About Us

DeKalb Aquatics Swim Team, Incorporated, a Georgia nonprofit corporation, offers a variety of programs that can help the novice swimmer become the elite swimmer. DeKalb Aquatics has been in existence for nine years. The team has continued to grow over the years in numbers, as well as in recognition. We have had much success on the local, state, regional, and national levels. DeKalb Aquatics also prides itself in assisting our athletes throughout their swimming careers.

In December of 2002, DeKalb Aquatics converted from a “for profit” corporation to a nonprofit Georgia corporation. The corporation is organized and operated to qualify as a Section 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code. DeKalb Aquatics submitted an application to the IRS for recognition of exemption under Section 501(c)(3). As a Section 501(c)(3) organization, DeKalb Aquatics will be able to receive charitable contributions from individuals and entities, and will be qualified to receive grants and sponsorship moneys from grant-making institutions.

Even though the team has grown over the last few years, we are still interested in new members. New members can join the team starting at age 5. Applicants who have had previous swim experience, such as prior lessons, YMCA, recreational leagues are also welcome. Upon contact, each interested member will be scheduled a tryout date and time. We look forward to hearing from you and if you would like to visit the team or schedule a tryout please feel free to contact us.

Mission Statement and Philosophy:

Dekalb Aquatics Swim Team's mission is to use swimming as a tool to mold, support, and mentor young people into becoming outstanding citizens. The team's philosophy is the total development of every swimmer- mentally, behaviorally, emotionally, and physically. Our vision is to continue creating college-eligible students who may use swimming to fund their education, maintain their health, and create an opportunity to exhaust youthful energy through sport and fair play.

Head Coach
Melissa Wilborn

Melissa Wilborn is a certified ASCA Level 4 coach with 23 years of coaching experience. Before starting with the DeKalb Aquatics swim team in 1996 she gained most of her coaching experience as a summer league coach for DeKalb County. While coaching various summer league teams she brought three consecutive county victories to the Brook Glen Dolphins, now called the Lithonia Dolphins.

In 1998 Melissa became the Paideia School's head boys and girls swimming coach. As a 2nd year head coach, her boys team became the top point scorer among Class A boys teams. In her 3rd year coaching the boys team placed 8th in state, 3rd in AA. This gained Melissa the Boys High School Coach of the Year award. As a USA coach, she has coached Senior National qualifiers, Junior National qualifiers, Top 16 qualifiers, state champions, U.S. Open qualifiers and numerous age group and senior sectional qualifiers. She was also selected as a Georgia zone coach in 1999 and 2004, coached at the Outreach camp at the USA Olympic training center, and has been appointed to the USA National Outreach and Diversity Committee.

Melissa was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and graduated from Towers High School. She is a graduate of Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a Masters of Education in Exercise Physiology and Health Promotion. Before attending Auburn she spent two years at Georgia State University where she swam for the Panthers. Before leaving the swim program at Georgia State Melissa broke eight school records, two conference records, and was named the school's female athlete of the year in 1990. After transferring on a swim scholarship to Auburn University she attained NCAA All-American and NCAA Academic All-American status. Her other most notable accomplishments include qualifying for the 1992 Olympic Trials in the 50 meter freestyle, top 16 finish at USA nationals in 50 meter freestyle, and a top 50 in the world ranking in the 50 meter freestyle.

Coach
Rachel Horak

Rachel began swimming at 7 years old in Northern Virginia, and competed with USA swim team QDD through high school. She competed with Davidson College for 4 years and competed in sprint freestyle and backstroke. She was a member of 4 Southern Conference Championship teams. She was a member of the record breaking 400 Medley relay. Following her collegiate swimming career Rachel coached for Davidson College and Mecklenburg Aquatic Club in North Carolina. While completing her Masters in Biology at the College of William and Mary, she coached for the Williamsburg Aquatic Club in Virginia. Currently Rachel swims with the Dynamo masters swim team and is a Ph.D student in biology at Georgia Tech. This is Rachel's 2nd year coaching with DAQ.

Coach
Angela Wilborn

Angela began swimming at the age of 8 with the Worthington Valley Dolphins summer league swim team. She was a part of an undefeated relay from ages 9-18 and helped her relay break records every summer. In addition, two of her relay records still stand in the Dekalb County summer league set over 20 years ago. She also swam year round and was a member of the record breaking relay and the Junior Olympics in Tennessee. Angela attended Florida A & M University on a swimming scholarship and was the leading butterflier. She has used her swimming to compete nationally, compete in triathlon, teach swimming lessons and coach swimming.

Coach
Torrence Ford

Torrence Ford has been involved in swimming since the age of 10. Starting out with The Brook Glen Dolphins summer league, he later ventured into swimming year round and for the next 11 years, swam for the City of Atlanta Dolphins and Dynamo Swim Club as well as DeKalb Aquatics. He has broken Georgia records, qualified for national Top 16 ranking, and competed in state championships, sectional championships as well as zone championships over the years. Swimming has provided him with many memorable life experiences. Especially traveling to Sydney, Australia during the 2000 Olympics with the Worlds Sports Exchange Program to compete.

Torrence attended Florida A&M, receiving a degree in business administration with concentration on finance. He swam on a 90% swimming scholarship for 4 years, (primarily a sprint freestyle and butterfly swimmer), and currently holds three of the school's team records. Torrence has 6 years coaching experience and is a USS Certified Coach for DeKalb Aquatics.

Torrence was selected as the 2008 Select Zone Coach for Georgia. During his stint with Dekalb Aquatics, swimmers have gained a great since of Life Lessons as well as an overall improvement of personal times during the season. Torrence is not only a coach but is also still actively competing as a Masters League swimmer.

Coach
Nathan Jones

Nathan started swimming for his neighborhood summer league team at the age of 12. He swam for coach Melissa at the Brook Glen Dolphins.

He started swimming year round in the 10th grade with the City Of Atlanta Dolphins. His swam there for a year before becoming one the original members of the Dekalb Aquatics Swim Team.After 2 years with DAQ he was ready to compete on the collegiate level at the University of Miami. Nathan swam on the Men's Varsity Swim Team for four years as a sprint freestyler and breaststroker where he won various Big East Athletic and Academic Accolades.

Nathan was born and raised in Decatur, GA and graduated from Cedar Grove High School. He is a graduate of the University of Miami with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Sports Management. He has always had a love for the water and loves teaching kids the art of swimming. Nathan contributes his personal success in life to swimming as it provided structure, self-confidence/discipline and pride. He has been coaching with DAQ for 3 years.

Coach
Alissa Muldoon

Alissa Muldoon has enjoyed swimming before she could even walk. Alissa began her competitive swim career at the age of 5 and continued until her second shoulder surgery took her out of competitive swimming at the age of 18. She discovered her love for coaching at 21 and has the opportunity to coach every ability level, and age. In addition to coaching with DAQ, she enjoys coaching at the PAideia School, Venetian, and her newly developed Masters swim team. Allisa is truly proud to be a part of DAQ.

Coach
Amy McCullough

Amy comes to Dekalb Aquatics after coaching for one year at Georgia Tech, helping bring them to a top 20 finish nationally. Before moving to Atlanta she was the graduate assistant coach at the University of Connecticut where she coached the college and club teams as well as completed her Master's degree in Exercise Science. She also served as the assistant senior coach for the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club in Charlotte, N.C. during the summer of 2007 where she assisted in coaching Olympic and National level athletes, coached younger athletes, and implemented a video stroke analysis program for all levels of swimmers. Amy began her coaching experience by serving as the National Team Performance Science and Technology Coaching Fellow for USA Swimming in Colorado Springs, Colo. There, she used video software to analyze under- and above water video of stroke technique. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2005 with a B.S. with honors in Movement Science as well as a B.A. with honors Sport Management and Communications. As a member of the UM varsity swim team, McCullough was a six-time individual Big 10 champion, a five-time NCAA All-American and a three-time NCAA Academic All-American. She competed for the U.S. National Team at the 2003 World University Games in Daegu, Korea.

New Coaches: (BIOS coming soon)

• Michael Norment