Water Rats Adapt to Change

Find Strength in Transition

After a very successful long course season, the changes in coaching staff have unsettled us all, particularly as we are about to move into our new facility at Mahackeno and the new short course season is about to commence.

We wanted you to know that Water Rat Head Coach Ellen Johnston, with the assistance of Y management, is interviewing suitable candidates for the positions of head age group and assistant age group coaches. Although the Water Rats Parents’ Club is not involved in the interviewing process, we were asked to review the resumes of the most-qualified coaches applying for the positions. We were impressed with all of the applicants.

We are confident that Ellen soon will have a renewed coaching staff, which will pass on its love of the sport to our children and continue the team’s great tradition of helping young swimmers become strong and successful athletes as well as responsible and mature adults.

The three of us have watched from the pool deck as our children moved up the team from the 8/Under Red and Blue groups to the Senior practice group, which competes in state and national championships. Now, when we see our children’s teammates, we are struck by their work ethic and determination to improve. They all seem to have benefited from working with a number of coaches, all with different coaching philosophies. After all, change is inevitable and young athletes must learn to adapt if they want to develop the mental strength to succeed.

The Water Rat Swim Team will have to adapt next month, when there is a change in coaching staff and a brand new pool, but we are confident that our young swimmers will rise to the challenge as they always do. And as we begin this transitional period – and our 65th year – we hope that you and your children will continue to be a part of our team.

Sylvia Ortega
Andy McNab
Co-Presidents

Adrienne Williams
Ex-officio

Water Rats Parents’ Club