Coaches

Head coaches, assistants and program leadership for every Phoenix practice group.

Program leadership and head coaches

Program Director/ Head Coach- Senior/ Ignite / Junior

Chris Brookover

Chris brings over 30 years of swimming knowledge to MLY Phoenix. Coach Chris has a strong background in coaching swimmers at all levels. Chris’ focus on a holistic approach, including fundamental stroke mechanics and both physical and mental conditioning, has guided hundreds of swimmers to achieve their best in and out of the pool. Under Chris’ guidance, Phoenix has had multiple USA Junior National and YMCA National qualifiers and consistently produces Junior Olympic and 10&Under Champions.

Chris was appointed Competitive Swim Director and Head Coach of the Mt. Laurel YMCA in May of 2015. Prior to this position, Chris was the Head Coach of the Early Senior A group at Jersey Wahoos and served as an Assistant Coach of the Jersey Wahoos Junior A and Junior B1 groups. In college, Chris was an accomplished swimmer at the University of Wyoming. He eventually went on to coach as an assistant at the University of Wyoming and Colorado State University. Chris served on the Old Orchard Board of Trustees and the Executive Board of Tri-County Swimming, including two years as president. Chris and Maria are the proud parents of former college swimmers Jaime Lynn (University of Connecticut), Duncan (Southern Methodist University), and Jackson (Penn State and George Mason). He is a recent grandfather to Brooks DeStefano of Harlod Harbor Maryland.

chris.brookover@philaymca.org

Association Director of Competitive Swimming

Dave Rue

Dave has served as the head coach at the Phoenixville YMCA for the past 5 seasons. He grew up in southeast Pennsylvania and has been immersed in the greater Philadelphia swimming community his entire life. Dave earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Penn State University (where he briefly competed for Penn State’s club team before getting into coaching) and also earned a master’s degree and teaching certification in 7-12 mathematics from Lehigh University.

Dave previously coached at Nittany Lion Aquatic Club (NLAC), the State College YMCA (SCAY), and the Boyertown YMCA (BYNS). He has had the opportunity to coach a multitude of ages and abilities in his time at NLAC, SCAY, and BYNS, and PAY; ranging from young 8 & under swimmers to qualifiers and medalists for the Middle Atlantic Junior Olympics, Eastern Zone Age Group Championships, Futures, Sectionals, and Junior Nationals in USA Swimming, as well as qualifiers and medalists for YMCA Districts, States, and Nationals in PA YMCA swimming.

Outside of the pool, Dave enjoys the many outdoor activities that Pennsylvania has to offer, cheering on all Philadelphia sports teams, and taking opportunities to travel and experience different parts of the world. Dave's favorite part of competitive swimming is the positive relationships and impact he can have on the lives of young people and their families. He feels that swimming is not just an activity, but a livelihood, and that it helps children develop a healthy lifestyle in addition to developing into confident and empowered young adults. Dave hopes to see both new and returning swimmers to our association swim teams flourish with this coming season and is looking forward to impacting even more swimmers and families in his new role.

david.rue@philaymca.org

Head Coach- Age Group

Joe Cucinotti

Joe has been with the Phoenix since 2022. He spent the first three years with the team coaching the Minis and is now coaching Age Group.

Joe has been coaching swimming since 2002 when he started coaching at Downs Farm Swim Coach. He coached the Dolphins to three consecutive division championships and the team placed 3rd at Cherry Bowl three years in a row. He currently spends his summers coaching the Larchmont Swim Team where he has been coaching the Barracudas since 2016.

Joe also coached at Cherry Hill HS East and has been since 2006. He was named the Cougars’ head coach in 2010 and has coached the team to 16 consecutive Sectional Titles and 5 State Championships.

Contact the team: chris.brookover@philaymca.org

Head Coach- Mini

Daniel Huber

With over 20 years of coaching experience, Dan Huber has been helping swimmers build confidence, develop strong technique, and discover a love for the sport since 2002.

In 2003, Dan founded the Tornado Swim Club at the Burlington YMCA, growing it into a program of more than 100 swimmers with both competitive and non-competitive pathways. The program was designed to welcome older beginners and young athletes balancing swimming with other sports, making competitive swimming accessible to a wide range of families.

After coaching the Bronze and Silver groups with South Jersey Aquatic Club (SJAC), Dan returned to the YMCA in 2019 to help relaunch the Tornado Swim Club under the Phoenix banner. That group has since evolved into today’s Ignite practice group.

For the past three seasons, Dan has coached the Minis, where he enjoys introducing the team’s youngest swimmers to competitive swimming and helping them build the skills and confidence for long-term success in the sport.

Outside of the pool, Dan serves as a Hospital Administrator for Psychiatry and Psychology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. When he’s not at work or on the pool deck, he enjoys cheering on his own young children in the pool and on the playing field. Coaching has truly become a family affair, as he coaches alongside his wife, Coach Laura, and his brother-in-law, sharing their passion for swimming with the next generation.

Contact the team: chris.brookover@philaymca.org