Paul Jenkins learned to swim at his local YMCA shortly after he learned to walk and quickly moved into competitive swimming in an era when there was never a guarantee the water would be heated though one could always be certain the coach would be crazy.
 
With more hours in more pools doing more miles under more coaches than he'd care to count, Paul eventually became a two-sport All-American (swimming and waterpolo).  After a brief tenure on the US National Waterpolo Team, Paul captained the US Naval Academy to its first NCAA Tournament. 
 
These days, Paul trains to be just good enough to show-off in the pools of moderately priced hotels in landlocked states.  He is willing to coach anyone who shows up at the pool, but is most proud of his work teaching special needs children to swim. 
 
Paul draws upon the one hundred years (give or take) of creative coaching he received throughout his aquatics career to develop workouts for the Gray Sharks and prides himself on creating an environment where the swimmers can never guess what's coming next, but always go home tired. You may contact Coach Paul at pjenkins246@msn.com.

Ellen Tobler’s first introduction to U.S. Masters Swimming was in 2006 when she wanted to improve her health and take a stab at her first open water competition (Chicago’s premier open water 5K, Big Shoulders). She returned to the water after 25 years and has not stopped swimming since.

A year later in the fall of 2007, Ellen and Kenneth Cohen co-founded the Leaning Tower YMCA’s (LTY’s) U.S. Masters Swimming team the Gray Sharks. During their first year as a team, they placed 8^th at the state championship meet and Ellen received the 2008 Illinois Masters Swimming Association’s (ILMSA) Coach of the Year award.

Ellen currently coaches the evening practices and manages the day-to-day affairs, finances, communications, and strategic planning for the team.

As well as working with the Gray Sharks, Ellen coaches the LTY’s youth age group and little sharks swim teams, the Sharks, in which her sons participates. She also serves on her Local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC)—Illinois Masters Swimming Association (ILMSA)—as the Vice Chair. She is a member of the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) and is on her way to being certified as an ASCA Level 1 Coach.

When she is not on deck or in the water, Ellen works as a Senior Account Manager for a leading healthcare marketing company. She is an avid outdoors person and novice bird-watcher who enjoys camping, hiking, and fresh-water swimming. She lives in Chicago with her husband Jim and two sons, Patrick (9) and Daniel (6). You may contact Coach Ellen at e.tobler@comcast.net.