OUR PRIVATE LESSONS INSTRUCTORS
Darria Chance
Darria joined our swim instructor team in 2019. She is our Program Manager and coach with more than 5 years of experience. She is a former swimmer, Lifeguard Certified and has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics & Chinese Language and Culture.
Language: Mandarin/English
Hobby: Triathlon training
Student age preference: 4 years old and up
Aquila Pinnix
Aquila joined the Triangle Aquatic Center in 2016 teaching group lessons and then coaching for our TITANS team. She has been coaching and teaching since 2008 in different organizations and towns in North Carolina. Coach Aquila is a former swimmer and had a scholarship through college.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Biology & master’s degree in Biological & Biomedical Sciences, however her career is a certified personal trainer and she is working on a Nutritionist certification to further impact the lives of athletes of all fitness levels & ages.
Languages: Poquito Spanish/English
Hobbies: swim/bike/run training in hopes of completing a Half Ironman
Student age preference: 5 years old and up
Ahmed Bali
Ahmed is the most tenured instructor at Triangle Aquatic Center. He started teaching when the facility was open back in 2007. However his first experience as an instructor began in 2002. He is Adult and Child CPR certified and Water Safety Instructor Certified.
Languages: English/Arabic/French/Un poco Spanish
Hobbies: Soccer and traveling
Student age preference: 4 to 13 years old
Laura Prudhomme
Laura has worked at TAC off and on as a Water Fitness instructor since 2012 under old and new management. She started teaching and coaching swimming with TAC in 2019. Laura swam competitively in Louisiana for seven years and has been teaching swim lessons since 1985. Coach Laura started a career coaching swimming in 2014 with a heavy focus on technique.
Languages: English
Hobbies: Paddle boarding
Student age preference: all ages, but especially 12 and under
Matt Cardenas
Matt joined the TAC staff in October 2021 as a program instructor and program supervisor. He has a decade of experience teaching swim lessons through the Boy Scouts of America and the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home. Matt is also a certified Red Cross lifeguard and lifeguarding/first aid/cpr/aed instructor.
Languages: English/un poco Español
Hobbies:
Hiking, Climbing, Free Diving, Open Water Swimming
Student age preference: 3 years old and up (adults welcome!)
Mariana Pulgarin
Mariana joined the Triangle Aquatic Center in 2018. She started teaching back in her home country of Colombia in 2007. Currently, Mariana also teaches and supervises group classes. She is a former competitive swimmer and also practiced Fin swimming and Underwater Hockey.
Languages: Spanish/English
Hobbies: Camping, swimming and biking
Student age preference: 3 years old and up
Kelsey Pabin
Kelsey joined the TAC coaching team in 2021 when she moved to North Carolina from Michigan. She is a former competitive swimmer for 12 years, and has been coaching on-and-off since high school. Kelsey has an Engineering degree from Michigan State University, and now works as a Production and Quality Engineer 3D printing medical implants.
Languages: English
Hobbies: Hiking, Traveling and hanging out with her dog
Student age preference: 12 and under
John Murphy
John joined the Triangle Aquatic Center staff in May 2020 as a lifeguard supervisor. He is also a Group Instructor and Certified Lifeguard Instructor.
Languages: English
Hobbies: Open Water swimming, Triathlon training, cycling, Skiing
Student age preference: 4 years old and up including adults
Catherine Gilbert
Catherine originally began working with TAC as a group instructor in 2018.
She has been competitively swimming on the TAC Titans swim team since 2013.
Her favorite strokes to teach are freestyle and butterfly. She is CPR and Lifeguard Certified.