Meet The Team
Annie Scott (Babicz)
Owner & Instructor
Annie grew up swimming for the Sarasota Sharks, where she became one of the best age group swimmers in the country. To this day, she remains the 2nd fastest American swimmer of all time in the 11-12 girls 100 breaststroke and is one of the youngest Olympic Trial Qualifiers ever. She won the Rookie of the Meet award at 1998 National Championships alongside Ryan Lochte, and went on to compete at UC Berkeley where she competed internationally and was Pac 10 Champion and a four time NCAA scorer.
After graduating, Annie went on to coach at the club and college level, while also teaching private lessons to kids and adults of all ages and abilities. Her philosophies stem from her time at Cal, where unconventional training practices led to a more holistic understanding of the water. She is excited to bring a fresh new perspective to the Sarasota swimming scene!
Josh Scott
Owner & Instructor
Josh joined his first swim team when he was 6 years old, shortly after his family had moved to Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia. While he wasn't a "natural" swimmer at first, he did have a love for the water and a strong desire to improve.
After moving back to the United States, Josh went on to become a top age group and high school swimmer in California, competing in both Junior and Senior Nationals, and earning a swimming scholarship to Syracuse University. While at Syracuse, he was a school record holder and honored by his teammates by being voted both Team Captain and MVP. His athletic pursuits continued after college, where he became a U.S. Masters Swimming National Champion in multiple events.
Josh found his true passion in life as a coach, helping others "understand" the sport he loves so much. He is an American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) Level 4 Coach. He has coached multiple National Record setting relays, a U.S.A. Swimming National Team member, and a Junior National Champion.
Josh is known for making a complex sport "simple" to those he is teaching, and focusing on the RIGHT things that create massive improvement. He believes the only thing a swimmer is limited by is their technique and their heart.
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Petar Momcilovic
Instructor
Since coming to the States, Petar has been involved with USA Water Polo’s Olympic Development Program (Southeast zone) and has run multiple camps at Brown University and for the Nike 5 Meter program. He also served as the graduate assistant coach for Mercyhurst University’s NCAA division II program.
His love of the sport came at a young age. Petar grew up playing water polo in London, United Kingdom where he played for the West London Penguins water polo club. As a junior water polo player he played the sport at the Regional level before moving up to the National League with Ealing Water Polo Club.
Petar's background in swimming comes from his work with developing swimmers to ensure that they had the proper skills and techniques to become successful swimmers at the club level. Additionally, Coach Petar taught swimming for a number of swim schools across London, mainly for, “Swimming Rocks”; a premium swim school based in central London. His focus there was to help prepare swimmers to enter squad swimming clubs that would go onto train at the national level.
Jenn Hart
Instructor
Jenn began swimming competitively at 8 years old in North Carolina. During her age group years and throughout high school, she had the opportunity to represent North Carolina at the National Junior Olympics, compete at the Senior National Level, and swim in the Olympic Trials. Following high school, she was a Gator student-athlete at the University of Florida.
Since graduating from the University of Florida, she has continuously taught swimming lessons and coached. While living in Jamaica for several years, Jenn established and coached the Negril Waverunners Swim Team. Jenn returned to the United States and settled in Sarasota with her son and daughter. For many years, she taught swimming lessons for the Sarasota Family YMCA and coached age group swimmers for the Sarasota Sharks. During this time, her two children swam for the Sarasota Sharks, competed internationally for Jamaica, and swam for their respective universities.
Now, Jenn is more than thrilled to join the Swim SRQ Team. Her passion is teaching swimming technique and showing young children the joy in mastering new skills in the water.
Samantha Cahoone
Instructor
Samantha grew up swimming for the Sarasota Sharks Swim Team where she swam for 13 years. Her love of serving others, swimming, and the outdoors led her to the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. While participating in the Coast Guard Academy's swab summer program, Samantha became injured to the point where she was no longer able to participate and was differed to restart the next year. Back home in Sarasota, Samantha stayed in school enrolling in classes at USFSM. One afternoon in 2016, while studying at the YMCA, Samantha was recruited to teach swim lessons and has been teaching ever since. By the time she was able to return to the Coast Guard Academy, Samantha had created a network of clients who she tutored academically and was enjoying her time teaching swim lessons at the YMCA and Robert Taylor Community Center so much that she continued her classes at USFSM where she graduated from in 2019 with a degree in Biology and a concentration in Psychology. Samantha considers herself a lifelong learner and since graduation has continued her education, obtaining a teaching certificate in 2021 and is planning to pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology ASAP. Samantha has a strong desire to help all children become happy, healthy, and empowered adults, which led her to become a Mental Health Tech at Palm Shores Behavioral Health Care Center in Bradenton, FL. This experience as well as her experiences teaching swim lessons and tutoring students academically has given Samantha a great understanding of the intricacies that go into the psychology of individual children. Samantha's teaching philosophies are driven by the principle that she is not simply teaching a child how to swim but rather is "teaching the whole child".
Hunter Scott
Instructor
Hunter started competitively swimming when she was 8 and swam her high school career here in Florida with the Sarasota Sharks. After graduating from high school, she got a swimming scholarship at Miami University in Ohio.
She is a recent graduate from Miami of Ohio and current grad student who swims freestyle and studies human disease and epidemiology.
Hunter has always loved coaching and being on the pool deck or in the water to teach young swimmers about the sport she loves. She is very passionate about showing how fun and rewarding the sport can be while also teaching the importance of safety of swimming in and out of the water.
Jaemi Seichko
Instructor
Jaemi was born in Seoul, South Korea and was adopted by a family in Trenton, NJ when she was only 6 months old. She is the proud mother of two sons, Jonathan and Joseph. Coming from a family of swimmers, her parents enrolled her in lessons at the age of 5 at the College of New Jersey. That was where the love began! She was always involved in sports, track and field and swimming. She was a star in her high school swim team, specifically in breast stroke and butterfly, setting numerous records. She resided in Tampa for 10 years, founding and running a successful tanning salon. Since then, after moving to Sarasota, she was a full time caregiver to her grandmother for 7 years until her passing. After her grandmothers passing she was able peruse her dream to teach swimming. Her patience and her ability to adapt to each student is bar none. Jaemi thrives on her student’s success- as this is the best reward! She always goes above and beyond to make each and every lesson the best experience as possible. JUST KEEP SWIMMING!!!
Linda Bruno
Instructor
Linda was born and raised in the Bronx. Her love of the water started early, swimming and snorkeling the local waters. Moving to New Jersey and working for the U.S. Customs Service Linda spent her vacations scuba diving in remote locations such as the the Fiji Islands and Roatan.
Linda moved to Long Island and enrolled her daughter Gabrielle with the 3 Village Swim Club. Then moving to Sarasota, Gabrielle swam for the Sharks Swim Team. It was then that Linda became a swimmer. She was discovered by the YMCA and asked to teach swim lessons. For ten years she taught swim lessons to a variety of groups. She established the first Adaptative Aquatics Program, and the 3 and Me classes. Linda has instructed swim lessons for the community with the BUDS Program and Robert Taylor Park.
She has volunteered for the Oak Park Schools assisting special needs children discover the aquatic environment. She is also a Special Olympic Coach.
Linda holds a variety of certifications in the Aquatic Field. She is a certified WSI Red Cross Instructor and Trainer. She is certified in ALTS (Adults Learning to Swim), as well as certified for the Special Olympics Swim Coach. She is also certified in Water Aerobics, as well as Hydro Ryder, (aquatic bicycling in the water).
Linda enjoys teaching all levels, stressing safety in and around the water. She brings her creativity and variety to her lessons keeping the children focused with fun filled skills.
Casey Keiber
Director of Aquatics & Instructor
Casey is from Easton, PA and learned to swim at a young age, started competing at 9 and, at 14, competed in US Olympic Trials in the 100 breaststroke and just missed top 16. She competed for Team USA as part of the National Junior Team in 1993, was a two-time state champion in the 100-yard breaststroke, and swam collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions. As a freshman in high school, Casey broke the state and pool record at Penn State’s Natatorium.
After a long break away from the pool, she found joy in the water again through teaching many private lessons and discovered U.S. Masters swimming. She coached for Pikes Peak Athletics in Colorado Springs and competed in the 2016 USMS Summer Nationals in Oregon and has been competing in masters meets ever since. She achieved her Level 1 & II U.S. Masters Swimming Coach Certification last year and also has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, emphasis in schools and communities.
She loves swimming and competing on her own terms for the full mind/body balance the water provides. Casey is excited to be part of Swim SRQ to help young swimmers find joy and safety in and around the water.
Ashlee Linn
Instructor
After overcoming a fear of the water as a toddler, Ashlee fell in love with the water by age 5 and went in to swim competitively for 18 years. Ashlee swam for the Sarasota Sharks where she qualified for Olympic Trials at age 14 and went on to continue her athletic career in college as a student-athlete for the University of Florida. She is a 4 time NCAA qualifier and competed at Olympic Trials in 2008 and 2012.
In 2016 Ashlee was in a motorcycle accident that forced her to relearn how to walk. She credits the accident for an increased sense of empathy, patience, and ability to “trust the process” as well as an acute understanding of the importance of repetition and a clear teaching progression when learning new skills.
Ashlee graduated in 2017 with a degree in Biology and is also a Certified Personal Trainer. In 2018 she taught for a Swim America program in Gainesville, and is thrilled to be able to share her love for the water with both kids and adults at SwimSRQ!
Abby Quigley
Instructor
Abby Quigley grew up in a very athletic family, as her mom swam competitively for the Sharks for several years in her youth, and her dad was a collegiate tennis player at Webber International University. Also, her uncle played professional baseball as a pitcher for the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox, winning the World Series in 2007. Although Abby didn’t swim competitively like her mom, she grew up loving the water and played numerous sports including basketball, tennis, soccer, track, and both beach and indoor volleyball, which was definitely her most long-term commitment as an athlete.
Abby began playing volleyball around age 13 after being coerced due to height (she’s 5’11) and played all throughout high school at Riverview, claiming 3 District Championships, 2 Regional Championships, and most significant, 2 trips to the State Final Four as Captain on Varsity, which were historical moments for Riverview that hadn’t been accomplished yet! She was very determined in high school to not only be a great athlete, but also a great student, achieving a 4.83 GPA in the Riverview IB Programme. After much thought on playing collegiate volleyball, she ultimately decided to focus on her future career in medicine, choosing the University of Florida to pursue a bachelors degree in Health Science on a Pre-Physician Assistant track, and she hopes to focus on Pediatrics!
However, she couldn’t get away from volleyball, and still stays active by playing for the club beach volleyball team at UF. All in all, she is beyond excited to be around kids and eager to make a positive impact on their lives, especially through helping them feel confident and comfortable in the water! She has gone through much training with the rest of the SwimSRQ staff, and is ready to assist your kids with their swimming needs.
Miles Newmeyer
Instructor
Miles spent much of his youth around pools in Tallahassee, Florida. His time as an instructor was as a counselor at his local boy scout summer camp. There he also received his first Red Cross lifeguard certification, he worked part-time as a lifeguard throughout high school and college. He is currently CPR certified. During high school, he started his competitive swimming career. He swam for James S. Rickards Highschool in the Fall, and the Area Tallahassee Aquatics Club during the Winter and Summer seasons.
In college, Miles continued his work as a lifeguard at the New College of Florida fitness center. During his second year, he joined the fledgling New College of Florida swim team and became its captain the following two years. Miles graduated from the New College of Florida in May 2020 with a degree in Russian Language and Literature and History. He wrote a thesis on "The State of Becoming," an analysis of masculine hero figures in Soviet propaganda of the 1930s.
Luci Lozano
Instructor
Born and raised in Sarasota, Florida, Luci quickly established a love for the water at a young age despite not knowing how to swim. After attending swim lessons, her parents signed her up for the Sarasota Sharks. Luci began competitively swimming at 8 years old and then went on to spend 10 years with the team where she predominantly trained
IM and butterfly. As a high school swimmer, she contributed to the FHSAA State Championships as well as YMCA Nationals all 4 years.
After graduating from high school, she then went on to attend the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. At USAFA, she became a prominent addition to the IM and butterfly groups. She recently transferred back home to pursue a career in the medical field.
Growing up around the pool deck, Luci has always had a profound love for the water, and she hopes to instill that same passion in others as they build their confidence and safely learn their way around the pool.
Nicole Cooper
Director of Training & Instructor
Swimming has always been an important part of Nicole’s life. At age seven, she joined the YMCA team where she swam competitively for eleven years. But it did not end there! While attending college at Seton Hall University for elementary and special education, Nicole’s mother became the proud owner of a swim school. Together, Nicole and her family ran the swim school and taught lessons for everyone, from infants to adults.
Recently, Nicole and her family moved down to Sarasota from New Jersey. It was not even a question of what she wanted to do when she began looking for jobs. Luckily, she has found SwimSRQ to continue her love of teaching swimming. Her ultimate goal is for every child to learn how to swim.
Charlie Leavengood
Instructor
Charlie grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida just north of Sarasota and got the nickname Water Lily from a young age because of how much she loves the water. She has been swimming since she was three and was on the school swim team in middle and high school with a short stint as a diver. Charlie is a senior at New College of Florida studying environmental studies and performance art. She hopes to use this degree to become a science teacher and incorporate interdisciplinary teaching methods to make life skills more accessible.
One of Charlie’s first loves was swimming, but she also loves rock climbing, kickboxing, biking, and dancing. Her time as a camp counselor, rock climbing instructor, and nursery school worker have been wonderful experiences for helping nurture the personal growth of each student. She is thrilled to be part of SwimSRQ and help kids gain valuable life skills in swimming and a life-long love of water.
Michelle Watkins
Instructor
Michelle is a lifelong swimmer, and is currently swimming for the Sarasota Sharks Masters team. She started swimming competitively at the age of 6 and continued through
high school with age group swimming and summer league in Durham, North Carolina.
She became a swim instructor and swim team coach at the age of 15 and continued coaching and teaching through college. She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Materials Science & Engineering from North Carolina State University, followed by her Ph.D. in Polymer Science & Engineering from Georgia Tech. Michelle was employed by DuPont for over 15 years as a Senior Research Engineer, and worked in the Dacron®, Lycra® and Teflon® brands. Michelle took early retirement from DuPont in
2012 to reduce traveling and focus her energies on her two teenage boys, but she definitely didn’t sit still as she became co-owner of a senior living community and began working full time in this “second career”. Her DuPont experience in operational process improvement, marketing, and employee development helped to establish the four senior living communities she ultimately owned. Michelle recently relocated to beautiful
Sarasota and was thrilled to find a great Masters swim team, which led to meeting Casey Keiber, the Director of Aquatics at SwimSRQ. Now Michelle begins her “third career”
with SwimSRQ as a swim instructor and is so excited to be a part of the SwimSRQ
family.
Carter Matteson
Instructor
Carter is an exercise science major and swimmer at Ithaca College in New York. He recently relocated to Sarasota with his family and brings over 14 years of swimming experience and 6 years coaching experience to SwimSRQ.
Gaby Langlois
Instructor
Like many young Floridians, Gaby, a Sarasota-area native, started swim lessons at the ripe young age of four years old. With a love and an affinity for water, lessons eventually turned into practices which eventually turned into swim meets. And by age seven, Gaby was a competitive swimmer. At ten years old, she joined the Sarasota Tsunami swim team, where she would stay for six more years, rounding out to a nine year-long career as a competitive swimmer. Even after leaving the team at sixteen, Gaby had effectively grown up on the pool deck, and found it hard to stay away completely. As a result, she worked as a seasonal lifeguard from ages seventeen to twenty-one, at the same pool she learned to swim in and practiced in.
Gaby also has a background in education, studying in the elementary education program at the University of North Florida for 3 years. During her time at UNF, she was lucky enough to be able to participate in two study abroads: She spent a summer volunteering and visiting between Peru and Ecuador. And a fall semester studying in Seville, Spain. Gaby has always wished to know about the world and all the different people that live here, and she believes that holding an understanding and empathy of different cultures and customs is one of the most important things that a person can do, especially in an educational setting.
After her time at UNF and abroad, Gaby realized that while she is passionate about education, she did not want to be a teacher in a traditional classroom setting. So she returned to the Sarasota area, where she is currently pursuing a degree in digital photography from the State College of Florida.