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 eight 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 has 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.

Head Coach
Melissa Wilborn

Melissa Wilborn is a certified ASCA Level 4 coach with 22 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 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 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
Mandi Bell

Member of a masters/triathlete group in Atlanta for 5 years and a summer swim league in Cobb County for 2 summers. Currently she is a homeschool mom and swim instructor at The Sporting Club at Windy Hill in Marietta, Ga. Mandi has achieved a Top 16 ranking in the backstroke and is a junior and senior national qualifier. She also coached summer league masters and age group swimming for 8 years in Nashville, Tennesee.

Coach
Torrence Ford

Torrence Ford has been involved in swimming since the age of 10. Starting out with The Brookglen 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 5 years coaching experience and is a USS Certified Coach for DeKalb Aquatics.

New Coaches: (bios coming soon)

• Michael Norment
• Alissa Muldoon
• Nathan Jones