Head Coach 

Joe Flaherty

Joe Flaherty has been teaching and coaching swimmers and swim teams in Montgomery County, MD for more than 30 years. Joe started his career as the head coach for Montgomery County Swim League’s highly successful Flower Valley summer swim team, a position he held for 25 years. He led that team to an unprecedented 20 consecutive years in the “A” division, was undefeated for 16 years of “B” meets, and coached 40 15-18-year-old swimmers in his final year. He founded the Dolphins year-round competitive swim team and program in 1983.

Since then, he has worked with thousands of swimmers, from beginners, to competitive athletes who have ranked among the top 16 in the United States. Joe took one swimmer to Olympic Trials His expertise in stroke technique regularly brings swimmers from other teams to his advanced stroke clinics.

Coach Flaherty’s emphasis is on leadership and character development as much as technique and speed, and many Dolphin alumni have paid tribute to his role in their success as adults. He was the 2005 recipient of the coveted Doc Counsilman Creative Coaching Award from the American Swim Coaches Association. In 2003, he received the Small Business Award from the Montgomery County, MD Workforce Investment Board for his professional coaches training programs.

Assistant Head Coaches 

Boris Cicmil

Boris started swimming at the age of seven. He is a former national junior record holder in the 50-meter butterfly, and swam at the national level. In 2007, Boris took third place in the 50-meter butterfly and third place in the 50-meter freestyle at Maryland State Long Course Championships, and fourth place in the 50-meter freestyle at the Eastern Zone Sectional Meet – after which he retired from competition.

Boris started coaching for JFD in the fall of 2003, and became dryland coach in 2004. In the summer, he coaches the “Hillandale Hellcats” in the Montgomery County Swim League. Boris is U.S. Swimming-certified coach. He is ASCA level 1, 2, and 3 certified coach, and is also certified site supervisor.

Shannon English

Shannon started as a competitive swimmer in Montgomery County three decades ago. Since that time, she has added coaching and teaching others to swim to her resume.

Shannon joined JFD in 2007, where she now oversees the swim lesson, stroke clinic and coaches training programs. She has been an assistant coach for the Manchester Farm Blue Dolphins in the Montgomery County Swim League. She also gives private swimming lessons to children and adults.

Shannon is an ASCA level II certified coach. Her other certifications include CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, American Red Cross Lifeguarding and First Aid, and Safety Training for Swim Coaches. She is also a certified Swim America Site Supervisor.

Swim Lesson Site Supervisors 

Bridget Avon
Shannon Dietrich
Alec Thorne