Meet Our Staff

Our commitment to providing our customers with an unforgettable experience while producing exceptional results starts and ends with our staff. We’ve assembled Southern Indiana’s best swim instructors with over 100 years of combined experience instructing / coaching swimming. Our instructors have taught and developed individuals of all ability levels from beginners to Olympic gold medalists!

Each class will include up to four of the listed instructors. While instructors may rotate classes and sessions, the professionalism and experience of each instructor will provide reliability and consistency for class members to have the best possible swim lesson each time.

Aaron Opell & Family (Owners)

More information about Aaron, Emily & their purpose for creating GMSA can be found HERE.

Elysia Carmona

Elysia brings with her over 30 years of experience as a swim instructor and coach and loves teaching individuals of all ages how to swim through fun and silliness. Having taught over 1000 children how to swim, Elysia has a way of connecting with kids and teaching them in a way that allows them to love the water as much as she does.

Kyleigh Mayer

Kyleigh is a student at the University of Evansville and is majoring in applied exercise science with a minor in psychology. It’s her hope to continue schooling after her undergraduate work is complete so that she can become an occupational therapist. Kyleigh has swam both competitively and recreationally since she was 4. Her love of swimming led her to become both a lessons instructor and high school swim coach in 2019.

Colton Tang

Colton learned to swim at the age of four and has seen his swim career excel from Learn to Swim all the way to competing at the Division I level as a USI Screaming Eagle (where he currently is a member on their team)! Colton’s love for the activity and sport of swimming is only matched by his passion for helping others.

Don Howard

With over 14 years of competitive swimming and coaching experience, Don brings both skill and passion to every lesson. He spent 7 years teaching and coaching swimmers of all ages through Pacesetters (his former competitive swim club), the YMCA, Bob’s Gym, and private instruction. A former WWE trainee, he’s no stranger to hard work and discipline—and he brings that same energy to helping others grow. Whether you’re learning to swim for safety, fitness, or sport, Coach Howard is passionate about helping each child build confidence and enjoy the lifelong benefits of swimming.

Elizabeth Broshears

Elizabeth recently graduated from Indiana University where she was a member of the IU Women’s Swimming team. Her love of swimming and helping others has compelled her as both a student athlete (multi-time Academic All Big 10 recipient) and instructor (6+ years teaching swim lessons).

Emily Opell

Emily is the co-owner of Gold Medal Swim Academy and a certified Foundations instructor for parent-child swim lessons. With more than ten years of teaching experience and a background in education as an English teacher at Castle High School, Emily excels at guiding both parents and children through early swim experiences in a patient, encouraging, and developmentally appropriate way.

Kerigan Pund

Kerigan was a member of the Heritage Hills swim team for six years, where her love for swimming truly took off. Growing up surrounded by younger siblings and cousins, she’s developed a strong passion for working with children. Kerigan enjoys sharing what she loves most—swimming—with others and finds joy in helping young swimmers build confidence and grow, both in and out of the water.

Natalie Cardin

Natalie has an extensive history as an educator in both school and swim settings for children of all ages and needs. Her passion for helping children learn and grow has motivated her to earn multiple degrees in both education and early childhood development. Natalie joins our team after previously serving members of the YMCA as a swim lessons instructor for 10+ years and is currently a Resource teacher for Evansville Lutheran School.

Avery Lasher

Avery is a freshman at Indiana University. She’s been swimming since the age of 7 and has developed a deep love for the sport over the years. With more than a year of swim instruction experience, Avery has found a true passion in helping kids gain confidence and grow in the water. Her warm, encouraging approach makes her a favorite among young swimmers and their families.

Rebecca Kluesner

Rebecca Kluesner has been part of the Gold Medal Swim Academy team since 2025 and is currently a first-year doctoral student in Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern Indiana. With a background in both competitive and recreational swimming, Rebecca combines her understanding of human development, motor learning, and movement with thoughtful, child-centered instruction to support each swimmer’s growth and confidence in the water.

Bella Ransom

Bella is currently a freshman at Indiana University. She began swimming with the Boonville Dolphins at age 7 and has maintained her love of the sport throughout her career. She recently recognized her passion for helping kids through her experience as a Camp Carson counselor over the summer and now has a deep interest in teaching.

Creed Loy

Creed has been a member of the Gold Medal Swim Academy team since 2025. He is currently in his third year at the University of Southern Indiana and a member of the USI varsity swim team. Creed has been swimming competitively since the age of six and brings both a deep love for the water and a genuine passion for helping kids grow in confidence and skill.

Brady Reiter

Brady Reiter has a natural ability to connect with kids and build trust, which makes him a great fit on our team. While he’s newer to teaching swim, he brings valuable experience coaching children in a variety of settings. Brady loves helping kids grow their swimming skills and finds true joy in watching them reach their goals and gain confidence in the water.