My name is Jeff Natalizio. As a strength coach, I helped Anthony Ervin in 2016 to achieve a second individual Olympic gold medal in the 50m Freestyle at the record-setting age of 35. As a swim coach, I am the National Team Coach of Evolution Racing Club in Southern Orange County, California, where I train young swimmers to be the best athletes and citizens they can be; this includes strength training, aquatic training, mental training, assistance with the college recruiting process, and community outreach. Although my collegiate career ended after four years competing at UC Berkeley, I continue to practice the craft of swimming. The pool is my lab, where I experiment and continue to develop my understanding of stroke mechanics as I train for races with US Masters Swimming, for which I have broken multiple records. Additionally, in 2016, I made a successful attempt to qualify for the US Olympic Trials, where I was the second oldest swimmer who competed. I have helped my swimmers get recruited to top NCAA programs including UC Berkeley (AKA Cal), USC, UCSB, Georgetown, UCSD, UC Davis, George Washington University, etc. In 2022, I was invited to be the featured guest for Episode #274 of the hugely popular swimming podcast "Inside with Brett Hawke".
Jeff Natalizio
Swim Coach, Strength Coach, Artist
Training athletes to perform better, feel better, and increase longevity in every athletic endeavor.
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Email:
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Associations:
Evolution Racing Club* (EVO-CA) - National Team Coach (2014-Present)
USA Swimming National Team - Coach (2016-2018)
PKAMC (Serbian Swim Club) - Head Strength & Conditioning
Coach, Associate Head Swim Coach (2013-2014)
Cal Men's Swimming - Athlete (2000-2004)
US Masters' Swimming - Athlete (2011-Present)
Urban Fitness Oakland - Trainer (2010-2013)
Bear Aquatics - Head Coach (2010-2011)
Irvine Novaquatics - Athlete (1987-2002)
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*FKA Gators Swim Club (GSC-CA)
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EDUCATION / TRAINING
2010-Present
NSCA Certification
Certified CSCS
As a strength coach, I earned a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist designation from the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association).
2000-2004
B.A. Art Practice
UC Berkeley
I swam for the Varsity D1 Cal Men's Swim program from 2000-2004 while attending UC Berkeley as an undergraduate, majoring in Art Practice, from 2000-2004. During my career with the Bears, I achieved Top 10 All-Time rankings, competed at PAC-10s and NCAAs, and earned All-American Honors. I was named a co-team captain my senior year.
1996-2000
High School Diploma
Irvine High School
I swam for Irvine High School's Varsity Swim Team from 1996-2000 and NOVA Swim Club (CA) while a student at Irvine High. As a Vaquero, I earned a CIF team championship my senior year.
AFFILIATIONS
PRESS
TESTIMONIALS
ANTHONY ERVIN
Jeff understands the strengths and deficiencies of the human body when it comes to fast swimming in the pool. It is with Jeff that I built my strength and conditioning during my preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. There, I won gold. Moreover, I’ve watched Jeff over the years develop swimmers of all levels to become not only better in the water or as athletes, but also as leaders on their team and in their community.
MARRIOTT HOFFMAN
I had the opportunity to work with Coach Jeff from my junior year of high school on into my freshman year of college and it changed my perspective on swimming as a whole. He is the most creative coach I have ever had the chance to work with. He breaks the sport down like a science and looks at each individual swimmer with a different eye and sees where our strengths and weaknesses lie and what type of changes need to be made. Our group had 25+ swimmers at each workout and he still found a way to individually point out something that we could work daily. His dedication is unmatched and I know that every time I showed up for practice, each workout had a purpose and goal. He is very motivating and cares a lot about each of his swimmers which is something you cannot say about some coaches. Throughout the college process, he was extremely proactive and reached out to a lot of schools that he knew were of interest to me and helped them know a part of me that couldn’t just be explained just through times. He works to build leaders, not only as an athlete but as a student and citizen as well.
SEBASTIJAN HIGL
Jeff was in 2013/2014 important part of our team. His strength and conditioning program and the way we transfer it in water was something new and revolutionary for us and our elite swimmers. We learned a lot from him during the time he was with us and continue to work with his plan that lead us and our best swimmer Caba Siladji to some incredible improvements and breaking 1 minute in 100m breaststroke prior the Olympic year.
CABA SYLADJI
Working with you for one year showed me something new. At the beginning it was all about fun because every practise was something new. After a few month it became a routine but the improvement was obvious so it made me push it with more enthusiasm. The main difference was not even the new training method, but the attitude you put it in our every session. I learned from you that swimming isn't just white and black, but it has all of the colours. Your way of motivation was crucial for the good atmosphere in the pool and at the gym also! Hvala brate!
BELA PATINO
Coach Jeff has been an integral part of my swimming career, he has helped not only physically but mentally as well. His constant support not only helped me overcome a low point that I never thought I could come back from, but also helped me build my confidence and taught me that any challenge can be overcome with resilience. His coaching has impacted more than just my swimming but has also revealed concrete life lessons that are applicable to my every-day life. His guidance helped me understand more about myself that I wouldn’t have comprehended without his advice, and without his direction I wouldn’t be where I am today. Through the early stages of my swimming, he was able to make a profound impact on me that led to my decision to continue swimming into a collegiate level, which he led me through each step of the way. His persistence and experience assisted me in the difficult process of my college decision, which I couldn’t be more thankful for.
Outside of the pool, Jeff is someone that I know I can rely on as a role model and a trustworthy individual. My junior year in high school proved to be a really challenging year for me. Through these hardships, Coach Jeff provided me with boundless knowledge and advice. His deep care for the wellness of his swimmers showed through his constant support and attentiveness to detail, that allowed him to create an atmosphere of openness and acceptance. Jeff helped shape me as not only a swimmer, but a person as well.
ANTHONY ERVIN
(Olympic Champion 2000, 2016 - Team USA)
Jeff understands the strengths and deficiencies of the human body when it comes to fast swimming in the pool. It is with Jeff that I built my strength and conditioning during my preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. There, I won gold. Moreover, I’ve watched Jeff over the years develop swimmers of all levels to become not only better in the water or as athletes, but also as leaders on their team and in their community.
CABA SILADJI
(Olympian, National Team - Serbia, PKAMC)
Working with Coach Jeff for one year showed me something new. At the beginning, it was all about fun because every practice was something new. After a few months it became a routine, but the improvement was obvious so it made me push it with more enthusiasm. The main difference was not even the new training method, but the attitude Coach Jeff put it in our every session. I learned from him that swimming isn't just white and black, but it has all of the colours. His way of motivation was crucial for the good atmosphere in the pool and at the gym also! Hvala brate!
SEBASTIJAN HIGL
(Coach - Serbia, PKAMC)
Jeff was in 2013/2014 important part of our team. His strength and conditioning program and the way we transfer it in water was something new and revolutionary for us and our elite swimmers. We learned a lot from him during the time he was with us and continue to work with his plan that lead us and our best swimmer Caba Siladji to some incredible improvements and breaking 1 minute in 100m breaststroke prior the Olympic year.
MARRIOTT HOFFMAN
(Swimmer - UCSB, Gators Swim Club)
I had the opportunity to work with Coach Jeff from my junior year of high school on into my freshman year of college and it changed my perspective on swimming as a whole. He is the most creative coach I have ever had the chance to work with. He breaks the sport down like a science and looks at each individual swimmer with a different eye and sees where our strengths and weaknesses lie and what type of changes need to be made. Our group had 25+ swimmers at each workout and he still found a way to individually point out something that we could work daily. His dedication is unmatched and I know that every time I showed up for practice, each workout had a purpose and goal. He is very motivating and cares a lot about each of his swimmers which is something you cannot say about some coaches. Throughout the college process, he was extremely proactive and reached out to a lot of schools that he knew were of interest to me and helped them know a part of me that couldn’t just be explained just through times. He works to build leaders, not only as an athlete but as a student and citizen as well.
BELA PATINO
(Swimmer - George Washington University, Gators Swim Club)
Coach Jeff has been an integral part of my swimming career, he has helped not only physically but mentally as well. His constant support not only helped me overcome a low point that I never thought I could come back from, but also helped me build my confidence and taught me that any challenge can be overcome with resilience. His coaching has impacted more than just my swimming but has also revealed concrete life lessons that are applicable to my every-day life. His guidance helped me understand more about myself that I wouldn’t have comprehended without his advice, and without his direction I wouldn’t be where I am today. Through the early stages of my swimming, he was able to make a profound impact on me that led to my decision to continue swimming into a collegiate level, which he led me through each step of the way. His persistence and experience assisted me in the difficult process of my college decision, which I couldn’t be more thankful for.
Outside of the pool, Jeff is someone that I know I can rely on as a role model and a trustworthy individual. My junior year in high school proved to be a really challenging year for me. Through these hardships, Coach Jeff provided me with boundless knowledge and advice. His deep care for the wellness of his swimmers showed through his constant support and attentiveness to detail, that allowed him to create an atmosphere of openness and acceptance. Jeff helped shape me as not only a swimmer, but a person as well.