Terry Laughlin


Terry Laughlin is the Founder and Head Coach of Total Immersion. He has been swimming for 40 years, coaching since 1972 and teaching TI since 1989. Terry is an avid
open water swimmer and will be swimming in the 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in June 2006.

Hash Al-Mashat

A lifelong swimmer, Hash has been competing from an early age and continues to do so as a Masters swimmer, in both pool and open water races as well as triathlon.

Hash has been a Total Immersion Teaching Professional
since January of 2003. He is currently a coach at the TI swim studio in New Paltz, as well as the Head Coach of the Hawks, a competitive age-group swim team.

Hash teaches beginner to advanced in all strokes, specializing in advanced teaching of the 4 strokes as well as speed and performance training.

Cari Laughlin

Cari Laughlin, coming from a family of swimmers, has
been playing in the water for as long as she can remember, and teaching with Total Immersion for the past 6 years. Since 2003 she has coached 3 age-group competitive swim teams, including her most current gig as the develop-mental coach for the 10 and under kids on the year-round New Paltz Hawks.

In 2004 Cari completed teacher training with the world-renowned baby swimming teachers Rob and Kathy McKay in Boca Raton, FL and is eager to introduce parents and children to the joys of being at home in the water.

Cari also has a particular interest is in teaching water phobic individuals and
adult beginners, as well as applying TI methods to disabled swimmers, including amputees, paraplegics, quadriplegics, those with MS, as well as autistic and mentally impaired individuals.

Greg Sautner

Greg began his triathlon career as a mere beginner at best. In his first triathlon back in 1998, Greg remembers using the breaststroke during the entire swim out of fear of putting his face in the water. Despite the terrifying experience, Greg was hooked on triathlon and decided to devote his life to it. Years of dedication toward learning finally produced success in 2004 where Greg won 7 out of 11 triathlons he entered. In 2005 Greg turned professional and continued his dream of being a world champion. With relatively mediocre results, Greg was unsatisfied with his position among the elites. Feeling the pressure of results somewhat soured Greg’s passion for the sport and left him once again searching for an easier and better way. This brought him to Terry and Total Immersion. Since March Greg has been working with Terry and has rekindled his love and passion for triathlon.

Along the way Greg discovered that his experience could be used to help others. Greg became the Head Coach of Cross Country at SUNY New Paltz last fall and welcomes the challenge of rebuilding the team. With his newly found physical and spiritual awareness Greg’s main goal of coaching at the collegiate level is to provide his athletes with a better, more enjoyable approach to there running that will be long lasting years after they graduate.

Beth Taylor

Coach Beth Taylor, a certified Total Immersion coach, works at the Total Immersion (T.I.) Swim Studio in New Paltz, NY. Beth works closely with founder and CEO (Chief Executive Optimist) Head Coach Terry Laughlin, participating in frequent training sessions which enable her to coach with the most recent T. I. knowledge.

Beth has been a swim instructor for almost six years and has instructed at the T.I. Swim Studio for two years. She coaches all ages and abilities, ranging from 6 month old Parent and Tot classes to adult improvement, but she specializes in toddler/child learn to swim, age group swim improvement, and special needs children. Experience, the will to greet challenges, and the pursuit of a Doctorate in Physical Therapy gives Coach Beth the unique ability to work with all swimmers.

She is also the full-time Assistant Coach of the USA Swimming team the Hawks - the only T. I. team, with Head Coach Erin Quinn and T.I. volunteer coaches Kate Gulitti and Dave Barra.

Mike Trunkes

Mike began his relationship with Terry as an age group swimmer 30 years ago. After several years of competitive swimming, he began a successful running career into college continuing to the present day. A natural progression led him to triathlon where he achieved overall wins in most Long Island events. His knowledge of competition coupled with his success in running and swimming made his advice sought after, and he began coaching swimming and running with a Long Island triathlon team.


In October 2005, Mike and his wife moved to New Paltz for the great training and organic lifestyle, and in December Mike joined the TI family of coaches. His focus has been on working to improve the techniques of Triathlete’s and Master’s swimmers, as well as introducing TI to adults learning to swim.

Mike and his wife, Petra, also own and operate Hungry Ghost Guest House, a Bed and Breakfast catering to vacationer’s seeking to incorporate an active and healthy lifestyle into their holidays.