Don Henshaw
Sr & Masters Head Coach-Team Dir.
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After club swimming in
North Miami Beach, Miami Carol City High School and Indian River
CC, Coach Don Henshaw started his coaching career in 1975 in Miami,
FL and later (1978) continued coaching with GLCY. After a brief
hiatus to build a family business and help Coach Connie raise
Coaches Heather and Jen, Coach Don rejoined the coaching ranks
in 1985 with Swim Florida. He coached there
unitl he started Gulf Coast Swim Team in 1998.
Coach Don has developed numerous National Top 16
swimmers, Florida High School State Champions (including
Coach Jen Seluk), Junior National, Senior National, and Olympic
Trial qualifiers. His coaching philosophy is "train hard,
swim fast". Don married Connie Henshaw in 1976. They
raised two daughters, Heather (Fort), and Jennifer (Seluk) who
have blessed him with seven grandchildren.
Connie Henshaw
Junior Team - Head Age Group Coach
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Coach Connie Henshaw is a
graduate of Hialeah High School, and swam for Hialeah Swim
Association and North Dade YMCA where she qualified for Senior
Nationals in the 200 Butterfly. She was also one of the top female
waterpolo players in the USA.
Coach Connie has produced some of the fastest age group swimmers
in the United States in the last 15 years, many National Top 16
swimmers, Florida LSC record breakers, and helped them reach
the top with several #1 rankings and NAG records.
She is married to Coach Don and has 2 daughters, Heather Fort, and
Jen Seluk, as well as 6 grandchildren.
Jen Seluk
Gold Team Coach
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Coach Jen Seluk (formerly
Henshaw) joined GCST in her current capacity as Senoir Group Stroke
Coach in 2005. Prior to that she attended Florida State
University and Cleveland State University where she competed in the
400 IM, 200 Fly, 200 Breast, 1650 Free, and 1000 Free.
She is the 1997 2A State Champion in the Girls 200 IM
and that same year she also made her Sr. National cut in
the 200M Breast while winning Jr. Nationals. Coach
Jen’s philosophy is oriented toward stroke technique and
efficiency but balances her work outs with good
old fashion hard work. She is currently the Head Boys and
Girls Swim Coach at Estero High School. Jen is
married to Matt and they have three year old triplet sons
Hunter, Parker and Ryder, as well as a little girl, Karter
Rose Seluk born on April 20, 2010. Her loyalty
resides in GCST and is confident that they will continue to
make strides towards excellence! Go
GCST!
Gregg Cross
Silver Team Coach / OW Director
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I began my swimming and
coaching careers at age 16 as a member of the University Swim Club,
in Cleveland. In 1979 I graduated
Kent
State
University
’s Education
Program and moved to
Ft.
Myers
where, in 1980, I became
(and remain) a teacher at
Bonita
Middle
School
.
In 1985, I joined Swim Florida as a coach, and in 1987, moved to
Cape Coral to establish a separate entity of Swim Florida; Swim
Florida Cape. In nine years with
Swim
Florida
Cape
, I helped develop
several Sr. and Jr National Swimmers, as well as numerous high
school state champions. In 1996, I was promoted to head age
group coach for Swim Florida, and subsequently helped expand the
south
Lee
County
age group program at
FGCU. Since 1999 I have served as race director for the USA
Swimming Open Water National Championships, and was race director
for the USA Swimming World Trials, twice. For my open water
involvement, I was awarded the Glen S. Hummer Award.
I have continued my love
of swimming through an extensive career as a triathlete, and later
in open water swimming having completed the 12.5 Key West Swim
three times, the Tampa Bay 23 mile swim, and numerous
others. I reside on my farm in Estero with my
wife, Sandy. Additionally, I have a son Matt, 25, who is
a horse trainer in
Colorado
. Above all, I
am proud to be a part of this first class
program!
Michael S. Verwest
North Team Head Coach
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In his youth, Coach Mike swam for the Fort
Myers Swim Association, and four years at Fort Myers High School.
In 1976, his senior year, he was co-captain of his H.S.
team.
Mike has been coaching at the North Fort
Myers satellite locale for GCST since January 2010 and is certified
as a Level 2 coach by the American Swim Coaches Association and
certified STROKE TECHNICIAN by the American Learn to Swim
Teachers Association.
Mike and his wife Laura are blessed with
two children, Elisabeth and Matthew who both swim for
GCST!
Coach Mike believes that every child has
the inner potential to be a champion, if he or she dedicates
themself to developing technical, physical and mental excellence.
But he emphasizes that there is much more to being a true champion
than just swimming fast. Coach Mike is excited to be part of the
GCST tradition of producing champions in the pool, in school, and
in their community.
Timothy N. Smith
North Team Assistant Coach
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Tim Smith is a native of
the Fort Myers area having been born in Lee Memorial
Hospital. He grew up loving sports of all kinds, He played
soccer and basketball while in school, but always had a strong
interest in swimming. He graduated from Fort Myers High
School and the University of Florida. His degree was in
Family Youth and Community Science with a minor in Education.
Tim believes in building respect, trust, and great communication
with everyone involved in the team. He thinks that every child can
be a great swimmer, it’s just his job as a coach to
help them get there. It is his goal not only to improve each
swimmer, but also to continuously improve his skills as a
coach. Tim is excited about the challenges and opportunities
that GCST will provide. Mostly, Tim is just so happy to be
part of the team.
Laura G Verwest
North Team Assistant Coach
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Jose R Rodriquez
North Team Assistant Coach
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Charles Lee Valentine
North Team Assistant Coach
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William Paul Wood
Bonita Springs Team Head Coach
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Eddwie Perez-Arriaga
FGCU Bronze Team Coach
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Pieter K Ritz
Assistant Senior Team Coach
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A native of Fort Myers,
Fla., Pieter Ritz was member of the Gulf Coast Swim Team for 16
years. He also swam for the Florida Zone Team in 2006. During
his prep swimming years, he was a district champion in 2005, was a
three-time regional finalist, and was a state finalist in 2006 and
2007.
Pieter Ritz swam
collegiately for four years at Division I Cleveland State
University in Cleveland, Ohio. While at Cleveland State, he was a
finalist at the Horizon League Championships all four years. In
2009, he reached the podium at the conference championships with a
7th place finish in the 1000 freestyle and an 8th place finish in
the 1650 freestyle. He also reached the conference podium in 2012
with an 8th place finish in the 1650 freestyle. Along with
his accomplishments in the pool, he was also named to the
Dean’s List three years at CSU, and in 2012 received the
Men's Swimming and Diving Leadership Award.
Pieter is
currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration
at Henderson State, while working with the Henderson State Swimming
and Diving Team as the Graduate Assistant Coach. In his first
year at the position, he guided the women's team to a 2nd place
finish and the men's team a 3rd place finish at the New South
Intercollegiate Swim Conference meet in Cleveland, Mississippi.
From there, he also was apart of the group that went to the
2013 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving National Championships in
Birmingham, Alabama, where the men finished 20th and the women
finished 35th.
Sam Wilson Moreland
Assistant Masters Coach
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Jill D Moreland
Assistant Masters/Club Coach
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Coach Jill Moreland has
been an active member of the GCST Masters team since its startup in
early 2010. She swam briefly with the Sarasota Sharks from age 8 to
9 but stopped to pursue soccer and has always regretted that
decision. Jill has two boys, Jack and Max who both swim for GCST
and her husband Sam is also a GCST Masters member. Her love of
swimming and involvement with GCST led her to pursue her coaching
certification so that she could fill in for other coaches on an as
needed basis. Jill is a Mechanical Engineer and also holds an
M.B.A. She also participates in triathlons and makes an effort to
actively recruit triathletes for the Masters program.
