Jason C Paige
Senior Aquatics Director
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Jason
comes to the Regional YMCA of Western CT Mako’s Swim Team
after twelve years with the New Canaan YMCA where he
developed Olympic Trial Qualifiers, US National Qualifiers, Junior
National Qualifiers, US Open qualifiers, as well as numerous
Sectional Championship qualifiers, and a Sectional Champion, along
with multiple YMCA National Champions and over 100 YMCA
All-Americans.
Jason
strives to promote a positive team atmosphere where swimmers learn
and can enjoy their time at the pool. Under his guidance he
has lead teams to high levels of National recognition at the USA,
YMCA and High School levels. As the head of the New Canaan
program, Jason led his team to achieve USA Swimming’s Silver
Medal recognition after three consecutive years at the Bronze Medal
level.
Jason
also brings Open Water Swimming experience to the Mako
program. He has served on the USA Open Water Swimming
Committee, and works with many tri-athletes and other open water
swimmers. He has worked with two individuals that have successfully
crossed the English Channel, and led the NCY Caiman men's team to a
National Championship in the USA Swimming 10K Open Water
Championship in 2001. Since then Jason has guided a mixed team to a
second place finish in 2003 and a men's team to a second place
finish in 2005 in the 10K event.
Jason also served as the Head Coach of the New Canaan High School
Boys Swim Team, where he led the NCHS Rams to six Class M State
Championships, a FCIAC championship and a State Open Championship.
He has developed numerous All-American, All-State and All-County
swimmers, and his boy's team was ranked number one in the nation
for a small public school in 2006 and 2007. Jason was named the
Boys Swimming Coach of the Year for his efforts by the CISCA in
2005.
Jason graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 1998. While at
SBU he was a two time Atlantic 10 champion in the 200 Freestyle
Relay and an eight time finalist in the 100yd Breaststroke and
sprint Freestyle events. Before coming to New Canaan, Jason worked
as an assistant coach at both the University of Connecticut and
Southern Connecticut State University while earning his Masters of
Arts degree in Education with a concentration in Sport Management
from UConn. During his tenure at those Universities he has worked
with Big East champions, NCAA Division II champions, Junior and
Senior National finalists as well as Olympic Trials
qualifiers.
Jason
resides in Norwalk with his wife and son.
He can be
reached for questions pertaining to the program during his office
hours at 203-775-4444ext 122 or by email at
jpaige@regionalymca.org
Office
Hours: Tuesday and Thursday
12:30-2:30pm
Kevin Cullinan
Asst. Director Of Competitive Aquatics
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Primary Coaching Group: National, supervises Senior,
Age Group, and Developmental Programs
ASCA Coaching Certification: Level 3
Coach Kevin Cullinan began coaching with the Regional YMCA Mako
Swim team in May of 2011. Through a very long career as
a swimmer and a coach, Kevin has come to value the sport of
swimming as a developmental avenue for age group athletes to
blossom into productive, confident adults.
As an age group and high school swimmer, Kevin consistently was a
top swimmer in Connecticut and remembers setting a New England YMCA
record. Kevin is a graduate of Springfield College with a BS
in Physical Education. While studying at Springfield, Kevin
swam for the Varsity Men’s Swim team for four years, and was
elected team captain his senior year.
Prior to joining the Mako Swim Team, Coach Kevin has helped coach
and lead many swimmers to successful careers. He has coached
at the Westport YMCA, Fairfield YMCA, and also was the head coach
of the Bunnell/Stratford Boys High School team. Kevin has
also held a position as a physical education teacher at a small
catholic school in Milford, CT and as the Aquatics Director at the
Stratford YMCA. Kevin relies on his experience as an athlete,
coach, and teacher to guide him in providing an experience that
will allow your children to be better swimmers in and out of the
pool.
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Chris French
Head Age Group Coach
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Chris began his tenure with the Regional Y in October 2012. As
Head Age Group Coach, Chris will be overseeing all facets of the
Mako Age Group program and Developmental levels.
Prior to coming to the Regional Y, Chris coached at the New
Canaan YMCA from spring 2010 until October 2012 under current
Mako’s Competitive Swimming Director Jason Paige. Officially
titled Senior Coach, Chris worked primarily with the Select and
Senior components of the Caiman Swim Team. Additionally,
Chris coached the Prep Squad. Prior to joining the
Caimans’ staff, Chris was the Program Supervisor for the
Learn-to-Swim Program for the City of Norwalk, CT.
While today’s generation is accustomed to instant
gratification thanks to the wonders of modern technology, Chris
hopes to use swimming as a medium to help teach young people about
the importance of long term goal setting and the skill set required
to attain those goals.
Chris believes coaching affords one the opportunity to use the
experience of sport as a lens to view other life experiences. As a
coach, Chris hopes to help swimmers combine appreciation,
reflection, awareness and requisite intensity as a recipe for
success in and out of the pool. It is Chris’ belief that
greatness lies dormant within all of us. We must work to nourish
ourselves and harvest our inner potential.
Chris is a graduate of Hartwick College. While at Hartwick, in
addition to his swimming ventures, Chris’ experience in
pursuing his degree in English Literature led to a position as a
panel moderator at the 2009 Woolf and the City conference in New
York, NY.
Recreational research interests include: digital books and their
place in the traditional classroom, the changing landscape of
higher education and online classrooms, Modernist literature and
the search for self-definition.
Jeffrey C Bonaccorso
Assistant Coach
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Primary
Coaching Group: Senior and Administrative Support
ASCA Coaching Certification: Level
2
Jeff Bonaccorso began coaching with the Regional YMCA Mako Swim
Team in September 2008, and has helped as assistant coach with
every group during his tenure with the team. Jeff is
currently the Head Coach for the Ridgefield High School
Women’s and Men's Swim Team. Jeff also maintains his
American Red Cross Life Guard Instructor certification and CT State
Coaching License.
Shannon Moss
Assistant Coach
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Primary Coaching Group: Developmetal Lead Coach, Senior and Age
Group Assistant Coach
Coach Shannon Moss is new this year to the Regional YMCA of Western
CT Makos coaching staff. She attended the University of
Rochester where she swam for the Yellow Jackets swimming and diving
team for 3 years. She graduated in 2011 with degrees in Geology and
Political Science. Previous to her collegiate experience she was on
the varsity swim team at Waverly High School where she holds the
school’s 200 IM record, and also swam for the Waverly Area
Aquatics Club. While on WAAC she set many records in the 13&14
and 15&over age groups. In 2007 she coached WAAC’s
8&under team, and has worked in various stroke and turn
technique clinics with the program from 2008 through
2010.
Shannon enjoys working with the younger swimmers, but finds working
with the other age groups rewarding as well. She is eager to make
waves with the developmental groups by having fun in and out of the
water, while educating the young swimmers in proper stroke
technique, and instilling a sense of ambition and determination.
Her swimming philosophy is firmly based in the knowledge and
understanding of stroke fundamentals and the application of those
fundamentals to the race. Along with solid fundamentals,
sportsmanship, teamwork, and unity are qualities she will aim to
instill in our athletes. She believes swimming should be a fun,
enjoyable and rewarding experience for all athletes
involved.
