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We are here to support your needs. If your questions are related to practices, meets, goal setting, and other swimming related matters, please contact your child’s coach. For all administrative questions about events, fees, safety, or policy issues, please contact Head Coach Ken O’Reilly at coachkeno@aol.com

Coaching Staff

Kenneth O'Reilly

Head Coach; National-Sectional Coach

Ken is beginning his 14^th season with NJ Wave Swim Team and his 11th season as Head Coach / CEO. He is the former Head Coach and Aquatic Director of the Greater Bergen County YMCA. In addition, he has experience working with Olympic Coach Mark Schubert at the Swim with Schubert Swim Camp. Throughout his 20 years of coaching experience he has coached all different ability levels and age groups including a number of USS Top 16 Age Group swimmers, NJ State Champions, NJ State Record-holders, YMCA National Swimmers, Sectional Qualifiers, Sectional Champions, USS Junior National swimmers, USS Senior National swimmers, and a World Championship trial and Olympic Trial qualifier. The American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) recognizes Coach O’Reilly as a Level 4 USS Coach. He holds an Undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Manhattan College and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Montclair State University. In addition to coaching, Ken works as a Computer Applications teacher in Paramus. Ken and his wife Monika had their first daughter, Aislinn Michelle O’Reilly, in January 2006.

Todd Colombo

Head Age Group: Senior Prep / Age Group

Todd swam with the Greater Bergen YMCA from ’91-’96. He was amongst the first of YMCA National qualifiers in multiple events. Todd competed in YMCA Nationals during both his Junior and Senior year. He was named Team Captain his Junior and Senior years due to an excellent work ethic and commitment. Todd graduated Penn State in 2000 with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education. He began teaching in Union City and went back to school at New Jersey City University. Todd graduated from Graduate school in ’04 with a Masters Degree in ESL (English as a Second Language) and ’05 with a Masters in Administration and Supervision. He has taught in Union City for 9 years in grades 4, 7, and 8. He will be starting a new job at the 5/6 school in Hackensack, NJ in the fall teaching 6th grade Science. Todd’s coaching experience includes 8 years as the Head Coach of the Union Hill High School boys/girls team and two years of assistant coaching with the Pascack Valley Regional high school. He has also coached for NJ Wave in ‘04-’05 with our younger athletes and this past spring with the Advanced Novice group here at NJ Wave. Todd's wife, Maureen is our Senior Elite Coach.

Theo Tomljanovich

Senior Elite Coach

Coach Theo comes to the New Jersey Wave with over 25 years of experience as both a swimmer and coach. He most recently was the head coach and founder of the Masters/Triathlon swim team at the JCC of Mid-Westchester (Scarsdale, NY). Prior to the JCC, Theo was an assistant senior and age group coach for the Middies swim team and head coach of the Masters swim team at the YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester (NY).

During the past fifteen years, Theo has coached swimmers to numerous successes at all age-group levels; Rockland and Westchester (NY) County Champions, Metropolitan Junior Olympic Champions, Eastern Zone Champions, YWCA National Champions, New York State High School Champions, New Jersey State High School Champions, Connecticut State High School Champions, High School All-Americans, Empire State Games Gold Medalists, NAG Top 16 individual and NAG Top 10 Rankings, United States Masters Nationals participants, Ironman Triathlon participants, United States Junior National Finalists, United States National Qualifiers, and United States Olympic Trial Qualifiers. In 2004, Theo assisted (under the guidance of Coach Ilan Noach) in the development of the first Olympic Games Qualifier for the Middies. His swimmer attended the Olympics in Athens as a member of the Philippines. Most recently, one of his swimmers competed at the 2010 United States Masters Long Course Championships, which his swimmer placed second in both the 50 meter freestyle and butterfly. With those results his swimmer is ranked fifth in the world in his respective age group. For his efforts Theo is recognized as a level 2 coach by the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA).

As a swimmer, Theo swam for the New Jersey Wave under Coach Frank McElroy and the YWCA Middies under Coach Ilan Noach. He also swam in Puerto Rico under the tutelage of former Olympic Team Coach Tom Forte. During his competitive swimming career he achieved success at the state, regional, and national level. Some of his success includes: Empire State Games gold medalist, New Jersey High School (NJSIAA) state champion, National High School (NISCA) All-American, YMCA National qualifier, YWCA National champion and meet record holder, Federación Puertorriqueña de Natación (FPN – Puerto Rico) National champion, and United States Junior National Championship qualifier. Theo was also a varsity member of University of Maryland College Park Men’s swim team under Coach Jim Wenhold where he competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships.

Theo is married to Patricia Argentina and they live in Tuckahoe, NY.

Caitlin Rotondo

Senior Advanced Coach

Caitlin (Katie) started swimming at age 7. Swam for Lower Moreland Lighteningclub team in Pennsylvania for 10 years, holding records in 10& Under 50 breast and 100 free, 12& Under 50 breast and 100 breast and 14& Under 100 breast and 200 Medley Relay. Placed 1^st at the Mid Atlantic Swimming Short Course Junior Olympics in the 50 breast at the age of 10.

Was assistant coach for the Bryn Athyn Barracudas Swim Team for the 8 & unders. Attended Methacton H.S. where she placed 12th at the 2005 state championships and broke the team record for the 200 medley relay.

Swam 1 year at Montclair State University then transferred to William Paterson University where she competed for 3 years breaking 6 school records. Captain of William Paterson University her senior year of swimming. A member of the All-NJAC First Team in the 400 medley relay and the All-NJAC Second Team in the 200 free relay and 400 free relay. Established new school records in the 50 breast, 100 breast and 200 breast. Placed 6^th overall at the Metropolitan Conference Championships in the 100 Breast. Also was a member of the record breaking relays in the 400 free, 200 Free, and 400 medley.

Attending her last year of school at William Paterson University double majoring in Elementary Education and Liberal Studies of Math and Science.

Coached for the North Jersey Bluestreaks for two years as a coach for the Novice group the first year then coached the Intro, Novice, Juniors and Seniors last year.

Maureen Colombo

Age Group Assistant Coach

Maureen is originally from Bergenfield, NJ. Her swimming background includes swimming for both the Ridgewood YMCA and the New Jersey Wave. After spending her age group years with the Ridgewood YMCA, Maureen’s big breakthrough came about when she joined the NJ Wave and became a Junior National level swimmer in multiple events including the 500 Free, 1000 Free, 1650 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 200 Breaststroke and the 400 IM. She still has times on the All Time NJ Wave Top 10 list. Maureen went on to swim as a full tuition scholarship swimmer at Seton Hall University (Division I) where she was Captain of the girl’s team and a team record holder. She graduated with a degree in Communications and English and then received her Master's degree in School Counseling from Montclair State University. In addition to coaching, Maureen currently works as a High School Guidance Counselor for Paterson Catholic High School. Her husband Todd is our Senior Prep coach.

Amy Caramagna

Age Group 2 Coach

Amy has experience swimming with both a USS Club (NJ Wave) and YMCA swimming (Ridgewood Breakers). She started swimming as a 6 yr old for the Maywood Swim Team and moved to NJ Wave at 9. She was a member of many zone teams and also achieved Y-national times in multiple backstroke and freestyle events. Amy also swam for Immaculate Heart Academy High School where she received MVP for swimming in 3 of her 4 years there. Amy has coached part-time at Ridgewood Breakers. She has her BS in Psychology from Seton Hall University and worked as a social worker for DYFS before becoming a mother to her 3 children – ages 2 – 6. Her six year old, Julia, is swimming in our Swim America program and will join our instructional group in the fall. Julia enjoys swimming for the same Maywood Team as her mom and encouraged her mom to compete (and win) their league’s parent relay team this summer. Amy brings her continued enthusiasm for swimming as well as her experience in psychology and as a “swimming mom” to our team.

Cristen Giblin

Advanced Novice

Cristen has experience swimming with both a USS Club (NJ Wave) and YMCA swimming (Greater Bergen YMCA). Her first coach on NJ Wave was Coach Bob Day. Cristen also swam for Immaculate Heart Academy High School (with several NJW alumnae) where she earned several All Bergen County accolades in the 100 Backstroke and various relay events. She was Captain of both the Greater Bergen YMCA team and IHA her senior year in high school. Cristen went on to swim at Montclair State University. She has experience as the Head Coach of the Maywood Swim Team for 5 years, Head Boys and Girls Coach of Ramapo High School from 1999 - 2004, and was the youngest Varsity Coach ever in Bergen County. Crisen has been married for 5 years and has a two year old son, Paul.

Therese Buksar

Novice Coach

Terry is returning for her fourth season with NJ Wave. Terry has been the Head Coach for the Radburn Swim Team during the summer for the last 10 years. The rest of the year, Terry is a Health and Physical Education teacher at HoHoKus Public School. Her love of swimming began at the age of five and carried through college. After raising two children, Alicia 20 and Ryan 17 with her husband Craig, Terry began her teaching career, which enabled her to coach during the summer. She is looking forward to being part of the NJ Wave and very excited to work with the Novice Group.