Coach Debbie has been involved in swimming for almost her entire life.  She started swimming competitively at the age of seven for West Valley Aquatic Team.  Swimming for West Valley during her entire US Swimming career, Debbie was afforded the rare opportunity of training with multiple Olympians and National level swimmers.  Training with such high caliber swimmers translated to great success as she was able to be a part of two nationally ranked relay teams and qualified for Junior Nationals as a sprinter.  

Debbie attended highly regarded Saint Francis High School where she was not only a 4-year CCS finalist, but also a two time All-American.  Her senior year she was voted captain of the high school team and earned Academic All-American honors. 

Her versatility, her ability to adapt, and her pride in “team” propelled her to change disciplines and become a distance swimmer while attending UC San Diego.  Although injuries cut her career short, she did have 2 successful years swimming for the Tritons.  She graduated in 1994 with a degree in Chemistry and minors in teaching and physical education.

Debbie’s coaching career, as well as her teaching career, began at Yerba Buena High School in 1995.  For five years she coached and taught Chemistry at Yerba Buena High School.  During this short time, she took a team, filled mostly with kids that just wanted to learn to swim, and guided them to two league titles.  Over this span, she was instrumental in numerous swimmers achieving recognition as individual League Champions.  In 2000, Debbie decided to transfer to Santa Teresa High School, where she joined forces with Tom Lebherz, coaching the high school team as well as South Valley Swim Team.  In the years she has been there, Santa Teresa has been a perennial contender for the Mt. Hamilton Athletic League Championship and won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009.  

Today, Debbie teaches Physical Education and is the Department Chair at Santa Teresa High School.  Her passion for kids, both in the pool and in the classroom, is what drives her to succeed every day.  She currently lives in Gilroy with her husband, Michael, whom she met at a swim meet in which they were both participating.  

Debbie truly loves the sport of swimming, and loves to impart her knowledge and passion for the sport on her young swimmers today.  Under her tutelage and guidance, Debbie truly desires her swimmers find great success, in and out of the water. 

 You can contact Debbie at: coachdebbie@morganhillmakos.com