To Brian Greene, there are people who are into land sports and those who are water creatures. Brian, who has been swimming since childhood is decidedly in the latter category, and for over 30 years has channeled this passion into providing aquatic instruction to all levels of swimmers—from learn-to-swim programs to developing YMCA National Champions.
In 2014, Brian branched out on his own, founding Streamline Aquatics Club (STAC), which he co-owns with his wife, Clare Zeszotarski. With the support of 12 coaches, STAC offers private lessons, stroke clinics and a competitive swim team in the pool at Raritan Valley Community College, serving youth from kindergarten to high school students with aspirations of swimming in college.
Their mission is to help swimmers at all levels reach their highest potential as people and athletes. To Brian—who his students affectionately call “B.G.”—there is a hierarchy: Family first, then academics, followed by other activities.
“I ask the swimmers what their game plan is for life,” he says. “Hopefully swimming is in the top five, but for some maybe playing the piano is higher—and that’s OK. This is why we offer so many different levels of swimming: recreational, competitive and ultra-competitive.”
Over the past five years, STAC has worked with about 200 student-athletes each season.
“We’ve come a long way in a short period of time,” says Brian, who proudly notes an 8th grade swimmer recently made the Olympic trial cut.
Tools to Succeed
When Brian was in high school, he analyzed his swimming to determine how to swim faster. Today, he uses this knowledge to help his student-athletes improve their laps with efficiency and purpose in age-appropriate ways. “We start by teaching them the strokes and foster a love of the sport,” he says. “Instruction for younger swimmers is designed to be playful as they acquire skills; as they get older and spend more time in the water instruction becomes more disciplined to foster good stroke mechanics.”
Since repetitive motion can cause injury, proper technique is paramount. Swimmers mix four strokes: freestyle, backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke.
“Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise that uses every muscle,” Brian says. “Unlike other student-athletes who play football or baseball, swimmers can participate in their sport forever. In fact, I coached a man in his 80s who was a champion swimmer!”
Swimmers have a very organized and task-driven day. To help them fit swimming into their schedule, STAC offers a number of opportunities to swim during the week: Monday to Friday nights, Saturday morning and Sunday night. Swimmers also can opt to practice on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday mornings, and STAC will open lanes at other times for those whose schedules are trickier. Some swimmers will practice four days a week, others more. It depends on the swimmer, and at STAC, school always comes first! For example, if a student has a lot of homework or has to study for a test, they can leave practice early.
Swimmers are encouraged to participate in land exercises—walking, biking or jogging—and those older than 12 often consider other additional workouts. During the pandemic, Brian has kept in touch with the swimmers to help them stay in shape for the season, raising their spirits through TikTok exercise videos he films, links to fitness apps and exercise games played using dice, coins or cards. For example, in Brian’s dice game, the swimmers do a certain repetition of exercises—like crunches, planks, lunges or squats—that correspond to the numbers they roll. Many of the students run competitively as well, which Brian encourages, along with other daily calisthenics, such as jumping jacks or push-ups.
The coaches instill the importance of nutrition and flexibility early.
“Swimmers always look in shape,” Brian says. “That’s because they’re burning what they are eating.”
During the day, the student-athletes are encouraged to sip water and nibble on healthy foods that can break down easily like fruit or a power bar so they are always hydrated and fueled. Before each practice, swimmers stretch and perform exercises. Meet days are long, lasting five hours or more. On those mornings, swimmers eat a healthy breakfast like eggs or oatmeal, then snack on fruit and vegetables during the meet. Swimmers who are fast enough to return for finals will work in a nap and lunch or early dinner before their next meet.
Brian explains, “What they put in their body needs to be positive."
He finds that swimmers’ acute sense of time management allows them to excel at school and in the pool.
“Swimming provides additional benefits like camaraderie, stress management and confidence, which will help student-athletes have the confidence to succeed in other areas of their life,” Brian says.