NELSON CAMILO, Head Coach

Nelson Camilo involvement with the Tara Tarpons started in 1987 as a swimmer. He went to Old Dominion University and graduated with a degree in Mathematics while lettering all four years of his swimming career. Nelson came back to the Tarpons 1997 as an assistant coach and became the head coach 1998. The years have brought many changes to the Tarpons program but one thing remains the same Nelson ability to produce well rounded, fundamentally sound, excellent swimmers at all levels.

DENIS BYRD, Age Group Coach

Denis started his swimming career as a member of the Tara Tarpons under the training of John Bowles and later Nelson Camilo. After several seasons with the Tarpons Denis transfered to ABSC while he pursued a degree in Studio Art at the University of Georgia. In 2001 he was invited to join the staff as an Assistant Coach under Coach Camilo. While on the staff of the Tarpons he has seen several swimmers go on to compete at the collegiate level as well as Junior and Senior Nationals. In addition to Coaching Denis is a successful landscape painter exhibiting his work in several galleries in the Atlanta area.

JUDY BURDETTE, Head Developmental Coach

Judy Burdette began coaching for the Tarpons in 1995. Presently, she is employed full time on the Physical Therapy Staff at Henry Medical Center and specializes in Aquatic Therapy. The physical therapy and competitive swimming background has enabled her to teach swimming with the Blaze sports program and assist athletics with disabilities. Personal Swimming background includes USA swimming from age 10-19 in the Washington D.C. area as well as being a successful high school swimmer. Her personal philosophy is to teach the swimmers that how they perform in practice will reflect how their performance will turn out. If they try to have fun and try their best each time, even if it does not work out, they should accept it graciously and move on to their next challenge.

Danielle Chapman, Developmental Coach

My name is Danielle Chapman. I began swimming as a Tara Tarpon in 1997.I kept swimming through my first year in college at Lagrange College. Igraduated college in 2007 and went to start life in the “realworld”. I rediscovered the Tarpons in February 2011 and came backto the Tara Tarpons as the summer team coach. I am now the developmentalcoach. I enjoy coaching the kids and still do some swimming myself. Ilook forward to working with your children and helping them become abetter swimmer.

Deanna Hortman, Swim Lessons Manager