Britta Wyatt-Executive Director, Head Coach, Lead 9-10 Blue Coach, Lead 9-10 Grey Coach, Lead 13-14 Blue Coach, Lead 11-12 Grey Coach
Britta Wyatt grew up in Ventura, California, and started coaching in 2001 for the Ventura Family YMCA Swim Team. In 2002, she moved to Eugene, Oregon, and immediately began coaching with the Eugene Family YMCA Swim Team. That team eventually merged with other teams in the area and formed TEAM Eugene Aquatics. Britta started as the 10&U coach and eventually coached every age group at one time or another. Currently, she is the lead coach of competitive 9-10, 11-12, and 13-14 groups. She also became the TEAM office manager in 2009, and then became the Executive Director in 2017. When she first started the TEAM had just under 80 swimmers and used one 4 lane pool.  The TEAM grew to 200 swimmers by 2017.and had then moved into 3 pools.  Between 2017 and today, the team has grown to over 620 swimmers, training out of 7 different pool locations, with a staff of 16 coaches. 
 
Britta specializes in marketing, non-profit management, board development, grant writing, workforce development, staff organization and development, organizational growth, and increasing access to swimming.  Her passion for understanding how to work with youth led her to earn a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and her master's in Early Childhood Education. 
 
Britta and her husband Jason have been married for over 20 years, and have two children. Her son is in high school and swims for TEAM Eugene, and her daughter is a freshman D-1 rower for Oregon State University, majoring in Computer Science. In her free time, Britta enjoys cooking and running. 
David Berkoff-Competitive Director, Head Senior Coach, Lead 13-14 Grey Coach

Coach Dave swam collegiately at Harvard with Joe Bernal where he pioneered the “Berkoff Blastoff”

underwater start that revolutionized swimming. Dave’s efforts led to four American and NCAA records and two NCAA Division I titles in the 100-yard backstroke. In 1988, Coach Dave set three world records in the 100-meter back and became the first swimmer to break 55 seconds. Dave won gold and silver medals in the 400-meter medley relay and 100-meter backstroke at the Seoul, South Korea Olympic Games for the USA. Dave returned to his Philadelphia roots in 1990 and began training with Dick Shoulberg and an international cast of pro swimmers for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Dave broke 55 seconds in the 100-meter backstroke three more times in 1992, winning bronze in the 100 back and gold in the 400-medley relay for Team USA. Dave retired from swimming in 1992 and served as a USA-Swimming Athlete Representative and Board of Directors member through 1993 when he moved to Montana.

 

Dave began coaching for the Missoula Aquatic Club in 1993 and served as the team’s Head Coach from 2008 to 2018. In those ten years, Coach Dave led MAC swimmers to hundreds of team records, dozens of Montana LSC records, numerous Montana LSC short course and long course State Championship Team titles, a half dozen Northwest Sectional Top 10 Team finishes, and seven Bronze Medal Club Excellence awards. Dave has coached multiple Junior National and National Finalists and four Olympic Trials Qualifiers. Click HERE for Coach Dave's full Bio

 

Chas Esping-Logistics Coordinator, Meet Director, Safety Coordinator, Green Group Coach, Masters Coach.

Coach Chas is a native Oregonian, born in Portland. He first discovered his love of swimming while living in McMinnville. There he joined his first club swim team. He loved swimming so much that he started lifeguarding, teaching swim lessons, and coaching summer swim teams. Coach Chas attended Western Oregon University and during that time he started coaching for the local swim club in Salem and was the Head Coach for Sprague High School Swim Team. After graduating college, he then went on an adventure to Austin Texas where he worked outside in conservation and wildfire mitigation.  Coach Chas lives in Eugene with his wife Caitlin and daughter Mo.

Sarah Keim-Head 10&U Coach, Lead 11-12 Blue Coach, Green Group Coach.

Coach Sarah has been coaching since 2015 and taught swim lessons before that from 2013-2015. Getting swimmers excited about this sport is her passion. She’s worked with beginners to state champions and has seen the most success when they are having fun.

Jill Black-Lead 13-14 Green, Senior Varsity Coach at UO Rec, Coach Advisor

Coach Jill brings a wealth of competitive swimming experience both professional and personal—to TEAM Eugene Aquatics. Jill served on 3 Oregon All Start teams (2004, 2007-2009) and was named the 2018 Oregon Age Group Coach of the Year. 

Coach Jill was a multiple-event finalist in 5 Canadian National Swimming Championships before accepting an athleti scholarship from the University of Washington. She graduated with a BA in Kinesiology in 1984. “Dr. Black” also holds a master’s degree in sports psychology (UO, 1991) and a PhD in counseling (OSU, 2002)

Jill Lives in Eugene with her husband Chris and their cats. When not on deck she also publishes a weekly workout blog: www.workoutsoffthe beatenpath.wordpress.com

Taylor Cole-Lead Masters Coach, Green Group Coach

Coach Taylor has been coaching in his two hometowns Eugene and Springfield since 2006. Taylor brings a breadth of competitive aquatic experience, having coached at the age group and collegiate level.  His passion for the water started long before his introduction to a pool. Raised in Oregon he spent most of his summers on family rafting trips. When not on deck, you can find him cruising on his boat through the beautiful Oregon creeks and rivers.

Dan Cole-Masters Coach, Coach Advisor

Coach Dan was Born in California; raised in eastern Washington/northern Idaho on a cattle ranch. He has is B.A. in history/English and M.A. in history/political geography. Coach Dan swam 4 years in college - 1960-64 at the University of Idaho.  Coach Dan previously coached at: Lewis-Clark Neptune’s - 1961-66, Reedsport, Oregon - 1966-69, Willamalane Swim Club - 1970-82, University of Oregon - 1981-86, Eugene Y - 1998-2008, South Eugene High School - 1994 – 2015, Willamalane Swim Club - 2008-2020. Coach dan has developed 17 High school All-Americans; 33 National Qualifiers; 8 Olympic Trials, and 2 NCAA qualifiers.

Dan has 3 Children: Jessica; instructor at University of Michigan, Hannah; webmaster, Taylor; swim coach.  His hobbies are rafting; cooking; physical fitness; reading; crosswords. His favorite sayings are “don’t confuse activity with achievement” (John Wooden) “don’t sweat the small stuff” (anonymous). Dan’s pet peeves are whining; negativity; unrealized potential

Sarah Walters Wall-Green Group Coach, Social Medial Coordinator, Grants and Fundraising Coordinator

Sarah began her involvement with TEAM Eugene in 2010 after graduating from South Eugene High School. She has since lived and worked throughout Oregon, California and Australia and is excited to return to this club and community. She is committed to finding all potential athletes a place in this sport and passionate about inclusive and diversified coaching. 

She has a background in education psychology and an MA in Teaching focusing on intrinsic  motivation and neurodivergent learning styles. 

Sarah loves reading, travel, and waterfall hikes. 

Dan Sauter-13-14 Green and Senior Varsity Coach at UO Rec location.

After a long break while his kids were growing up, Dan returned to coaching in 2021. Previously he was an assistant coach with the Boise YMCA swim Team from 1993-1998

Coach Grace - Green group coach at the YMCA and Sheldon

Grace has been doing competitive swim since the age of 8 and played water polo in high school. She is originally from Orange County, California and is studying at the University of Oregon and absolutely loves teaching and being around kids while also continuing her love for the sport.

Coach Aaron - Green Group Coach at Sheldon and Willamalane

Aaron started with TEAM in 2022. He swam competitively as an age group swimmer. He taught lessons and guarded with Willamalane parks and rec for 2 years before starting coaching. He loves working with kids and has a new found passion for coaching. 

Olivia Bachman

Olivia Bachman was born and raised in rural Iowa, and her love for swimming began at the age of 7. Olivia has competed in multiple USA Swimming sectional meets and holds school records for her high school. Her coaching career began coaching in 2020. She hopes to share her joy of swimming with the younger generation. She is an ASCA level 2 coach and continues to hone in on opportunities and education that will broaden her skills. She is currently a student at the University of Oregon, where she is earning her degree in advertising with a minor in sports business. When she’s not on a pool deck, you can catch her running on Pre’s Trail or attending a Duck game.

Sebastian Pinger

I was involved in swimming from a very young age. Both of my parents and my two older sisters were division I college swimmers. I swam up until I was 11 years old and then I ran cross country and track and field competitively through middle and high school. Currently, I have fallen back in love with swimming and have been swimming masters the last couple of years. I have coached swimming at Lakeridge High School and Legacy Aquatics. I am also an NASM certified personal trainer. I am excited about all types of athletics and when I'm not exercising I'm probably recreating outside or spending time with friends.

Charlize Her

I have swam competitively for 10 years. I swam for the Minnesota White Bear YMCA Mariners, then transitioned to my high school team, the North St. Paul Polars Swim and Dive. After I graduated, I volunteered to be a swim manager for the girls and boys swim team at North. I realized in that time I still wanted to be connected to swimming and it's community. I decided to start coaching at the Minnesota Jewish Community Center is St. Paul for the U.S Master's Program there. As I started working there more, I became a assistant coach for our swim team, the Minnesota JCC Stingrays. Teaching people of any age how to swim always gives me gratitude as well as feeling like I've made a difference in the swimming community. I had two great coaches, and what they've taught me - I want to pass on to other kids that were my age and struggling.