Harvard University varsity swimmer, Thai National Team swimmer. Competed at Asian Games in Seoul. Lots of international competition experience.

My three kids went to Long Lots, Bedford Middle School, and Staples, (not to mention a stint at Montessori Middle School and Unquowa School for two of them!). They all swam on WRAT, Weston, and Zeus and now run competitively.

• Matthew is 21 and a senior at Swarthmore.
• Leilani is 19 and a junior at Swarthmore. She gets to see her big brother everyday, as they both run on the XC and track team.
• Clarissa is 18 and a senior at Staples!

Staples High School Boys and Girls Head Coach, Ex NCAA Division 1 coach with 12 Olympians, multiple Olympic medalists, world record holders, and heaps of high school and college All-Americans to his coaching credits. Former women's swimming head coach at University of Hawaii, head coach at University of Nevada, and associate head coach at University of Alabama.

Brown University varsity swimmer and record holder. Two-time US Olympic Swimming Trials qualifier.

Former world-class springboard diver, NCAA Division I All-American, and Nevada Athletic Hall of Famer.

I’m passionate about helping young athletes build strong fundamentals, confidence, and a genuine love for diving. My experience as both an athlete and coach has taught me that with the right guidance, encouragement, and courage, every child can make meaningful progress on the board.

My coaching philosophy is simple: learn well, grow steadily, and enjoy the journey. I strive to create a positive, safe, and energetic environment where divers feel supported, challenged, and excited to improve.

Watching athletes discover what they’re capable of — often beyond what they imagined — is the most rewarding part of coaching.

Let’s learn, work hard, and have fun.

Masters swimmer with CT top 10 times, Masters relay former world record holder, Masters All American Relay, Collegiate Division III All American Relay.

• Our local open water celebrity and Staples graduate, former Staples swimmer, Finance professor at Fordham University
• Guinness World Record holder for achieving the Oceans Seven, which is the swimming equivalent of the Seven Summits
• Completed six 33.5 km crossings across the English Channel from England to France.
• Her most recent 33.5 km English Channel crossing set the world record for the oldest person ever to do a two-way 66.4 km crossing to join the 24-hour club.
• Honour Swimmer of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
• A few swim crossings of note: The Strait of Gibraltar, Catalina Island, Tsugaru Strait, Anacapa Island circumnavigation, Manhattan circumnavigation, Molokai Channel.
• Long-standing race director of the 25 km St. Vincent's Foundation Swim Across the Sound, an annual cancer fundraiser
• More about Liz's open water experience on Openwaterpedia and Dan Woog's 06880

• Swimming: Fairfield Prep, 3 year captain Loyola university. Multiple records
• Masters swimmer: Masters swimmer with multiple national top 10 times. Masters All American Relay, Masters swim coach level 3 , coach’s chair of the USMS LMSC
• Cycling: Competitive cyclist 34 years. Olympic trials 88, 92. World championships 89. Cycling coach 10 years
• Track: San Jose, Hellyer Park Velodrome junior track coach
• Lacrosse: 15 years, level 3 lacrosse coach youth through high school

Neil’s swimming journey began—quite literally sink or swim—when his dad tossed him off a diving board at age 5.

Growing up in The Woodlands, Texas, Neil trained under coaches who helped him develop a strong foundation in both technique and team leadership. As a high school captain, he was known for fostering inclusion, team spirit, and mentorship among younger swimmers.

Neil swam on the Atlanta Rainbow Trout Masters team. He later volunteered with New York Cares, teaching swim to underserved youth at Asphalt Green—an experience that deepened his belief in the power of swimming to build confidence and connection.

As a coach, Neil emphasizes not only skill development and performance but also personal growth, teamwork, and a love for swimming. 

Fun Facts:

• I once sat next to Gladys Knight on a “Midnight Plane to Georgia”.
• I was a food and candy buyer for over 100 WH Smith retail locations. I gained a lot of weight and met Famous Amos!
• Aside from my current two dogs, my favorite pet was, Homer, a Vietnamese pot-belly pig.
• I worked at Disney creating souvenirs for Broadway musicals. My office was once home to the Ziegfeld Follies and a ghost named Olive Thomas!

• Masters swimmer with multiple top 10 times,
• Masters relay former world record holder,
• Nationally-ranked age-group swimmer,
• Chair of Connecticut Masters swimming,
• Member/rower of the Saugatuck SurviveOars womens 8 team at the Head of the Charles Regatta 2025

• I came to swimming later in life (after 30!) so understand the difficulties of learning stroke technique when it doesn’t feel natural.
• I have 2 children in the Westport schools - Vivian, 11, at Bedford and Henry, 9, at Saugatuck. Viv swam with WRATs for a few years and Henry is just starting his swim journey here with WSC.
• When I’m not swimming at the Y or Compo with some of the other coaches, I’ll often be chasing surf up in Pt Judith, RI. I’ll happily get in the Atlantic from the balmy 70+ water temps of early fall to the upper 30s/low 40s of late January (with a thick wetsuit of course!).
• I am committed to helping children become confident and competent in water of all types, pool and beyond.

I am a lifelong swimmer, sailor, surfer, and participant in nearly every other aquatic activity. I swam for Boston University Masters Swim (BUMS) from 2004 to 2009. During that time, I also competed in numerous triathlons, including a half Ironman in New Hampshire.

I continued with masters when I moved to San Francisco in 2009. I swam with the team at the University of San Francisco until sailing and surfing took precedence over pool laps. However, I am happy to be back in the pool with Swim Fit at the Westport YMCA as well as open water swimming at Compo Beach in the summer.

I am a lifelong educator. Currently, I spend most of my days working with teachers instead of children, so I am thrilled to be coaching for the Westport Swim Club!

Fast Facts:

1. My daughter is a newly minted Whale Shark.
2. I coached Jr. Sailors in Youngstown, NY (my hometown) and in the British Virgin Islands.
3. I once swam from Alcatraz to San Francisco!
4. I rode my bike 100 miles down the California coast from Monterey to Big Sur.
5. I swam with a masters team at almost every stop on my move from Boston to San Francisco.

• 1980 US Olympic Swimming Trials qualifier
• Princeton University varsity swimmer and water polo player
• Competed in multiple open water swims while living in Southern California.