Sami grew up in Reston, VA and began swimming competitively at the age of 9, with the Reston Association summer swim league. After qualifying and finishing in the top 3 of her events she started swimming year round with Curl-Burke Swim Club. She swam for South Lakes High for only one season as she participated in other sports and focused on her music.

Sami got back into competitive swimming with US Masters Swimming in 2003 and currently swims with Reston Masters. In 2004 she tried her first open water event found a new love for distance events and open water swimming. She continues to train and compete in open water swims, and has placed in the top ten of her age group in United States Masters Swimming national events.  She is currently training for USMS Long Course Nationals this August in Puerto Rico.

Sami as always enjoyed working with children, taught music in college and decided to volunteer with the Herndon Community Adaptive Aquatics program in 2005. She did so well with the children, she gained her Red Cross Water Safety Instructor certification and took over the program. Sami ran the Adaptive Aquatics program in addition to teaching pre-school swim classes for several years. In 2007 she coached her first season with Reston Association winter swim program and enjoyed getting the 8 & under age group kids ready for summer swim league.

After moving to Arlington, Sami began looking for swim programs closer to home.  This will be her first season with the Marlins and is looking forward to sharing her love of swimming and competition with the younger swimmers.

In addition to swimming, Sami has taken up Ice Hockey, and currently plays in a local women’s ice hockey league. She has found it to be an excellent cross training sport for her swimming.