The MNBBY Seals Swim Team is excited to welcome Tyler Prescott to our family of coaches.
"I started swimming when I was 11 years old and swam for ten to eleven years, including competing in and winning national competitions when I was in college. After I was done in swimming, I went on to coaching. I grew up in Meriden and swam at Platt. In addition to coaching here at the Meriden-New Britain–Berlin YMCA, I am the head coach for the Meriden Co-op high school swim teams.
I love swimming because it is an interesting and unique sport. I love racing and I have never been a runner so this was my way to race. It really stuck with me. My proudest moment as a swimmer was winning nationals in the 200 backstroke and 400 IM.
As a coach I can apply my knowledge as a swimmer. I can offer a more in depth and competitive look into swimming. I have seen the top level, trained with them, and swam against them. It is a unique and awesome experience.
My proudest moments as a coach have been increasing the number of swimmers in age group qualifiers (getting my old team up to double digits for qualifiers) and seeing my swimmers put my advice into action and drop significant time in their events. I love that moment when everything clicks and a plan or strategy comes together. In swimming, it often comes down to the last big meet of the season. It is so satisfying when that last meet comes together and swimmers drop time. I love to see swimmers happy when they get what they were working for.
My goals as a Seals coach are to increase our age group qualifiers and teach people new things. I want to interest people to stay with swimming long term.
I have two personal mottos, one joking and one serious. First, pain is weakness leaving the body. Second, the key to success is hard work and consistency.
When I am not coaching, I enjoy drawing and painting," said Coach Prescott.
To learn more about the Seals Swim Team, contact Cathy Lewis at 203-440- 1870 or clewis@meridenymca.org.