Dam West Dolphins

My name is Emilie Clarke and I am thrilled to be Dam West Dolphins head coach! Swimming is my passion as I have spent the last 30 years of my life either competing, teaching, coaching, or just having fun, swimming. If I look familiar, it’s because I grew up as a swimmer on the Dam West Dolphins swim team from 1994-2005. I also competed competitively for Cherry Creek high school swim team in the early 2000’s.

In high school, I worked summers as a lifeguard and swim instructor for kids aged 3-6 years old. In college, I was the lead swim teacher for a local preschool swim program at Orchard Valley Learning Center. It was there my passion for teaching was fueled by teaching foundational swim skills and working with primary aged children. I continued my love for teaching after college as a kindergarten teacher in the Eagle County school community where I spent most of my “pre-mom” years skiing, teaching, and working as a part time swim teacher for neighbors in the community. I also worked as a lead swim coach for two swim teams in the Vail Valley before finally moving back to Aurora. One of the teams was also called “the Dolphins”.

Currently, I am enjoying my time as a stay at home mom to my three young boys, Barrett, Declan and Graham. They’re currently too young to be Dolphins this year, but they definitely enjoy the pool just as much as their mama!  When we’re not at the pool, you can find us walking around the neighborhood or biking around in the Burley (their favorite quarantine summer activity).

It is my hope that I can bring the same spirit and enthusiasm for swim team that I experienced growing up as a Dam West Dolphin. My vision for your swimmers this summer is instilling skills and good work ethic that promotes lifelong personal growth and achievements. No matter where your swimmer is on their swim team journey, it is my aspiration that they are enabled to persevere struggles, learn from mistakes, and accomplish goals they never thought possible. I believe the most important achievements in sports are not only physical strengths, but mental strengths as well.

Hi Dolphins! My name is Chloë Alexander and I am a graduating senior at Overland High School! I have been on Dam West for 6 years now, I’ve been a junior coach for 3 years, and this is my first year as an assistant coach!

I started my swim journey on Dam West in 2017, and have continued swimming since! When I got to Overland, I joined the girls swim and dive team. I have been swimming varsity with Overland for 4 years now. Swimming is such a beautiful sport and my favorite thing about it is how it unifies people! I have found some of my life long friends on both Dam West and Overland’s swim team. I love the community Dam West brings, and how we bond over something so simple as the love we all have for swimming.

When I’m not swimming, I am definitely a busy body! I participate in theatre, student council, performing arts, and much more at school! I also teach swimming lessons and I used to be a lifeguard as well. I love working with others, and sharing the knowledge I have learned on how to be a better swimmer as well as person because of the Dam West community. I am also always open to learning along with the kids, and making sure their individuality is appreciated inside the pool and outside of the pool! I’m looking forward to this season, and to share my love of swimming with others! GO DOLPHINS! 

Hi Dolphins! My name is Micaela Brown, and I’m currently 18 years old and a graduating senior at Cherry Creek High School. This will be my 11th year on the Dam West Dolphins as well as my 5th year coaching. I’ve lived in the Dam West neighborhood nearly my whole life and decided to join the swim team on a whim one summer to have a fun activity to occupy my time. At the time, I had no idea that swimming would go on to become such an integral part of my life.

Throughout the years, I’ve swam with various swim clubs, but I am currently on the Mission Aurora Colorado Swim Club's (MACS) senior team. I have also completed four seasons with Cherry Creek High School’s varsity swim team. One of the things that I enjoy the most about swimming is how it is constantly bringing me new challenges me to work towards achieving my goals. I believe that swimming is such a valuable skill to have, and I love how versatile it can be when it is applied to other aspects of life.

When I’m not swimming, I typically spend my summers lifeguarding and coaching, both of which I became involved in because of swimming! I enjoy coaching because I love being able to share my knowledge and passion for swimming with others. I really hope to be able to foster the same love that I have for swimming within the younger swimmers that I coach. It’s so rewarding to be able to work with a swimmer and track how much they improve over time! Also, some of my fondest memories as a young swimmer on the Dam West Dolphins were the mornings that I’d get to spend laughing and joking around with my coaches. I love knowing that I can now do that with my own swimmers and positively impact someone’s life in the same way that my own life was impacted. I’m so excited for this upcoming season!

I have been on the Dam West Dolphins since I was 6 years old.  This is my 2nd year as an Assistant Coach.  My favorite part about coaching are the kids and getting to help improve their swimming!

I just finished my senior year of high school at East!  When I'm not swimming I enjoy hanging out with friends and boxing.  I also babysit for multiple families and love hanging out with kids.  I'm excited for this season!