Meet Our Coaches
The RAQ Swim Club coaching staff is comprised of coaches who come from a variety of athletic backgrounds including Synchronized/Artistic Swimming, Water Polo, Swim, Soccer, Volleyball, and Dance. All RAQ Swim Club coaching staff has up to date background checks as well as CPR/First Aid, as swimmer safety is a priority to our team.
Shannon Kelly Jones
ARTISTIC SWIMMING HEAD COACH
Shannon Kelly Jones brings a rare blend of elite athleticism, creative vision, and heartfelt mentorship to the world of artistic swimming. An accomplished artistic swimmer herself, Shannon’s career extends beyond competition and into iconic performance, having been cast in music videos for LL Cool J and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. She is also one of the very few artistic swimmers to perform at historic Hurst Castle in Lady Gaga’s music video, an experience that reflects both her technical excellence and captivating stage presence.
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As a coach, Shannon is known for her ability to inspire young athletes not only to master the skills of artistic swimming, but to genuinely love the sport. Her coaching philosophy centers on confidence, discipline, teamwork, and joy in the water. Athletes under her guidance develop strong fundamentals, expressive performance quality, and a deep appreciation for the artistry of the sport.
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Shannon is also a highly respected choreographer, recognized for creating innovative, winning routines that showcase each swimmer’s strengths while pushing the boundaries of creativity. Her leadership and vision have led her current team to earn the 2025 California State Games Championship title a testament to her dedication, expertise, and ability to build champions in and out of the pool.
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With a career that bridges competitive excellence and artistic expression, Shannon Kelly Jones continues to elevate artistic swimming and inspire the next generation of athletes.
Sue Nesbitt
ARTISTIC SWIMMING CONSULTANT
Sue Baross Nesbitt is an internationally renowned artistic swimming consultant whose influence spans more than five decades as an elite athlete, Olympic-level coach, and national team advisor.
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As a swimmer, Sue was a member of the Santa Clara Aquamaids, contributing to their historic first World Team title in 1973 and their Senior National Team Champions (indoor and outdoor) from 1973–1977. In 1973, she represented the United States at the World Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, where the American team captured first place.
Her competitive résumé is unparalleled. Sue was Outdoor Junior National Solo Champion in 1975 and went on to earn U.S. Senior National Solo titles in 1976 and both indoor and outdoor titles in 1977, also claiming the Senior National Duet titles with Linda Shelley. Internationally, she won gold at the 1975 World Aquatics Championships in Cali, Colombia, the Pan American Games in Mexico City, the Pan Pacific Games, the All Japan Invitational, and the Swiss Open in Bern. Over four years as a U.S. National Team member, Sue earned 14 international titles and 18 national titles, including two World Championships. In 1977, she was a finalist for the James E. Sullivan Award for Amateur Athlete of the Year and was inducted into both the Women’s Sports Foundation Hall of Fame and the Citizens Savings Hall of Fame.
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Transitioning seamlessly into coaching, Sue became a globally respected leader in athlete development. Throughout the 1980s, she worked extensively with the Canadian National Synchronized Swimming Team and coached the 1984 Australian Olympic Team, which competed in Los Angeles during synchronized swimming’s Olympic debut. Her coaching excellence earned her Coach of the Year honors in Ontario (1983) and Nova Scotia (1989).
In the United States, Sue served as Head Coach of the Riverside Aquettes, where she led the team to the 2006 National Junior Championship and was recognized as Age Group Developmental Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2002. In 2012, she was inducted into the Riverside Sports Hall of Fame. A strong advocate for healthy, sustainable athletic development, Sue emphasizes sound nutrition and positive habits while firmly rejecting body shaming.
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At the elite international level, Sue coached the USA Senior Team at the 2005 World Championships, the Junior National Team at the 2006 Junior World Championships, and the U.S. Junior National Team in 2010 alongside Olympian Kim Wurzel-Lo Porto. She has served as a consultant to the U.S. National Team since 1996, contributing her expertise to multiple generations of athletes.
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Beyond competitive sport, Sue has collaborated with major artists and productions, lending her artistic swimming expertise to projects with Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and other prominent musicians. She has appeared as herself on the television series Switched! and in the documentary Sync or Swim.
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In 2018, Sue returned to the water as a competitive swimmer to experience modern coaching from the athlete’s perspective—an experience that profoundly reshaped her coaching philosophy. Her comeback was remarkably successful, winning solo and duet gold at the World Masters Championships and defending her solo world title in 2019. She continues to compete, firmly believing artistic swimming plays a powerful role in healthy aging.
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Today, Sue Baross Nesbitt brings an unmatched blend of historical perspective, elite performance insight, and athlete-centered coaching philosophy to her role as an Artistic Swimming Consultant, inspiring excellence at every level of the sport.
