The Sharks Coaching Staff:

Head Coach: 

Rachel Banes  - [email protected]

Coach Banes grew up in Cypress, Texas where she swam for FLEET and Cypress Creek HS. Coach Banes has coached many youth sports including swimming, water polo, diving, and gymnastics. For the last eleven years, Coach Banes has been the Head Swimming, Water Polo and Diving Coach at The Woodlands College Park HS. Coach Banes has led her team to the State Swimming and Diving Championship for the past 11 years straight. She's had the honor of coaching several state champions and school record breakers.

Coach Banes graduated with a Kinesiology degree and a minor in Sports Business from the University of Houston. She is currently a chemistry, biology and physics special education teacher. Coach Banes is happily married to Jason who also coaches soccer and cross country. She enjoys watching her two sons in their personal sports. Blade(18) enjoys playing volleyball. He is currently the Texas State girls Volley Ball team manager studying Kinesiology and Sports Business. Jett(15) plays club soccer, runs cross country and track for Caney Creek HS.

Coach Blade is currently a freshman at Texas State University. He participated on the CP football team, men's volleyball team and is part of the club men's vball team MOCO. He has been coaching swimming at FINS for the past two yeasr. Over the past nine years Blade participated on the Cypresswood Sharks Swim team and assisted with the NEMO and Bronze groups. Blade grew up in the pool and has also participated for the Lexington Woods Water Rascals and the North Spring Swim team. In his free time he enjoys spending time with family and friends. 

Coach Makayla, a native of Spring, Texas, began her swimming journey with the Cypresswood Sharks. Her dedication to the sport led her to compete with Swim Streamline at Northampton, Swim Ohana, and Premier Aquatics Club of Klein. Currently, she is a Division I swimmer at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ.

With over four years of experience providing private swim lessons to children of varying skill levels, Coach Makayla has helped young swimmers progress from overcoming water anxiety to mastering legal strokes across a 25-yard pool. Her hands-on experience has deepened her understanding of effective coaching techniques.

Now, Coach Makayla is thrilled to give back to the team that first ignited her passion for swimming. She looks forward to inspiring and guiding the next generation of athletes.