A family of lifelong swimmers
When she is not teaching aquatics, she keeps busy traveling to a variety of locations to swim for fun and
adventure in places like Herradura Bay, Costa Rica, racing the Alligator Lighthouse Swim in the Florida
Keys or just casually logging meters with her mom, Bev, and brother, Mark.
“We're all lifelong swimmers,” Julie said. “My spry, 80-something year-old mom still competes and
teaches.”
Julie also enjoys paddleboarding and SCUBA diving.
Mark leads adventure surf and dive tours in Costa Rica, and Julie joins him on some of the group
excursions as her schedule allows.
Julie is also a certified SCUBA rescue diver. She trained with retired Navy Seal diver Bob Smith in Key
West. “It was tough, but it was great to be trained by the best,” she said. “As a rescue diver, you have to
be prepared for anything, and your safety must always come first.”
In her 20s she started studying martial art with Elmer Glove, a 7th degree black belt in Cho Chi Zen
karate.
Traveling alone for the art shows takes up much of her time, so to keep her defense mechanisms up to
par, she trains with Sarasota County Swat Commander and former sniper Marc Pazzella.
Shooting and hand-to-hand combat have become her newest hobbies.
“I was taught by the best and that’s what I want to be to my clients,” she said.
Right: Julie and her siblings
Mark and Jenny in younger
days.
Below: Julie with her mom,
Bev, and brother Mark.