The 2023-24 season marks an amazing TWENTY YEARS for Coach Dennis with the ZEUS Swim Team and his 7th as Head Coach.  Dennis has been involved in the sport for 25 years as a swimmer, instructor and, for the last 22 years, a coach.    During Dennis’ tenure with Zeus, the program has seen significant growth and continued success under his leadership. 

Over the course of the last few years, Dennis has mentored athletes who’ve reached high level meets including the Eastern Zone All-star meet, Senior Zones, Speedo Super Sectionals, USA Futures, NCSA Junior Nationals and more.  Zeus perennially finds itself among the Top 10 of all Connecticut teams, has captured Age Group Championships, placed well at high level travel meets and seen many more accolades as a team.     Dennis’ efforts have been recognized by his peers over the years, including having been awarded Connecticut Age Group Coach of the Year in 2008 and being selected to join the Connecticut Eastern Zone team as an assistant coach in 2014.  Dennis currently sits on the Connecticut board of directors as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chair where he is highly involved in bringing awareness and opportunities to athletes who are underrepresented in our sport. 

Prior to joining Zeus in 2005, Dennis was an assistant Age Group Coach with Middies Swimming, Assistant Head Coach of the Mamaroneck Barracudas, and Assistant Aquatics Director and swim instructor with the White Plains YWCA.   Within these roles, Dennis helped produce Metro JO and Zone qualifiers at Middies, established record-setting performances with the Barracudas and most importantly to Dennis, took many swimmers from the developmental stages and made them enjoy the sport. 

Away from Zeus, Dennis has spent the last 16 summers as the Head coach of the Roton Point swim team where he works with athletes swimming for fun throughout the summer. It’s at Roton where Dennis takes the opportunity to teach new and upcoming swimmers to love the sport of swimming.  

Dennis coaches because he loves the sport and has a strong desire to help develop young athletes. He believes that the lessons learned in the pool, while not always those that are performance-related, will be lifelong lessons.  Teamwork, determination, patience, self-discipline, and self-confidence are all important aspects to a swimmer and Dennis looks to teach that to all swimmers.

Dennis and his family live in Norwalk where they have grown up and spent time with Dennis at the pool and are truly an extension of the Zeus family.

2023-24 marks Eric Sona's second year with Zeus, where he will be working primarily with N2, NatDev and Age Group, along with helping across additional groups.

Eric has over 20 years of experience, having led programming in Brazil with Academia Munhoz (1994-1998), Esporte Clube Pinheiros (1999-2003), Winners Company (2004-2014), Brazil Olympic Training Center (2015-2017) and most recently at AABB-SP (2018-2021). 

Prior to relocating to Norwalk earlier this year, Eric was the primary coach for Stephan Steverink, a world-ranked 18/under swimmer who last year captured the 400 Free Gold Medal at the FINA Junior World Champs in Peru!   All told, Eric has produced 21 State, 13 Brazilian and 2 South American Champions. 

Eric is a nationally ranked swimmer, who continues to compete in Masters competitions. He has won multiple medals on the Brazilian National stage and was a FINA World Cup Finalist from 2000-2002, having competed internationally during that period in Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai and Melbourne.  Most recently, in Masters competition, Coach Eric finished 4^th in the 100 Butterfly at the 2017 World Masters Championships!

Coach Eric has a degree in Physical Education and is currently living in Norwalk.

The 2023-24 season is Coach Tony’s 4th with Zeus where he will continue to work with our Rockets squad. 

Tony got his start in swimming 7 years ago when he began teaching as an instructor within the Norwalk Parks & Recreation aquatics program.  Joining Velo-CT, Tony has continued his teaching and for the last two seasons, has been running the facility’s very successful Rec Team, while also serving as a Private Lesson Instructor at the facility.

Coach Tony enjoys instilling a love for swimming in his swimmers and is excited to be on deck with Zeus again this season.

2023-24 is Katie’s first year with Zeus where she will assist with N1, Thunder and Lightning....but Katie is no stranger to the program!  Katie spent her age group career with Zeus from 2007-2018 before moving on to swim Division I at Central Connecticut State University (2018-2023).  

At CCSU, Katie was team captain and a five-time Northeast Conference individual gold medalist. Katie specialized in the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, and 100-yard freestyle. In 2023, Katie’s contributions helped her team win the Northeast Conference Championship.

After competing all four years in college and graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Katie was given the opportunity to compete for a fifth year due to the NCAA’s pandemic related rules.

Katie seized this opportunity and successfully completed her Master’s in Business Administration.

2023-24 is Brian’s first season with Zeus, where he brings a combined 20 years of high-level competitive swimming and teaching experience.  Brian will be working with our N2, Thunder and Lightning groups this season.

Originally from New Jersey, Brian swam competitively for both YMCA Swimming and Diving and USA Swimming for 11 years. After high school, Brian went on to compete for four years as a Division II student-athlete at the University of Bridgeport. A versatile swimmer, he excelled in both short backstroke and fly sprints, and long distance freestyle. He competed at NCAA’s three out of four years and was a three time All-American.

Away from Zeus, Brain is the Director of Learn-To-Swim at Velo-CT. A true passion for teaching and a love for the sport, Brian takes pride in sharing the invaluable lifelong lessons he has learned through swimming and helping every student and athlete develop their skills, confidence, and love of the water. He is excited to bring his knowledge and passions to the Zeus team!

Brian has a degree in Exercise Science and Fitness with a minor in Psychology and currently resides in Bridgeport, CT.

2023-24 is Coach Torie's second year with Zeus where she will be leading our dryland programs.

Torie brings to Zeus an amazing background and experience that is sure to be valuable to our athletes – she is a former Zeus swimmer (2011-2018) and still ranks Sunkissed as her all-time favorite meet.  Some of Torie’s best friends to this day are ones she met while competing for Zeus!  After Zeus, Torie went on to compete for four years as a Division III student-athlete at Susquehanna University, where she excelled as a distance swimmer (500 and 1650 Free and 400IM) and was a key part of the school’s 2019 Conference Championship Team!

Torie teaches 4th grade at the Curiale School in Bridgeport, CT and has previous aquatics experience as a lifeguard and assistant manager with the Wee Burn Beach Club in Darien.

Kristin Natalie joins Zeus for her first year in 2023-24 and has an amazing history in the sport. 

Most recently, Kristin served as an assistant coach for the Stamford Sharks from 1999-2005.  Kristin attended Orange Coast College where she set both state and national records in the 200 and 400 free Relays, and a state record in the 100 free and after that, competed for Florida Atlantic University.

Outside of the pool, Kristin has worked in Corporate Procurement for 20 years, and currently work for Logic Source in Norwalk doing IT procurement.

Kristin grew up in Northern California but has lived in the Norwalk/Stamford area for the last 25 years. She lives in Norwalk now with her husband Derek and 3 kids, Nicolas, Christopher and Caitlyn.

2023-24 is Bill’s third season with Zeus, where he brings nearly 20 years of high-level competitive coaching experience.  Bill has shifted off the pool deck and will be continuing to lead our operations as Team Administrator.

Prior to joining Zeus, Bill held various positions at all levels of the sport, including: Head Age Group Coach with Rapids Swim Team (2016-2021), Head Coach at Pace University (2008-2011), Lead Coach with Empire (2007-2011) and Middies (2004-2007), Head Coach at the Ursuline School (2007) and Head Coach at Rocky Ledge Swimming Association (2005-2010). 

With Pace, 13 of Bill’s athletes were named to Conference All-Star and All-Academic Teams and six athletes achieved NCAA Division II qualifying times. At Empire and Middies, Bill helped develop numerous Metro LSC age group champions and LSC and team record holders, along with 50+ Sectional, Junior and Senior National qualifiers.  Bill’s teams at Rocky Ledge captured back to back summer Division Championships in 2006 and 2007 and Bill was named "Conference Coach of the Year" in 2008. And at the Ursuline School, he guided the girls team to an undefeated season and the New York State Section I Title, sending six swimmers to that season's NYS Championship Meet.

In addition to his coaching history, Bill spent 15 years in Marketing leadership roles, collaborating with companies like Anheuser-Busch, Heineken, Pepsico, Kraft Foods and more to develop industry-leading, creative programming. 

Away from the pool, Bill is a professor in Fairfield University's Dolan School of Business  where he teaches undergraduate and graduate level Marketing courses, and serves as the school's Marketing Club advisor.  Bill lives in Trumbull with his wife Tara and their three children – Hannah, Colin and Brendan.