Coaches & Team Representatives
Coach Melissa started swimming at the age of 5 and continued swimming competitively through High School. She’s a graduate of Laney, swam summer league for Holly Tree, year round for the Waves of Wilmington, and went on to swim all four years at UNC Wilmington. She’s coached summer league, private swim lessons, and lessons through UNCW’s swim school. After graduating from UNCW she worked as a teacher for 7 years and then 7 years as the Director of Youth Ministry at St. Mark. She has competed in triathlons, completed over 15 half marathons and multiple marathons. She and her husband continue to run for the local group Without Limits. They have three children. Last summer she led the Mini-Makos program and assisted with the 5 and 6 year old groups. She is beyond thrilled to be back this summer as Head Coach! Go Makos!
My name is Gracyn Pires. I grew up in Charlotte NC and started swimming at 5-years old. I swam year-round at SwimMAC Carolina, a 4-year varsity letter winner for Ardrey Kell High School, and 2 years for Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama. I am a rising junior at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and majoring in Exercise Science.
Not only was I a member of the Blakeney Lionfish summer swim team at Blakeney Racquet & Swim Club for 13 years, I was also a summer league coach and gave private swim lessons the past several seasons. I love kids, and I enjoy teaching the fundamentals of swimming, how to compete, and giving back to the sport that has given so much to me.
Hi! My name is Sydney Mazzola and I’m a rising college freshman! I’ll be attending NC State university in the Fall! I’ve been swimming competitively since I was 7 years old and have been on a few teams including WOW, Laney High, and the Makos!! I love swimming, coaching, and just being around the water! I cant wait to see what my third year with the Makos will bring! So excited for the coming season, go Makos!
My name is Madi Joy and I’m a rising senior at Laney High school. I started swimming competitively at 5 years old, and I’m currently on NSEA swim team. I’ve always loved swimming, and I recently earned my water safety instruction certification and give lots of swim lessons at the Northside pool downtown. Not only do I swim year round, I also swam for the Makos for many years, and still compete along with coaching. I’m so excited to be back for another year, go Makos!
I have been swimming since I was 5 and competitively swimming since I was 7. I’m my years of racing I have swam for 6 different teams and gone to Regional levels for different events. I have been teaching swimming lessons since 2021 and coaching with Makos since 2022. My favorite color is Red and I like loud music.
My name is Will House. I am a rising sophomore at Laney High School. I’ve lived in Wilmington since I was 2 and have been swimming since I was 5. I started swimming competitively, year-round since I was 9 because I had so much fun at summer swim! Recently I also earned my red cross lifeguard certification. Along with swimming for the Waves of Wilmington I have been swimming with the Makos for many years. I’m very excited for the season to come!
