Jeff Commings began his swimming career in St. Louis when he was 4 years old, where he was literally thrown into the water at a local Boys’ Club. After his initial floundering, Jeff took to the water with ease and joined the Boys’ Club team. A year after his introduction to swimming, he signed up for his first meet.

Jeff improved, winning his first trophy at 6 for the 25 fly. Later, as he grew, Jeff found a natural talent for the breaststroke. After rising in the local ranks, he made a name for himself on the national scene with a Top 16 ranking among 11- and 12-year-olds in the 50-meter breast. 1991 came as a breakout year. He was 3rd in the 100-meter breast at the national championships, as well as a berth on the Pan-American team traveling to Cuba where he won bronze.

Jeff attended the University of Texas - Austin on a full scholarship under the tutelage of Olympic Coach Eddie Reese. His highest placing at the NCAA championships was third in the 100 breast his sophomore year. He would end his college career an eight-time All-American, USA Swimming National Team member and four-time conference champion in the Southwest Conference.

Jeff attended two Olympic Trials, in 1992 and 1996. After the 1996 Trials, Jeff moved to Colorado Springs to train under renowned coach and former world record holder Jonty Skinner and then retired in 1998.

In 1999, Jeff discovered Masters Swimming and initially used the workouts as a way to stay in shape, vowing to never compete in another high-stress meet. That vow didn’t last long. At the 2003 Masters National Championships, Jeff won five events and set his first national record in the 100 breast. The following summer, Jeff set a Masters World Record in the 100-meter Individual Medley. Another national record and world records followed.

Jeff continues to train with the Phoenix Masters in preparation for Masters swimming competitions. He is Co-Founder of Dolphins Of The Desert Swimming Academy.

Geoff Glaser learned how to swim at the YWCA in Bloomington, Ill when he was just five. He did not immediately take to the water, and it took a couple of tries to pass Beginners. His stumbling block was the course requirement that the swimmer make one length of freestyle, all the way to the other side, without stopping.

After Beginners, he continued to work his way through the Y’s learn-to-swim program. He liked swimming and continued to learn as much as he could. When he was eight, a friend invited him to try out for the local swim team, the Bloomington Normal Swim Club, an AAU-Swimming club in central Illinois. He barely made the 25 yard freestyle cut; multiple lengths felt colossal. Nevertheless the coach, a former Pan-American backstroke champion and Brazilian swim star, let him onto the team.

Geoff devoted himself to swimming, and he loved it. By the time he was ten, he won high-point. Still, the swimming practices seemed long. Over time as he became stronger workouts became more tolerable. He competed on a regular basis in AAU Swimming and summer league swimming. By the time Geoff graduated from high school, he was All-Conference, and All-State. He excelled in the 50 and 100 freestyle events and managed to swim a good 50, 100 and 200 fly as well.

While in college, Geoff swam for recreation. But after graduation, he took up swimming again, this time as an open water / marathon swimmer. In 1987, he swam the English Channel by relay and won the Garnet-Martin Relay Trophy from the Channel Swimming Association. He continued other ocean swimming events through his mid-twenties. Then in his mid-thirties, he took up Masters Swimming, this time with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and vigor. Competing in world masters swimming events, he earned several FINA Top Ten World rankings in sprint, mid-distance and long-distance freestyle events.

Geoff began teaching and coaching nearly 30 years ago and continues to coach and teach individuals, groups, and teams. He is a Co-Founder of Dolphins of the Desert Swimming Academy. He is passionate about community service and launched the Learn To Swim program for inner-city youth at Imago Dei Middle School in 2008.

Darian has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments in his 20 years of competitive swimming. He grew up in Durban, South Africa, eventually moving to Pietermaritzburg.

At 19 years old, he won an Olympic gold medal in Athens in 2000 as a member of South Africa’s 400-meter freestyle relay – and set the world record in the event, a time which would last for four years. Though he only represented the University of Florida at the NCAA level for one season, he helped Florida win the 800 freestyle relay at the 2005 NCAA championships.

When he transferred to the University of Arizona, he became an individual NCAA champion, winning the 200 free in 2007 and 200 IM in 2008. In addition to the IM win in 2008, Townsend helped Arizona win the 400 medley relay, 800 free relay and 400 free relay on the way to the Wildcats’ first team championship.

In 2008, Townsend would attend his second Olympic Games, where he placed in the top 16 of the 200 IM. Though he considers himself primarily as a freestyler, the 200 IM would gain him one of the highest achievements for a swimmer in 2009. Swimming in Berlin at the FINA World Cup, Townsend outswam Michael Phelps to a world record in the short course meters version of the 200 IM with a time of 1:51.55.

Townsend currently resides in Tucson, Arizona, as he trains for a shot at competing in his third Olympics. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

Dolphins of the Desert Swimming Academy is proud to have Darian Townsend of Tucson Ford Aquatics as one of our Olympic Teachers and is available for private or semi-private swimming lessons for pre-approved students. To inquire about private or semi-private swimming lessons with Darian, please call 520-891-8914.

Olympian Simon Burnett began competing at an international level in 2000. On the advice of his coach Bob Pay, Burnett switched to swim freestyle in 2003 and began to excel. His television debut was in 2002 at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, where he competed in the 4X200 m freestyle relay and won a bronze medal

The following Olympic Games in Athens saw Simon finish 7th in the 200 m freestyle, competing in the same championship heat as Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps. He also competed in the 4X200 m freestyle relay team in Athens, which finished 4th, nearly grabbing bronze medals. The British trials for the Games had been a great success for Simon, in which he won silver in 100 m freestyle and gold in the 200 m freestyle, despite having broken his wrist in a cycling accident in Arizona two months previously.

Swimming for the University of Arizona in 2005, Burnett competed in the NCAAs and has had great success winning gold in his first year in the 200 yd freestyle. Returning to England for the ASA National Championships after 2005, he won 3 gold medals in the 50 m, 100 m, and 200 m freestyle, all of which were new British records. In the United States, he also broke the 17-year old record for the 200y freestyle set by Matt Biondi at 1:33.03; Burnett swam a blazing fast 1:32.22! Then, Burnett was off to Atlanta for the 2006 NCAA Championships. Swimming for Arizona, he won bronze in the 50 yd freestyle, silver in the 4X50 yd freestyle relay, and gold in the 4X50 yd medley relay. In the 200 yd freestyle, he won gold and broke the US open record with a time of 1:31.20, smashing his previous record of 1:32.22 from 2005.

Simon currently trains as a post-grad for the Arizona Wildcats under coach Rick DeMont and represents Tucson Ford Aquatics.

Dolphins of the Desert Swimming Academy is proud to have Simon Burnett of Tucson Ford Aquatics as one of our Olympic Teachers and is available for private or semi-private swimming lessons for pre-approved students. To inquire about private or semi-private swimming lessons with Simon, please call 520-891-8914.

Coach Kim is a graduate of the University of San Francisco where she played tennis and eventually swam as a Masters swimmer. Kim competed in satellite tournaments which eventually led to a teaching and coaching career in San Francisco.

Kim taught PE for a number of years and was responsible for teaching many grades. She can proudly claim experience in pre-K through 10th grade and worked closely with high school students in student government, dance, community service, and athletics.

Kim's swimming career began in 1989 when she joined the USF masters swim team. She worked in the pool and in competition. She eventually taught swim classes and established a work ethic that grew into a second career. Her dream of being involved in swimming came later in life. Swimming taught her that dreams really do come true, but in their own way. Kim believes having a good eye for technique is a gift and being able to help and improve an individual's stroke can be quite rewarding.

Kim left USF after ten years to explore college coaching. Former Olympic Gold Medalist Pablo Morales drafted her as one of his assistant coaches for San Jose State University. She soaked up more experience which led her to coach other clubs, taking on more responsibility and enjoying her "calling" to work with young people.

Coach Kim's journey continues in Tucson. She and Coach Geoff Glaser worked together as age group swim coaches at USF. She is thrilled about her new home and is eager to build up Dolphins of the Desert swimmers and programs.

Colleen Kelley Ph.D. offers her athletes the combination of experience, passion and an in depth understanding of the science of training. She became a Triathlon Academy Coach in 1999 and continues to train a handful of athletes while co-producing the Tucson Training Camps.

"I have been training, racing, and enjoying the sport of triathlon since 1991," says Colleen. "My triathlon experiences have ranged from completing several Ironman races to racing in local sprint triathlons. I truly love racing at all distances and have found that the variety of distances that triathlon offers keeps me engaged in the sport. I have integrated triathlon into my life in the form of fitness, friendship, and professionalism. It is truly a gift."

Prior to becoming a triathlete, Colleen was an age-group and collegiate swimmer. She has been a triathlon coach since 2001 and has also coached masters swimming. In her 'other life', Dr. Kelley is a chemistry professor and mother.