Coaches and Directors
Late starter Nick began competitive swimming at age 10. Within two years, he captured Ohio state titles in butterfly. Additional state championships followed, including a defining moment: helping St. Charles end St. Xavier's multiple-decade state championship winning streak in 2008.
He then swam at Indian River State College — home to the longest active winning streak in college sports history (50+ consecutive national championships, a streak that began in 1975). While there, he was named 2010 Swimmer of the Year, contributing to a team victory with 7 out of 7 gold medal swims.
After Indian River, Dr. Samuel Freas recruited Nick to help build an entirely new NAIA program from scratch. Their mission was unprecedented: create a team and win a national championship in its very first year of existence. That story — "Sam's Dream" — remains one of Nick's favorites to share. No spoilers, but it's LEGEND...ARY!
Nick believes that clarity creates
confidence. When a swimmer knows exactly what to fix and why, the
work becomes purposeful. No guesswork. No garbage yardage. Just
progress.
Give a swimmer a clear targets, honest feedback, and a process to
follow — the results will come. That's not luck, that's
putting the WIN in Winters.
"Success follows Nick wherever he
goes" — The Columbus
Dispatch
Identify. Explain. Correct. Execute.
That's the process. Trust it.
Nick's combination of elite racing experience, championship pedigree, and a big-picture mindset means sessions are never about noise or volume for volume's sake. The focus stays on proper technique, smart pacing, mental resilience, and stroke integrity. Swimmers learn to read their own efforts, own their development process, and build a foundation that lasts.
Outcomes Multiple State finalists, champions, state record holders, and 2 top 10 NAG ranking swimmers have emerged from this approach — but those are byproducts, not the goal. The goal is helping athletes understand what they're capable of, then quietly doing the work to get there.
Lone Star Roots Growing up in Texas playing soccer and football were some of his favorite memories. From elementary through high school, being an athlete helped him develop skills he still uses today. After high school he attended the University of North Texas and decided it would be fun (and easy) to go to school for "PE". He quickly discovered that it was more challenging than he imagined but became fascinated with classes like biomechanics, exercise physiology, motor development and sports psychology. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Health Promotions.
He moved to Alaska in 2006 and quickly fell in love with Ketchikan and a beautiful girl named Petrina. They got married and he began his career with the State of Alaska as an officer in the Department of Corrections. After 16 years and 2 kids, he transferred to the Department of Public Safety and now works as a Criminal Justice Technician.
Realizing that his favorite place was on deck with the kids, he convinced the club to let him help out as an assistant coach. The last 2 years have been ridiculously fun and incredibly rewarding. Watching kids grow in confidence, ability and sportsmanship while learning to be coachable is a valuable skill no matter what their future holds. His goal is to develop both the mental and physical side of competition and build athletes that will utilize these skills for the rest of their lives.
Brian believes that swimming is as much a mental sport as it is a physical one. Drawing from his background in kinesiology and his career in corrections, he approaches each athlete with a blend of scientific curiosity and quiet accountability. He doesn't believe in wasted reps or blind volume — every set has a purpose, and every swimmer should know what that purpose is.
For Brian, the most important question an athlete can ask is "why?" Why this drill? Why this pace? Why this recovery pattern? When swimmers understand the intention behind the work, they stop just going through the motions and start owning their development.
He also knows that progress isn't linear. Some days click. Some days don't. His job is to stay deliberate, keep the feedback honest, and remind athletes that showing up consistently — even on the hard days — is what separates good from great.
Brian measures success not just in dropped time, but in swimmers who can read their own effort, self-correct mid-practice, and show up consistently even when it's hard. For him, the goal isn't just faster times — it's building athletes who understand what they're capable of and have the discipline to go get it.
"KKW has always been a part of my life" Jen Kloxin began swimming with KKW at the age of five and remained with the program throughout high school. She continued her swimming career at Pacific Lutheran University, where she specialized in distance events, including the 500 freestyle, 1650 freestyle, and 200 butterfly. Swimming has been a lifelong passion and an important part of her personal and athletic journey.
With more than 15 years of coaching experience with KKW and Ketchikan High School, Jen is dedicated to helping swimmers reach their full potential.
Jen believes that the most important competition is with oneself and strives to create an environment where athletes are encouraged to grow through hard work, perseverance, and self-confidence. Jen is passionate about building a positive team culture where swimmers motivate, support, and challenge one another to be their very best.
For our youngest swimmers, that looks like: turning a nervous first practices into excited routines, replacing fear of failure with big brave smiles, and helping kids discover that effort towards a goal feels good. Jen’s superpower is making the pool feel safe, joyful, and full of new possibility. She uses playful drills, high-fives after every small victory, and language that builds “I can do this” thinking. She knows that a six-year-old’s biggest win might be simply putting their face in the water — and she celebrates it like a relay gold.
