Mike Wolbert: Director of Competitive Swimming / Head Coach(PFY Alumni)
1996 graduate of East Stroudsburg University with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Sociology/Anthropology. He has coached the Pocono Piranhas since the summer of 1990,
starting as an assistant coach at the age 18. In the fall of 1991, he took over as Boys Head Coach until
1997 when he was appointed Head Coach of the Piranhas program. Since 1991 the team has grown
from 60 members to over 130 strong with both boys and girls teams earning league, District and State
titles. He is Certified in Principles of YMCA Swimming and Diving, YMCA Swim Coaching,
American Red Cross First Aid and CPR, holds certification as a USA Swimming Coach, YMCA Swim
Official, American Red Cross First Aid & CPR Instructor, and is member of and certified by the
American Swim Coaches Association . He has over 20 years of coaching experience and 6 years
competitive swimming experience. Since 1990 he has coached the Piranhas to 64 League titles, 14 YMCA District Champions, 7
YMCA State Champions, 44 YMCA National Qualifiers, 51 YMCA Top 16/10 in the Nation Ranked
Swims, 3 Middle Atlantic Junior Olympic Open Age Group Championship Teams, 1 Middle Atlantic Junior Olympic High Point Winner, 2 YMCA National Champions, and a
USA Swimming Disabled World Record Holder (Onel Ramirez JR) in the 200 Meter Freestyle. He was also selected to be the 2011 (13-14 Boys & Girls) Middle Atlantic All Star Zone Coach.
Mike's swimming career began his freshman year at East Stroudsburg High School where he qualified
for PIAA Districts and held several team records with the Cavaliers. During his last 2 years of high
school he also swam with the Pocono Family YMCA Piranhas where he qualified for YMCA Districts.
He continued to swim in college at East Stroudsburg University until the team was disbanded in 1990.
Swimming is a family affair for Mike. He has three children, the older two, Emily and Zack, are
members of the Piranhas, while the youngest, Sydney, participates in swimming lessons at the Pocono
Family YMCA. His wife, Sonia, is the team's Parent Coordinator and Team Representative for the
YMCA Penn Del Swim League. Mike resides in East Stroudsburg where he is an active community
member and holds seats on local advisory boards.
Alex Gendelman: Coach Lehman Intermediate Location - Coaches Senior & Junior Levels I was born and grew up in a small town. There was a river and we were swimming
three months a year. The first pool was built when I was 14. Once my friend and I (by the way we
played soccer for the town youth team) decided to swim. We went to the pool and met a coach. He said
it is too late for you to start swimming. I answered I’m a good swimmer and I can cross a 50m pool
very easily.The coach called over a small nine- year-old girl, and told me "if you can swim 50m as fast
as her I will accept you on my team.” I finished 10 meters behind her. Certainly I was very upset.
Why I am telling you this almost 40 years old story? Because now I am positively sure that the coach
made a really serious mistake. My philosophy as a swimming coach is that it is never too late to start
swimming.
Alex is a former professional soccer player from Eastern Europe who resides in Hemlock Farms with
his wife, Laura, and children, Ben and Irene, both of whom swim for PFY. He is certified in Red Cross
Life guarding, First Aid & CPR and YMCA Principles of Competitive Swimming and Diving and holds
certification as a USA Swimming coach.
Michele Kuna: Assistant Coach / Lifeguard Instructor Coaches Age Group B & Take Your Mark Is a 1977 Graduate of East Stroudsburg University. She holds a degree in Health &
Physical Education with a concentration in Aquatics, and has 24 post graduate credits in Special
Education. She has been employed for twenty-five+ years with the National Park Service at Delaware
Water Gap National Recreation Area. She has been married for over 30 years to her husband,
Christopher, has three children, Meghan, Jolene and Alex, all of whom are former Piranhas, and two
grandchildren, Jayden and Meadow, who both aspire to be Piranhas once their swim bubbles come off.
Michelle’s Competitive Swimming Background began when she swam for eight years with the
Northeastern Area Swim League in Scranton, PA and later with East Stroudsburg University. She is
certified in American Red Cross First Aid & CPR, American Red Cross Life guarding, Principles of
YMCA Swimming and Diving, YMCA Swim Coaching and is an American Red Cross Certified
Instructor for First Aid, CPR & Life guarding.
Erika Sturges Assistant Coach(PFY Alumni) Coaches Age Group A, B & Take Your Mark 2003 Graduate of Pocono Mountain East High School. Erika is a Piranha alumni who was part of the team for over 10 years. Erika’s swimming accomplishments include attending YMCA Districts and YMCA States, Qualifying for YMCA Long Course Nationals, Attending USA Junior Olympics, High School Districts and setting many records for the Piranhas as well as for her high school team. Erika has also been a swim lesson instructor for over 7 years at Dansbury Park in East Stroudsburg. She has over 8 years of coaching and over 11 years competitive swimming experience.
Erika is a certified Certified in Principles of YMCA Swimming and Diving, YMCA Swim Coaching and is also a USA Swimming Coach.
Lynne Vanderhoof: Assistant Coach Coaches Age Group A, B & Take Your Mark Lynne's 5 years of coaching experience prior to joining PFY consisted primarily of softball, but she
spent many years on-deck in the Northeastern and Pocono regions of PA working age group swim
meets in a variety of positions ranging from timer to runner, scorer to deck parent, and fan, all the
while working on obtaining her PIAA Swim Official certification and volunteering for many
organizations.
She is Red Cross certified in Life guarding, First Aid and CPR and holds an
Associate Degree in Social Sciences and has a personal interest in working with children with
special needs. Lynne resides in the Wallenpaupak school district with her husband Ray and their
triplets, all three of whom swim for the Piranhas.
Larysa Bunn: Assistant Coach(PFY Alumni) Coaches Take Your Mark
Assistant Swim Coach
Email: larysa@pfyswim.org
Samantha Frick:Assistant Coach Coaches Senior & Junior Levels Samantha is a 2008 graduate of East Stroudsburg University with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education and is currently working on her Master’s of Science Degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, with a concentration in Wellness and Fitness. She is currently a Health and Physical Education teacher at East Stroudsburg High School South.
Samantha began her competitive swimming career at the age of five with the Pennridge Aquatic Club, in Sellersville, PA. During her thirteen years as a competitive swimmer, Samantha swam for several aquatic clubs, including the Upper Bucks YMCA in Quakertown, PA and the Souderton Aquatic Club, in Souderton, PA. She ended her swimming career to play softball at East Stroudsburg University. She is certified in American Red Cross First Aid & CPR, American Red Cross Life guarding, American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, and an American Red Cross Certified Instructor for First Aid, CPR & Life guarding.
BJ Conklyn: Assistant Coach(PFY Alumni) Coaches Senior & Junior Levels
A 2005 graduate of Stroudsburg High School as the class salutatorian. B.J.
began swimming with the Piranhas at the age of four and still continues to swim with PFY on the USS team, giving him 16 years of swimming experience.
During his time with the Piranhas, he has set multiple team records, won District, State and Junior Olympic titles, and qualified for Short and Long Course YMCA Nationals. He has also garnered Top 16 times in multiple years.
B.J. also swam for Stroudsburg High School, setting school records and earning Conference Swimmer of the Year for three straight years. He competed in Districts all four years and qualified for PIAA States his senior year and helped his team win two conference championships.
B.J. is a student at the University of Pittsburgh and will be entering their School of Pharmacy in the Fall of 2007 as a junior. He is also a member of Pitt's Swimming and Diving team, qualifying for Big East Championships both years.
B.J. began coaching with the Piranhas in May 2006 and has gotten the chance to see the other side of swimming. He looks forward to continue giving back to the team that has given him so much already.
Kyrie Corbet: Assistant Coach(PFY Alumni) Coaches Age Group A, B & Take Your Mark
Email: kyrie@pfyswim.org
Lauren Seraut: Assistant Coach Coaches Age Group A & B
Email: lauren@pfyswim.org
Josh Maichin: Assistant Coach(PFY Alumni) Coaches Age Group A & B
Email: josh@pfyswim.org
