Christie Close

South Marlin Division, Marlin 1 & Marlin 2 Lead

Christina Close (nickname Christie) started with SwimMAC in April of 2023 as the Director Auxiliary Programs (North) including the JSL, Teen Fit and homeschool programs. Christie is the former Head Age Group of Bluefish Swim Club from Attleboro, MA. She is an accomplished coach with many National Age Group record holding relays and New England Age Group Champions and Record Holders. In addition to coaching, she wore many hats at Bluefish working as the Team Administrator and overseeing the learn to swim program and Masters Swimming Program for over 16 years. She has experience growing a Satellite location, Raynham Athletic Club, Raynham MA from 0 swimmers to 1800 in the learn to swim program before hiring a Learn to Swim Director to manage the LTS program. Christie worked for New England Barracudas in Waltham, MA and Cape Cod Swim Club, in Bourne MA before starting her long career with Bluefish Swim Club.

She is a lifelong swimmer; her first competition was at age 5 in Westfield New Jersey at her own pre-competitive swim meet. She joined her first competitive summer league program at 8 and joined a USA Swimming program, Greenwich CT Sharks, when she was nine. She went on to swim at the prestigious DIII Kenyon College swimming powerhouse program but unfortunately only swam two seasons in the NCAA and had to hang up her goggles due to an injury following a car accident.

Her Coaching career began at age 16 with summer league and continued in college when she started working as a camp counselor for the University of Texas @ Austin Swim Camp. She had previously attended the swim camp as a swimmer for six summers, including two summers for over six weeks. She was honored to train with Eddie Reese, Richard Quick, and other amazing UT staff with their pro-group including one summer training alongside legendary distance swimmer Janet Evans.