Dynamo Swim Team

About Dynamo

Dynamo is a three season (fall, winter, spring) swim team for youth and teens. We are a diverse and competitive team that serves swimmers from first time team members to national competitors. While Dynamo is a competitive team at heart, our goal is to meet each swimmer exactly where they are. All practices are held at the Greater Burlington YMCA on College Street, in Burlington, Vermont.

We offer stroke development clinics during September/October and April/May. Our short course season begins in October and ends in March. All swim with all meets are held in 25-yard pools.

YMCA membership is required to swim with Dynamo. YMCA membership information and fees can be found here or at our Member Engagement desk.

Practice Group Descriptions + Expectations

Questions? Please contact Head Coach Jacsen Callanan at [email protected].

Current Season Registration

Registration for returning swimmers will begin the first week of August. Coach Jacsen will be in touch with each returning swimmer and their family via email.

We willl open the waitlist for new swimmers to join the team on August 17, and begin notifying swimmers on the waitlist if there is a spot on the team September 1.

Intro to Winter Swim Team

Swim Team intro for ages 7-9
Mondays and Fridays, 6:00 – 6:45pm

This fall swim clinic is designed for those swimmers who are 7, 8, and 9 years old who are new to winter swimming. If previously in YMCA swim lessons, those in the minnow level and higher are eligible, as well as those who have only swam summer swim team.

Fall Stroke Development Clinics

Fall Stroke Clinics for ages 8-12
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 4:30 – 5:15pm and 5:15 – 6:00pm

Stroke intensives are specifically for those swimmers who have previously swam on winter swim team with Dynamo or another team. They are scheduled so swimmers can take a variety of clinics, ideally coming to at least two a week.

Pre Season Silver + Gold Swim Team

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 6:00 – 7:00pm; no dryland component.

Silver and gold preseason is designed for those swimmers who swam in the silver and gold practice groups for the ‘24/’25 Dynamo season.

Swim Team Coaches

Jacsen Callanan

Dynamo Head Coach

Jacsen graduated from UVM in 2005. He grew up as a competitive swimmer on the south side of Chicago and had the opportunity to swim each summer at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor under the direction of Jon Urbanchek. He has been working in aquatics as a guard, instructor and coach for 15 years. He has been the head swim coach for the Northeast Philadelphia YMCA and an assistant coach for the Philadelphia FINS master swimming team. He is excited for his ninth season coaching Dynamo.

Anna Willis

Dynamo Assistant Coach

Anna was born and raised in Vermont and has been swimming since the age of 6. Her early years in the water were with her neighborhood team in Winooski before she joined the YMCA Dynamos in 2014. Throughout her time as a competitive swimmer she swam at many championship meets in Vermont and beyond, winning the State Championship in two events in 2021. Anna has also been involved in aquatics through lifeguarding, teaching swim lessons, and coaching the swim team. Anna is now a second-year nursing student at UVM and received her EMT license early in the summer. This is Anna’s second year coaching with Dynamo and she’s excited to continue in her long-standing relationship with the team.

Zoe Troxler

Dynamo Assistant Coach

Zoe was born in London but raised in northern New Jersey and has been in the water for as long as she could remember. She joined her local YMCA team in middle school and emerged as a butterflier, competing in the 200 Fly and later joined her high school team. Zoe went on to coach her club team and several summer teams, building strong relationships within her community through private lessons. She is now a sophomore neuroscience student at UVM and has shifted her personal fitness focus from swimming to weightlifting. Zoe is excited for her first season with the Dynamos and is looking forward to helping swimmers discover their love for the sport.

Tom Nececkas

Dynamo Assistant Coach

Tom grew up swimming on his local summer swim team, before going on to swim in high school, year-round club, and in college for Boston College’s Division I team. He returned to his summer swim team as an assistant swim coach for two summers during college. Tom’s also taught lessons, most recently as an adaptive swim instructor at the Greater Burlington YMCA. From 2016 to 2019, he worked as an assistant swim coach with Dynamo, and he’s excited to return for the 2025-26 season.

Reiko Maeda

Dynamo Assistant Coach

Coach Reiko has been part of the Dynamo Swim Team family for over a decade, first as a swimmer in high school, and now as a dedicated coach. Due to her experience with this team, Reiko knows firsthand the power of teamwork, perseverance, and the lifelong friendships this sport creates.

Reiko has been guided and inspired by Head Coach Jacsen, whose mentorship has shaped her coaching style. She strives to offer the same guidance and encouragement to her swimmers, helping them reach their full potential both in and out of the water.

Outside of coaching, Reiko is finishing nursing school and will graduate this May with her RN degree. Whether in the pool or in the classroom, she is committed to helping others succeed and believes that every practice is an opportunity to build something bigger than yourself!

Geoffrey Bennett

Dynamo Assistant Coach

Geoffrey Bennett has been coaching Varsity Cross Country and Track & Field in Vermont since 2005, but has only been Gluten Free since 2020. Coach Bennett is excited to bring his knowledge of Speed and Power (USTFCCCA-certified Strength & Conditioning Coach) to the pool deck. Coach Bennett loves to run, bike, and play basketball – while his wife (Carly) and 3 kids (Goose, Coco & revilO) are patiently waiting for him to catch up in the lap pool.

Ella Sehovic-Taji

Dynamo Assistant Coach

Ella was born and raised in Burlington and has been a part of the YMCA aquatics community since early childhood. She began competitive swimming at the age of 10 with both Dynamo and the Winooski Swim Team. Over the past five years, Ella has worked in aquatics as a certified lifeguard and coach. She is currently pursuing a degree in Animal Science at the University of Vermont. Ella is excited to begin her first season as a Dynamo coach and to return to the YMCA community that helped shape her love for the sport.

Dynamo FAQs

Team Mission

Dynamo Swim Team helps create confident swimmers who achieve both individual and team goals through a love of swimming and an environment of excellence.

Y Mission

To build a strong community by involving youth, adults and families in programs and activities that develops spirit, mind and body.

Team Philosophy: PERC UP

PRIDE

We will recognize and celebrate the talents each swimmer inherently possesses.
We will show pride in our individual and team achievements.

EXCELLENCE

We are committed to excellence. We can do the things we set our minds to through commitment, self-discipline and hard work.
Swimming fast is awesome, but swimming with fast with excellent strokes is the best!

RESPONSIBILITY

We will challenge ourselves and each other to grow and learn every day.
We will take responsibility for our actions. We don’t look for someone else to blame.
We will face every challenge or race with the knowledge that we have put in the work needed to achieve our goal.

COURAGE

To succeed we will have to take risks.
We will not be afraid to try and not succeed because we know that we will learn more each time and get close to our goals.

UNITY

We will take opportunities to remind each other when we notice achievements and support each other when we are feeling frustrated or discouraged.
Every swimmer is a critical part of the team’s whole.

PERSISTENCE and DEDICATION

We will be improving everyday and we will have to put in the work every day to reach our small and large goals.
If we do not achieve our goals we will allow ourselves time for disappointment but later we will take a chance to reflect and +develop a plan to work towards our goal again.

Practice Suit: Each swimmer should have a practice suit. For younger swimmers this may be your team suit. For older swimmers it should be another suit; the team suit should be saved for meets.

Goggles: Goggles are required. Being able to see underwater helps swimmers to follow the line, see teammates, and watch for specifics of a stroke. It also prevents burning and redness of the eyes. Many styles of goggles are available. Preference is individual. If you need help adjusting your goggles see your coach at practice.

Caps: Caps are required for anyone whose hair covers their ears. Caps help create a more streamlined swimmer and prevent them from getting a mouth full of hair while trying to breathe.

Water Bottle: A water bottle with water is a must for all swimmers. When swimming it is hard to tell that you are sweating and need to replace the lost liquid. The workout time is long enough to dehydrate the swimmer. Swimmers should bring their own water bottles labeled with their names at the beginning of the season and they will be kept in a team locker on the deck so that they are always available. They can be filled at the water fountain at the beginning of practice and emptied at the end.

Race Suit: Race suits are expected for meets. For younger swimmers this can be the same as their practice suit. Race suits decrease drag enabling swimmers to swim faster during meets. There are many different types of racing suits available. Both practice suits and race suits can be ordered through the team in team colors.

Swimmer Nutrition: http://www.usaswimming.org/

New England Swimming LSC: http://www.neswim.com/

USA Swimming: http://usaswimming.org

National YMCA Swimming: http://www.ymcaswimminganddiving.org/