Schickler: Johnston mentors successful swimmers

Ellen Johnston epitomizes what a successful swimming coach should be in and out of the pool.

Johnston is currently the head coach that oversees the Westport-Weston Family Y swimming program and is celebrating her 25th anniversary at the Westport Y this year. She is the head coach of the Senior Water Rats team, a position she had held since September 1990.

"To be a swimming coach as successful as Ellen is, you have to make it the focus of your life, which she has done," said Bob Knoebel, who was the Westport Y aquatics director for 29 years before retiring to Idaho in 2005. "She's a big influence on the kids in and out of the pool. To be a great swimming coach anywhere takes a lot of grit and determination and Ellen has it."

Current YMCA Aquatics Director Jacquie said, "Ellen's very warm and when you talk to her, you feel like you've known her forever. She's easy to talk to and she teaches the core values of the YMCA of not only how to be a good swimmer but how to be a good person as well."

And Johnston's record for success speaks for itself. Many swimmers qualify annually for the YMCA National championships under her tutelage and the NCAA swimming landscape has an array of past, present and future competitors that fine-tuned their skills while performing for the Water Rats.

"I was fortunate to have good role models and good people to learn from," Johnston said. "I'm a student of the sport and I don't know it all. When there's nothing more to learn, it's time to walk away."

Most of Westport's swimmers hope that day doesn't arrive for a long time because they see Johnston as more than a coach. Her former athletes and colleagues recognize what she does for her athletes goes well beyond swimming.

"Ellen is a lot more than a coach and is a friend as well," said Westporter David Platow, who graduated from Fairfield Prep in 2005 and served as captain for Pacific University (Class 2009) during his senior year. "She cares for your success in and out of the pool and I wouldn't have been able to swim in college or do Swim Across the Sound if it weren't for Ellen. Her knowledge of the sport serves her well, she knows how to train us and she knows how to get the most out of everyone."

In addition to the collegiate swimmers, Johnston also coached Kristen Roorbach who made it to the USA Swimming National Junior Team. She also coached Olympic Trial qualifier Emily Fenn and many other junior and senior national qualifiers.

"There are so many great things Ellen has done," said Molly Loftus, Staples High School Class of 2011, who will swim for the University of Tennessee this year. "She has a way of being supportive and compassionate but she knows what needs to get done and follows the same rules in her own life [that she preaches to others]. Ellen works hard and it's one thing I'll take with me it's one thing I'll take with me to college. Coming out of her program, I know I can handle any challenge, whether it's in the pool or in school."

Although Johnston can't be described as a martinet, no one could walk over her either. In fact, she expects a lot from her swimmers and would do whatever she can to help them achieve their goals.

"My philosophy is to treat kids like individuals because each kid is different," Johnston said. "I have a philosophy of how things should be done and it's for the youngsters themselves day-in and day-out and know that the sky is the limit. A sign of success is when the youngster consistently works to better themselves day-in and day-out, not out of obligation but because of a desire to get better."

The Water Rats are a drama-free team because of the tone Johnston sets for them. Some other teams experience this strife.

"We're all levelheaded and we don't throw temper tantrums and disrespect our coaches," Loftus said.

Having good chemistry with other coaches enhances Johnston's ability to succeed.

"We were very fortunate to land her," said former Water Rats Head Coach Bill Krumm, who is now sport development consultant for the Western Zone in USA Swimming. "We quickly saw eye-to-eye on things and clicked right away. A lot of coaches can't do it but we saw the big picture. Ellen's strength is that she deals with the total individual and not just the athlete."

Johnston's kids range from age 13-18 and, according to Krumm, she begins molding them at a volatile time in their life when they need direction and guidance. Many kids thrived because of her helping them at this stage in their lives.

"Ellen's a tough coach and challenges them all the time but she looks out for their best interests and works them through issues," Krumm said. "They are able to achieve things because of her guidance. She's one of the best trainers around. In Ellen's group, you have to work for things and nothing gets handed to you."

The Staples coaches benefit from having Johnston coach their swimmers.

"Ellen's an excellent coach and brought them to where they are before they get to high school," Staples girls coach Mike Laux said. "She has a very strong distance program and provided us with strong distance swimmers throughout the years."

Wreckers boys coach Jeff Schare said, "Without a doubt, Staples swimming wouldn't be where it is today without Ellen Johnston. She's one of the most knowledgeable coaches in the state and helps the kids not just in swimming but in life as well. She cares for them as people as well and helps them apply these lessons in life. If I need to know something on a stroke technique, Ellen is my go-to person and it's comforting to know that having Ellen in Westport will keep Staples swimming at the top of the heap."