Powerschool GoGuardian Naviance Aimsweb Semstracker EdReflect SchoolDude Virtual Paragon Frontline Alio Service Portal

Boys Swim: New Coach, New Ranking

There were going to be new changes to the WRHS Boys Swim Team with the coming of
COVID-19, but an unexpected change was the need for a new coach. Brendan Heller, a former
swimmer for Naugatuck High School, started his first season coaching for Woodland this year.
Even though it was his first season with the team, Heller already has six years of coaching and
15 years of competitive swimming under his belt.

“I swam at Naugatuck High, and we competed against Woodland. I always thought it was a good program, and a great school, [with] beautiful facilities, so when they had an opening for the boy’s season this year, I said, ‘Why not try it out?’” Heller stated.

Heller’s decision ultimately paid off when both he and the team enjoyed his coaching, both his practices and his personality.

Under Heller, the entire team showed enthusiasm and motivation for the season. “I like
the competitiveness, and their enthusiasm for the team, and their desire to perform at a high
level,” remarked Heller. Heller motivates the team before meets and during practices to help the Hawks stay on track for their goals. The Hawks definitely noticed and appreciated Heller’s
motivation, and commented on it.

“So Coach Heller tells us: ‘You’re always in the race, no matter what,’ and, ‘When it’s
the last race, don’t give up,’ and he tells us our best times and we’ve been working towards [them],” said senior Captain Patrick Zieba, a four-year swimmer for the team

Heller had also given the Hawks more diversity to their events, having them swim events
they normally would not. Most swimmers typically swim the same events per meet to improve
their times, but this year was different.

“He’s definitely been throwing us around, like in different [events]. It might just be
because it’s the first year with him, but we’re definitely just doing different [distances and strokes] that we’re not used to,” commented Captain Noah Scott, another four-year swimmer for the Hawks. “So I was getting put in different [events] like the 500 [freestyle], and I’m usually a sprinter.”

The team had a great, record-breaking season. Eleven out of the thirteen records on the
board were broken, and some several times over as the season progressed. The list of record
breaking swimmers includes Jake Arisian (7 individual, 3 relays), DJ Mulligan (1 individual),
Patrick Zieba (3 relays), Noah Scott (3 relays), Aiden Kennedy (2 relays), and Tyler Cyr (1
relay). At their NVL championship meet, almost all of the times made were personal best times for the swimmers.

Heller could not be more proud of the team and their performances throughout the
season, especially towards the end of the season and their NVL meet. The Hawks nearly took
down the Holy Cross Crusaders, who hold the past seven NVL Champion titles. The team
earned three gold, two silver, and three bronze medals overall with five records alone being
broken in the NVL meet. They earned the runner-up NVL trophy, the highest placing the Hawks
have reached, beating last year’s third place finish. The end of the Hawk’s season leaves higher expectations for future years, and the Hawks are excited to swim again next season.

Molly Kennedy

Learn More →