HAST History

The team has a coaching staff whose job is to supervise the entire competitive swim program. Each coach on the Hilltop staff is dedicated to providing a program for all age group swimmers under the guidelines of USA swimming. Therefore, the coaches must be in total control in matters affecting training and competition.


Dee Loose, Senior Coach: For over 30 years Coach Loose has served as a club, University and high school coach molding all levels of athletes. Coach Dee is a sought after expert frequently requested to lead clinics. In 1995 Coach Dee was invited by the American Swimming Coaches Association to speak at the World Swim Clinic in New Orleans, LA where he gave two presentations. Twice Coach Dee has coached athletes that have competed at the Olympic Trials:  Evan Martinec from Tacoma Swim Club, Nick Tobler and Candice Smith of Hilltop Aquatic Swim Team.  Coach Dee is a ASCA Level IV Certified coach.

 

Diane Peterson, Senior Coach: Diane is currently one of the senior gold assistant coaches.  She has been involved with swimming in some way most of her life.  Diane has coached for HAST since 1999.  She holds a degree in Exercise Science, and recently received her ASCA Level 3 certification.   Competitive coaching experince includes four years of age group coaching at HAST, six years coaching with Dee Loose for the senior gold and silver group, three years as a volunteer assistant coach for Lehi High School Swimming.  Currently, Diane is serving as Senior Chair for Utah Swimming, and recently accompanied the Utah Zones Team to the Western Zone Championships as an assistant coach.  Diane has also taught recreational swimming for over 25 years.  Not only does she enjoy coaching at HAST, Diane also enjoys coaching a masters group at the American Fork Fitness Center.  Hobbies include swimming for fitness, teaching violin, reading, cooking and eating sushi. 

 

Kathy King, Senior Bronze Coach: Kathy swam competitively as an age group & senior level swimmer over a period of 7 years, starting in Tokyo, Japan, at the age of 9.  Upon returning to the states, she swam with a club team in Texas & then with a club as well as high school team in Florida where her Air Force dad was stationed.  Kathy attended Florida State University in Tallahassee (FSU) & received a master's degree in Speech/Language Pathology in 1983.  She's completing her 7th year of coaching with HAST, having worked with pre-competitive & age group swimmers, & is now coaching the Senior Bronze team.  At one point all 7 of the King children have been HAST swimmers (currently 4).  Personal feelings on coaching:  "As with most sports, swimming is a mini version of life--we'll get out of it just about what we put into it.  It's very energizing & exciting for a coach to watch as athletes "connect the dots"... when they learn there's a real connection between their commitment level to something worthwhile & the achievement of their goals, in swimming & in life!"

 

Karen Pollock, Senior Bronze Coach: Karen grew up in Santa Barbara, California and started swimming competitively at age 4. She was nationally ranked in the top 16 as an age group swimmer. Karen continued swimming competitively through high school. After having four boys, she decided to start swimming masters at age 32.  Karen also enrolled her children into swim team. Three of her four boys swim for HAST and Karen continues to enjoy swimming as a life long sport. Karen has been coaching 1 1/2 years at HAST.  About the sport and coaching Karen says, "I love this side of swimming. Helping kids improve and develop better technique and watching them achieve goals and learn self discipline is very fulfilling."

 

Janet Oles, Barracuda Coach: Coach Oles has been coaching since 1992 and is now our Barracuda coach. She started at OTAC and moved to HAST when the pool was first opened in 1993. Janet has been involved with the development of Hilltop from day one. Janet envisioned a team that cities from all around would feed. Thus the name Hilltop. A team set on a hill which the community would look to. Janet is a Level 2 ASCA coach and has been an assistant Zone’s coach for the State of Utah. Janet’s daughter (Sonrisa) swam at BYU and understands the long range development of a swimmer from a parents’ point of view. Janet was named Utah Swimming Age Group Coach of the Year for 2001, but feels her biggest honor came when the kids honored her after their State Championship win in March 2001. Janet says that the kids’ examples have taught her courage, the importance of a good attitude, and the determination to never give up (even when your tired) in her own personal life.

 

Jennifer Moore, Shark Coach: Coach Moore is passionate about swimming and has been ever since she was a little girl.  Growing up in Illinois and Ohio, Jenn counts herself fortunate to have had some of the best age group coaches in the country as a child.    Her competitive swimming experience also includes being captain of the BYU women's team.  While there she was also an assistant student coach and BYU swim camp coach.  In addition to her schooling (Health Education/PE coaching B.S. from BYU, and her United States Sports Academy coursework for Masters of Sport Science) she has years and years of coaching and private swim lesson experience.  She loves the thrill of competition and can be found occasionally competing in triathlon.  Of all her accomplishments the most challenging and most rewarding are her three kids.  They are her greatest work in progress.

 

Celeste Tiffany, Stingray Coach: Coach Tiffany has been a coach at HAST for 6 years and is currently one of our Senior coaches. She also is the American Fork High School Swim Coach. BYU recruited Celeste as a backstroker and was the captain of the BYU swim team her junior and senior year. She and her husband Steven have two sons. She loves to see the improvement and the excitement of the swimmers as they learn to love swimming.