Kirby Smith
My name is Kirby Massey Smith and I was born and raised in Jonesboro. Swimming has always been a huge part of my life. My grandmother was an Aquacade swimmer for Billy Rose in Queens, New York. My mother was a swim coach and state record holder, my siblings and myself all swim coaches, and my dad an official, even at the US Open. I spent half of my childhood at swim meets watching my nationally ranked siblings. My parents and other swimming families helped to bring a year-round team (The JETS) to Jonesboro in the early 90’s to allow swimmers to continue swimming in the winter months and hosting 700+ swimmers for SuperSplash. I spent half of my childhood at swim meets watching my nationally ranked siblings. It is some of my best memories!
Growing up I lifeguarded and taught lessons for many swimmers. I became the AAU Jets Head Coach while I was in college, leading the team as the SouthWind State Champions consecutive years. After graduating from Arkansas State University from the College of Communication I moved to Pennsylvania to work with blind and deaf children and adults. I enjoyed my time there teaching lessons, running the pool, and teaching water aerobics. After moving back to Jonesboro, I worked in recruitment for numerous years and began teaching the Master Swim class and water aerobics at St. Bernards Health and Wellness for numerous years. I now own and operate Massey Swim and I spend every day in the water with my kids and so many kids in our community.
My husband and I live in Bono with our three boys Koen (7), Sheppie (4), and Vinny (1). I am an active member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and my husband a member of First United Methodist Church
Swimming has and will always be a huge part of our lives especially in Northeast Arkansas! Here’s to an exciting new chapter with some of my dearest friends! We genuinely promise to do our very best in the interest of the team and swimmers! I pray and hope my kids have can the same wonderful experience I had growing up! Go SWAT!
Brooke Booker
My name is Brooke Booker. I am married to Chris Booker and we have six children. Emery (14), Noah (13), Eden (11), Grady (10) and twins, Asa and Asher (6).
Originally from Blytheville, I have loved the sport of swimming my entire life. I started lessons young, was on the Blytheville Barracuda AAU team in the summers and drove to Jonesboro twice a week to swim for the Jonesboro Jets in the winter. I was a lifeguard throughout high school and trained others as a lifeguard instructor at the University of Arkansas. I’ve worked with the American Red Cross providing swim lessons, was the pool director for the City of Jonesboro in the summer of 2000 at Earl Bell and managed the Aquatics Department in Blytheville the summer of 2001. I went to the University of Arkansas after high school where I cheered for the baseball team as a Razorback Diamond Doll. After college I attended medical school and came back to Northeast Arkansas to practice medicine. We worship at Central Baptist Church here in Jonesboro and spend most days watching our kids participate in all their activities.
Swimming isn’t just a sport, it’s a family. I don’t think I would have had the self-discipline, work ethic or the dedication to succeed in life without the skills taught to me from swimming. Because of this, I have encouraged my kids to swim and hope they experience and learn everything I was blessed to! Kirby, Katie Rae and I are so excited to bring to Jonesboro what we love and grew up with. We genuinely promise to do our bests to make SWAT your family as well!
Audrey Hanes
My name is Audrey Hanes, and I was born and raised in St. Louis. I graduated from the University of Missouri (Go, Mizzou Tigers!) with a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism editing and a minor in sociology then moved to Jonesboro with my husband, Eric, in 2010. We have three kids: twins Luke (8) and Ellie (8), and Chandler (3).
I love the sport of swimming and the family environment of the sport. I grew up swimming year-round and swam summer league with my two brothers from a young age. I was a lifeguard and assistant swim coach for several years in high school, as well. My dad swam through high school, so my kids are third generation swimmers, and I am so glad they love the sport like I do. Luke and Ellie love being Shark Waves, and Chandler can’t wait to join the team when she turns 4.
I am the editor-at-large and a contributing writer for Occasions Publishing Group, where I have worked for 12 years. I am also an active member of Southwest Church of Christ, a board member for the Better Life Counseling Center, on the communications committee for United Way of NEA and a St. Bernards Advocate. I am an associate member of Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro and served on the board during my time as an active member. Eric and I stay busy with kids involved in church activities, swimming, football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, tumbling and Girl Scouts – we love staying active and being outside.
Leslie Cothern
My name is Leslie Cothern. I am married to Berry Cothern and we have 2 grown children. Caitlin and Isabella.
I was born and raised in Jonesboro and graduated from UAMS in Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in Cytotechnology. When Caitlin was 8 and Bella was 4 we met some new friends who had daughters around our daughters age and they said you should come and swim with our team. We thought that could be fun and here we are 18 years later and we are still involved in swim. I began volunteering in various roles with the Jets, serving as President and long time board member, eventually got involved in USA swimming as an official. I have been a Turn & Stroke official for 14 years and a Starter for 10 years. I am also now an NCAA Starter for Division 1, as both of my daughters swam in college ( Caitlin swam for Lindenwood University and Bella is currently swimming for the University of Arkansas ).
My mission has always been to create and foster an equal and fair foundation for competitive swimming at all levels.
Will Green, the head coach of the SWAT team, was first introduced to swimming through group swim lessons at the YMCA. He started swimming for the Jonesboro Jets at 11 and continued swimming for the club team. Before heading to the University of Arkansas, he was also a member of the Jonesboro High School swim team. In addition to being a swimmer, Green started his career in aquatics at a young age.
Green's first job was lifeguarding at the YMCA, where he worked for Bob Williams when he was 15. He also taught group swim lessons at the YMCA, which he had participated in as a young kid. Between his first and second years of college, when he returned home for the summer, the coach of a local club team contacted him to see if he was interested in assisting with coaching age group swimming, which is where his coaching career began.
Green then became an adjunct professor at Arkansas State University, teaching all the aquatics courses and becoming the founding head coach of the A-State Swim Club. In 2014, Green started his swim club, Dart Frog Aquatic Team, and coached and operated it until merging with SWAT in June 2022. Throughout his career, Green has had many of his athletes go on to swim successfully at the collegiate level. He has coached the top 10 swimmers in the country and swimmers who have made it to the future, the junior nationals, and the U.S. Open. He was also Southwind Swim Conference's head coach for multiple years and will return in the years to come as one of the head coaches.
Green can be found on the pool deck daily, encouraging and supporting every swimmer in and out of the pool. The Boy Scouts of Crowley's Ridge District awarded Green the 2024 Heart of the Eagle Award to demonstrate his dedication and compassion towards the NEA community. This award is given to someone who demonstrates character, leadership, and integrity and shows compassion for their community.
Coach Caitlin is an accomplished assistant coach and registered dietitian for our team. She has over 20 years of experience in competitive swimming, both as a swimmer and a coach. Caitlin competed at the collegiate level for Lindenwood University while also coaching for Parkway Swim Club in St Louis, MO. Later, she transferred to the University of Arkansas to continue her academic and coaching career for Northwest Arkansas Aquatics. After graduating, Caitlin completed the Dietetic Internship Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Then, she graduated with a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition before returning to Jonesboro, AR.
Currently, Caitlin is the Southwind Swim Conference's President and serves as the Diversity Chair for the Arkansas Swimming Board of Directors. Recently, she worked as one of the assistant coaches for the Southwind Swim Conference at the Junior Olympics and will return soon as one of the head coaches.
Caitlin is thrilled to be part of the SWAT family and enthusiastic about helping our swimmers stay energized and hydrated. She is always available to answer questions regarding your swimmer's nutrition, the Southwind Swim Conference, or Arkansas Swimming.
