COACHING STAFF

Collin Gray
Head Coach

 

Coach Collin is a former USA swimmer in the area who went on to swim at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. After his swimming career ended, he took on the role of assistant coach at Lighthouse Aquatics. He quickly became the Head Age Group Coach and has led several swimmers to Age Group Champs and TAGS.

  His other experience includs being the Head Coach of the Dawson HS Swim teams from 2022-2024, where he won multiple Girls District Championships and multiple swimmers reach the state level. He was also the Head Coach for the Clear Lake Forest Fins from 2017 – 2024, where he won the League Championship 3 years in a row. His coaching philosophy consists of teaching the most efficient form for each individual athlete to help maximize their athletic potential; as well as specializing in teaching swimmers how to properly compete physically and mentally.

 

 

James Tomerlin
Head Age Group Coach

 

 

Coach James joined AQUASTAR two years ago with several years of experience. He coached with Coastal Bend Aquatics in Corpus Christi before joining AQUASTAR. He swam for Friendswood High School and held records until they were broken at the 2023 State Championship.  He has a passion for music and is an exceptional trumpet player! He currently coaches our age group swimmers and is the lead coach at Oakbrook West. 

 

 

 

Jay Ferguson
Coach

Coach Jacqueline Ferguson (Coach Jay) is AQUASTAR’s former Head Coach.  She has been a coach with AQUASTAR for 11 years! Coach Jay has many years of swimming experience, both as an established competitive swimmer and as a successful coach with more than 18 years of experience. Jay was a four-year collegiate swimmer at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW), she specialized in distance swimming and accumulated num erous school records along with growing the team.    

After graduating from UIW with her BBA in Sports Management, she was the head coach for Incarnate Word High School and the graduate assistant coach for UIW.  She also was the head age group coach for Streamline Aquatics and the Alamo Heights Poolsharks in San Antonio.  

After receiving her MBA, she moved to the Houston area, married her college sweetheart and stepped away from the sport she loved to enter the business world. She started coaching for AQUASTAR in 2013 and was a full-time coach until she was blessed with the birth of her son in 2015. Since becoming a mother, she has resumed her passion and commitment to coaching, while also performing double duty as the Safety Director for a leading national heavy hauling and crane operating company.  
 
 

Francesco Romano
Coach

 

Coach Francesco is a swim coach with 30-year experience, specializing in mentoring both kids and master swimmers. He achieved his best result racing the swimming marathon and long distance in open water. Beyond the realm of swimming, Francesco is an avid sports enthusiast who engages in various athletic pursuits, from horseback riding to thrilling skydiving adventures and underwater exploration through scuba diving.

Francesco's journey in swimming began when he was 7 years old, swimming competitively until the age of 18. Later, he continued his aquatic passion at the military academy, where he not only served but also took on the role of coaching his unit. He credits all his personal accomplishments in life to the invaluable lessons and resilience instilled by the sport of swimming. He has been a coach with AQUASTAR for more than one year and is currently the Lead Coach at La Porte High School.

 

 

Jessica Cortez
Coach

Jessica combines a background in personal training with a deep commitment to youth swimming development as the Drylands Coach for AQUASTAR. With years of experience in both personal training and nutrition, she brings a unique skill set focused on enhancing each swimmer’s nutrition, strength, endurance, and flexibility to complement their in-water training.

Certified as a personal trainer with expertise in youth fitness, Jessica coaches a Drylands program tailored to the specific needs of young swimmers. She emphasizes core stability, injury prevention, and functional movements that directly enhance swimmers’ performance in the pool. By integrating strength-building exercises and conditioning workouts, she ensures that athletes build the power and agility needed to excel in competitive swimming.

Beyond physical training, Jessica is known for motivating and inspiring athletes to push their limits while maintaining a positive and supportive environment. Her hands-on, engaging approach helps young swimmers build confidence and resilience, preparing them for success both in and out of the water.

 

 

Devon Leonard
Coach

Coach Leonard is a swim coach whose philosphy revolves around building a solid foundation of technique, endurance and mental resilience.  He belives that every swimmer has the potential to excel and that it is his job to help unlock that potential.  He encourages swimmers to create goals, trust in the process, and work as a team to support one another in every practice and meet. 
 
Coach Leonard grew up in Oakdale, MN learning to swim at 3 years old and then eventually competing in competetive swim for 8 years.  Some of his hobbies include trap shooting, cooking, playing video games, listening  to music and fantasizing about future dream cars.   

Kirstin Schauss
Junior Coach

Coach Kirstin is currently attending the University of the Incarnate Word as a student athlete and studying finance. She is a Junior Coach and helps with our Red Group Swimmers.  She also is our Learn to Swim Director.