2026 Coaching Staff
Beth Costello (Head Coach)
Coach Beth brings over 30 years of competitive swimming and coaching experience to the pool. A former standout athlete with state titles and records to her name, Beth has dedicated her career to developing swimmers of all levels—from beginners to champions. For over 20 years, she has been a cornerstone of the Decatur, GA swimming community, leading the Decatur Gators and establishing the Decatur Family YMCA Bluefins as a formidable competitive force. Her extensive coaching background also includes tenures with Dynamo, MAAC, and DeKalb Aquatics, and she currently serves as the Head Coach for both the Atlanta International School and Special Olympics.
Beth’s coaching philosophy bridges technical mastery and physical conditioning with a supportive team environment. She is committed to instilling the values of discipline, sportsmanship, and teamwork, preparing her athletes for success both in the water and in life.
Beyond competitive coaching, Beth is a highly specialized instructor who believes swimming is a vital life skill. She enjoys working with all ages and abilities, from infant lessons to competitive athletes. Her expertise spans children's lessons, adult learn-to-swim programs, stroke refinement, and adaptive aquatics. Whether working with a first-time swimmer or a seasoned athlete, Beth tailors her approach to meet individual needs, fostering a lifelong love for the water while prioritizing safety and technique. Her goal is to create a fun, engaging environment that empowers every student to become a confident, skilled swimmer.
Look for her in the pool!
Email:[email protected]
Katie Christy (Lead Assistant)
We are thrilled to welcome Katie to the DHGC Dolphins!
Katie grew up swimming summer league in Atlanta at Cherokee Town and Country Club and looks back on those days fondly. She is still close with many of her childhood teammates and understands just how special those summers (and the memories they create) are for both swimmers and families. In fact, Katie still holds a few Cherokee swim team records and CCSL Championship Meet records to this day!
Katie is an alpha omega alum of The Westminster Schools, where she served as a Varsity Swim and Dive team captain her senior year. Throughout high school, Katie helped lead the Wildcats to two Girls State Championship titles and multiple state records, and earned multiple individual State Champion titles. Outside of Westminster, Katie swam year-round with Dynamo Swim Club in Chamblee.
Katie went on to study Journalism and Sports Media at the University of Southern California, where she also competed for the NCAA Division I Women’s Swim and Dive team. While at USC, she helped her team win the 2016 Pac-12 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship her freshman year. Katie is a true IM-er and swears by strong starts and underwaters. Her main college events were 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 Backstroke, and 200 Freestyle.
Outside of the pool, Katie has built an impressive career in sports media. She landed her first major journalism role working in live television production with NBC at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Since then, Katie has worked extensively across the country in television production and sports digital media with NBC Sports, private K-12 schools, and others.
Katie also previously coached the Boys and Girls Varsity Swim and Dive Teams at Westminster, where she helped coach the Varsity Girls team to back-to-back State Championship titles in 2023 and 2024. Both years, Katie and the staff earned the Georgia High School Swim Coaches Association Coaching Staff of the Year Award. Over the years, Katie has coached swimming at various ages and levels and private lessons spanning ages 2-18 years old. Katie loves working with swimmers of all ages in the pool and is looking forward to creating fun memories for all Dolphins and growing their confidence in the pool.
In her free time, Katie enjoys hiking with her rescue pup, Friday (who has already visited 31 of 50 states!) traveling, painting, photography (looking forward to publishing her first book of photography this summer!), exploring new tea shops (with a preference for iced green tea), and searching for shark teeth along the beaches of Amelia Island. Katie is excited to join the DHGC Dolphins this summer and can’t wait to continue meeting everyone on the pool deck!
Email: [email protected]
Hope Hudson (Lead Assistant)
This is Hope’s first year coaching the Druid Hills Dolphins. She swam competitively for 10 years — 5 of those as a Dolphin herself! Hope is a strong IM swimmer and is up for the challenge of getting kids excited about butterfly. She is currently a media center paraprofessional at Mary Lin Elementary, where she has become experienced with children of all ages. As a swim coach, Hope meets each child where they are, supporting their growth as a swimmer. Come August, she will be earning her Master’s degree in speech-language pathology at Georgia State University. A fun fact about her is that she loves estate sales; she is a great treasure hunter!
Kelsey Ansbro (Lead Assistant)
After serving as a Dolphins coach for eight seasons, Kelsey retired from full-time coaching in 2025. However, we are thrilled to share that she will be back for a 9th season to assist with morning practices and teach lessons.
Kelsey is deeply passionate about working with children. She previously spent six years as an elementary school teacher at KIPP Vision Charter School. She now works as a Professional Development Specialist for Hello World, where she teaches educators how to teach computer science in engaging and meaningful ways.
Kelsey is excited to stay connected to the Dolphins for one more season, and we’re thrilled to have her continued involvement in our community.
Email:[email protected]
Kesler Campbell (Assistant Coach)
Kesler has been involved in competitive swimming since the age of four through her sophomore year of high school. She began her swim career with the Lake Claire Wahoos (ages 4–8) before continuing as a Dolphin from ages 8–14. She later competed for several club teams, including Dynamo and MAAC, and earned varsity letters in swimming during her freshman and sophomore years at Decatur High School.
In addition to her competitive experience, Kesler has developed a strong background in coaching and instruction. She served as a Graduate Assistant for DHGC in the summer and fall of 2021 and has been teaching private swim lessons since summer 2020. Kesler also helped coach Junior Dolphins the summer of 2021. Through her lessons, she works with swimmers of all ages to build technique, confidence, and water safety skills.
Kesler is passionate about both swimming and working with kids, and she brings that enthusiasm to every session. She is currently entering her third year at the University of Georgia, where she is majoring in Health services on the Pre-Physician Assistant track. Kesler is a strong breaststroke swimmer and she also specializes in teaching diving where she helps swimmers start their races with confidence and proper form. She is also great with younger kids as she loved her time helping with Junior Dolphins in the past. Kesler strives to help every kid to love swimming and make amazing summer memories while working to be the best swimmer they can be! Outside of swimming, Kesler enjoys nannying during the summer.
Email: [email protected]
Jake Verlander (Assistant Coach)
Email: [email protected]
Jake Verlander (Assisstant Coach)
Jake Verlander (Assistant Coach)
Jake Verlander (Assistant Coach)
Jake Verlander (Assistant Coach)
Jake Verlander has been competitively swimming for 14 years, including 5 years at Dynamo Swim Club, 10 years at Druid Hills Golf Club, and swimming for Druid Hills High School from eighth grade until twelfth grade. While swimming competitively, Jake has earned many high school and senior state cuts in addition to multiple sectional cuts. While swimming for Druid Hills High School, Jake placed in finals in both relay and individual events, setting a school record in the boys' 4x100 freestyle relay.
This will be Jake’s fourth year coaching for Druid Hills Golf Club. A strong value in Jake's coaching philosophy is helping swimmers become the best they can be. Jake believes that strong swimming performances come directly from hard work and dedication to becoming a better swimmer, made possible by the enjoyment and participation in practices throughout the season.
