50 Years, 50 Titans: Samantha Maiarana

Our Titan team has been lucky enough to have a great history of coaches that just know how to capture the attention and passion for the sport in some of our littlest teammates. Not everyone has the patience to continuously remind swimmers how to squash the tomato or the best way to perfect their peanut butter and jelly stroke during a Balloon Meet.  Lucky for us, our next spotlight happens to be one of them:  Samantha Maiarana

Coach Sam started coaching for Titans in 2009 and was the Stroke Development - Level 1 Coordinator until her retirement in 2018.  Throughout her entire nine years with our team she coached the younger levels, mostly Stroke Development and Level 1, but occasionally Level 2 as well.  Working with the little ones was her passion as she said it was so meaningful to introduce new swimmers the basics of all four strokes and then watch them develop into young athletes. 

Keeping again with our tradition of amazing coaching teams, Sam was part of some legendary Titan coaching duos. "I've had the pleasure of coaching with so many wonderful people throughout my Titans career but my three shout outs have to go to Coach Brandi, Coach Marissa and Coach Shaun. Brandi was my mentor from the beginning who taught me everything, Marissa, who is now one of my best friends, was an incredible coach with a passion for swimming like no other, and Shaun was my ride or die for many years."

Fun Facts About Sam:

• She started swimming in elementary school at Blessed Sacrament where her mom was actually her swim coach. She then continued swimming all the way through high school at Kenmore East. 

• As confident as I was to run the Stroke Development / Level 1 age groups the second Coach Scott asked me to correct a high school swimmers stroke I was petrified! We all knew where I belonged :) 

Q&A with Sam:

What is your favorite memory about being a Titan?

One of my greatest achievement as a Titans coach was gaining so many life long friends. The Titans family is such a bond that stays with you for life. I still keep in touch with many parents and all of the coaches I worked with are still my friends to this day. 

What was the one event or stroke you dreaded swimming?

I was not a sprinter so any 50’s we’re just a disaster for me. It was almost always a guaranteed last place finish.

Today Sam is living in the Town of Tonawanda with her husband Phil and her daughter Mia James who was born in October of 2021. She's currently an office manager at Dent Neurologic but did say that once her daughter is old enough to swim she can definitely see myself coming back in the Titans family.  We cannot wait!