AGUA’s John Alaimo Named Top 5 Age Group Coach of the Year by the American Swimming Coaches Association!
For AGUA Coach John Alaimo, the journey began one summer in Nyack New York, when he landed his first assistant coaching job during college. At the Nyack Field Club, Coach John fueled his passion as a lifelong swimmer and discovered his immense talent for helping others.
“I loved helping kids do things they were scared of and making them realize they could do it.”
Now, after decades of swim coaching and four years with our AGUA Swim Team, Coach John was just recognized as one of the top 5 coaches in the country by the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA). For Coach John, the accomplishment may have been unexpected, but for the countless athletes who he’s coached, and the fellow AGUA coaches that work alongside him every day, they could not be less surprised.
“I’m incredibly proud to see John recognized as one of the top five age group coaches in the country by ASCA. This honor reflects the tremendous impact he’s had on our program—not just in developing fast swimmers, but in shaping outstanding young people. What sets John apart is his unwavering care and devotion to his athletes, even long after they move on from his group. That level of commitment is rare and deeply commendable.”
– David Rodriguez, Senior Director of Aquatics & AGUA Head Coach
Coach John’s accomplishment is another proud moment for the entire AGUA community. Last year, AGUA Coaches Hailey Hewitt and Diana Ross both earned Metropolitan Swimming Coach of the Year Honors, with Hailey also being named a top 50 age group coach in the country. ASCA also determined the award winners by seeing which teams had the best qualifying times in the country, showcasing the talent of Coach John’s 13- and 14-year-old teams.
Before Coach John travels to Nevada to accept his honor and discover if he’ll be named #1, we sat down to hear what this accomplishment means to him.
When you found out you were nominated as a top coach, what was your reaction?
I called my old club coach. My best friend and I—both from the same small club team—were nominated. He was proud of us. I never imagined I’d come this far. I started coaching to give back to my community, and it’s been an incredible journey.
What do you think you’ve done as a coach that’s helped make swimmers so successful?
It’s not just me—it’s what we’ve done as a staff. I’ve worked closely with Hailey Hewitt and Jeff Chen for the last five years to make sure we’re in sync on skill progression, training, and culture. It’s about teamwork and continuity as kids progress from coach to coach through our system.
How does AGUA’s developmental pathway help swimmers become successful in our program?
The goals change as the group changes. From a development perspective, everything builds on previous levels. Water time and swimming volume all progress as you move through our program. Even our dryland program is intentional, teaching functional movements at our beginning levels with learning how to properly move weight. It’s all about progression and intentional skill-building.
How does AGUA also help coaches grow?
For coaches, we bring in specialists—like leadership coaches and physiologists—to improve communication, leadership, and technical knowledge. For athletes, the same leadership coaches talk about managing anxiety and leading yourself. We apply everything we learn to make the program better and more intentional.
What advice would you give swimmers who want to compete at the highest level?
Partner with your coach. Everyone—parents, swimmers, coaches—needs to be aligned. Master your skills, work hard, and stay accountable. It’s not always about being flashy; it’s about doing the hard, unglamorous things consistently.
What’s your dream for the swim team and aquatics programming at Asphalt Green?
I want to build our base—our preschool and 5- to 8-year-old programs. If we grow that, we’ll impact more lives and strengthen the swim team. Whether kids end up on the team or just learn to be safe in water, that’s a win.
What do you hope all kids—whether they swim competitively or not—take away from swimming with AGUA?
I hope they build a healthy relationships with challenges. Instead of fearing challenges, they learn to embrace them as fun and rewarding. That mindset helps in swimming and in life.
Start Your Swim Journey With AGUA
From first splashes in the water to competitive meets, AGUA is a partner for swimmers of all experience levels. Get started on AGUA Swim Academy’s developmental pathway today to start learning from experts like Coach John!
