Meet the Coaches

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Coaching comes to Kimberly naturally. She began her involvement in coaching with Special Olympics at the age of 11, becoming the youngest Coach to receive a coaches certification in Southern California. Kimberly gained experience in administrative duties with Special Olympics Southern California. Coaching athletes with intellectual disabilities, which quickly became one of her passions while working with her Mother in this worthwhile program. During her 24 years in the program, Kimberly earned certifications in basketball, soccer and aquatics. In the beginning of February 2010, Kimberly and her mother took over as one of two of two Area Directors for Special Olympics Antelope Valley while continuing to coach Swimming along side her friend and mentor Steve Crook. 

2015 brought new adventures for Ms. Thompson. She not only dove into her career as a swim mom to her son Avery, but was also given the golden opportunity to be a swim venue assistant during the Special Olympics World Games along side Steve, held in Los Angeles, California. In which Athletes from 77 Countries traveled to participate.
After the world opened up after the Covid 19 pandemic, Kimberly and her family began dedicating their time and efforts to Avery’s swim activities. In 2022, Kimberly and Steve made the tough decision to resign from Special Olympics Antelope Valley and became Coaches for the community swim team with which Avery swam. After much consideration, Kimberly and Steve decided to begin a nonprofit swim team which will allow each swimmer to blossom in their competitive abilities while providing a family friendly environment.

 Steve Crook has been a fixture in the local swimming community for more than forty years. Beginning as a high school swimmer, supporting his son's swim endeavors to coaching in the Special Olympics Southern California aquatics program. Mr. Crook has coached locally, nationally and internationally.

In 2015, Steve and his mentee Kimberly Thompson supervised at the Aquatics venue at the Special Olympics World Games held at the University of Southern California. After that monumental task which included athletes from 177 countries, Steve went on to coach during two national games and many regional swim competitions. Twenty years coaching athletes with intellectual disabilities makes this coach very qualified to coach swimmers from many different learning styles.

In 2021, as the world reopened post COVID, Steve decided that it was time to coach in the competitive swim community outside of the Special Olympics. He and Kimberly coached a year with a local swim team when they started their own nonprofit swim team named Ohana Aquatics. Well-rounded swimmers are the focus for Steve. Building on each swimmer's skill techniques, endurance and a sense of camaraderie with the Ohana Aquatics community which includes the swimmers, their families and the community. Mr. Crook believes that every swimmer should leave all their talents between the flags.