2026 Season
We are thrilled to welcome back Coach Beth for her umpteenth season at the helm for the Oak Park Piranhas! Assisting this year will be Leighton Livengood and Sophie Key.
Feel free to reach out to the coaches through email at [email protected]
Coach Beth has been part of Oak Park since 2011 and loves being on deck with the team. A former Oak Park swimmer herself—back when the team was the Acorns, before becoming the Piranhas—she also swam for New Wave. Beth’s coaching philosophy centers on fostering a love of swimming above all else, with the goal of developing lifelong swimmers, not just short-term champions. Her favorite event is the 100 IM.
Coach Leighton has been a proud member of the Oak Park Swim Team since she was 9 years old, and it’s been the highlight of her summers ever since. For the past three years, she’s loved coaching the Guppies and also works as a lifeguard at OPK. Leighton swims year-round with Enloe High School and New Wave. Outside the pool, she enjoys dancing and babysitting around the neighborhood. She’s grateful to coach such an encouraging, community-driven team and is excited for another great summer. Go Piranhas!
Coach Sophie has been part of the OPK swim team since she was 8 years old and has loved it ever since. She has spent the past few summers coaching Guppies, working as a lifeguard, and swimming on her high school team—where she often competes in the 100 breaststroke (her favorite!). Sophie is thrilled to be an assistant coach this year and is looking forward to a fun and exciting summer. OPK has nurtured her love for swimming, and she’s excited to share that passion with the next generation of Piranhas.
Coach Mitch is excited to be returning home to Oak Park this season. Mitch swam here from ages seven to eighteen, and coached the team many summers alongside his brothers as well as Coach Beth. He also swam year-round for New Wave and CY (now YOTA) and for Enloe High School.
Mitch is helping with stroke technique and mechanics here on the front end of the season. Mitch love the water, and he love helping kids (and adults) find their own ways with it. He's also certified in scuba diving and freediving and often travels to warm climates to swim with the wonderful creatures of the sea.
Out of the water, Mitch design residential remodels and new construction homes at Danforth Designed. He also guide expansive thinking and ideation experiences through his most recent creative endeavor, Dive Party.