Coaches & Directors

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 the coach of your group. For all questions related to administrative, such as dues, safety, or policy issues, please contact Coach Charlie.

Coaching Staff

Charlie Rose

Head Coach

Coach Charlie’s Bio:

Raised in Altamonte Springs, Florida, Charlie was registered as an athlete with Florida swimming for 17 years. As an athlete, 4 national age groups records, 4 individual State records, and over 30 top 16 USA finishes in his career.

Rose swam for Lyman High School, was a 6 time High School All-American and was a State Champion his Junior and Senior years. He was a Junior National and Senior National finalist.

He went to Florida State University were he received his BS Degree in nutrition and fitness and completed the Dietetic requirements. He also swam for FSU and twice was an NCAA All-American.

He then went on and was the Grad Assistant Coach for FSU from 1991-1992. In 1994 he was the Assistant Coach of the USS Blue Doflins of Orlando and in 1995 became the Head Branch Coach for the Oviedo pool. From 1995-1996, Charlie was the Co-Head Coach for Oviedo High Swimming and is now the Head Coach for the swimming and water polo teams. He is the head coach for Blue Dolfins at the Oviedo branch.

Chazz enjoys coaching, fishing, and golf. He is married to Renee Thomas and has 2 daughters Carlie and Marin born in October of 2002 and December of 2004.

Joe Auer

Junior's Head Coach

Joe is the junior’s head coach.

Coach Joe started his swimming career right here in Orlando with the Blue Dolfins Swim Team. Taught by legendary coach Harry Meisel, a ten-year old Joe along with Charlie Rose and other teammates owned numerous state and national records. Coach Joe continued this success as a swimmer for the University of Florida where he received his degree in Sports Business & Marketing. Twice named Swimmer of the Year in high school, he was a 9-time All-American and Olympic Trial qualifier. Coach Joe owned 7 national records and was inducted into the Winter Park High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

As a coach, he has been both an assistant and head coach for various teams and levels, ranging from age group through collegiate. He has had the pleasure of training senior and junior national swimmers, record holders, as well as Olympic Trial qualifiers. Coach Joe has also helped numerous swimmers receive college scholarships to nationally ranked programs.

In 1992, Joe married his high school sweetheart Bess Harbin, and their son Jackson now swims for the Blue Dolfins.

The water is your friend. You don't have to fight with water, just share the same spirit as the water, and it will help you move. ~Aleksandr Popov

Kevin Meisel

Head Coach Winter Park Branch

Orlando and swimming have been intertwined through nearly all of Kevin Meisel’s 49 years as a native resident. Early exposure to the sport was made possible by the combined efforts of Kingswood Manor homeowners and the developer who set aside land for a park and pool within the community. The KMAC pool manager, swimming instructor and head swim coach was his father, Coach Harry Meisel. Learning to swim and compete was made easy by spending the better part of every summer day at the pool watching his father teach and coach. Older brother Steve began swimming year round for Coach Tom Lamar at Winter Park YMCA and then joined older sister Karen at Bishop Moore Catholic High School where they swam for Coach Tom Boniol. Completing this swimming family is Kevin’s mother, Jeanette, and sisters, Cathy and Teresa. Swimming is truly a “family affair” with great benefits for all.

The generosity of the Alfond family and others allowed Rollins College to build a pool in 1972. Kevin’s father was named aquatics director and founded the Blue Dolfins swim team with a dozen swimmers. A year round program was born that cold day in October and continues today under the direction of former Blue Dolfins great, Coach Charlie Rose. A team championship at the 1974 Jr. Olympic Short Course Championship was just a hint of the Dolfins’ potential. A great help to Kevin’s swimming career and the Dolfins senior program was the hiring of Coach Skip Foster. More growth and success was realized when Winter Park High School built a pool in 1976. Kevin’s father took kids from their first strokes to age 12 and then they moved over to Coach Foster through high school and college. This system worked to produce many team and individual honors that are still being garnered today after 36 years.

Kevin joined that system as a coach in 1980 after two years at East Carolina University. His swimming career was ended by a train accident that nearly severed his right arm. Although his scholarship was honored by Coach Ray Scharf, Kevin came home to help his father in 1980 and earned a BA degree in business administration from Rollins College in 1982. Kevin was able to move forward with his coaching career with the support of family, friends and young swimmers who allowed him time to heal in all ways. Memories of what might have been pale in comparison to the enjoyment of coaching and living daily.

Coaching and teaching age-group swimmers continues to be Kevin’s primary role. He learned a great deal about biomechanics and stroke mechanics from retired ECU swim coach, Dr. Ray Martinez and watched his father’s emphasis on fundamentals each and every day. Instilling those skills in young students as a swimming instructor and coach at Park Maitland School allows Kevin the chance to try many teaching methods that can be applied at swim practice. Stroke technique and talented athletes combined to earn him two Schlueter Stroke Awards presented annually by the American Swim Coaches Association. Underwater video of the 200 IM with the team’s Coach Scope system is used for judging purposes.

A self described character flaw Coach Meisel is not likely to change is judging his performance by the success of the weakest member of his group. “Early promise or apparent lack of ability does not guarantee success or failure in this or any other endeavor. Coaches must be patient in either case. Good times take time!”

Coach Kevin Meisel and his wife, Bobbi, live in Maitland. He serves as a special minister to the sick at Florida Hospital for St. Charles Catholic Church. Giving back to others and to the sport that has given him so much is why Coach Kevin Meisel remains active in the Orlando community and swimming.

Rachael Vargo

Bronze / silver coach

Born and raised in Ocala, Fl, I swam for 17years and was also a Swim America instructor for 7 years. I have coached various teams and age groups up through high school level and have had swimmers achieve state champion level.

Currently, I attend University of Central Florida, seeking a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science-Allied Professionals to soon be able to pursue graduate school in Physician’s Assisting.