Art Vera
Art Vera started his competitive swimming career at 8 years old swimming for teams in the Colonial League, NVSL, and USA/Potomac Valley Swimming. Along with honing a competitive spirit, making lifelong friends, and instilling discipline, swimming gave him the opportunity to travel all over the Nation. He competed at meets as far north as Buffalo, New York to as far west as Santa Cruz, California and the sense of adventure has stuck with him.
Art began coaching at 17 for the Belle Haven Country Club. From there, he went on to receive the American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor certificate to teach swimming on an individual level at pools for Fairfax County RECenters and currently for the past 3 years at the McLean Racquet & Health Club.
Even with his time as a competitive swimmer long behind him, swimming will always be essential in Art's life. Swimming is still teaching him new skills and taking him new places. At college in California, he learned to surf, and has since surfed the coasts of several states and some countries including Mexico, Uruguay, and Japan. This past year, he lived abroad in Japan teaching English and American culture, and was fortunate enough to teach swimming as part of the Physical Education curriculum.
Art will be working with the Mini FISH at Spring Hill RECenter and the AG swimmers at Wakefield.
