Our Coaches

Brian Jensen ,  has been coaching competitive swimming for 23 years.  He started as an assistant coach with the YMCA in 1986 and became head coach from 1990-93.  He started Quicksilver in 1995.   Since then he has lead our program to numerous conference and YMCA State Championships, several top 5-team finishes at the Midwestern Championships, and has sent many swimmers on to All-Star, Zone, and national level meets.  Brian coaches the Senior group, and also coaches the Grand Island High School team.

Gordon Svoboda , Administrative Coach,  has been with the team for 7 years.  He coaches the QS1 group and also helps coach the Grand Island High School team.  

Carole Novinski , volunteer coach for Silver (developing swimmers), grew up swimming in the Midwest.  She swam collegiately at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1986-90, where she served as team captain.  She is a former Big VIII champion, NCAA All-American and NCAA Academic All-American.  Carole has served on the YMCA Board for the last six years.

Thor Larson , volunteer coach for Age Group Swimmers, learned how to swim at the YMCA and was on the Grand Island YMCA swim team for 13 years.  He attended Creighton University on a swimming scholarship and later transferred to Fordham University.  Thor was captain for the Grand Island Senior, Creighton University and Fordham University swim teams.  As a swimmer, he was a high school conference champion, a Collegiate National Catholic champion, a Heartland Conference champion and a Patriot League Conference champion.  Thor has over 12 years of coaching experience from novice to world ranked swimmers.   During his coaching career he has developed nationally ranked Top 16 age group swimmers, Junior and Senior National qualifiers, Missouri State High School champions and an Olympic Trials qualifier.  He is the CEO/Executive Director of the YMCA. 

Melissa Winter   grew up in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and after leaving the state to attend college in Kansas she has returned to Nebraska. Melissa attended Fort Hays State University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in 2010. She then attended Washburn University and received a Master’s Degree in Social Work in 2012.

Melissa swam competitively for 10 years.  In that time she was a 4-year high school state participant, held 3 school records one of which still stands, was a captain for two years as well as a conference champion in the 100 Freestyle in 2005. Melissa is also the assistant coach for Grand Island Senior High.

  Dan Novinski , interim volunteer coach, grew up swimming in the Californian.  He swam collegiately at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1985-89, where he served as team captain his junior and senior years.  He is a former Big VIII champion, NCAA All-American and NCAA Academic All-American.  Dan periodically fills in on deck for meets and coaches between seasons.

We are here to support your needs. If your questions are related to workouts, meets, events, goal setting, and other swimming related needs, please contact one of the coaches. For all questions related to administrative, such as dues, safety, or policy issues, please contact Cara Algood at 308.395.9622.

If you have suggestions or recommendations for the website, please email Dan Novinski at dcdmnoivnski@mac.com