Coaches


 Cascade Swim Club employs a staff of certified, experienced coaches. If you have questions concerning your child’s performance, technique, or attitude, see the coach. Your cooperation in helping the coach help your swimmer will be appreciated. NOTE: Click on a coach’s email address to access email.

Tom Pardee, Head Coach, 206-365-3153    
Email: tompardee@msn.com 
Tom was a competitive swimmer for 13 years, swimming with both Cascade Swim Club and the University of Houston. In 26 years of coaching, 19 have been as a coach of Cascade.

Lisa Pace,  Head Age Group Coach, 206-708-1705    
 Email:  Im400im@comcast.net
Lisa’s parents started her swimming competitively at Sheridan Beach when she was 4! At 6 years old, she was swimming for Cascade. Lisa swam for Shorecrest High and got a swimming scholarship to the U of Washington where she graduated with a psychology degree with a strong emphasis in anatomy and science.

 Lisa’s coaching philosophy is to instill a passion for swimming and water that carries a person on their journey through life understanding fitness, patience, perseverance, accountability, personal excellence, friendships and relaxation. The skills learned swimming on a team, physical and emotional, are so valuable they will last a lifetime.

Assistant Coaches

Click on a coach’s name or email address to access email.

Molly Cady
 Anna Henry
 Duncan Johnson
 Shawndelle Jones

 

 

Dillon Cady dilloncady@gmail.com

 

Mark Nichols
Email: mcnichols@seattleschools.org

This is Mark's 3rd year coaching for the Cascade Swim Club. He has been Franklin High School's swim coach for the past 5 years. In 2007, He was voted KingCo 4A 'Coach of the Year' for the girls' season. He swam competitively from kindergarten to college, and spent 4 years as an Airborne Ranger at 1/75th Ranger Regiment from '95-'99.

After practice, Mark is currently working on my Master's Degree in Education at Seattle Pacific University, and filling-in long-term substitute positions at Franklin High School during the day.

Ron Portelance
Email: ronstravel@msn.com

Ron is in his 5th year of coaching swimming, the last 4 years at Salmon Bay Aquatics. He enjoys all aspects of Club swimming including being a parent of swimmers and currently serving on the PNS Board. His swimming career started at the age of 11 in Victoria BC with a team in its infancy called the Juan De Fuca Cohos, which today is part of the large swimming association of Island Swimming. After swimming through High School, Ron ventured south of the border to swim at the University of Washington under Earl Ellis from 1974-78. In Toronto, he competed at the 1976 Canadian Olympic Trials in the 200 Fly.  Still an active swimmer, participating in the 2008 National Masters Short Course Championships meet, placing 6th in the 1000 free and 8th in the 400 IM, in the 50-54 age group. During the college years, he would spend the summers in Victoria, life guarding and teaching swimming to all

ages. It was then that he thought he may like to coach someday, but never dreamed it would take 30 years!

Jordan Rice


Liliya Shtikel, AG III, Shoreline


Marilea Vela, AG I, Queen Anne 4-5:30 M-F
Email: marileav@gmail.com

MariLea Vela's swimming career spans over 30 years, beginning with her years as a competetive swimmer for 10 years with Husky Swim Club, under the coaching of Scott Lautman and Earl Ellis.  She also swam for Tyee High School, serving as Team Captain her senior year.  She placed 3rd in the 500 free and 4th in the 200 free at the Washington State High School Swimming Championships her senior year.  She went on to swim at the University of Washington under Coach Earl Ellis, graduating on academic scholarship in 1989 with a B.A. in Speech Communication.  She finished her swimming career in 1992, swimming in the Master's National's at Federal Way.

Her coaching career began in 1989 as assistant, and later Head Coach, for Queen Anne Swim Club.  At QASC she coached National Age Group Top 16 swimmers.  She also coached the master's swimming program at Evans pool from 1990-1995, the Greenlake Gators summer swim team for 2 years, and was assistant for Roosevelt High School in 1994.  She left all coaching in 1995 to persue a career with Alaska Airlines where she still works.  Missing the rewards of coaching, she returned, joining Salmon Bay Aquatics in 2007 alongside Coach Doug Rusk.  She is now pleased to be a part of Cascade Swim Club.   She loves sharing her knowledge and passion for swimming with her swimmers.  In her spare time she enjoys competetive rowing.

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Coaching Staff