East Providence Boys & Girls Club Tidal Waves

Coach Tony likes to say that he has a “love-love relationship” with swimming. As a youth, he competed in New England Swimming first through his USA Swimming club team, The Attleboro Bluefish, and then at Bishop Hendricken High School. He went on to compete at the University of Notre Dame, and his swimming teammates are still his best friends. He started his coaching career right after college graduation, first in Maine and then in Colorado. After a decade away from the pool, he found his way back to coaching once his kids were in the water! He is currently the Head Coach of the East Providence Boys and Girls Club Tidal Waves and coaches summers at the Seekonk Swim and Tennis Club. His two daughters are on both teams, and his wife Jeni is also involved. Tony is in the Rhode Island Swimming Hall of Fame, the Monogram Club at the University of Notre Dame, and the Bishop Hendricken Athletic Hall of Fame. A longtime East Providence resident, Coach Tony believes in holding himself and his athletes to high standards, and that hard work can and should be fun.

Coach Alex is a dedicated and experienced swim coach with a lifelong passion for the sport. A decorated age-group swimmer, she competed for Patriot Swim Club in Acton, MA, Phillips Academy Andover, and Northeastern University. After earning her degree, Alex coached at Patriot Swim Club from 2009 to 2014, guiding swimmers of all skill levels, including those at the national level. After a break to focus on her nursing career and raise her family, she returned to coaching in 2023 with the East Providence Boys and Girls Club Tidal Waves. She also coaches at Seekonk Swim and Tennis Club during the summers and works as an elementary school nurse during the school year. Alex is committed to the physical, mental, and emotional growth of her athletes, striving to shape well-rounded individuals who succeed both in the pool and in life. Coach Alex resides in East Providence with her husband and two children.

Coach Bruna has been swimming her entire life, and considers the water "oxygen for her soul." She was born in Portugal, started swimming as a toddler, and was competing by age three. She joined the East Providence Boys and Girls Club Tidal Waves Swim Team when she came to the United States in 2000, and was honored as the EPBGC Youth of the Year in 2010. Bruna also swam for East Providence High School, where she was team captain and received the Outstanding Swimmer Award for three consecutive years. From 2015 to 2018, Bruna coached the North Providence Barracudas while she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. When she is not at the pool, you can find her at the hospital working as an anesthesia technician supervisor. Joining her former team as a coach has been an incredible gift in Bruna's life, and she aims to support all of our Tidal Waves swimmers in reaching their fullest potential. Her quote to live by: Swimming isn't just a sport, it's a way of life!

Coach Giordan Harris has spent his life in and around the water as an athlete and coach. Originally from the Marshall Islands, and learning to swim in the Pacific Ocean before later going on to represent his home country at the World Championships and Olympic Games. He also swam collegiately at Maryville University. Over the past eight years, Giordan has coached both college and club swimming. Before joining the Tidal Waves, he served as head swimming and diving coach at Ave Maria University, where he earned Sun Conference Coach of the Year honors. Coach Giordan enjoys sharing what he has learned while helping others find their own love for the sport. He values clear communication and aims to help swimmers understand their training, build confidence, and enjoy the sport. At the Tidal Waves, Giordan brings that enthusiasm to helping athletes grow as swimmers, teammates, and people, developing habits they can carry with them beyond the pool.

Coach Liza has been swimming for as long as she can remember. She joined a swim team with her best friend at age 7 and has never looked back. Liza swam for local age group programs including the Cumberland Area Swim Team (CAST) in Cumberland, RI, and the East Bay Aquatic Club (EBAC) in East Providence, RI, as well as the summer league team called Sher-Le-Mon. Liza competed for Lincoln High School, won many accolades, and then went on to swim for a Division I college program at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. During her time at GWU, she was awarded the Most Improved Swimmer, the Unsung Hero, All conference in backstroke and academic honor roll, and was also the team captain. She firmly believes that the best part of these swimming experiences has been the enduring friendships forged while slogging through practices and long meets.

While in high school and college, Liza worked as a lifeguard and taught swimming lessons. She coached the MacColl Field YMCA's summer swim team, the Fuller Stingrays, for four seasons. Liza took a break from swimming to attend graduate school and later returned to join a Master's swim team, which she continues to do. Her two daughters, Zelda and Ramona, are on Tidal Waves and they helped reinvigorate her enthusiasm for swimming. When not at the pool, Liza is employed as a pediatric speech-language pathologist. She is thrilled to share her love of the sport and develop athletes as part of the Tidal Waves coaching team!