You can have confidence that the hard work you do will pay off.  All our coaches know how to get swimmers fast.  All our coaches know how to design a season training plan for peak performance when it matters most.  All our coaches know how to sharpen training for the big meet.  All our coaches know how to handle swimmers mentally and emotionally for performance as they step up to bigger ponds. Congratulations to all our WAVES swimmers and families. You’ve made the right choice, you’re in the right place.

Are you ready to get tough and get fast? If you dream of going to higher levels, the WAVES is the team that gets swimmers there. Olympic Trials, US Nationals finalists, National Junior Team, NCAA Division I All-Americans, Illinois high school state champions, National Age Group record holders... the WAVES is where athletes go to become their best. Our expert coaches give your athlete quality attention, teaching the most advanced stroke technique and skills in a well-designed training program. Why wait? Let's get on with it!

WAVES Coaching Staff

Heather Fort is the lead coach of age group swimmers at the YMCA and coaches the Junior squad. Previous experience: Age group coach at Gulf Coast Swim Team in Ft. Meyers, Florida, where she developed young swimmers who are now competing at the USA Olympic Trials; age group coach at PAWW in Peoria. Heather swam competitively from age 5 to 20, was a Junior Nationals finalist, a 3-time USAS Scholastic All-American, Florida Swimming athlete representative, and MCC conference champion for Cleveland State University. She is married with three kids. Husband Patrick swam on scholarship for Northern Illinois University. Heather still enjoys getting in the pool for a great workout.
Scott Clegg coaches the Transition squad, and is Head Coach of Central Illinois Masters swim team. He is an expert on stroke technique. Scott swam for Streator YMCA and was manager of the University of Illinois men's swim team where he received his BS degree in AG Economics. He is married with two children. Wife Kristen runs marathons and is studying for her Masters degree in Exercise Physiology at ISU. Scott serves on various committes at St. John's Lutheran church, enjoys reading history, swimming workouts with his masters team, and has a goal to swim a 5k open water race.
Michelle Bos coaches the Novice squad and assists with the Junior squad. She has taught swimming lessons, ran high school track, and swam for the Sterling Stingrays and Morrison High School swim teams. Michelle is a sophomore at Illinois State University majoring in art education.

Head Coach The WAVES swim program is directed by Charles Yourd. His main goal is making sure his athletes get what they need to get fast. Certified by the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) as a Level 5 coach - highest level - ranking among the top 3% of ASCA member coaches. ASCA Executive Director John Leonard has called Yourd "One of the best coaches in the country." Yourd has been mentored in his development as an elite coach by Hall of Fame coaches Jon Urbanchek, Forbes Carlile, Skip Kenney, Dick Jochums, and Jack Simon, and maintains a network of contacts among some of the top coaches in the country and the world, sharing information on the latest in technique, training, and recovery. Awards 2007 ASCA Coach of Excellence Illinois Swimming: 2008 Senior Coach of the Year 2007 Senior Coach of the Year 2006 Senior Coach of the Year 2005 Senior Coach of the Year 2002 Age Group Coach of the Year Conference talks: 2008 Short Course Nationals Age Group Coaches Conference 2004 American Swimming Coaches Association World Clinic 2003 Eastern Age Group Coaches Conference Governance of the sport: Has served Illinois Swimming on the Senior Committee and Age Group Committee. Coach Yourd is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a BA in Economics. In his spare time he enjoys reading history, running, and being a fan of pro cycling. What I'm listening to: J.S. Bach, 6 Favorite Cantatas Miles Davis, Kind of Blue Joseph Hayden, The London Symphonies, Volume 1 J.S. Bach, Brandenburg Concertos Frederic Chopin, Nocturnes Richard Wagner, Gotterdammerung J.S. Bach, 6 Suites for Solo Cello Nirvana, Nevermind Brian Eno, Ambient 2 Dr. Jane Smith, Naturally Raising Your HGH Levels Benny Goodman, The Very Best of Benny Goodman Glenn Miller, The Essential Glenn Miller Favorite song: Back in the Saddle Again, Gene Autry Next Favorite: Happy Trails, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans This one's good too: You Can't Catch Me, Chuck Berry Book currently reading: John Milton, Paradise Lost The Great American Novel: Owen Wister, The Virginian Favorite American writer: Theodore Dreiser Favorite British writer: Anthony Trollope If you read just one book: Anthony Trollope, The Warden Favorite movies: anything and everything directed in the 40's and 50's by Yasujiro Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, and Akira Kurosawa. Best President: Calvin Coolidge Favorite Calvin Coolidge quotes: "Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong." "No man ever listened himself out of a job." "The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." Favorite meal: steelcut oatmeal with kippered herring and soy milk Favorite thought: "Let's swim fast!" He has been the WAVES head coach since August 1998, and coaches the Performance 2012 squad.