Rich Deley

Head Coach

Coach Rich has been the PENN Aquatics Head Coach since Fall 2016 (also serving as a coach and the Head Age Group Coach from 2007-2010 and 2014-2016). Prior to coaching for PENN, he coached at Oxford Valley Pool (OVP) for 3 years leading them to 2 back-to-back undefeated summer seasons. He was also the OVP Manager/Assistant Manager for 4 years. He has taught swim lessons for over 10 years at the Pennsbury Community Aquatics Program, OVP, and at West Chester University. He coached for the West Chester Special Olympics team, working with and coaching swimmers with disabilities. He is a USA Swim Coach and Red Cross Certified. Coach Rich was selected to coach the MA Zone All-Star Team for the 2019 & 2021 Long Course Age Group Championships in Richmond, VA.

Coach Rich is a Pennsbury High School and PENN Aquatics alumni. He was a district qualifier in all four strokes and went to states placing top 8 in 2 events. He was a national qualifier in the 200 free, 100 fly, 200 fly, and 200 IM. He held several records between high school and club swimming and was All American in all four strokes and "freshman of the year" in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Rich attended Shippensburg University, Bucks County Community College, and West Chester University where he majored in Physical Education (PE), Adapted PE, Health, Nutrition, and Sports Management.
 

Rich would like to grow the sport of swimming by teaching proper stroke and technique while still allowing kids to have fun! When not at the pool, he enjoys driving, working on, and building jeeps!

Bruce Townsend

Coach Bruce has coached with PENN Aquatics since 2010. He has coached with Spirit Swimming for many years. Coach Bruce has over 30 years coaching experience and has achieved level 3 certification from ASCA (American Swim Coaches Association) and has served six times as a coach for the Middle Atlantic Zone All Star squad, serving as head coach in spring 1997. He was named Middle Atlantic Coach of the year in 2001. As a Spirit coach, Bruce continued to qualify numerous swimmers for sectional and national championship meets including one athlete who qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials. During the course of Bruce's age group coaching tenure, over 30 athletes from Spirit Swimming have been selected to the Middle Atlantic All Star Zone team.

Bruce is a graduate of Duke University (B.A.) and Temple University (M.A.) and lives with his wife, Nancy, in Bristol. Daughters Susan and Tracey both swam at Spirit through their high school careers. Susan graduated from the University of Miami and Tracey graduated from American University.

As a competitive swimmer, Bruce was a senior national qualifier in breaststroke and participated in both AAU and NCAA competitions. Bruce has also participated off and on in US Masters Swimming.

Liz Gehris

CJ Sorichillo

Naomi (Polster) Venables

Coach Naomi began her swimming career at the mere age of 6. She is an alumni swimmer that was a member of the Oxford Valley, Spirit, and PENN Aquatics swim teams. Some of her swimming achievements include qualifying for TYR Cup, JO’s, Senior Champs, and Districts, as well as setting records for her summer league team and club team. She spent her childhood summers assisting her coaches with the young swimmers and it ultimately led to her love of coaching. Naomi has coached for Oxford Valley as well as PENN Aquatics in the past, and is super excited to be back! 

Travis Venables

Coach Travis started his swimming career as an 8 & under on the LMT swim team where he was bred into a sprint freestyler. He joined PENN Aquatics in the 13 & 14 age group, where he qualified for JO’s. Upon reaching high school, he swam for PENN Aquatics along with Pennsbury High School where he qualified for senior champs and districts. Later in high school, he swam for Tri Hampton YMCA and qualified for YMCA nationals. As a senior, he was a part of the Pennsbury high school state qualifying team and aided school records in the 400 free relay and 200 medley relay that still stand today. After high school, he swam at Ursinus College where he set records in the 50 freestyle, 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 free relay. Travis has had experience coaching at LMT, Oxford Valley, and PENN Aquatics in the past, and is very excited to be back coaching.

Coach Alanna began swimming as a toddler taking lessons with the Neshaminy Aquatics program during the school year and then joining the Lower Bucks Swim League with Breezy Point Swim Team. Later she spent the majority of her USA swimming career with Spirit Swimming, where Coaches Sue and Bruce were part of the coaching staff. She was a member of the Notre Dame High School Swim Team and later joined the coaching staff there. Her summers, for the last 5 years, have been spent at Pocono Plateau Camp and Retreat Center where she is the waterfront director and a senior staff member working with the rock walls and ropes courses.

Charlene Lawton

After 5 years away from PENN Aquatics, Charlene is excited to return in a new role as a member of the coaching staff.  Previously she was involved with PENN for 12 years as her children swam competitively there and she eventually became club President. Two of her children swam in High School (Pennsbury) and College, (Rowan University, Gettysburg College) both qualifying for State and NCAA championships. Her father swam for NAVY before switching to water polo.

During the previous 4 years she helped reestablish and manage the NAC swim team in Newtown PA, which grew from 40 to over 100 members. Charlene is a USA Operational Risk Director and serves on the Mid Atlantic Administrative Review Board. She will soon be certified as Mid Atlantic Meet Director and Administrative Official. She is also an Assistant Coach for the LMT summer swim team, where her children swam and she was an active Board Member.

Charlene will be working primarily with the Developmental group.She loves working with young children and helping them learn and develop confidence in their own abilities. She is looking forward to advancing her technical knowledge by training under the other experienced PENN coaches.

Charlene is a graduate of North Penn High School and Kutztown University. During the school year she teaches Pre-K, and also works at the Newtown Athletic club. She enjoys the outdoors, road trips, traveling, the beach, healthy foods, and believes that water is therapeutic in many different ways.