BAM Coaches

April Cheadle

April Cheadle

Head Swim Coach

april@biparks.org

April grew up in the Apple Capital of the World in Central Washington, where she graduated from Eastmont High School. She started competing in swimming at age 14 and competed through college at the University of Washington. Her specialty strokes were long-distance free style and the Individual Medley. She swam the 800 Free Relay at the NCAA Division I level in college. She is certified as a coach with the American Swim Coaches Association in both USA and United States Masters Swimming Levels 1, 2, and 3, and was selected as an assistant coach for the Puget Sound Masters National Team in 2011 and co-head coach of the team in 2012 and head coach in 2014. In October 2014, April was awarded the Kerry O’Brian Inspirational coaching award from the United States Masters Swimming Association. Cheadle was selected for this award for exceeding the criteria in two areas: Re-energizing and Creating Opportunities for swimmers.

Kate Meyers

Kate Meyers

Assistant Coach

Kate first learned to swim in the Snake River but confessed that fear of swift currents and rumors of the fearsome “Under Toad” kept her from enjoying open water swimming. Once her small town built an outdoor pool, she was wet all of the time — swim team, lifeguarding, and, best of all, teaching others to swim during college summer vacations. Kate first joined BAM in 1998 when she decided to take up triathlon racing (and overcome my childhood fear of the Under Toad). Swimming quickly became my favorite leg. After six years, all my racing was in the Ray Williamson Pool and at Masters Meets, including National Meets in Greensboro, Santa Clara, San Antonio, and Federal Way. She was very honored when April asked her in 2017 to become an Assistant Coach for BAM, allowing me to learn on-deck skills from a world-class coach and mentor and encouraging me to spend even more time following that mesmerizing black line. When she’s not coaching, she is a lawyer and judge by day and a local theatre director at night. She spends her free time at the theater with her grandkids, hiking in the woods, or trying to learn what it’s all about from Alfie, my Labradoodle. Her favorite set is anything April writes on the board, and the words she would use for BAM are camaraderie and mastery. Kate swims because it’s the most challenging, meditative, and fun activity she can enjoy with friends! After swimming, her favorite post-workout food is scrambled eggs with sauteed veggies and a tall latte with extra foam.