JOHN WESTKOTT
2013 INDUCTION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AQUATIC HALL OF FAME
John Westkott, formerly of Narragansett, Rhode Island and presently living in Connecticut, started his career in Rhode Island Age Group Swimming. Being the son of University of Rhode Island Swim Coach Mick Westkott exposed John to both swimming and coaching as a way of life. John swam for the University of Rhode Island Rams from 1989-1993 in addition to being a four year member of the Ram Club Water Polo Team. Because of his outstanding water polo skills, John was selected to the All New England Team in Water Polo.
While an Assistant Swim Coach at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts from 1994-1996, John was named the Head Men’s and Women’s Swimming Coach at the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1996. In a 16 year period from 1996 to 2012 Coach Westkott has guided the Coast Guard Academy Men’s Team to six Conference Championships in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (2001,2004,2004,2006,2007,2008). The Academy’s Team was the Conference Champion Runner’s-up for another six year’s during that same fifteen year period of time (2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007,2008). For these efforts John has been named five times as the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Men’s Coach-of-the-Year (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008). In addition to serving as Men’s Coach, John coached the inaugural Women’s Swimming and Diving Team in 1999 presently continuing in that capacity with 2011 Women’s Team placing 3rd at the NEWMAC Championships. Coach Westkott has served on the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Championships Committee from 2001 to 2010 as well guiding and instructing Health, Physical Education and Swimming Programs at the Academy as Aquatic Director and Physical Education Instructor.