JIM WILLIS - HEAD COACH
Jim is a former Y swimmer from Brockton, MA, a four year letterman and a graduate of the University of Maine. Jim was the coach of the Bangor Y for 5 years, the Canoe City Swim Club (Old Town Y) for 9 years, and the St. Croix Dolphins coach for 3 years before moving to Bar Harbor. While in St. Croix, Jim was the National Coach for the US Virgin Islands at the 1999 Pan Am Games, 2000 Olympic Games, and 2001 World University Games. He is an ASCA Level 4 Coach and the former General Chair of Maine Swimming. Jim was the Maine Swimming Coach of the Year for both 2014 and 2015. He was inaugurated into the Brockton High School Hall of Fame in 2016.
​
Jim lives in Bar Harbor with his his two children Tyler and CassieLyn.
PURANJOT KHALSA - ASSISTANT COACH
Puranjot moved to MDI from Rhode Island in 1998 to attend College of the Atlantic, where she graduated with a focus in education and adolescent psychology. She has worked as an educator and community builder in numerous settings over the past 14-years, including the MDI Bio Lab, the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, College of the Atlantic, and currently as the Managing Director an international yoga teachers association and founder (with her husband) of the island non-profit, Open Table MDI. Puranjot is personally a very active swimmer and hopes her dedication highlights how swimming truly is a lifelong sport. When not in the MDI Y pool, you’ll likely find her in the lakes of MDI, pursuing her #1 passion: open-water swimming. She has competed in several open-water ultra-marathons and most recently took 1st Place for Women in the 10-Mile Kingdom Swim in Lake Memphremagog, Newport, VT (July 2019).
​
Puranjot lives in Bar Harbor with her husband Mahan Deva, and their three children: Isaac (Senior @ MDI HS), Asha (Freshman at MDI HS) and Samara (8th grader @ CES), who swims for the Sharks.