Leadership and Staff
Leadership
and Staff
Mike Switalski
Executive Director
716-359-4729
coachmike@cityswimproject.org
Mike Switalski is the founder of the Buffalo City Swim Racers (BCSR), now recognized as the City Swim Project. He is an ASCA, Level 4 Coach and a former Division III, All-America swimmer from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Switalski knows what it takes to succeed and is committed to mentoring swimmers to great success. Prior to founding the City Swim Project, he was the head swim coach at Buffalo State College. Switalski coached and mentored the Buffalo State College men’s and women’s teams to multiple semesters of Academic All-America recognition. He established the team as a mainstay on the list. This recognition is awarded by the College Swim Coaches Association of America. He also watched 20 school and more than 20 various pool and college records fall under his guidance during his time at the school. In addition, he coached several All-SUNYAC performers, including Kelly Stoklosa, who became the first female Buffalo State swimmer to win a SUNYAC title, capturing both the 100 and 200 breast stroke events at the 2006 championship meet.
His previous coaching experience is diverse, serving as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, as well as coaching several club and high school teams. He has coached national level swimmers for USA Swimming (National Age Group Top-16, Junior National, Senior National and U.S. Open).
Current Service:
- Commissioner, New York State Commission on Childhood Drowning Prevention
- Western New York Afterschool Network
- General Chair, Niagara Swimming
- Committee Member, USA Swimming Club Development Committee
- Subject Matter Expert, USA Swimming Foundation
- City Swim Project Board of Directors
Past Service:
- WNY Afterschool Network
- Chair, USA Swimming Outreach Committee
- Committee Member, USA Swimming Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee
- Buffalo Public Schools Athletics Committee
- Buffalo Public Schools Physical Activity Committee
- Chair, Niagara Swimming Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee
Switalski has authored several published articles on competitive swimming in addition to giving multiple lectures on the sport, including at the USA Swimming National Convention and the American Swim Coaches
Association World Clinic. He was the only coach to represent USA Swimming in 1999 at the United States Olympic Academy, hosted by the US Olympic Committee. He has also attended several coaching clinics over the past decade to stay on the cutting edge of training and coaching techniques.
In 1994, he completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education with a minor in coaching at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and received a Master’s in Student Personnel Administration at Buffalo State College in 2011. Mike and his wife Kim reside in Buffalo with their son Nicholas, daughter Alexandra and dog Bucky.
Lamont Williams
Director of Business Development
716-444-6464
lamont@cityswimproject.org
As Director of Business Development for Buffalo City Swim Racers, Lamont Williams draws on his diverse experience working in the fields of education, nonprofit, government, and over 30 years of successful entrepreneurship to foster funding relationships and grow the organization.
Prior to joining City Swim Project, Lamont was Executive Director of Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection where he led staff and developed programming designed to equip and empower low-income, at-risk youth, and young adults to become self-sufficient by addressing the educational, economic, family, and social challenges they face.
Lamont’s youth engagement experience extends to a national level through his work with the National Urban League. He was a core member and organizer of their annual Youth Summit and provided key contributions in the development of their education initiatives. He has also been a guest speaker at a variety of events and professional development workshops.
Lamont is a graduate of SUNY University at Buffalo, a United States Navy Veteran, a 2012 graduate of Leadership Buffalo, and a board member of multiple local organizations. He enjoys mentoring and working with young people to help them achieve their academic and career goals – especially encouraging entrepreneurial aspirations. Lamont resides in Buffalo with his wife, Alexandra, and daughter, Taylor.
Rick Aronberg
Director of Aquatic Programming
716-777-0119
rick@cityswimproject.org
Rick Aronberg brings nearly three decades of coaching experience to the City Swim Project and our competitive team, Buffalo Tide. Starting his coaching career at the assistant and developmental levels sparked his passion to work with young swimmers and advanced his knowledge of the sport.
Prior to joining the City Swim Project, Rick was the Head Coach at Parkland Aquatic Club in Allentown, PA. His team reached USA Swimming’s prestigious Bronze-level status, and one of his swimmers finished 64th in the World in the 400 meter IM for all 18-and-under athletes.
Coach Aronberg has deep roots in Western New York Swimming. He served as Head Swim Coach for Velocity Aquatics in Amherst, NY, where he helped grow the team by nearly 50%. During his 13-year tenure as Head Swim Coach/CEO at STAR Swimming, Aronberg’s teams captured 20 short-course and long-course Niagara LSC Championships. His coaching resume also includes the Greater Rochester Racing Raiders, Nazareth College, and the USA National Swim Team for multiple international competitions.
A native of Fairport, NY, Aronberg was a seven-time high-school All-American for Fairport High School and six-time NCAA All-American at Clemson University. In 1988, he competed at the United States Olympics Trials in the 200, 400 and 1500 free-style and was ranked first in the world in the 400-meter free in 1989. Coach Aronberg and his wife Laurie and have two children, Jon and Ryan.