Senior Team
Ellen Johnston
Head Senior Coach
This year Ellen's celebrates her 25th anniversary of coaching the Water Rat Swim Team. (Click to see photos of her anniversary party, which the team held in June 2011.) Ellen joined the team in November 1986 as an assistant coach, working with swimmers at every level in the program. She quickly became a full-time assistant coach and was promoted to Senior Coach in 1990. Prior to working in Westport, Ellen coached the Bulldog Swim Club in Bowie, Maryland, where she was the Senior II and Head Age Group Coach. She also coached all levels of the South Carolina Aquatic Team in Columbia. Ellen twice has been Connecticut Senior Coach of the Year and was nominated for the honor again in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Ellen strives to help her swimmers mature as individuals as they progress from the age group to senior level and she encourages them to challenge themselves physically and mentally every day.
Tom Behn
Assistant Senior/Age Group Coach
This will be Tom's third season with the Water Rats, where he coaches both the TAG and Senior program groups.Tom always loved the sport, swimming for fun as a child. He started coaching when his children were swimmers. He was the Head Age Group coach for the Stratford YMCA Sea Dogs and for 15 years was Head Coach of the Shelton/Monroe Rapids. He was voted Age Group Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2009. By day, he teaches at a school in Bridgeport.Tom truly believes swimmers can always improve and he is dedicated to helping them reach their potential.
Part-time Coaches
During the 2011-2012 seasons, the following coaches will assist the head senior coach:
Frisk Driscoll
Sue Seith
Pete Mesavage
Age Group Team
Mark Sedlak
Head Age Group Coach
Mark joined the Water Rat Swim Team at the beginning of the 2009-2010 Short Course season and the following year he was elected Coach of the Year by his peers in Connecticut Swimming. Mark came to Westport from Greenwich, where he was the Head Coach of the Greenwich YMCA Marlins for two years. Previously, Mark served as Head Junior Coach and Assistant Senior Coach for the New Canaan YMCA Caimans as well as Aquatics Director and Head Coach at Greenwich Country Club. A longtime swimmer, Mark swam for The Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey. Later, he was a varsity member of the Tar Heels Swimming Team while he earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of North Carolina (class of 1995). Coach Sedlak’s passion is coaching and participating in the development of young athletes at all levels.
Betsy Matheney
Assistant Age Group Coach
Betsy is starting her third season with the Water Rats. In this time, she has produced swimmers that were ranked eigth in the country and first in YMCA swimming as well as Connecticut Age Group Champions, Zone qualifiers, and Regional Champions. Betsy’s background includes swimming and working for USA Olympic coaches, Jack Nelson and Don Gambril. She was a multi-event All-American swimmer in both High School and College and a member of two American record-setting relays. Betsy worked 22 years at the internationally known Pine Crest School, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She is a member of the PC Athletic Hall of Fame and has over 50 athletes in the Hall of Fame in five different sports. Betsy’s specialty is her creativity and her ability to get the best out of all her athletes. She is known for her integrity, passion, and drive in all aspects of her coaching and teaching.
Part-time Coaches
During the 2011-2012 seasons, the following coaches will assist the head age group coach:
Barbara Pennington
8/Under Team
John Scaldini
8/Under Coach
John came to us during the 2010 Long Course season as an assistant for the Age Group program. Before that time, John was the Senior Coach for the Weston Swimming program and spent four years coaching swimming and water polo in California. John swam competitively for the BGNW Marlins of Mount Kisco, New York and John Jay High School and then went on to swim at Principia College in Illinois. Currently living in Fairfield with his wife Denise, John also works as the pool director and swim coach for The Patterson Club in Fairfield, Connecticut. Along with his experience, John brings loads of positive energy and lots of encouragement to the younger swimmers in our program.
Part-time Coaches
During the 2011-2012 season, the following coaches will assist the 8/Under coach:
Barbara Pennington