Cara Hancy
Johnson Lead Coach

Cara has a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health from Ithaca College and moved to Vermont 2004. She has been involved in swimming much of her life, working as a lifeguard and swim instructor for local YMCA facilities both during high school in Connecticut and college in New York. While working as Aquatic Manager and Head Swim Coach in Stowe, Vermont, she became an American Red Cross Instructor of Life Guarding in 2008 and a WSI Instructor Trainer in 2009. Cara supervised a year round aquatic program from 2008-2012 managing a team of lifeguards and swim instructors to provide quality recreation and lessons with a focus on safety and team work. She is also AEA certified to teach Aqua Aerobic programs, AFAA certified Personal Trainer, and US Masters ASCA certified swim coach.

Cara loves teaching swimming because the water is not only a fun place to be and a dynamic element to work with, but because swimming is a life skill that everyone should have access and opportunity to learn and respect. Cara started her own aquatic business in 2012, Just Ducky Aquatics, teaching lessons to children and adults, offering American Red Cross courses, coaching the Johnson State College Masters workout group and consulting with local aquatic facilities to enhance their programs and train their staff. She lives in Morrisville, Vermont with her husband and three young children, where she enjoys swimming, hiking, lazy family time, and taking on the occasional new fitness challenge. 

 
 

 
Janet Mara
Norwich Gold Team
 
Janet has a lifelong love of swimming which she now expresses by coaching.  At age 5, she begged to be on the swim team like her big brother, and she never looked back!  Janet swam competitively through high school and at the University of Vermont.  As soon as she was old enough, she began teaching American Red Cross swim lessons and coaching her local summer recreational team.  She coached in New Mexico and Colorado before returning to Vermont, where she has coached some version of this Montpelier/Northfield Ice Breakers team for the last 20 years. 
 
Janet believes in the amazing benefits, relationships, and life lessons the sport of swimming can provide. To this day, her swimming friends are her best friends. 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




Carrie Morris
Norwich Gold Team
 
Ca rrie is originally from Kentucky but has lived in places around the world and moved to Vermont in 2011.  This is Carrie's 5th year on deck with the IceBreakers.  She has also coached with the Montpelier Marlins and GMCF KidSWIM and teaches swim lessons around Central Vermont. Carrie has found great joy in helping swimmers take the next steps to grow and develop confidence in the water that transcends to everyday life.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


Eli Barrett

Eli joined the IceBreakers in 2022, but he has been coaching for years. Eli coached the Portland Polarbears full time in Portland, ME as the head coach of the 85 swimmer team. He has been teaching swimming for almost 15 years and has taught 6-month-olds up to 80-year-olds. With over 15 fitness certifications including a certified personal trainer, group exercise instructor, and yoga teacher, Eli loves to develop and implement training programs that help swimmers grow and feel challenged, but also feel confident and empowered. His main goal is to have you leave with a smiling face.
 

Eli works full-time at Norwich University as the Director of Student Activities and lives in Montpelier with his wife who is a professor at Norwich. When he is not working or coaching he can be found hiking a mountain, skiing on a mountain, cycling on a mountain, or drinking a pumpkin spice iced coffee… on a mountain.