Meet Our Coaches
Mary Liesegang
Head Coach
Coach Mary has been coaching in San Diego for eight years. She fell in love with synchronized swimming in college at Boston University and competed as a student athlete all four years. Her synchro career culminated in a second place finish in figures at Collegiate Nationals in 2018. She has experience coaching athletes of all ages, is a Level 2 Judge, and supports club operations and management as a Board Member. Between coaching and her career in marine biology, if Mary is not physically in the water, she is usually thinking about it.
Amy Funder
Age Group Coach ​
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Coach Amy is thrilled to be back poolside after running away with the circus in 2019 (otherwise known as moving to Las Vegas to work for Spiegelworld). Coach Amy first began coaching in 2005 for the Riverside Aquettes. In 2009, Coach Amy started coaching with San Dieguito Synchro, and in 2011 moved to Los Angeles Synchro, eventually becoming head coach before returning to San Dieguito in 2013. Coach Amy has coached athletes of all levels, including at International competitions, and to Junior Olympic Gold (looking at you, Coach Alex). In addition to coaching, she has ten years of experience in judging and is a Level 2 DTC. She competed for the Riverside Aquettes for many years in her youth, and won two national team titles with the club. Coach Amy balances sunny poolside days by working for an event production company all over the world in overly air-conditioned ballrooms, and underground in large arenas.
Alexandra Suarez
Choreography and Skills Coach
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Coach Alex joined San Dieguito Synchro as a swimmer when she was 9. She was a member of the 2015 Youth National Team. In 2016, she moved to the Bay Area to train full time with the US Senior National team to compete at the World Championships in Budapest. During this time she placed third at the US Open in Junior Solo. She continued her synchro career by competing as a student athlete for Stanford University where she was a 3 time Collegiate All American and 2021 Collegiate National Champion. Coach Alex works with our Age Group athletes on skills development and creative choreography.
Bianca Hofstatter
Intermediate/Age Group Coach
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Coach Bianca brings a background as a former member of both the Austrian and USA national teams. An Austrian junior national solo champion and silver medalist at the USA junior national championships, she has competed and medaled in numerous international competitions. With over eight years of experience in choreographing routines, Bianca emphasizes artistry as her favorite aspect of the sport. She has trained with national teams from Greece, Spain, and Russia. Now based in the United States, she continues to inspire and develop her athletes, leveraging her diverse experiences from coaching in Austria and Greece.
Reica Osawa
Novice/Intermediate Coach
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Coach Reica started her synchro career at San Dieguito Synchro when she was 7 years old. She fell in love with the sport after her first try and has continued it since then. Coach Reica competed nationally until her senior year of high school. Despite ending her competitive career, she has stayed in the synchro community by coaching. Her experience includes coaching novice/intermediate as well as teaching kids swim lessons. She took a break from synchro when she was studying at UC Santa Cruz, but is back in San Diego pursuing a career in business, specifically Human Resources.
Sophia Rokop
Novice Coach
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Coach Sophia brings over a decade of experience in the water, having competed in synchronized swimming for 12 years and coached for the past 4 years with Davis Aquastarz and Sacramento Synchro. She has worked with athletes at both the novice and intermediate levels and has also taught swim lessons, helping young swimmers build confidence and skill in the pool. Currently a junior at San Diego State University, Sophia is pursuing a degree in Political Science with a minor in Sustainability. She’s thrilled to continue sharing her passion for synchro in Southern California!
Aine Gallahue
Novice Coach
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Coach Aine began her synchronized swimming journey at the age of 9 and competed nationally for 8 years in Age Group and Junior events, later transitioning to performance swimming in Los Angeles with the Aqualillies. She has coached swimmers of all ages, sharing her expertise with both young athletes and adults throughout her college years. Aine is also a certified yoga instructor and an avid fitness enthusiast. She loves sharing her knowledge of movement, strength, and flexibility to help swimmers achieve their full potential. She is currently in her final year of medical school and is an aspiring surgeon.