Alexandra Morgan
Co-Head Coach
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Alexandra Platusich-Morgan, known
to all as Coach Z, joined the Cruisers in April of 2010. Z has a
wealth of coaching experience and technical swimming knowledge
gained through 13 years of age group coaching. She has helped many
athletes achieve their goals and move on to successful senior and
collegiate swimming careers. In the spring of 2011, she led the
Cruisers 12 & Under State Team to the team's first State
Championship, which including 3 new state record
swims.
Z's coaching experience before
joining the Cruisers includes serving as the Site Director for
Competitive and Aquatic Programs at the Finley YMCA in Raleigh, NC
(YOTA), Lead Assistant Coach at Club Wolverine Swimming in Ann
Arbor, MI (CW), and Lead Assistant Coach at the Ann Arbor Swim Club
in Ann Arbor, MI (AASC). Z has consistently helped athletes achieve
their first Sectional qualifying times, USA Junior National
qualifying times and National Top 10 rankings throughout her
career. She has also guided 8 athletes to the USA Swimming Zone
Select Camp and has served as a member of the Michigan Zone Team
coaching staff six times. She has a Master’s Degree in Naval
Architecture & Marine Engineering and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical
Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Josh Morgan
Co-Head Coach
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Josh Morgan joined the Cruisers in
June of 2010. He has worked with all levels of athletes during his
14 years in the coaching world. Josh provides balance between group
and individual coaching to the PCC Senior groups. The team has seen
a steady rise in its state and national rankings since the 2010 LC
season, most recently with a second place finish at the 2012 MI
13-14 & Open State Championships, the highest finish in the
team's history.
Josh was the 2007 & 2008 ASCA
Age-Group Coach of the Year for the Michigan LSC and has been the
primary coach for National Top 10/16 ranked athletes, Junior
National Qualifiers, State and Zone Champions, including the age
group develpopment of Olympian and World Champion Allison Schmitt.
Most recently, Josh guided 15 year old Miranda Tucker to the 2012
Olympic Trials and a spot on the Naitonal Junior Team.
Before joining the Cruisers, Josh
was the Assistant Head Coach for the FISH swim team in McLean, VA
(FISH), the Head Age-Group Coach for Club Wolverine (CW) and the
Co-Head Coach for the Ann Arbor Swim Club (AASC). He was also the
Head Coach for the South Lyon HS women's and men's teams and two
summer club teams.
Josh lives with his wife and
Co-Head Coach, Alexandra (Coach Z), daughter Penelope and their
furry family of three dogs and five cats in Chelsea,
MI.
Chris Thompson
Assistant Coach & Team Admin
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Chris Thompson joined the PCC
Coaching Staff in December or 2011. Working primarily with the PCC
Senior Groups, Coach Chris likes to use his considerable experience
from both sides of the blocks to help athletes achieve their goals.
In addition to his on deck duties, Chris works with Coach Josh,
Coach Z and the PCC Treasurer to organize, update and maintain our
team database and monthly billing records and works with the
Oakland University Athetic Department during the week.
Chris' most recent coaching duties
were a departure from the USA Swimming scene. He coached at the
Navy Special Warfare Prep School in Illinois where he helped
prospective Navy Seals prepare for the their training. Chris also
coached with USA swim teams in Illinois and in Ann
Arbor.
As an athlete, Chris was an US
Olympian in 2000 (Sydney, Australia) where he won a bronze medal in
the 1500, becoming the first American to break the 15:00 mark. He
has held American records in the 1500m, 1650y and 1000y freestyle
events, was a NCAA Champion in the 1650, was a 9 time Big Ten
Champion at UM and has represented Team USA on many international
teams throughout his career.
Chris graduated from the
University of Michigan in 2002 with a BA in History & Classical
Studies, and completed his MS Sports Management at EMU in 2007. He
currently lives in Dexter, MI with his wife, Lindsey, and their
furry companion, Oliver.
Derek Schmitt
Lead Assistant Coach
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Derek joined the Cruisers in
August of 2010. He regularly works with all of the
practice groups and most often works with the Senior Green and
Junior Groups. He started his coaching career during
high school with the Ann Arbor Swim Club Mini and Junior
groups.
Derek swam for Ann Arbor Swim Club
and Canton High School before continuing his swim career at Ohio
University and the University of Pittsburgh. Derek is
currently studying Sports Management at Eastern Michigan
University.
Bryon Tansel
Assistant Coach
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Bryon joined the Plymouth Canton
Cruisers in January 2013. He will be coaching alongside Coach Josh
and Coach Z with the PCC Senior groups where he can help our
athletes achieve their individual and team goals. He has worked
with all levels of athletes from age group swimmers to college
swimmers during his coaching career. Bryon prides himself on being
able to relate to the swimmers’ needs in the water as well as
providing the mental and emotional support to accomplish their
swimming goals.
Bryon’s passion for coaching
started during his senior year of college, where he underwent
season-ending shoulder surgery. He spent the time that was meant
for the water and training on the pool deck coaching his teammates
and gained invaluable knowledge and perspective of the coaching
world. Since college,
Bryon has coached at the university level as a volunteer assistant
at the University of Richmond and at several prominent USA swim
clubs around the country including the Oakland Live Y'ers, Poseidon
Swimming, and Dallas Mustangs.
While attending Oakland
University as a student-athlete, Bryon earned his Bachelor’s
of Science in Business Management with a minor in Finance. Bryon
swam for Oakland University from 2003 to 2008 where he was a
two-time captain for the Men’s Swim Team and was the Summit
League Swimmer of the Year in 2005. He also achieved First Team
Summit League Honors and All-Summit League Academic Honors from
2003 to 2008. Bryon is married to Danielle Tansel, assistant swim
coach at the University of Michigan, and they currently reside in
Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Alyssa C Liakos
Assistant Coach
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Alyssa joined the Cruisers coach
staff in April of 2010. She most often works with athletes from the
Mini Cruisers and Junior Groups. Alyssa started her coaching career
during high school by giving private lessons and, after graduating
from high school, worked as the assistant coach for Plymoth High
School girls team for three years.
Alyssa swam competitively for
the Cruisers for several years before moving to Ann Arbor Swim Club
in high school. She swam for Plymouth High School where she held
five school records. Alyssa is currently studying History at
Eastern Michigan University.
Whitney Aumiller
Assistant Coach
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Whitney had a long USA Swimming
career, swimming for PCC from 9 years old until 16 and then
for the Novi Sturgeons through her first year of college. She
competed for and graduated from Salem High School where she
qualified for the MHSAA state meet for 3 years, earned All-State
honors her junior year and held the school record in the 100
backstroke. As a member of the Novi Sturgeons, she competed at
Sectionals, Grand Prix meets and NCSA Junior
Nationals.
Whitney's swim career ended
prematurely during her freshman year of college for medical
reasons. No longer able to train and compete, she moved to the dry
side of the pool deck and began coaching with PCC in 2010. Whitney
hopes to pass along her life-long love for the sport to the
athletes she most often works with, the Mini Cruisers and Junior
Groups. She also teaches lessons through Community Education and is
studying Education and Speech/Language Pathology at Eastern Michigan
University.
Monica Dorszewski
Assistant Coach
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Monica is from the northern
Chicago suburbs where she started swimming at age 11 for the
Palatine Park District swim team. She then progressed to year round
swimming with the Patriot Aquatic Club and the Palatine High School
swim team. Currently, she is a member of the EMU varsity swim team
where she competes in breaststroke and middle distance freestyle.
Through coaching, Monica wants to
pass along her love and passion for swimming. She hopes to help
Cruisers swimmers to enjoy swimming and have a great experience in
the water.
Monica is studying clinical speech
pathology at EMU.
Mike Fisher
Assistant Coach
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Mike is a member of the Eastern
University Men’s Swim and Dive team. He currently holds both
the EMU varsity and MAC conference record in the 200y breaststroke.
He was a part of two MAC championships (2012 & 2013) where he
contributed conference meet victories in the 100 and
200 breaststroke at the 2013 Conference Championships. In
2012, he competed at the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 100
Breaststroke.
During high school, Mike was a
part of the Saline HS Div 1 State Championship team where he won
the 100 BR and was a part of the winning 200 Medley Relay during
his senior year. As an age group swimmer, Mike swam for the Ypsi
Otters, Washtenaw Swimming Hornets, Ann Arbor Swim Club and Club
Wolverine. I swam under Coach Josh and Coach Z during middle school
and early high school. .
Mike has been coaching for local
summer club teams and teaching swim lessons for two summers. He
hopes to bring his knowledge and passion for the sport to the
Cruisers to help PCC swimmers learn to love the sport and become
better people and athletes.
At EMU, Mike will continue to
train with Coach Linn and the EMU team and is studying Aviation,
which he hopes will allow him to fly for a commercial corporate or
private company in the future.
