Meet the Coaches
Claudia Garcia
Head Coach
As a Tucson Native she has been able to develop her coaching career through the Pima county aquatics swim team program here in Tucson over the last five years. She also had a huge impact as the assistant coach for Cienega swim team during the 2021-2022 season, helping rebuild and develop a program with no returning athletes after the COVID shut down. Through her experience she has been able to establish understanding in the development of an athlete, strength & conditioning, volunteer support, team culture, sportsmanship, competitive spirit, community, and relationship building centered approaches. Lastly, as a collegiate athlete, she was able to also give back to the San Luis valley community in Colorado, teaching kids through group swim lessons.
The opportunity to add her passion, and love for swimming in Tucson to the Catalina Terrace Marlins is something she holds dear to her heart. She started her 12 year competitive swimming career in Tucson, where she swam at Tucson Ford dealers
aquatics from ages (10-18). After graduating from Andrada Polytechnic high school with a personal training certificate in N.A.S.M she continued her athletic career at DII Adams state university, and graduate with a B.S in sports facility management. Coach Claudia is excited to further develop her coach management skills while also adding her coaching expertise to the Marlins team.
Welcome to the CT Marlins, Claudia!
Claudia is available for private swim lessons, contact below.
Riley Becker-Koepke
Assistant Coach
Riley swam year-round at Ford Aquatics for over 7 years, while also swimming at Highland Vista. She joined CT in middle school and continued summer swim until last year. She also ran cross country from kindergarten through 12th grade and became a lot more involved in running once high school started. However, her love for the environment and community that comes with summer swim kept her coming back to CT every summer. Now in college at Arizona State, Riley’s background in swimming has helped her join the club water polo team. She was sad when graduating high school meant it was her last summer swimming at CT and is super excited to be back this summer as a coach!
Welcome back to the CT Marlins, Riley!
Rowdy Fordney
Assistant Coach
Rowdy started swimming SAAA for Highland Vista when he was 4 years old every summer until the age of 14 and then focused on long course season instead of SAAA after. At 8 years old, he started swimming year-round for the Tucson Country Club then moved to the JCC for better training at age 12. He got much more serious about swimming his freshman year, when he qualified for High School state in the 500 free, which he tried for the first time that season. After High School season, he really learned the benefits of hard work and made huge strides in swimming that season. After COVID, he joined FAST, where he remained the rest of his career. While at FAST, he managed to qualify for sectionals in multiple distance freestyle events and butterfly events. He even made it to the D2 finals at sectionals in the 200 butterfly, which is by far his favorite event. At high school state his senior year, he managed to get 4th in the 100 fly, 8th in the 100 back, and dropped a significant amount of time overall.
Welcome to the CT Marlins, Rowdy!
Rowdy is available for private swim lessons, contact via text/SMS below.