exploratory coaches
Our Exploratory team provides expert, caring instruction tailored to each swimmer's unique needs.
Kara Gavin
karacgavin@gmail.com
Kara has been swimming since she was three years old. She and her family members are Wagner Aquatic Club alumni trained by Coach Bartleson. Kara has been involved in coaching/instructing swimmers of all ages and abilities since she was a teenager and has particular interest in teaching proper stroke technique/alignment and most importantly making learning to swim fun! In addition to swimming, Kara enjoys staying active in various types of athletics, traveling, spending time with friends and family-especially her young nieces and nephews who are having fun learning to swim too. In addition to instructing at the pool, Kara enjoys practicing as a speech language pathologist.
Elise Johnson
ejohnson@tridentaquaticclub.com
Elise Johnson has been swimming competitively for 10 years and is from upstate New York currently studying at Wagner College. Elise is part of the division 1 swimming and diving team here at Wagner College and has loved the water since childhood. She is an experienced swim instructor working with all age groups and groups with special needs. Elise is excited to be joining the Trident Team and is looking forward to help aid all kinds of swimmers.
Tara Curran
tcurran@tridentaquaticclub.com
Tara brings over 15 years of swimming experience and specialized adaptive aquatics expertise to Trident Aquatic Club. Certified as an Adaptive Swimming Whisperer through Swim Angelfish, she holds a bachelor's degree in Special Education and History from Mount Saint Mary College and is currently pursuing her master's in Special Education. Her academic background in special education perfectly complements her coaching philosophy, which focuses on understanding each swimmer's unique needs and creating personalized instruction.
With more than 7 years of swim instruction experience and over 4 years coaching competitive swimmers, including serving as head coach for 12 and under swimmers at Newburgh Sharks for 2+ years, Tara excels at building inclusive environments where all swimmers can succeed. Her expertise in both education and adaptive swimming allows her to develop effective, individualized approaches that work for swimmers of all abilities, ages, and skill levels.
