Welcome Note to Discovery I and II from Coach Kristen

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the 2025-2026 swim year!

My name is Kristen Finnegan and I am the lead coach for the Discovery I and Discovery II for the upcoming year. I have been working at the Westport Y since 2006, and am in my 14th year coaching with the Water Rats.  In my time with the WRAT Age Group program I have coached multiple Age Group Champions, State Record Holders, and Eastern Zone Champions.  I currently serve on the CT Swimming Inc. Board of Directors and recently spent 5 years coaching collegiately at the Division 1 level. 

We have so far spent the first two weeks working on stroke technique and introducing the drills that we will continue to use throughout the year.  Week 1 and 2 were focused on freestyle and backstroke, and next week we will move on to breaststroke. The goal of the Discovery group is to continue to build skill and technique while also learning interval training with longer and faster swims in order to prepare swimmers for the 11- 12 Challenger groups.  There will be some days where the emphasis is 100% on drills and technique, as well as other days where the focus is yardage in order to build stamina and speed. 

Training equipment will begin to be phased in toward the end of the month, please ensure that your swimmer is properly equipped throughout the year. 

Required Equipment 

The following equipment is required for all Discovery swimmers. I suggest using swimoutlet.com or Metro Swim Shop in Norwalk, CT.  Please make sure that all equipment is clearly marked with your swimmers name! 

-Fins: any full length rubber training fins, (sporti floating fin, finis floating fin, TYR flex, etc.)
-Snorkel: front-mount training snorkel, (NOT a diving snorkel) I suggest Finis Jr’s Swimmers Snorkel
-Speedo Pull-Kick- SKU: 7530402/ Product Code: 32219 
 

I strongly suggest a mesh bag for carrying all of your equipment. All swimmers should bring a water bottle to every practice. Hydration is key! 

Attendance Policy 

Attendance at every practice is not mandatory, but regular attendance is highly recommended/encouraged. It’s no secret that the more time & effort you put in, the better the results. With that being said, I highly encourage all swimmers to play other sports and participate in other activities outside of swimming. Coaching staff is more than understanding if swim practices are missed due to other commitments.  

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly with any questions or concerns regarding your swimmer, I am always available to set up a meeting or phone call to discuss. 

Go WRATS! 

Kristen