We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katy Coffey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katy below.

Katy , appreciate you joining us today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

I worked in the Aquatics Management Field since 2002. Starting with Head Guard & Swim Instructor Roles and growing in the industry all the way to Association Senior Director of Aquatics over seeing 13 Aquatics Directors and 29 Bodies of Water. Throughout my career , I always challenged myself to make sure I had the ability to Substitute and cover for any of our departments and staff. I wanted to be a team player and regardless of the department ( gymnastics, health & wellness, child watch etc..) I wanted to be able to pitch in and help if we ever needed a sub. The one program I had zero experience in, was Aquatic Fitness. I Looked at that department as the “Aqua Aerobics Ladies” and had no clue in how to manage that class. In an effort to understand and be able to sub, I took the time to get trained and certified through the United States Water Fitness Association. It was through that first certification that my eyes were opened to the industry. That Aquatic Fitness was more then just “Aqua Aerobics” . From there I went to my first Fitness Conference, SCW MANIA in Boston and had my first hand experience feeling how HIIT, and Power felt in the water in contrast to “Aerobics” I could not get enough!
Shortly after that training, one of the pools I was managing had their regular instructor who taught 4 days a week, resign. We had an immediate hole to fill and ready or not, the position was mine. So I taught, laughed, failed, asked a ton of questions, go to know our regulars by name, listened and before I knew it, I was obsessed. Little did I know, that this experience would one day change the trajectory of my career and become my passion.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Katy Coffey is the Senior Group Exercise Trainer for the YMCA of the North Shore and Studio Performer and Personal Trainer for Life Time North Shore. With more than 20 years of aquatic management experience, she is an AEA training specialist, Master Trainer for S’WET™ & Aqua Body Strong ™, and a CEC provider for AFAA, NASM & ACE.

I Specialize in Aquatic Safety and Programming and am an Instructor Trainer for both Lifeguarding & Swim Lessons. For more then 15 years I managed at the Director and Sr. Director level overseeing all operations in aquatics. During my career I also oversaw departments such as Youth & Sports Programming and Adult Health & Wellness and even a few years of gymnastic programming.

In 2015, what started as a need to fill a hole for aquatic fitness, quickly became a passion. The in the United States aquatic fitness is often referred to as “Aqua Aerobics”. This brings the visualization of “Nanna’s with Noodles’ bopping up and down and gossiping more then they are working. Yet when you take a look at how aquatic fitness is handled in the rest of the world, you begin to understand the untapped potential in the pool!

In my time working in the aquatics management, I have helped “flip” 6 pools. At each location, the results were the same. Listen to the members, ask questions, train the staff, make sure the pay scale was in balance to that as land fitness and invest into equipment. The turn out? Increased member retention and huge growth within aquatic programming.
In addition to class growth, our members would become donors and supporters, because they were so thrilled to be taken care of and respected.
In 2021 I stepped down from full time management of pools and work solely with companies who are changing the perception of aquatic fitness. I am currently an Aquatic Training Specialist with the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA) who is the gold standard of education in Aquatic Fitness. I am also a master training for two incredible Aquatic Fitness Companies.
S’WET- (Structured Water Exercise Training) is an educational program who teaches safe and effective HIIT style training in the pool.
Aqua Body Strong- Who is a key distributor in quality aquatic specialty gear such as Stand up fitness boards, Aqua Bikes, Tread Mills & Trampoline. Yes all for the Water.

You can learn more about this education from my website Aquafiitkate.com

I travel the country training up fitness professionals in new & dynamic formats such as Aqua COMBAT and HIIT Intervals.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I have the pleasure to work along side Jenni-Lynn Patterson LaCour , who is the Owner of S’WET

In 2017 I was in the middle of hosting a massive AEA training Weekend for my company. This was a chance to bring in a trainer to work with our staff. I was the lead Aquatic Fitness Professional for 13 aquatic venues, in addition to being a Master Trainer for Aqua Body Strong, and certified in all the formats (both land & sea) that I could get my flippers on. Our AEA Aquatic Training Specialist walks in to start our workshop and I notice her sporting a backpack, water bottle and tank top all with I <3 S’WET on it.

Jenni Lynn Patterson-LaCour was her name and changing the name of aquatic fitness was her game! This lady was speaking my aquatic love language. I agreed with every word of her workshop. The question still remained, “ She could talk the talk but could she ehh …Swim the swim?” It was on our 3rd water wall blast off in the master class that she and I locked eyes and smiled! “THIS WOMAN IS INCREDIBLE” I thought, and come to find out, Jenni Lynn was thinking the exact same thing about me!

What started as a training acquaintance, turned into mentorship, which morphed into friendship & accountability. It is with the greatest honor that I accepted to join the ranks of the S’WET™ Squad and help launch the game changing certification.

Jenni and I have gone on to co-creating a workshop called “Turf to Surf” with is a continuing educational workshop geared toward Land Fitness Instructors.
Turf to Surf, an aquatic fitness program designed specifically for land-based instructors looking to move their workouts to the water!

Turf to Surf will help land instructors prepare to properly substitute a water-based class by learning how to build a balanced workout using base moves, as well as their modifications to help participants of all levels and abilities.

In this four-hour workshop you’ll learn how to design effective Strength and HIIT circuits using common pool equipment to progress or regress workouts, and work together in teams to brainstorm how to build the best class for your water warriors! This course will also give you a road map on what educational steps to take next to continue to grow and elevate your aquatic fitness teaching skills.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I feel like this answer from every professional should be… 2020.

In 2020 my career as a professional fitness presenter was on track to launch and be big.
In December of 2019, I had won SCW Fitness MANIA “Fitness Idol” in Boston Massachusetts. Meaning I was given the invite to present at their conference series.
I was working with Aqua Body Strong on spearheading a team to build and launch a aqua combat certification.
I was also slatted to start my AEA internship in May.

Then March 2020 hit. EVRYTHING STOPPED.
All pools closed, all offers rescinded , and a great unknown of where we would fall in this industry.

And PIVOT we did. I bought a wet suit on Postmark and started formulating workouts in the 47 degree ocean down from my street. We piloted virtual education, and building community through Zoom Learnings. I invested every spare change I had on new Online certifications and get as much education as a I could with the shutdowns.
We took advantage of the fact that studies proved that the pool was the safest place to be, and would become some of the only places in Boston that would eligible to open. We would hop on last minute flights across country as soon as the state declared a certain city open to visit, so that we could plan, strategize and keep momentum.
We would build a large online presence and tell the story of how community could safely resume poolside!

The exciting thing is, we made it. In fact some might say we came out stronger.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aquafiitkate.com/about
• Instagram: @aquafiitkate
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Aquafitk
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/AquaFIITkate
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AquaFIITkate/featured
• Other: https://fitmotivation.com/instructors/katy-coffey