Originally from Frewsburg, NY David attended Frewsburg Central School and lettered in five sports. He was a member of the 1991 NY Football State Championship Runner-up Team his sophomore year and competed on three varsity sports as a sophomore. After moving with his family to Kings Mountain, NC his junior year of high school, he focused solely on swimming and captained the Kings Mountain High School Swim Team to a 2nd place finish at the North Carolina State High School Championship. The following year he was the captain of the NC State Championship team and was NC State Champion in the 50 yd Free and runner up in the 100 yd Free. David finished his high school career as a High School All-American and Junior National Qualifier. 

Following High School, David attended the University of Georgia, where he initially walked-on but then earned a full scholarship on the UGA swim team where he was a four year lettermen. Swimming for Jack Beaurle, he was a member of the 3rd place team at the 1997 NCAA Championship meet and was named All-SEC three years.  He was an Olympic Trial qualifier in 8 different events as well as an NCAA qualifier.  In 1998 he was awarded the Harvey Humphries Most Improved Award.  David graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business.

Upon graduation David began coaching with the Aquatic Team of Mecklenburg as the Head Age Group Coach, along with serving as the Aquatic Director at the Dowd YMCA in Charlotte, NC. David is currently the Head Coach of the Sharks Aquatic Club where he is in his fourth year. In his first three years with the Sharks team he has coached three high school state champions and two Junior National Qualifiers. In the last two years, four of his swimmers have moved on to swim for Division 1-A Schools.

When not coaching David enjoys working on his house, playing basketball and spending time on his boat.

Kathi Simpson -Head Age Group Coach (Mako's and Tigersharks)

Kathi has recently served as an assistant coach for Gardner-Webb University for the past three seasons, Simpson has helped the Bulldogs to two first place finishes at the Northeast Conference Championships and 27 total wins, including a school record 15 wins in 2004-05.  As an assistant five years ago, Simpson helped the Bulldogs to what was then a school-record 12 wins and a third-place finish at the Southern States Championships – the highest in school history to that point. While in an unofficial capacity during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, Simpson remained closely associated with the program and helped out when needed.

Prior to coming to Gardner-Webb, Simpson was an assistant coach under her husband for the Sarasota YMCA Sharks for four years. During her tenure with the squad, the Sharks took four Florida state championships and turned in a second-place showing at the YMCA National Championships.

Kathi is a native of Tinton Falls, N.J., was an Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) All-American for Auburn University in 1978 before transferring to Florida State University for the 1978-79 season. Prior to her collegiate career, Kathi was also a USS All-American, a high school All-American, a senior national qualifier and a member of the American record-holding 800 free relay squad while competing for the Central Jersey Aquatic Club.

Kathi resides in Boiling Springs, and is married to Mike Simpson. She has four children:  Taylor(22), Saxon (18), Logan (17), and Garrett (11).

Michael Allen- Hammerhead Coach

Michael is a 2006 graduate of Kings Mountain High School. His senior year he was part of the 400 Freestyle relay team that won the NC State Championship. His sophomore year he won the 500 Free at the NC High School State Championship. Michael swam with SAC for six years and prior to that he swam with the former Kings Mountain Aquatic team for five years. Michael was diagnosed with cancer his senior year and has fought back and is currently in total remission. He resides in Grover, NC. Michael loves coaching and teaching swim lessons to the beginning swimmer.