Dylan Cudahy, Head Site Coach
dylan@machineaquatics.com
I started swimming at the age of 2 when I gave my parents a heart attack by ripping off my pool floatie and diving into the water with an attitude of "I can probably figure this out". Since then, my love for the sport has only grown.
I joined Machine Aquatics as a swimmer when I moved up to Herndon, Virginia, just before I started 7th grade. I spent five years training under Coach Dan at Oakmarr, going from a 13 year old learning the basics all the way to earning an Olympic Trials Cut in the 400 IM.
After high school I enrolled in the University of Virginia. While my original intention was to join the varsity swim team, I contracted Lyme disease and was forced to set my passion for the sport aside in order to focus on my health and academic career. However, shortly after that decision, I ended up joining Club Swim at UVA (2022 National Championship Runner Ups), where I spent three years as a swimmer and a coach. It was through that wonderful organization that I realized my true passion lies in coaching.
I graduated from UVA in December of 2021 with a degree in Engineering Science, and shortly after that signed on to join Machine as a full time coach. In my view, having exceptional coaches like Dan, not to mention the rest of the incredible staff at Machine, was a huge part of me becoming the person I am today. I hope to do that for all of the swimmers that come my way.
Rod Montrie
rod@machineaquatics.com
Rod has been a coach in Potomac Valley since 1978. Starting out for 5 years with the Mohican Swim team, he then spent 15 years at the Chevy Chase Club. He began his USS coaching in 1979 with the Capitol Sea Devils in DC for 27 years and then he joined the Machine Aquatics in 2007. He has served as PVS Distance Swimming coordinator, PVS zone coach, two-time President of the Virginia Independent School Athletic Association and two terms as the Chairman of the Washington Metro Prep Swim League.
Rod spent 31 years as the Director of Aquatics at The Madeira School in Great Falls, VA where they won 6 state championships and he coached 25 All-American swimmers. In 2006 he was named the winner of the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association’s David H. Robertson Award for Coaching Excellence.
“I believe that if a swimmer is having fun, then they are able to swim their fastest.” Says coach Montrie. “Every swimmer should have the opportunity to reach their goals and feel proud of their accomplishments”
Rod Lives in Reston, VA with his wife, Gina, where he enjoys open water swimming and body surfing, riding motor cross and ballroom dancing.
Helen Geddes
helen@machineaquatics.com
I’m so excited about my first year with Machine! I grew up in the area swimming in the NVSL at Lakeview in the summers, where I competed for 12 seasons. I swam competitively year-round with different PVS teams along the way, as well as with my high school’s (Robinson) swim team where I was a captain my senior year. I went to George Washington University where I swam and was part of the executive board for the club swim team. After undergrad, I attended Duke University for grad school and started swimming masters.
When I was 14, I started helping with developmental lessons as well as the mini-team(6 and unders), in the summer and absolutely fell in love with coaching. That winter, I started assistant coaching for my NVSL team with all ages, I continued coaching in the winter as an assistant before becoming a co-head coach at 16 for the winter program. During the summer seasons, I started coaching all ages at 15 as a junior assistant coach, which continued to age 18. At age 19, I was a Head Coach and helped my team win the division! Amongst the craziness of 2020, a silver lining was being able to be an assistant coach for another NVSL team, Lee Graham, where I have now been for three seasons.
The coaches I’ve had in my life have shaped so much more than just my practices in the pool, and I’ve hoped to be able to bring that to others in a positive way! Coaching has remained something I always go back to, and I am so excited to do this year-round with such a talented group of swimmers and coaches.
Can’t wait to see everyone on deck!
Office Contact:
Billing and Registration, Virginia Locations:
Alison Galbraith, Team Administrator
Tel. 703-281-1500
Email: alison@machineaquatics.com
