Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Phone: (616) 634-2044
Fax: (616) 365-9254
Email: CoachAlex@grnsa.org
Meet the Grand Rapids Aquatics Coaching Staff:
HEAD COACH
GROUP(S): Gold & Green Groups
PHONE: (616) 634-2044
OFFICE HOURS: Mondays-Fridays (11:30 am. - 2:30 p.m.)
EMAIL: CoachAlex@grnsa.org
Alexander Brinks joined the Grand Rapids Aquatics coaching staff in January of 2011. His primary objectives are to help age group swimmers to develop as young student-athletes and to provide children living in the South Grand Rapids area with preliminary exposure to the sport of swimming.
While in high school, Brinks taught swim lessons for Hudsonville Public Schools from 2002 to 2005. He spent the next four years swimming and studying at Oakland University (OU), and from 2005 to 2008, Alex was a lifeguard and swim lessons instructor for the Oakland University Rec Center throughout the school year and for Grand Rapids Parks and Rec during the summer time.
In 2009, after graduating from Oakland with a B.A. in English, Alex began coaching and substitute teaching for Grand Rapids Public Schools. During the 2009-2010 school year, he assistant coached the Ottawa Hills High School girls and boys teams and also coached the West Michigan Masters group at Grand Rapids Community College.
From 2010 to the present, Brinks has been the head coach for the Ottawa Hills High School girls team. He head coached the South Middle Schools (Alger, Gerald R. Ford, & U-Prep Academy) co-ed swim team from 2010 to 2014. He is an ASCA Level 2 coach and lifeguard instructor. From 2010 to 2011, Alex has also worked as a pool supervisor at the Salvation Army Kroc Center and an assistant manager at Martin Luther King Park.
A native to West Michigan, Alex was born in Grand Rapids and grew up in Hudsonville. He started swimming at seven years old with the Hudsonville Dolphins & Jenison Wildcats Community Swim Teams. Brinks went on to swim for West Michigan Swimmers (WMS), Hudsonville High School, and Oakland University. In his 16 years as a competitive swimmer, Alex has been an age group state champion, high school All-American, and earned Academic All-Conference honors all four years in college.
LEAD AGE GROUP COACH
GROUP(S): Blue & High School Groups
PHONE: (616) 516-5099
EMAIL: Branden.Graf@kentwoodps.org
Coach Graf joined the Grand Rapids Aquatics Coaching Staff in 2021. He was born and raised in Kentwood and attended Kentwood Public Schools K-12th Grade. First Instructing swimming at Sunnybrook Country Club in 2005, Branden continued on to teach swimming lessons at East Kentwood's Pool starting in 2007. In 2012 he began teaching lifeguard classes. Coach Graf began coaching the KPS Middle School Girls Team in 2014, before becoming the Head Middle School Coach for both the Boys and Girls in 2018. Graduating from Calvin University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School, he is a licensed defense attorney practicing in Kent County District and Circuit Courts.
Branden has also worked as the Assistant Varsity Coach for the East Kentwood High School Girls for 2 years. As the K-12 Aquatic Development Coordinator at Kentwood, he has worked to increase interest in swimming among Kentwood students and develop talent and growth for Kentwood's Scholastic Teams. He is both an Lifeguard Instructor (LGI) and Water Safety Instructor (WSI).
Branden started swimming in 3rd grade on the Age Group Swim Team before racing with Kentwood's Middle School and High School Teams earning varsity letters with honors all 4 years. He also played water polo during that time.
ASSISTANT AGE GROUP COACH
GROUP(S): Green Group & Stroke School
EMAIL: CoachBecca@grnsa.org