To reiterate what Coach Rob said, GO SEARIDERS!!
- Elisa
Coach - Stephanie Ross
sross7@kent.edu 
“If you want to swim- PRACTICE. If you want to WIN- PRACTICE HARDER!”
Before I can remember, my dad threw me in the pool- I learned to swim before I could walk. I attempted other sports like gymnastics, cheerleading and soccer but always loved swimming. I eventually devoted all my time to swimming and have never looked back!
I started swimming competitively at age 5 in the summers at Maplewood and in the winters at Seariders. I ended up switching back and forth between the Cuyahoga Falls Tiger Sharks and Seariders for winter swim teams. I have been fortunate to have had many amazing coaches and therefore have been a top swimmer in every stroke at one point or another. Once I started swimming at Stow High School I found my niche as a sprinter. As a freshman, I was awarded the “Rookie of the Year Award” and was on a relay that had an opportunity to go to states (unfortunately we fell short and didn’t make it to state.) My goal throughout high school was to letter in every event, I almost made it until my junior year I found out I had a very bad back injury and was not able to continue swimming. After two years of rest and relaxation I graduated and started pursuing a degree in early childhood education at Kent State University.
My first job was lifeguarding at Maplewood and then at Kent High school. During this time I did some private coaching. After my first semester I had an amazing opportunity to move to Florida and work at Walt Disney World! I was a lifeguard and an in-service leader at the All-Star Resorts. After 7 months I returned home and worked at a marketing firm in Solon. This past summer I moved back to Orlando to work at the water park Wet’ N Wild. Now, besides coaching I am working at LifeCenter Plus.
Throughout all of the moving and jobs, I switched majors and have been studying for my bachelors’ degree in Nutrition and dietetics for the past 2 years. After I graduate, I will stay in Kent to earn my masters degree. I try to fly to Florida at least once a month to visit all the amazing people I met while I lived there and of course to check in with “The Mouse!”
I want to tell everyone thank you for making me feel so welcome and I can’t wait for the rest of the season!
- Stephanie