Rick Aronberg
Head Coach & CEO Senior team
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Coach
Aronberg is in his 9th year with
the STAR program. The 2011-2012 season saw STAR Swimming have 5
swimmers compete at the 2012 Olympic Trials. STAR's
Courtney Otto just missed making the 2012 Olympic Team in the 200
meter fly as she finished 9th in the USA.
The season saw more
first time Junior National, Speedo Sectional, and Eastern Zone
swimmers throghout the year. STAR also was awarded for the
fourth consecutive year the Club Excellence award from USA
Swimming. Finally, STAR won both the short course and long
course Niagara LSC Championships again.
Aronberg came
from Rochester, NY where he started the Greater Rochester Racing
Raiders back in the summer of 1996. At the end of 2003, one
of Coach Aronberg’s swimmers, Jon Roberts, finished number
one in the World in the 100 breast for all 15-16 year old
swimmers. Coach Aronberg had two swimmers final at the
2004 Senior National Championships, one swimming fast enough to
qualify for the 2008 Olympic Trials.
In December 2010, Coach Rick was named the Head USA Coach that
took a team to Australia for 13 days. One of his swimmers
came back winning 7 Golds. In April of 2010, Coach Rick was
an Assistant Coach for TEAM USA that competed in Ireland. Two
of STAR's swimmers were also on that team (Phil Aronica and
Courtney Otto). In the summer of 2001, Aronberg was the
assistant coach for the USA National Swim team that competed in
Israel. Among the athletes he coached was three-time Olympic
champion Lenny Krayzelburg in addition to 15 other national
swimmers. In the summer of 1999, Aronberg was
the head coach for the United States Team that competed in Mexico
City at the Pan American Maccabi Games. His swimmers brought back
92 medals, including 42 gold, in four days of competition,
outdistancing second-place Mexico by 40 medals.
A native of Fairport, Aronberg is well known in the Western New
York. Rick was a seven-time high school All-American at Fairport.
He went on to become a four-time Division I All-American at Clemson
University in the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles. He was a six-time
Atlantic Coast Conference champion and still holds Clemson records
in the 500-, 1,000-, and 1,650-yard freestyles. He was named
Clemson’s swimming MVP in each of his four seasons
there.
In 2002,
Aronberg was inducted into the Clemson University Athletic Hall of
Fame and was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary team as one of
the best swimmers in conference history. He also was selected to
Frontier Field's Walk of Fame in 2003 and the Section 5 High school
Swimming Hall of Fame in 2010.
A member of the Rochester Athletic Hall of Fame, Aronberg
participated in the United States Olympic Trials in 1988 in the
200, 400, and 1500 freestyles and was chosen to compete with
the United States team in the Maccabiah Games in Israel in 1985 and
1989. He won 11 medals, including 9 gold, and was named the
captain of the United States men’s team in 1989. He was also
ranked first in the world that year in the 400-meter
free.
Coach
Aronberg resides in Hamburg along with his wife Laurie and his two
dogs Rudy and Tiger.
Mark VanRemmen
Assistant Coach Senior Prep team
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Coach VanRemmen is the coach of the Senior
Prep team. Mark has coached with STAR since 1987. Since
that time, he has worked with many groups including (Red, Blue, and
Senior Prep teams). He has coached well over 20 National
age group TOP 16 swimmers, as well as Junior National
swimmers. Mark is an ASCA level 3 age group coach. His
past coaching includes: Head Coach of the Stingray Wreckers
swi m club (1981-1987); Orchard Park Coutnry Club (1983-1987),
Southtowns YMCA (1980-1983); and the West Seneca West JV Coach
(1981-1982).
He was recentley awarded the Niagara Age Group Coach of the year
for 2009-2010. Mark came to STAR when the Singray Wreckers
merged with STAR. He is a fully certified instructor trainer
of American Red Cross Lifeguard Training, CPR, and First Aid.
Mark's greatest assets, beside stroke instruction, are his ability
to motivate swimmers!
Mark teaches at Holland Central Schools as a Special Education
teacher and is a husband and father of
five.
Nate Steger
Assistant Coach Blue team
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Coach
Steger returns to STAR now as a coach after having been with
STAR swimming for 14 years. Nate was instrumental in helping
this program reach great heights in the past decade. While at
STAR, Nate placed in the TOP 15 all time in many events and was a
part of the USA Speedo Championship team in his last two
years. Nate was the receipient of the STAR Swimmer of the
year for 2005-2006.
Nate went on to attend UNC Wilmington for two
years before transferring home last year. While at UNCW, Nate
was a apart of the 2007 and 2008 Championships team. He was
also a 2 time CAA conference qualifier and placed in the top 16 in
three events each year.
While at Frontier High school, Nate won the
leadership award during his sophomore year. Nate also
dominated the Section 6 scene throughout his career helping the
Frontier Falcons to many great wins. Nate also captured
the team's MVP award in his Sophomore and Junior
seasons.
Mike Seay
Assistant Coach Red team
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Coach Seay returns to STAR now as a coach after having
been with STAR swimming for 5 years. While at STAR, Mike was
awarded “Most Versatile Swimmer” and placed top eight
in a variety of events in the Niagara District. Mike posted Speedo
Championship qualifying times in the 200m Individual Medley and
100m Breaststroke; a Jr. National swimmer and 2 time zones
qualifier in the 100 Breaststroke.
Mike
established his career as an Engineer with Synacor Inc. through his
studies at SUNY Fredonia, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in
Computer Science.While attending SUNY Fredonia, Mike competed for
the Blue Devils all four years in the SUNYAC conference placing top
6 in the 200IM all four years. Mike holds numerous pool and school
records in the 200/400 IM, 100BR, 200BR, and the 200/400 Medley
Relay.
Mike began
his coaching career at SUNY Fredonia where he specialized in stroke
technique, team building, and innovative practice
strategies.
Fun Fact:
Coach Mike loves Oreo Cookies!
Kevin M Buisman
Assistant Coach Senior Prep team
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Coach Kevin began
swimming at age 8 with the Sea Dragons Swim Club of Penfield, NY
where he swam for 12 years. He went to Penfield High School,
contributing to the best period of excellence for the varsity swim
team in school history, culminating with 1st team all-county honors
in his senior year. From there, he went on to Buffalo State
College where he swam for all 4 years, including his senior year
when he was named captain. For his final 3 years, he was awarded
the team MVP as well as placing in the top 8 in the 400 IM at the
SUNYAC Championship meet. He is in the top 5 in school history in
several events.
Under the coaching
of both Buffalo State and STAR Swimming, he achieved speedo
qualifying times in both the 100 and 200 yd breaststrokes,
attending both the short and long course meet as a swimmer 7 times.
Kevin graduated from Buffalo State in December 2008 with a
bachelors in Mathematics and a minor in Physics. Kevin currently
works at Derrick Corp for the past 2 years in the purchasing
department.
