February Newsletter 2018

 

Upcoming Events

February 7 Calle’s Almost Last Live Ball 6:00-7:30p
Pizza will be served
February 16 Winter Olympics Tennis Social 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
February 24-25 VCJTA Novice Tournament at WAC
March 24 or 25 Karl’s Pickleball Tournament

New Fitness Fundamentals Class

on Mondays @ 6:30p

Click here for flyer

 

Did You Know?

By Ann Reeder

Did you know if you refer someone to Westlake Athletic Club and they sign a contract to join our club, you receive a $75 referral credit to your account the following month? Make sure they include your name on the contract when they sign up.

 

GM letter

Dear Members,
I hope everyone’s New Year is off to a terrific start. Hopefully some of you followed our advice last month and began a 30 minute/30 day challenge and are well along your way to completing your challenge and ultimately a healthier lifestyle. This month I would like to talk about pushing yourself a little harder and what the benefits are from increasing the intensity of your workout.

Robert Marchand, a French centenarian took up cycling after he retired and quickly began setting age group records in cycling. While he cycled regularly, he trained at a more leisurely pace than most athletes, yet was able to continue to set age group records. After visiting an exercise physiologist and adjusting his workouts to include more intense workouts Robert was able to substantially better his records and at the age of 103 was able to set a new world record for the most miles pedaled in an hour by a centenarian. Wow! That should be inspirational for all of us!

While there are many different methods of increasing your workout intensity, I would like to focus on High-Intensity-Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT workouts involve short periods of intense exercise alternated with active recovery periods. One of the biggest advantages of HIIT is that you get maximum health benefits in minimal time. Typically, HIIT workouts last between 10 and 30 minutes. Despite how short these workouts are, they can produce health benefits similar to twice as much moderate intensity workouts. The activity being performed varies and can include running, biking, elliptical training, jump rope or other exercises using body weight.

For example, a HIIT workout using the treadmill could consist of 30 seconds of sprinting, followed by several minutes of slow, easy jogging at a slower pace. This would be considered one “round” and you would typically complete between 5 and 10 rounds. The specific amount of time you exercise and recover will vary based on your fitness level and how intensely you are exercising. Regardless of how it is implemented, high intensity intervals should involve short periods of vigorous exercise that increases your heart rate, followed by recovery periods that allow your heart rate to drop.Benefits from high intensity training include: burning a lot of calories in a short period of time, metabolic rate remains higher for hours after exercise and will help burn fat, improving oxygen consumption levels and reducing heart rate and blood pressure.

There are many ways to implement HIIT into your exercise routine. To begin, select the activity (running or biking would be the easiest) first. Depending on your fitness level, experiment with different durations of exercise and how long you are performing the intense and recovery intervals. Inter mix your HIIT training into your workout routine 1 or 2 times per week. The bottom line is high intensity interval training is a very efficient way to exercise and will help you burn more calories and we strongly recommend you give it a go! If you have any questions feel free to touch base with Peter.

On a bitter sweet note, I must inform you that Calle Hansen will be leaving WAC. On the one hand, I am very excited for Calle and Rosie as they depart on their new adventure in Eugene, Oregon to be closer to family. On the other, we will miss Calle tremendously and are sad to see him go! Calle has been with the club 12 years and has helped grow the tennis program significantly since coming on board. He is adored by both the members, teammates and all the staff! We will miss his friendship and his never ending positive outlook on life! He has brightened all of our days with his infectious smile and optimistic attitude. Good luck Calle. We wish you the best in this next chapter of your life. Stay in touch!!

Have a Healthy Day,
John Sutcliffe
General Manager

Members of the Month

Cindy and Nick O’Hare: Slowing Down is NOT an Option for this Couple
By Ann Reeder

One of my favorite parts of being the Front Desk Manager at Westlake Athletic Club is the time I spend assisting members and getting to know them on a personal level. So many of you have interesting and varied life stories and are an inspiration to the staff. Cindy and Nick O’Hare are certainly an example of this.

The O’Hares joined WAC over a year and a half ago when their previous club closed its doors. Front Desk Staff member, Beth Falikoff, encouraged them to check out our club to see if it was a fit for them. After taking a tour and seeing our top notch Technogym equipment, as well as experiencing the friendliness and cleanliness of the club, they looked no further and joined WAC. Although the outdoor extension to the gym did not exist when they joined WAC, both of them love this unique outdoor area for their workouts.

Cindy and Nick have always been active. Cindy was an All American swimmer at the University of Michigan and won the Nationals in Water Polo in 1962 as well as being chosen Most Valuable Player. She went on to teach Physical Education from grades Kindergarten to Junior College. Nick was a longtime competitive downhill skier and played soccer as a young man. After their sons, Nick Jr. and Peter, became involved in organized and high school sports, traveling to the mountains to ski became a logistical challenge. Instead of giving up on his joy of sports in the outdoors, Nick decided to take up surfing at the ripe young age of 50. He still goes out 3 times a week and says he enjoys the speed of the sport, as well as being out on the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

Both Nick and Cindy were recovering from injuries when they first joined WAC. Cindy had recently had back surgery and Nick was convalescing from a shoulder injury. Since they had been active in sports and fitness from the time they were young, they had absolutely no plans to slow down now.

Cindy was feeling frustrated with her lack of improvement after her back surgery and she and Nick decided to take advantage of our introductory $99 for three 1 hour training sessions. They began training with Peter Loncto in hopes that it would help build up their fitness level again.

Shortly after beginning the program, Cindy visited her doctor with concerns about having stiffness in her muscles as well as difficulty with writing and other simple tasks that used to be easy for her. As part of her diagnosis, she underwent a Nerve Conduction Test and her low scores on the test helped the doctors determine she suffered from Parkinson’s disease; a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement.

As difficult as it was to learn of the diagnosis, she was not about to let the disease prevent her from pursuing her fitness goals. Both Nick and Cindy continued their introductory training with Peter. He first showed them how to use our Technogym equipment; then he developed an exercise program that emphasized strength, cognitive ability and balance. They also appreciate that Peter’s training programs are dynamic; meaning he starts with the basics and progresses according to each person’s ability to develop. Nick continued, “He also tailors a program to your individual goals. For example, one of my desires was to get better with my ‘surf snap up’ and he created a plan to target my core area and leg strength to meet that objective” The O’Hares enjoy these training sessions so much they continue to meet with him as their trainer several times a week.

They also take Tamara Goulden’s Water Fitness class at 3 times a week. I asked them what they loved about her classes and they both quickly mentioned how fun the classes are. “There is no other activity where you can say you are having fun while you are near your maximum heart rate”, said Nick. Tamara’s positivity – even when she is calling you out on form – makes the hour-long class feel as if it goes by in 15 minutes. They talked about how “she analyzes the limits and abilities of each participant and works with them to achieve greater form to increase their limits and conditioning” Both mentioned how water exercise immediately speeds up your metabolism, improves your range of motion and provides continuous resistance that helps build strength no matter what move you are doing. They enjoy these classes so much they decided to make it an extended family activity when their sons were visiting over the Thanksgiving holiday.



When Cindy went back for a follow up appointment several months after her diagnosis, she was given the Nerve Conduction Test again and had markedly improved her scores. She attributes a lot of this improvement to Peter’s training and they both continue to train with him and Tamara on a weekly basis. After taking the Water Fitness class with her on many occasions and seeing her dedication to her training sessions, I believe her positive spirit and focused commitment to her health also contributed to her improved scores. Nick feels his shoulder has improved significantly under Peter’s tutelage, as well.

I truly enjoyed my conversation with this inspirational couple and I can only hope to be as dedicated to my own fitness program in 2018.

Tennis Stuff

Match Finder

Howard Perlstein is also looking for 3.5 players to play at 8:30 am several mornings a week. You can contact him at [email protected].

Steve Hamburger and Bill Ries are looking for USTA or self rated 3.5 players for doubles and mixed doubles. The group plays 8:30 am several mornings a week. Steve and Bill maintain an e-mail listing and help coordinate the matches. If interested please e-mail Steve at [email protected].

 

Video clip from Chris Dudeck, Co-Director at WAC

Hitting Around the Ball

Video clip from Calle Hansen, Co-Director at WAC

One Last Tennis Tip – A Strategy to Use Against a Stronger Opponent

Tennis News

By Christa Nonnemaker

Adult Tennis Programs

Olympic Tennis Social
The Winter Olympics will be starting soon and WAC is excited to host a tennis and social party to celebrate this exciting event! On Friday, February 16, 2018 from 6:00p-9:00p, we invite you to our Winter Olympics Tennis Social. Members and guests will be asked to bring either a main dish, appetizer or dessert that celebrates your own heritage, or that of your favorite country, to share with other attendees. WAC will provide beer and wine at Happy Hour prices! Calle and his team will be running tennis games and drills for members and guests who wish to participate in the tennis portion of the event. Please see the link to the flyer below.



USTA and In-House Leagues
USTA Winter League season and the WAC Winter In-House League season have started and happily there are many of participants in both of these leagues. If you are an adult member and you’ve been thinking about playing competitive tennis but have not yet begun, both of these are great options. The In-House Leagues take place at WAC against other WAC members. USTA leagues are composed of WAC teams who compete against other teams in the Ventura County area.

The Spring USTA season will be starting in March and the captains’ meeting for those interested in heading up a team will be held on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at 7 PM at Sunset Hills Country Club. The Spring season is for 18 and Over Men’s and Women’s, as well as Mixed Doubles 40 and Over. USTA leagues are divided into weekday and weekend teams. WAC usually fields teams between 3.0 and 4.5 levels for both men and women. At the moment, there is no 4.0 WAC women’s weekday team but there are plenty of 4.0 women players at WAC. If you are interested in captaining a 4.0 weekday team, please contact Ann Reeder ([email protected]) to let her know you are interested.

Lastly, and with sadness, Calle Hansen, Co-Tennis Director at WAC for many years, will be moving to Oregon at the end of February to be closer to family. The Olympic Tennis Social will be one of his last events at WAC so be sure to RSVP at the front desk. We will miss him but we wish him well on his new endeavor!

Junior Tennis

WAC will be hosting a VCJTA Novice Tournament on the weekend of February 24-25. These tournaments are a great way for juniors who are just beginning competitive match play. All VCJTA tournaments feature round robins which gives players an opportunity to play several participants. You must be a member of VCJTA to play in these tournaments and you can register online at www.vcjta.com.

Junior League Winter Season is in full swing and will end in February. Junior League Spring Season will start on March 3. Junior League and Junior League Development are for beginner through intermediate players who are working to improve their tennis skills and want to gain match play experience as well. If you have questions regarding Junior League, contact Brooke Gabbey, Junior League Coordinator, at [email protected]. Forms are available at the Front Desk or can be downloaded from the WAC website under Junior Programs.

Junior Team Tennis Spring Season will also start on March 3. Junior Team Tennis (JTT) is sponsored by USTA and is a junior version of the Adult USTA Leagues. JTT players need to be match-play ready and should have participated in the WAC Junior League program, in VCJTA tournaments, or in USTA tournaments, or all three! An Assessment Day is scheduled for Tuesday, February 6 from 4:30-5:30 pm for players interested in signing up for JTT. For those who have already played JTT, they do not need to attend the assessment. Prospective JTT players can register before the Assessment Day or wait until the day of the assessment to register. Divisions include co-ed 10u, 12u, 14u and 18u Girls Only. Girls who have played for a High School team do not need to attend the assessment.

Please register for Spring JTT by Thursday, February 15, 2018. Forms are available at the Front Desk or can be downloaded from the WAC website under Junior Programs. If you have questions about JTT, please contact Christa Nonnemaker, JTT Coordinator, at [email protected].

The Fall Season of JTT was exciting, with a 10u team captained by Douglas Johnson, a 12u team captained by Gina Reese, two 14u teams captained by Brooke Gabbey and Steve Felsen and an 18u Boys Only team captained by Christa Nonnemaker. Both the 12u (pictured below) and the 18u teams qualified to go to Sectionals. The 12u team put in great effort and worked hard to advance to the semi-final round at Sectionals. A big “thank you” to all the captains for volunteering their time and expertise!

 

Fitness Stuff

Video Fitness Tip from Holly Butler
A Heart Opener while Incorporating Your Biceps Using the Yoga Wall

Video Fitness Tip from Katie Whittaker
Preventing the Grandma or Grandpa Bump

The 5 Components of Fitness

By Peter Loncto

 

January has come and gone and often with it goes the good intentions of New Year’s Resolutions. For a million different reasons (or excuses), you never got started on your pledge to make this year the year you finally get serious about your health and get into the gym.

Here’s the good news..... It is never too late to get started! But how do you go about this? What is the best way to make the most of the time you spend in the gym? How do those machines work? How much cardio, how much strength and resistance? Most importantly, how can I improve my health and wellness and remain injury free?

There are 5 basic components to the process of getting in shape:

1. Goal Setting. You wouldn’t dream of getting in your car and driving off without a destination. The same goes for getting started on the road to wellness. Your goal should be a SMART goal; Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.
2. Nutrition. Diets don’t work! Learn the proper way to get the nourishment you need to handle the increased demands you are making on your body. Remember...you can’t out train a bad diet, but you don’t have to deny yourself a world of healthy, delicious food.
3. Cardio. You gotta move! Once you establish your maximum heart rate, you can determine the various heart rate training zones and set a program to begin receiving the enormous benefits of daily cardio.
4. Resistance. Learn the correct way to incorporate weight training in your fitness regime. Proper posture, breathing, tempo, and intensity...performed in a way that will challenge your whole body, will guarantee you the results you are looking for.
5. Professional Assistance. There is a right way and a wrong way to get started. Your membership entitles you to an initial assessment and a workout in the gym based on your personal goal and your abilities. Our trainers are nationally certified and would love to help you get started.

It’s never too late! Inquire at the Front Desk, or ask one of the trainers to set an appointment. Make 2018 the year you get into action. You won’t regret it. And that is a promise!

 

Tri-Corner

The Importance of Training Slow
By Logan Franks



In regard to my personal training and training other athletes, I truly believe that slow workouts should be slow and fast workouts should be fast. I recently posted a blog that discussed the physiological effects, from the cellular level, that speed work had on our body. Now it’s time to discuss why training slow is important!

The human body can store around 1,400 carbohydrate calories. On average, you burn 100 calories a mile, running. Given these numbers, that gets you through a half marathon. If you plan on doing anything more than a half marathon, you’re going to need another fuel source to fall back on. This is where fat calories come into play. Your body can store about 80,000 fat calories. It might take a while to deplete that fuel source! In order to use fat as a fuel source, a fat molecule needs to bind to oxygen. This process is called oxidization. If you’re above 85% of your heart rate, your body will lack oxygen and switch over to carbohydrate calories.

If we always train fast, we will never teach our bodies to efficiently use fat as a fuel source. It’s expected, that when you start training at 75-85% heart rate, you will run very slow. You might start at 12 minute miles. If you continue to train in that heart rate range, week after week, you should run faster at the same heart rate. Which means, you are running faster while burning fat….An unlimited fuel source!

For endurance athletes, training your body to burn fat efficiently is one of the bigger favors you can do for yourself. No one likes to bonk during a race. So, take your slow training seriously and get to burning some fat!

 

Healthy Recipes

By Ann Reeder

With three kids in my household and varying diet desires, I often struggle to get a meal on the table that all of them will enjoy and will not be too time consuming for me. I am constantly browsing for recipes that meet ALL of our needs. My daughter is a pescatarian and my two boys can never get enough meat. Luckily, one food item we can all agree on is fish.

I found this recipe on line and have made a few changes and additions to make it a breeze for me to prepare after working a full shift at the club. It’s fun to experiment with different seafood, vegetable and sauce combinations. You just want to make sure the vegetables are chopped finely and are of the type that will soften slightly within the time it takes to cook the seafood.

Fish in Parchment With Mediterranean, Asian or Thai Sauce

Ingredients:
4 (5oz) sea bass (cod, shrimp and scallops work too)
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
Sauce (see 3 recipes options below)
Vegetables, julienne or finely chopped (carrots, bell pepper, fennel, green onions, zucchini, tomato and bok choy are just a few suggestions)
4 sheets parchment paper (14 inch)
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse fish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside (see recipes below)
3. Prepare the vegetables and set aside
4. Place ½ cup of vegetables in the center of a sheet of parchment. Place the fish filet over the vegetables. Add ¼ sauce over each fish filet. Bring the two long side of the parchment together and fold over 1-3 times and fold under o seal parchment packet
5. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until fish is cooked through. The fish is done when flakey and opaque (The thicker the filet, the more time you will need to cook it through)
6. To serve, open the packet and transfer to a platter with all the juices and vegetable. Garnish with chopped parsley

Sauces:
Mediterranean
Whisk 1 tablespoon olive oil, zest of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and ½ cup dry white wine in a small bowl

Asian
Whisk together ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons fresh, finely minced ginger, 2 finely chopped green onions, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons sesame oil and 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce

Thai
Whisk 1 tablespoon chopped ginger, 2 teaspoons chopped garlic, 2 green onions, ½ teaspoon thinly sliced red pepper (Thai Red bird or Jalapeno), ½ teaspoon chili powder, 2 tablespoons ground coriander, ¼ teaspoon turmeric ½ cup light coconut milk and 2 tablespoons minced cilantro

Notes:
I buy commercial parchment at Smart and Final and cut them in half. I store them flat in a drawer so they are ready to go when I prepare this recipe. Most of these ingredients can be found at your local grocery stores.

Meet your Trainers

Leticia Willingham 
Leticia Willingham is a certified yoga instructor based in Westlake Village, California. She has led her life down a path of healthy eating and working out for more than twenty years, discovering yoga while trying to help deal with severe anxiety. The results of practicing yoga were dramatic . . . providing the ability to calm the mind, find inner peace, and strengthen the body. Leticia’s 500 hour teaching certification is through YogaWorks in Westlake Village, California; mentored by Lainie Devina.

Leticia believes that everyone can benefit by practicing yoga. She focuses on providing each student, whether they have just been introduced to yoga or have been practicing for years, with insight, encouragement and the opportunity to help guide them on a positive journey and achieve their own personal goals. “I know how amazing the benefits of yoga can be because I have experienced them first hand. Yoga truly changed my life, and I want to provide the opportunity for others to affect positive change in their lives as well.”

Patti Markowitz
Patti Markowitz has been helping people stay healthy & fit for over 25 years as a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer and Aerobics Instructor. Her tenure at the Westlake Athletic Club (WAC) began back in 1993 where she has trained hundreds of members who continue to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle augmented by hours spent building strong bone, muscle, and piece of mind through exercise & resistance-training. Patti believes that when you change bodies you change lives, and that being a Personal Trainer is about much more that just knowing the exercise or routine, it’s about living the lifestyle, and being able to motivate and inspire others to move toward healthier and happier lives.

As one of WAC’s leading Certified Personal Trainers, Patti specializes in designing customized programs in training for strength, weight loss, and functional fitness. Her attitude and presentation makes workouts fun and motivating; never routine, dull or boring. As your trainer, she will take your health & wellness personally, working alongside you to help achieve ALL of your fitness goals.

An accomplished marathon runner, avid swimmer, and someone you will most likely bump into in a Yoga class at the Club, Patti’s attention to her own fitness reflects her commitment to well-being. With your determination and her dedication you can make anything happen.

For an opportunity to train with Patti, you can call her directly at (805) 208-9578, or inquire at the front desk at WAC.
[email protected]

Katie Whittaker
Katie specializes in aquatic exercise, yoga, and meditation, as well as in strength, toning and cardiovascular training. She also offers nutrition counseling and weight management. Creator of "Aqua Yoga," she uses water and land exercise to compassionately assist clients both pre and post surgery. Katie is certified in fitness instruction by the National Arthritis Association, the Yoga Alliance, the Aquatic Exercise Association, the American Council on Exercise, and the National Association of Sports Medicine. Katie has guided hundreds of clients to better health for more than 10 years.

[email protected]

Peter Loncto
Peter Loncto is a longtime resident of Westlake Village and the newest member of our training staff. As a National Association of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer and TRX Suspension Training instructor, he blends his passion and enthusiasm for fitness with his knowledge and experience to motivate and challenge his clients to feel their best.

"When I first met with John Sutcliffe a year ago and he shared his vision of a first rate fitness center, I was excited to have an opportunity to work with my neighbors in our fantastic community. After learning of his commitment to Technogym, I was all in! The Technogym philosophy of Wellness, their unique, elegant Kinesis One stations with an emphasis on adaptive, functional movement, and their unequaled interactive capability place them far out in front of any other traditional gym equipment. Some of you may have seen me in the Fitness Center over the last month, working out and becoming familiar with the literally thousands of movements possible with the Technogym system. Every day I am more impressed with Technogym's versatility and applicability to all levels of fitness. Whether your goal is a better backstroke, more tee-to-green distance, weight loss and toning, or just feeling your best, Technogym offers dozens of programs and the ability to customize a wellness program just for you.

I look forward to meeting all of you in the coming months and welcome the chance to assist you in identifying your Wellness goals, and working with you to achieve them. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have. It would be an honor to be part of your Wellness journey.

Holly Butler
Influenced by growing up in Boulder, CO (aka the fittest city in America), Holly Butler has always lead an active lifestyle. As an adult, she was drawn to non-impact fitness, starting with the athleticism of Vinyasa yoga. While practicing yoga she discovered and fell in love with Barre classes and Body Sculpting classes using resistance training. Her 3 daughters were all in school and Holly thought it was the right time to get her certification and go back to work, doing something she loved. Holly spends her “off” time coordinating many school drop-offs, pick-ups and dance carpools for her daughters, being involved in charity work for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, volunteering school, and playing tennis at WAC with her husband. We are pleased that Holly will be teaching the Body Sculpting class on Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:30pm.

 

Tamara Goulden
Learning to swim at a very young age, Tamara fell in love with being in the water, playing water polo and swimming competitively with her local Parks & Rec throughout middle school, and competing on the school swim team in high school. Playing on the women’s UCSB water polo team in 1988, Tamara competed in the State Championships, and by teaching swim instruction and aqua fitness, was able to pay for graduate school at LMU, earning her Masters in counseling psychology in 1995. Tamara established her company, Premiere Aquatics, in the early ‘90's in which she uses water as a therapeutic milieu for swim instruction, exercise, personal training, phobia counseling, and injury rehabilitation.  She finds teaching water fitness at WAC a fun and rewarding way to engage with members and see them benefit by this unique type of workout, as she herself is happiest when in the water.

Group Class Schedule

Click here for a pdf of the fitness schedule

 

Masters Swim

Logan Franks
WAC is pleased to have Logan Franks coach our Masters swim program.

Logan Franks served seven years in the Marine Corps infantry. During his enlistment, he raced on the Marine Corps Triathlon team. He was 1 of 6 Marines selected to represent the All Marine Triathlon Team at Armed Forces Triathlon Championships in 2011. Logan also competed as a professional triathlete with a primary focus on long course triathlon. In 2010 he was ranked 52nd in the world for Ironman and he posted the fasted American run split of the day at Ironman world championships, crossing the finish line in 9:02.

Logan was also collegiate runner for the University of Delhi, located in NY. Though he was a fast runner, his success in triathlon was being hindered by his lack of swim knowledge and experience. Knowing this, Logan went to a number of swim clinics and trained under the guidance of some of the best triathlon and swim coaches in the United States. Logan soon became a front pack swimmer, often coming out of the water in the top six of the pro division for Ironman and 70.3 races.

2013, Logan shifted his focus to coaching and put his athletic career on hold. Logan currently owns a military focused triathlon team. He coaches prior service members and active duty military. He also coaches paratriathletes and other wounded vets hoping to compete in the Paralympics. Logan is a Level 2 Masters Swim Coach, and is very approachable, always willing to help anyone on deck. 

Kevin Lane, Swim Instructor & Coach

Kevin Lane is the Assistant Swim Coach of California Lutheran University Men's and Women's Swim Team. He is also an adjunct instructor at CLU, teaching swimming, and a Masters Swim Coach at Westlake Athletic Club (Certified USMS Level 2).

In addition to coaching, Kevin teaches swimming to all ages and levels here at the WAC. You may have seen him working with students in the pool.

He teaches private one on one lessons as well as groups of two students. His lessons run from 30 mins to an hour, and are for beginners, intermediate, all the way to the competitive student. Kevin has a reputation as a warm and caring instructor who is very intuitive when comes to each individual's needs. With years of experience, he understands how to get the best out of each student at every lesson.

Kevin started swimming and competing at the age of seven. Growing up in Connecticut, he continued to swim through his teen years on the club level, setting many Connecticut State records. He represented Connecticut Swimming as an all-star team member, and traveled and competed against other all-star teams. Moving on to Southern Connecticut State University, a top ten NCAA Division II School, he competed on the national level and set school records in the in the 200 fly and in relays. In his senior year he was elected captain of his team.

After college, Kevin continued to train, compete and coach, eventually winning the Masters One Mile Open Rough Water National Championship for his age group. For over 20 years Kevin has been teaching swimming, coaching on the college, masters and novice level. He has just completed his fifth year of college coaching at CLU.

Kevin brings to the Westlake Athletic Club an enthusiastic love of swimming, with over 20 years of experience as a swim instructor, swim coach and competitor. Kevin looks forward to helping others advance in the water, as they learn how wonderful and positive the swimming experience is. As spring and summer approaches, Kevin encourages all members and families to get out and start a regular exercise program that includes swimming.

Masters Swim Schedule
Mon & Wed 5:30-6:30am Logan
Mon & Wed 12-1 Kevin
Tues & Thur 6-7pm David
Sat 7:15-8:30am Logan