Coaching Staff

ANTHONY GARONO

HEAD COACH 

Email: cgstcoaches@gmail.com 

Anthony has been a proud part of all three Crozet Gator championships, contributing both as a swimmer and now as a coach. This summer marks his fifth year coaching the team, and his passion has only grown stronger each season. He currently swims at the Division I level for George Mason University, where he continues to sharpen his skills in the pool. Anthony brings that same dedication and energy to every practice with the Gators. He loves coaching these kids with all his heart and takes great pride in watching them grow both as swimmers and individuals. His experience, enthusiasm, and love for the sport make him a cherished part of the Crozet Gator family. 

LUCY NICHOLSON

ASSISTANT COACH 

Lucy grew up in Charlottesville and has been swimming since she was 5 years old. She started out in summer league, which was where she developed her love for the sport, and now competes at the Division I level for Towson University in Maryland. She previously swam for Cavalier Aquatics and the Western Albemarle High School team and started coaching the summer after her 8th grade year. She has been a part of the Crozet Gators coaching staff for the past 5 years and is thrilled to have the opportunity to return as an assistant coach this summer. Helping swimmers learn to love the sport as she does has been the best part about Crozet Gators for her and she loves watching all of the improvement each swimmer can make in just one summer. She is excited for another fun season as a Crozet Gators coach and can’t believe this will be her first season not competing as a swimmer herself! 

Jonathan Alexander

ASSISTANT COACH 

Coach Jonny grew up in Crozet and spent over a decade swimming for the Gators. During that time, he also competed with other teams, including Western Albemarle, Cavalier Aquatics, and BASS, gaining valuable experience both in and out of the pool. Now returning for his third summer on deck, Coach Jonny is excited to continue building on his coaching experience and helping the team succeed. He especially enjoys working closely with swimmers to develop their skills, confidence, and love for the sport. He's looking forward to another fun and successful season with the Gators. 

Jackson Hankins

ASSISTANT COACH 

Jackson has lived in Crozet his whole life, and has been swimming since he was eight years old. He has swam for a number of teams over the years including Crozet Gators, CYAC, SMAC, BASS and the Western Albemarle High School team. As a senior and captain at Western, Jackson has been a part of three state champion teams, as well as contributed to a few region and district titles. Jackson’s favorite races include freestyle, breaststroke, and IM. This is his second year as an official Gator coach, but he was a volunteer junior coach for the past three years. This summer, Jackson is looking forward to watching all of his swimmers grow and improve, while also swimming for the Gators himself. Go Gators!! 

Sammy Nicholson

ASSISTANT COACH 

Sammy grew up in Charlottesville and has been swimming since she was 5 years old. She started out in summer league, which was where she developed her love for the sport, and swims for the Western Albemarle High School team. She started junior coaching in the summers and is excited to be part of the Crozet Gators coaching staff for the second season! Sammy is a 15-18 swimmer on the Gators and continues to lead by example both in and out of the pool. 

Grace McCardle

ASSISTANT COACH 

Grace has lived in Crozet her whole life and has been swimming since she was nine years old. She started out doing summer league and currently swims at the Division I level for William and Mary, where she competes in freestyle and backstroke events. Grace has been coaching and doing swim lessons for the past four years, helping swimmers of all levels improve their technique and love for the sport. Her favorite part of coaching is seeing swimmers gain confidence in the water and achieve their personal goals. She is thrilled to join the Crozet Gators coaching staff this year and looks forward to a fun season!

Henry Addison

ASSISTANT COACH 

Henry is thrilled to return to coaching after missing last summer’s season. A lifelong Crozet resident, he joined the Gators at just 6 years old and has been passionate about swimming ever since. Henry now continues his swimming career as a member of the club swim team at UVA. As a coach, he is especially passionate about helping young swimmers grow in confidence, develop their skills, and create lasting memories and friendships that they will carry with them for years to come.

Charlie Alexander

ASSISTANT COACH 

Charlie Alexander grew up in Crozet, VA, and has been swimming since he was 5 years old. He currently swims for Cavalier Aquatics and Western Albemarle High School. After spending one year as a junior coach, Charlie is excited to be a first-year coach for the Crozet Gators this season. He hopes to help swimmers have fun, improve their skills, and bring positive energy to the deck every day. 

Lily Smith

ASSISTANT COACH 

Lily has lived in Crozet for most of her life and has been swimming since she was young. She swam for the Crozet Gators for about 11 years and also competed on the Western Albemarle High School swim team for two years. Lily had the opportunity to serve as a junior coach in high school, which began my love for working with swimmers. This is her first year as a Gators coach, and she is excited to share her experience with the team. This summer, she looks forward to helping swimmers build confidence, improve their skills, and achieve their goals while having fun in and out of the pool. Go Gators! 

Not Pictured: Henry Addison, Charlie Alexander, Lily Smith