Matt Baxter began his coaching career with USA Swimming in September 2000 as an Assistant Coach at Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York with the Maverick Swim Club. In 2001 he became Head Coach of the Maverick program and worked closely with each coach and swimmer to ensure and promote a steady transition between each level of the program. During his years in Rochester he coached swimmers each year to Zone competition, and he had Sectional qualifiers as well. From September 2005 until August 2008 he was an Assistant Coach of the USA swim team, South Eastern Virginia Aquatics, where he primarily worked with Gold, Senior & National levels of the program that had multiple Sectional and NCSA National level qualifiers. While in Virginia, Matt was also the Head Coach of the GPSA Kiln Creek Dolphins summer league team.
Matt swam competitively for seventeen years before immediately transitioning to coaching. His swimming experiences at Rochester Recreation Swim Team, Fairport Area Swim Team, Monroe Community College, and the University of Buffalo provided many positive influences and memories for him. His love and respect for the sport serves as the foundation from which he draws to teach swimmers of every level and ability.
Matt graduated with a Bachelor of Science in English from the University of Brockport in May 2004 and from Old Dominion University in May 2008 with a Master's of Science in Secondary English Education. He now lives in Portland, Maine with his wife Jessica and Boxer, Yogi.
Coaching the Silver group
Jennifer Delmonte joined the Porpoise coaching staff in the fall of 2000. She is an active Masters swimmer and has swum competitively in both High School and Masters programs. She is a former lifeguard and swimming instructor.
Amy Klodzinski
Amy Klodzinski grew up in Oregon and swam for the Bend Swim Club from ages 11 to 18. In college she joined Oregon Masters and swam with them for a number of years while she went to Southern Oregon University and received her Bachelor's of Science in Geography and Master's of Arts in Teaching.
Following college she was employed in a K-12 school in the state of Washington as a 4th and 5th grade teacher, and secondary Spanish teacher. After four years of teaching, Amy and her husband moved to Maine (just for fun!). Amy has lived in Maine for three years and is the Director of LearningWorks Afterschool at East End and Reiche Schools. She is also a swim instructor for the City of Portland. Upon moving to Maine, after not swimming for at least six years, she joined the Maine Masters team and has been swimming ever since! Amy works primarily with the Silver swimmers on Sundays and Fridays.
Don has been involved with the Porpoises as parent, board member, official, and meet director since 1991. He has swum competitively in High School and Masters swimming and has his Level One Coaching Certification from USA Swimming. He coached the Porpoises from 1999 to 2003 primarily with the beginning level swimmers. He was the Assistant Coach for the Deering High School Boys Swim Team for the 2004-05 season. He returned to coaching with the Porpoises in the Fall of 2006 and works primarily with the Bronze level swimmers.
Rachel Knight
Rachel Knight grew up in Bangor, Maine and swam for the YMCA there from ages 8-14. She swam for Bangor High School for one year, but decided to leave swimming and try other sports (track and soccer).
Because she always believed in the value of swimming as a great sport for kids, she signed her daughter up for the Porpoises in 2008. This past fall, she offered to volunteer as a coach to help Coach Don with the growing Bronze group. Since then, she has thoroughly enjoyed being a coach and seeing the amazing progress that the young swimmers make in such a short time.
Rachel also teaches social studies and history at The Aucocisco School in Cape Elizabeth.
All Porpoise Coaches are registered and have current certifications with USA Swimming, and are members of ASCA (American Swim Coaches Association).