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The Greenwich YWCA Dolphins Swim Team is a competitive Age Group and Senior team that is ranked in the top 100 of USA Swimming teams in the country by virtue of a four-year streak of USA Swimming Silver Club recognition. A member club of USA Swimming, the Dolphins compete primarily in the Local Swimming Committee (LSC) known as Connecticut Swimming. The team’s home pool is at the YWCA of Greenwich, 259 East Putnam Ave, in central Greenwich. Additionally, the team uses the Greenwich HS pool and more recently has accessed long course time at the Velocity Center in Norwalk.
The Greenwich YWCA Dolphins Swim Team will begin the 2021-22 season in a very similar method as they operated through the first nine months of 2021.
- Dolphins Swim Team. For swimmers (ages 5 to 12) the YW's offers a competitive, age-group program that holds memberships in Connecticut Swimming, Connecticut Y Swim League and United States Swimming, Inc. Now in its 49th year, the team provides the community with a program that teaches members teamwork while building physical and emotional strength as well as speed and endurance.
- Junior Aquatics. The classes build on introductory training with confidence and strength-building instruction for ages 5- 12. Classes for 13-18 year-olds are available as well.
Swimmers are encouraged to reach for the highest possible level of competitive achievement and development. Many members of the older National Team also compete at local high schools on water polo teams.
All participants are evaluated by the coaching staff for placement into one of six team levels. Stroke, start and turn technique instruction, endurance training and mental preparedness are all key team components of the Dolphins winning tradition.
Swimmers interested in joining the Dolphins Swim Team should contact Head Coach Nick Cavataro by email or by phone at 203-869-6501, ext 121. For more information, check out our website at www.greenwichdolphins.com.
YWCA Membership is required for all programs.
Dolphin Swim Team Coaches
Nick Cavataro, Head Coach
HEAD COACH NICK CAVATARO has been at the helm of the Dolphins since 1977. The 2019 - 2020 season will be his 43rd year at the YWCA. Under his direction, the team has enjoyed tremendous success including three qualifying for the Olympic Trials for the 2016 Summer Rio Olympics, YWCA National Championships in 1982 (West Point), 1984 (Penn State) and 1985 (James Madison U.) and a dozen runner-up finishes, including in 2016. This past season there were two qualifiers for the 2020 Summer Tokyo Olympics.
Cavataro is an energetic organizer who is concerned with the needs and hopes of swimmers of all ages. He holds regularly scheduled meetings with team members and their parents. In addition to weekly email updates, Cavataro publishes a bi-annual newsletter. A distance freestyle and butterfly swimmer at lona Prep, Manhattan College and with the Gotham Aquatic Association (USS), Cavataro was a three-time AlI-Metro Collegiate selection. In addition to the Dolphins, he is the Head Men’s and Women’s Coach and Director of Aquatics at lona College in New Rochelle, NY. Cavataro has had extensive experience working with youngsters, ages 5 - 18, as the Swim Coach at Westchester Country Club, where his summer teams have won eight Westchester League titles and another dozen top five finishes. Cavataro is a member of the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA-Level 4); the College Swim Coaches Association and United States Swimming. He has participated in American and College Swim Coaches Associations World Clinics. He is married to the former Susan Follansbee, an exercise physiologist. The Cavataro’s have six children.David Fine, Head Age Group Coach
DAVID FINE, HEAD AGE GROUP COACH has a passion for swimming that is evident in his experience as both a swimmer and coach. He earned recognition as a Junior National qualifier, YMCA national finalist, and was a team record holder for the NCY Caimans. His successful high school career led to David swimming for the University of Miami. This fall, David will be entering his 17th season as the New Canaan Girl’s High School head swimming coach, a team that has made significant waves at both the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) and State level since he began coaching. He has been recognized as coach of the year by the FCIAC and Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC).
Assistant Coaches
Kim Adams is in her third season with the Dolphins. She is from White Plains, NY and was a three-time Section 1 champion and All-American in swimming and a three-time Section 1 champion in basketball at White Plains High School. She played basketball at the University of Pennsylvania and coached swimming in the summers at Westchester Country Club in Rye, NY with Coach Nick Cavataro and more recently at the Apawamis Club, in Rye. She received a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and has appeared on FOX Sports 1, SNY, ESPN3 and the Big East Digital Network as a sports reporter and basketball analyst. She coaches all levels of the Dolphins and began working with the team in Fall 2014.
Ainslie Dorrian has worked with the YWCA since 2000 as a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) and has instructed all ability levels from babies to adults, as well as working many successful Dolphins swimmers over the years. He has worked with the Dolphins as a coach on a variety of levels since 2006 and prides himself on developing technique in a fun and engaged atmosphere for our swimmers of all ages. Ainslie graduated from Greenwich High School where he was a Cardinals running-back. Over the past decade Ainslie has competed in many local open water events. A graduate of the College of Mount St. Vincent (CMSV), Ainslie has a BA in Business. He will be working with the Dolphins Future Team and TAG levels and looks forward to bringing out the best in our swimmers.
Jessica Dowling coached with the Dolphins from 2005-2010 and is an alumnus of the University of Georgia where she was an ALL SEC selection. Jesscia has also coached with New Canaan YMCA and returns to the Dolphins after a brief hiatus while she gave birth to two new swimmers of her own! You’ll also notice Jessica’s name on the Dolphin Record Board from her days as a Dolphin swimmer.
Whitney Welch is a Greenwich native now residing in Stamford. The 2017- 18 season will be her 21st with the YWCA Dolphins Swim Team. In addition to her coaching duties, Whitney has been a professional firefighter, EMT and CPR instructor with the Town of Greenwich for the past 28 years. When she is not at the firehouse or pool deck, she can be found in the local elementary schools, libraries, nursing homes, and hospitals with her certified therapy Bernese Mountain dog named Cinder.
Scott Witmer will be entering his 14th year with the YWCA Dolphins and 16th overall of coaching. He primarily coaches Tag 1, 2 and 3 levels. Scott is originally from Des Moines, Iowa and moved to Greenwich with his family in 2004 from Evanston, IL. Scott swam competitively through high school and still enjoys competing in open water swims today. He lives in Cos Cob with his wife Carey. They have three children; Kendall, Emmett and Hayden.
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Brendan Stote has been the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Dolphins since 2012. Since 2009, he has worked at the YWCA as a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor. Previously ranked number one in the country, Brendan is a world-class powerlifter and world record holder. In addition to powerlifting, Stote holds a master level four black sash in Kung Fu. Through his different practices, Brendan has plenty of experience working with children ages 6 - 18. Brendan incorporates core exercises for swimmers that are appropriate for children and young adults. These exercises include resistance training, circuit training, aerobics, calisthenics, stretching and injury prevention techniques.
Dolphin Swim Team Levels
The team will operate with nine team levels, with assigned practice time during the period of September to August. It is anticipated in mid-November we will adjust programming for our upper 3 levels as we expand hours with our use of the Greenwich High School pool as has been the case in the pre-pandemic period (Pre-March, 2020).
The levels include Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Future, Future 56. Details of each level along with recommended entry level test skills are noted below.
New swimmers must be evaluated for placement. Returning members will be pre-placed for the 21-22 season and can request re-evaluation at a scheduled session on the team calendar. Some members of the 20-21 roster may be asked to Come to an Evaluation (CTE) to allow staff to accurately place those swimmers.
ALPHA: Primarily for our strongest swimmers ages 13/over with 3-5 years of competitive background. Swimmers should have experience racing distances from 50-to-500-yards and be committed daily training sessions and to attend USA Swimming events as well as the Dryland and meets as assigned. These members will be expected to attend State and National competitions as qualified. Generally, for consideration for this level swimmers should be able to perform any 2 of these three test skills: 10 x 100 Freestyle on 1:20; 500-Free under 6:15; and any two swims of 200-IM, Fly, Back or Breast under 2:30.
BRAVO: Primarily for swimmers 12-and-over with 2-4 years of competitive experience. Swimmers should have experience racing at least 50-to-200-yards and be committed to daily training and skill development, Swimmers must be committed to racing monthly and travel to State and regional events as qualified. Generally, for consideration for this level swimmers should be able to perform any 2 of these three test skills: 10 x 100 Freestyle on 1:30; 500-Free under 6:30; and any two swims of 200-IM, Fly, Back or Breast under 2:40.
CHARLIE: Primarily for swimmers ages 11-13 with 2-3 years of competitive experience. Swimmers should have the ability to race at least 50-100 yards and committed to training and skill development and racing monthly. Generally, for consideration for this level swimmers should be able to perform any 2 of these three test skills: 10 x 100 Freestyle on 1:40; 500-Free under 7:00; and any two swims of 200-IM, Fly, Back or Breast under 3:00.
DELTA: Primarily for swimmers ages 11-12 with 1-2 years of competitive experience. Swimmers should have the ability to race at least 50-100 yards and committed to training and skill development and racing monthly. Generally, for consideration for this level swimmers should be able to perform any 2 of these three test skills: 10 x 50 Freestyle on 1:00; 4 x 100-IM on 1:45 and a 200-Free under 3:15.
ECHO: Primarily for swimmers ages 8-10 with a season of competitive experience. Swimmers should have the ability to race at least 50-yards and committed to training and skill development and racing monthly. Generally, for consideration for this level swimmers should be able to perform any 2 of these three test skills: 10 x 50 Freestyle on 1:15; 3 x 100-IM on 2:00 and a 200-Free under 3:30.
FOXTROT: Primarily for swimmers ages 7-9 with a season of competitive experience. Swimmers should have the ability to race at least 50-yards and committed to training and skill development and racing monthly. Generally, for consideration for this level swimmers should be able to perform all four strokes legally; forward dive and turn skills and have a 100-Free under 2:15.
FUTURE TEAM: Primarily for swimmers ages 6-7. Most members have lesson or limited competitive experience. Swimmers should have stroke skills in Freestyle (crawl with rotary breathing) and backstroke and can swim a length (25-yards of each). In recent seasons, some candidates have had some skills in breaststroke and/or butterfly. The group meets weekly and works on all areas of competitive techniques and will race monthly in intersquad meets at YWCA.
FUTURE 56 TEAM: All members will be age 5 or 6. Most members have lesson or limited competitive experience. Swimmers should have some ability of Freestyle (crawl with rotary breathing); backstroke arms, steady kick and can swim a length (25-yards of each). The group meets weekly and works on all areas of competitive techniques and will race monthly in intersquad meets at YWCA.
GOLF:Primarily for swimmers ages 9-12 with limited or no team and instructional experience. Swimmers will work weekly on the 4 competitive strokes as well as turn, dive and kicking skills that are crucial to movement into a team level. Swimmers on this level will have an opportunity to participate in monthly intersquad meets at the YWCA.
