HCA Coaches
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Doug Gjertsen
HEAD COACH
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Chrissy Gentry
HEAD AGE GROUP COACH
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Brett Ringgold
HIGH PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT COACH
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Sadie Runeman
ASSISTANT COACH
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Millie Sicko
ASSISTANT COACH
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Jack Laughlin
ASSISTANT COACH
Doug Gjertsen
Head Coach
Hill Country Aquatics is thrilled to welcome Head Coach Doug Gjersten back to Austin, where he spent his college years swimming under legendary coach Eddie Reese.
During his career as a University of Texas Longhorn, Doug earned 12 NCAA National Titles, including three individual titles, and nine for relay teams that he anchored. Coach Doug is also a two-time Olympian, winning two gold medals and a bronze medal while competing for Team USA.
Coach Doug’s love of swimming kept him on the pool deck after he retired from competition, and he has spent more than 30 years training swimmers at every level of the sport — from young athletes discovering their potential to Olympians competing on the world stage. Over the course of his career as Head Coach, Doug has guided swimmers to Olympic Trial qualifying meets in 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021, and 2024, including some who went on to compete at the Olympics. Also during that time, more than 200 of his swimmers have continued their swimming careers in college.
Doug coached for more than two decades at SwimAtlanta, a national powerhouse and frequent Gold Medal Club Recognition-winning program. Most recently, Coach Doug spent seven years as the Head Coach of AAAA Northeast and produced many highly ranked swimmers, including 37 USA Swimming Scholastic All Americans in just the past three years.
Just as important, Coach Doug is known as a swimmer-first coach who cares deeply about helping athletes reach their potential with a well-rounded approach to training. In Coach Doug’s words: “The daily pursuit for swimmers to become the best as an athlete and as a person is the guiding force behind my swimming philosophy. Athletes need to have fun while training and participating in competition in and out of the water, whether they are a 6 year old or an 18 year old.”
Coach Doug’s wife Sandy is a former swimmer herself, and they have three adult children — Alaina, Alyssa, and Avery — who also were swimmers, which means that in addition to coaching swimming, Doug is also a retired swim parent. The Gjertsen family also includes five dogs: a British lab, a Moyen Poodle, and three miniature Golden Doodles.
Email Coach Doug at doug@hillcountryaquatics.com.
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Head Coach, Alamo Area Aquatics Association Northeast, San Antonio, TX, 2019-2026
Head Coach, SwimAtlanta, Atlanta, GA, 1993-2019
USA National Team Coach, 2016-2018
Coached Olympic Trial Qualifiers in 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021, and 2024
USA Swimming Select Camp Coach 2023
Coached multiple Junior National top 3 individual scorers, both male and female
Coached Olympian Amanda Weir to a Silver Medal in 2016
Georgia Senior Coach of the Year 2016
Coached Carli Cronk to a record-setting 12 Gold Medals at the Deaflympics in 2022
Coached 37 USA Swimming Scholastic All Americans, 2022-2025
Coached multiple Age Group and Senior State Champions
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Nine-time Relay NCAA champion and three-time NCAA Individual champion at the University of Texas; Team Captain Senior year
Olympic Gold medalist in 4x100 Freestyle Relay and 4x200 Freestyle Relay
Bronze medalist in 4x200 Freestyle Relay
Former World Record Holder in 4x200 Freestyle Relay
Longhorn Hall of Fame Inductee
Texas Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame Inductee
Georgia Aquatic Hall of Fame Inductee
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University of Texas, 1986-1991
Chrissy Gentry
Head Age Group Coach
Coach Chrissy is a nationally respected coach known not only for her outstanding coaching abilities and athlete-focused development, but also for her leadership skills. With nearly two decades of coaching experience across both small and large teams, she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to HCA and its swimmers.
Coach Chrissy spent nine foundational years with a USA swimming club in North Carolina before joining Lakeside Aquatic Club in Texas in 2015, where she served for over a decade as both Assistant Head Coach and Head Age Group Coach. She played a critical leadership role in building one of the nation’s strongest age group programs, regularly placing relays and individual swimmers in the Top 10 national rankings.
Under Coach Chrissy’s leadership, Lakeside consistently ranked among USA Swimming’s top teams in the country, produced multiple individual and relay TAGS Champions, and frequently earned Gold Medal Club recognition from USA Swimming’s Club Excellence program. Chrissy’s career also includes experience coaching both nationally and internationally, giving her a broad understanding of the sport at all levels. In addition, she is an active voice in the swimming community, currently serving on the USA Swimming Coaches Advisory Council.
Her coaching philosophy blends high-performance standards with a deep investment in people, creating a culture where athletes and staff are empowered to thrive. Coach Chrissy leads with integrity, clarity, and a commitment to doing things the right way — always with a long view toward sustainable success.
As a member of Williams College Women’s Swimming and Diving Team, Chrissy earned multiple All-American Honors.
Coach Chrissy is excited to start a new adventure in Austin with Hill Country Aquatics.
Email Coach Chrissy at chrissy@hillcountryaquatics.com.
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Head Age Group Coach/Assistant Head Coach for Lakeside Aquatic Club, Dallas, TX
Head Age Group Coach of High Point Swim Club, High Point, NC
Aquatics Director/Swim Coach, The American School in Japan
Elected Member of USA Swimming Coaches Advisory Council, 2025-2028
Multiple-year ASCA Top 10 Age Group Coach of the Year
North Texas LSC Age Group Coach of the Year 2025
Presenter at ASCA 2023 World Clinic
Williams College Women’s Swimming and Diving, NCAA Div III All-American
Williams College Women’s Crew, NCAA Div III National Championship Team
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B.A. in Psychology, Williams College
Brett Ringgold
High Performance Development Coach
Coach Brett is deeply connected to Austin’s swimming community and brings a winning blend of elite competitive experience and technical expertise to Hill Country Aquatics. A native of Keller, Texas, Brett knows the state swimming landscape well and is committed to helping HCA swimmers reach their full potential.
As a member of the University of Texas Men’s Swimming and Diving Team, Brett was part of four NCAA Championship-winning teams and earned multiple individual Big 12 titles. Before UT, he represented the USA Swimming National Junior Team, capturing two medals at the FINA Junior World Championships.
Brett began his coaching career as a Volunteer Assistant for the University of Texas Men’s team and an Assistant Coach at Longhorn Aquatics. Holding a degree in Aerospace Engineering, Brett applies his deep understanding of biomechanics and fluid dynamics to swimming technique. This analytical perspective allows him to break down strokes scientifically and provide swimmers with precise, actionable feedback to optimize their efficiency and speed in the water. With his emphasis on stroke technique and his ability to clearly teach and communicate complex skills, Brett excels at helping swimmers refine their mechanics for maximum efficiency and speed.
At HCA, Brett works with swimmers across several groups, including Challenger, High Performance Prep, Senior, and High Performance.
We welcome him back to Austin along with his wife Quinn, their two children, and a lively flock of chickens.
Email Coach Brett at brett@hillcountryaquatics.com.
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4x NCAA Champion at the University of Texas
2x USA Swimming Olympic Trials
2x Medalist FINA Junior World Swimming Championships
3x Individual Big 12 Champion
USA Swimming National Junior Team Member
10x Medalist Junior National Championships
Head Coach of New Tech High School Swim Team
Assistant Coach of Tiger Shark Swim Team
University of Texas Men’s Swimming and Diving Volunteer Assistant Coach
Assistant Swim Coach Longhorn Aquatics
Longhorns Swim Camp Instructor
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B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas
Sadie Runeman
Assistant Coach
Coach Sadie brings years of competitive swim and coaching experience to Hill Country Aquatics. A product of the Austin USA Swimming scene, Sadie swam for the University of Texas Women’s Swimming and Diving team in college. It was during that time at UT that Coach Sadie discovered a passion for coaching and has been pursuing it ever since.
Email Coach Sadie at sadie@hillcountryaquatics.com.
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University of Texas Women’s Swimming and Diving Team
Member of Academic All-Big 12 First Team
Two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American
Head Swim Coach of Austin Country Club
Head Swim Coach of Western Hills Athletic Club
Head Swim Coach of Lakepointe Lazers
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B.A. in Sociology and Philosophy, University of Texas
Millie Sicko
Assistant Coach
Coach Millie joins Hill Country Aquatics from Michigan, where she grew up competing before joining the New Mexico State University Women’s Swim team in college. Millie’s enthusiasm for both swimming and coaching make her a fantastic addition to the HCA coaching staff.
Email Coach Millie at millie@hillcountryaquatics.com.
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New Mexico State University Women’s Swimming and Diving Team
Student Assistant Coach for New Mexico State University
Head Swim Coach of Lifetime Athletic in Bloomfield, Michigan
Assistant Swim Coach of Las Cruces Aquatic Team
Assistant Swim Coach Oakhurst Golf and Country Club
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B.C.J. in Criminal Justice with Supplementary Major in Law and Society, New Mexico State University
Jack Laughlin
Assistant Coach
Coach Jack joins Hill Country Aquatics with a genuine love of swimming, a desire to give back to the sport, and a passion for coaching. A Wisconsin native, Jack moved to Daytona Beach, Florida as a teenager, later swimming collegiately at Loyola University New Orleans before finding his way back to the sport through coaching.
Outside the pool, Coach Jack has twice participated in the Ability Experience's Journey of Hope, a cross-country cycling fundraiser supporting people with disabilities, both as a cyclist and a project manager. He is committed to helping every athlete grow — not just as a competitor, but as a person.
Email Coach Jack at jack@hillcountryaquatics.com.
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Site Lead Coach of Swim Y'ALL, Townlake YMCA
Cyclist & Project Manager, Journey of Hope, 2021 & 2024
Loyola University-New Orleans Men’s Swimming and Diving Team
NAIA National Championship Competitor, 2018
VCBS Ocean Rescue Operations
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B.A. in Business Administration & Management, Loyola University New Orleans