Coaching Staff

	Sue (Baross) Nesbitt has been the Riverside AQuette's Head Coach since May 1991. She has been one of the most successful AQuette coach or swimmer. As a swimmer, Sue earned eighteen National and fourteen International titles during her swimming career. In 2005, her "Zodiac" Team placed 1st at Junior Nationals and the RAQ junior swimmers earned the overall Speedo Junior Championship Title. Sue recently was named the National 1 Team Coach. She took Team 1 to the IX FINA World Aquatic games in Montreal, where the team placed 4th, the duet placed 4th and the solo placed 5th. Sue attributes the AQuettes' success to a group effort on behalf of all the club's coaches. Sue said the coaches work together to get the RAQ swimmers ready to give their best at competitions. Sue enjoys working with swimmers of all levels. "The younger ones progress so quickly that you see progress every practice.  With my National team athletes it takes longer to see results so you need to keep them interested in improving in all areas at the same time.  The process of developing an elite synchronized swimmer is a long one." The sport of synchronized swimming involves music, movement, costume design, teaching, flexibility and fitness training.  "I like synchro because it does have so many parts that interest me," Sue said. "My main goal is to teach the swimmers to be good people and I use the sport of synchronized swimming to do that." When she has some free time, Sue loves to read and garden.
	Kelli Wasserman - In addition to choreographing many of club's extra routines, Kelli is also the coach of RAQ's Jr. B team,   In 2005, her "Spanish" team placed higher than any preceding Jr. B Team from Riverside.  The "Spanish" Team placed 4th in finals at the Jr. National Championships and the her junior swimmers were among those that helped earn the Riverside AQuettes the 2005 Overall Speedo Junior Championship Title.  Kelli's experience as a Senior National Team member and her creativity are invaluable assets to the AQuettes. Kelli currently is a full time student at California State University, San Bernardino.  She is working on her Masters Degree in Teaching Mathematics. When her education is completed, Kelli plans on resuming her teaching career.
	Cheryl Russell is an elementary school teacher at Magnolia school in Riverside, as well as the full-time coach of our 12/13 team. In 2005, her "Mary Poppins" team brought home the Gold medal at the U.S. Age Group Championships in Buffalo, NY. Team members took first in solo, trio and figures and third in duet and trio.. Cheryl gives her young swimmers a solid foundation in Synchro - our 12/13 figure results speak for themselves - which allows them to successfully move to the Jr. level of competition.

 Irene Hawes, Assistant Coach. Irene is a former synchronized swimmer.  She swam with the Buffalo Swimkins, Huntington Beach Aquabells and Ohio State University.  She has coached several teams, including Ohio State U., before coming to the Riverside AQuettes.  Irene earned her judges rating when she was 16.  She became a FINA (international) judge in 1997.  She recently earned her FINA A rating, which qualifies her to judge at World Championships and at the Olympics. 

   Kimi Cochrun, joined RAQ in 1976 and swam as a competitive athlete for 15 years.  Kimi began coaching when she was 14 and was an athlete-coach for RAQ for many years.  She assisted with the 12/13 team and with the junior team.  Kimi has coached numerous extra routines at all levels, from age groups to seniors and has been one of the club's choreographers.  She has appeared in several synchro scenes in movies, including Austin Powers "The Spy Who Shagged Me."  She has worked on several music videos, as a swimmer and choreographer.  Kimi even appeared as a mermaid at a private concert.  Kimi says synchro led to a 10-year career as a dancer with the Walt Disney Company.  She currently is a preschool teacher at Hepthatha Lutheran Preschool and is a budding photographer.