An Instagram video describes the life of a youth sports parent: competition in Honduras (“it’s about a 49-hour drive, so plan accordingly”), then Cuba, and — if they win — qualification for a tournament in Croatia on Wednesday.
“Pretty low-key schedule,” the coach says.
Most youth sports parents, in any sport — in Westport, and around the country — can relate.
Not those whose kids are in the Westport Swim Club, though.
The 3-year-old organization takes a deliberately — and truly — low-key approach.
They provide instruction and “candy meet” opportunities for young swimmers. They make sure to keep things fun.
If a boy or girl needs to take a month off to act in the school play, their coaches say: Great!
WSC’s core values are simple: “Fun, Friends and Fundamentals.”
Fun at the Westport Swim Club.
The goals are to instill a love for swimming in their young members.
And, during their 7 months together, to prepare their 2nd through 8th graders for the next levels of competition.
Where, if they (and/or their parents) want, they can spend 12 months a year training and racing, up and down the East Coast. (And perhaps Honduras, Cuba and Croatia.)
Or simply make their high school team.
Though low-key, Westport Swimming Club is hardly a minnow. Its 7 coaches have impressive resumes. They’ve swum at the top levels themselves, including the Asian Games and Olympic qualifiers. They’ve coached at the NCAA Division I level. One — Mike Anderson — is currently head coach of the Staples High swim and dive team.
They know the importance of including games and contests — diving for pennies, for instance — to break up the repetitive nature of drills.
And unlike with many teams, the coaches actually get in the water with their athletes.
Some Westport Swim Team coaches and assistants (from left): Kuku Fleming, Pam Moss, Mike Anderson, Matt Fleming, Elaine Rankowitz, Leilani Fleming.
The WSC is the brainchild of Staples girls swimming coaches Mike Anderson, Elaine Rankowitz and Kuku Fleming. Pam Moss joined later.
Fleming (the Asian Games swimmer who went on to compete for Harvard University, then worked at Deutsche Bank’s hedge fund for 12 years) and Moss (a nationally ranked age group swimmer before managing a digital software firm, and co-founding BlackLight), met through the Masters swimming program.
Three years ago, coming out of COVID, they realized there were no programs for young swimmers who did not start very early.
“With us, even 13 years old is not too late,” Fleming says. “We’re a swim ramp.”
“We help them prepare them for other programs,” Moss adds. “We give them the confidence to try out.”
Coach Neil Markman and his daughter, Noelle Stine-Markman.
WSC runs from January through July, at the Staples pool. There are 4 practices a week — but daily practices are not mandatory. Coaches realize their swimmers have lives outside the pool too.
“Having fun does not mean being weak,” Fleming says. “We are highly allergic to bad technique.”
Every swimmer learns the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle, flip and open turns, dives and backstroke starts, and relay transitions.
There are 2 intra-squad meets, and a couple of “candy meets” (dual competitions against country club teams). They’re opportunities for young swimmers to practice their technique, along with soft skills like paying attention to when their event will be called.
It’s a recipe for — well, not necessarily winning competitions, but developing skills and self-confidence.
Fleming describes a youngster who went from no eye contact to laughing, and doing demonstrations in front of peers.
Another, who graduated from WSC to a club team, won 3 medals at a regional meet.
A third began as a flailing freestyle. Five sessions later, she had a “beautiful” butterfly stroke. She went on to make the Staples squad, and recently competed in Florida with her club team.
Having fun, in and out of the water.
The founders credit to WSC’s philosophy, coaches and swimmers for its success.
But, they note, supportive parents also play a key role.
“They are very friendly, enthusiastic, and generous with their time,” Fleming says.
“They appreciate a program without a lot of pressure. But they know we make kids accountable for their own gear, being on time, and paying attention.”
WSC does not “compete with” programs like the Westport YMCA Water Rats, Weston Swimming, Fairfield Aquatics or Norwalk Zeus for swimmers. Fleming and Moss see their organization as a feeder for those clubs.
They are happy when their swimmers “graduate” to high school programs, and/or clubs.
The coaches cheer them on — at local pools, and (metaphorically) at their meets far and wide.
But they don’t go all over the state, or to Florida (or Honduras, Cuba and Croatia).
They’re busy preparing the next generation of swimmers to join them.
If, of course, they want to.
(For more information on Westport Swim Club, click here.)
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