About the Coaches
Sean Farrell, Head Coach
Sean joined the staff as Head Coach in September of 1999. During his tenure with the Sea Dogs, Sean has produced several senior national qualifiers, 12 Individual YMCA National Champions, 3 Relay YMCA National Champions. His swimmers have broken 20 Individual Connecticut and 9 Connecticut Relay Records have earned over 350 YMCA All-American Honors. Additionally, he was named the Connecticut Senior Coach of the Year in 2001 and nominated for that honor in 2002, 2005 and 2007. A 1988 graduate of Cheshire High School, Sean returned to Cheshire after being the Head Coach of the Westfield (NJ) YMCA from 1998-1999. In addition Sean was the Head Coach of the Sun Devil Aquatics in Tempe, Arizona and the Assistant Coach with the Arizona State University from 1995-1998. During his tenure with ASU, the squad established a NCAA Division I top-10 team ranking all 3 years and his resume includes working with 10 Olympians, 15 Division I All-Americans and 5 Pac-10 Champions. Sean earned a BS degree in Biology at Southern Connecticut State University. While at Southern, he earned Division II All-American honors and was a multiple swim team record holder. After graduating, Sean was the assistant coach for Southern’s Men’s Swim Team from 1993-95. As well as being the Head Coach for Sea Dog, he was also the Connecticut YMCA Swim League President from 2001-2003, Program Development Chair for Connecticut Swimming from 2004-2006 and is currently on the Connecticut Swimming Technical Planning Committee.
Dan Mascolo, Head Age Group Coach
Since joining the Sea Dog Swim Club Staff in the 2005, the Age Group program has had a tremendous amount of success under Coach Dan. The CDOG Age Group program has grown significantly leading to the addition of a new practice group and they have seen rapid improvement in their performances as well. During the 2007 Short Course season CDOG won the 10/Under Girls and Combined awards at the Short Course Age Group Championships highlighted by the 10/Under Girls 400 Medley Relays finishing 1st and 2nd in that event. CDOG 12/Unders have qualified numerous swimmers on the CT Zone Team since Coach Dan has joined the staff. This success led to Coach Dan being named CT Swimming’s 2007 Age Group Coach of the Year. Prior to coming to Cheshire, Coach Dan had been an Age Group Coach for Bernal’s Gator Swim Club in Massachusetts. During his tenure with Gator he coached multiple Age Group champions and had a relay place National Top-16. Coach Dan returned to Connecticut after gaining experience as Head Coach of two YMCA teams in Massachusetts. Dan earned a BA degree in Communication Sciences at the University of Rhode Island. While at URI, he was named to the Atlantic-10 Commissioner Honor Roll and was a swim team record holder. Coach Dan has been a member of CT Swimming's Age Group Committee since 2005. Coach Dan is currently an ASCA Level 3 (pending) certified Coach.
Michelle Rock, Assistant Coach
Coach Michelle started with Sea Dog Swim Club during the 2004-2005 Short Course season. She has done a great job helping grow the 10/Under program as CDOG’s Pre-Team and Buccaneer I and II Coach. During the 2007 Short Course Season her 8/Under Boys won the CT YMCA State Championship. Additionally, Coach Michelle has been an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor since 1992 and teaches lessons at the Cheshire Community Pool. Michelle swam for Branford High and the Branford Stingrays. She has a BS from Western Connecticut State University in Music and an MS from Southern Connecticut State University in Elementary Education. She teaches K-8 music at Troup Academy of Science in New Haven.
Lloyd Goldstein , Assistant Coach
Lloyd Goldstein is joining our staff this year after spending the last 19 years coaching at the Marist Swim Club. He will be working mostly with the Senior and Junior Groups. Lloyd spent four years as the head coach of the Women’s Swim Team at Marist College, prior to his job with the Marist Swim Club and was the Head Coach for the Vassar College Men’s and Women’s Swim Team for three years before that. During his coaching career Lloyd has coached 5 Olympic Trials Qualifiers, 11 Senior Qualifiers, 4 Senior National Finalists, 44 Junior National Qualifiers, 18 Junior National Finalists, 4 Junior National Champions, 2 US National Team Members and 6 US Sectional Champions. Lloyd is currently working as a Pharmaceutical Representative for Wyeth.
Rob Meaney , Assistant Coach
Coach Rob is a Cheshire native who grew up swimming in the area. He swam and dove for the 1993 Midwestern Conference Champions Lake Forest College outside of Chicago. After college Coach Rob moved to Georgia where he was the Head Coach for both the local High School team and Summer Club team. He is currently working on an M.A. in Education at the University of Bridgeport.
John Spadafina, Assistant Coach
Coach John joined the CDOG staff in the 2007 Long Course Season. Prior to coming to Cheshire, John was the Head Age Group Coach for the Omni Swim Club from 2004-2006. John coached many age group qualifiers and an Age Group champion. Prior to Omni he was the Head Coach for the Farmington Valley Swim Team from 2002-2004. In 2003, John graduated with a Bachelors Degree in History from Central Connecticut State University where he swam for the Blue Devils and served as the team captain in 2001-2002. John, a native of Staten Island, NY swam for the Blue Arrow Swim Club. John is currently a Comprehensive Student Intervention Specialist at SAND Elementary School in Hartford.
Jarod Proto, Assistant Coach
Jarod Proto joined the staff in 2002 and has coached primarily the Junior and Senior Squads. He received his bachelors degree in Finance from North Carolina State University. His swimming honors include being a three time 1st team All-American in college and a two time 1st team All-American in high school.