Happy Birthday Mary Wayte!!
Mary Wayte (USA)
Honor Swimmer (2000)
FOR THE RECORD: 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m freestyle); 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (4x100m medley relay), bronze (4x100m freestyle relay); 1986 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (4x200m freestyle relay); 1983 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle relay), silver (200m freestyle); 1985 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (200m freestyle);FOUR U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1-200y free, 2-200m free, 1-400m I.M.; TWO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Although she was raised on Mercer Island, Washington, this young lady did most of her international swimming in Florida for Coach Randy Reese at the University of Florida and the Holmes Lumber Team. At 5 feet, 8-1/2 inches and 128 pounds, Mary Wayte became one of the USA’s top freestyle swimmers winning Olympic and international meet medals.
As a U.S. National Team member from 1981 to 1988, Mary’s international career sparkled as a medalist on teams competing in Japan (1981, 1985), France (1982), Holland (1982), Venezuela (1983), Monaco (1985), Spain (1986) and Korea (1988). At the 1983 Pan American Games, she won the silver medal in the 200m freestyle, just behind Hall of Famer Sippy Woodhead. She won the gold medal as a member of the 4x100m freestyle relay.
The 1984 Olympic Games of Los Angeles were a highlight of Mary’s career. She beat her archrival Woodhead and won the 200m freestyle gold medal. She received a second gold medal by competing in the preliminary heat of the winning 4x100m freestyle relay team. She returned to the Olympic arena in 1988 winning the silver medal on the 4x100m-medley relay and the bronze medal as a member of the 4x100m freestyle relay. She had completed a full sweep of all Olympic medals – gold, silver and bronze. She also competed in the 200m freestyle finishing fourth, and the 200m individual medley, showing her swimming versatility.
During this Olympic quadrennium, Mary won the silver medal at the 1986 Madrid World Championships in the 4x200m freestyle relay. In collegiate swimming at Florida, she was Southeast Conference Swimmer of the Year (1985, 1987) and a 1985 two-time NCAA Champion in the 100yard freestyle and 400yard individual medley. She is a 26 time NCAA All-American. She has won four U.S. National Championships, one in the 200y freestyle, two in the 200m freestyle and one in the 400m individual medley.
After retirement, Mary’s swimming connection took her to television where she became a color commentator for Sports Channel featuring swim meets and crowd interviews at NBA games. She served as NBC’s color commentator for women’s swimming at the 1996 Olympics in Barcelona. and continues to cover women’s collegiate swimming for the ESPN network at the NCAA National Championships. She has been a promoter for Speedo, Alamo, the National Spa and Pool Institute, the International Swimming Hall of Fame and other organizations. Mary was inducted into the University of Florida’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
Farewell to a Legend: For One Final Time, ISHOF Honoree Eddie Reese Leads Texas Into NCAA Champs
by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
24 March 2024, 12:03pm
Farewell to a Legend: For One Final Time, Eddie Reese Leads Texas Into NCAA Champs
As Eddie Reese plans to retire from coaching after the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, he’ll be leaving the swimming world with a plethora of accomplishments, but he and those who know him will immediately tell you that the most important part of his legacy has been—and will always be—about the people and the lives he’s touched.
A few things transpired when Eddie Reese was called to the stage to accept the Impact Award at last fall’s USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards. For one, the legendary coach was greeted by a standing ovation, deep appreciation for his years of contributions to the sport. Additionally, his speech was a clinic in humility, as it focused on the individuals Reese encountered during his career, not himself.
Reese’s address to a who’s-who gathering of past and present American swim stars also featured—as expected—an entertaining degree of comedy. Reese has long been known for his deck-side jokes and ability to bring humor to the sport. So, when he commented on the velvety nature of the dining room’s napkins, the 82-year-old had the room laughing.
For years ahead, stories will be shared about Reese’s influence, and his jokes will endure. But Reese is departing his position as the head coach of the men’s program at the University of Texas following the United States Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, and that decision means fewer opportunities to celebrate, learn from and laugh with a man who has given swimming so much over five decades.
This week’s NCAA Championships will be the last for Reese, who initially announced his retirement after the 2021 season, only to reverse that decision a few months later. This time around, Reese is confident it is time to move on, with time with his wife, Elinor, and their grandchildren high on the agenda.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Where Reese’s Longhorns will finish at his final NCAAs is uncertain. This squad is not expected to challenge for a national title, although a top-five finish is within reach. Then again, there’s always been much more to his role than putting banners in the rafters of the Jamail Swim Center.
“The thing I got most out of coaching swimming has nothing to do with winning or trophies or anything like that,” Reese said. “It all has to do with interpersonal relationships. Coaches are in a great position that I love because I’m a firm believer that if the purpose of our life is to help, it puts us in a position to do just that. In one of the books (I read), we all know the saying, ‘You can’t take it with you when you die.’ And then, underneath that, it said, ‘The only thing you take with you is that which you’ve given others.’ We’re here to help, and I’ve been able to do that.”
SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS
Eddie Reese has maintained a consistent mantra during his tenure at Texas and at Auburn University prior to arriving in Austin. Reese has always focused on developing quality people and helping them get faster from the start of the season through its conclusion, and from year to year. Because of that approach, Texas enjoyed significant success.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
And as much as Reese does not toot his vast accomplishments, it is necessary to provide a snapshot of his achievements. Consider:
He has led Texas to 15 NCAA titles, the most in history, with those crowns spread over five decades.
His teams have finished runner-up at the NCAA Championships on 13 occasions, and boast 36 top-three finishes.
Under Reese’s guidance, Texas has won 45 consecutive conference championships, 27 in the Southwest Conference and 18 in the Big 12 Conference.
Entering this season, Reese-led athletes had won 75 individual NCAA titles and 55 relay crowns.
He is a three-time United States Olympic head coach and multi-time assistant.
Reese has guided 29 Longhorns to Olympian status, with those athletes combining for 63 Olympic medals (39 gold, 16 silver, eight bronze).
He is an inductee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
There is plenty more that could have been included in that list of achievements, but those selected items clearly reflect a man who has established himself as a measuring stick of success. How has he excelled? In part, it hinges on his longstanding approach.
“To coach swimming well, it cannot be a job. It’s got to be a lifestyle,” Reese said. “In reality, I haven’t had a job for the 58 years that I’ve coached. It has been an incredible part of my life. And the incredible part has had nothing to do with winning and losing. It has to do with the people that I’ve been lucky enough to be around.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Beyond coaching some of the greatest athletes in swimming’s history, including Hall of Famers Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen and Ian Crocker, Reese has always focused heavily on relationships and the bigger picture. He and former longtime assistant Kris Kubik shared an enduring trust. Of late, Reese has mentored assistant Wyatt Collins.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
As for his athletes, it was critical they felt appreciated and were given an opportunity to succeed in and out of the pool. If a swimmer needed a boost, Reese was there to motivate. If an athlete was hurting, Reese knew how to console. If a situation required some levity, Reese was more than happy to infuse humor.
Simply, he was the complete package.
“He can impart wisdom to you in any situation, whether it’s sitting on the bleachers, in a pool, on a plane, whether it’s in an airport, in the weight room, out to dinner, in a car ride, and it can seemingly come out of nowhere, sometimes,” Collins said. “You might be talking hamburgers, and he drops a nugget on you where it’s like, ‘Wow, that just shook my world.’ Usually, you walk away with a little more experience than when you sat down with him. That’s why he’s Eddie Reese. That’s why there’s never going to be anyone like him. We’re all better for having him in our lives.”
HIS LEGACY WILL ENDURE
Eddie Reese will walk away from the day-to-day demands of coaching in the coming months. Before that day, a few of his athletes will challenge for NCAA success and berths to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Whatever unfolds will be.
What is guaranteed to endure into the future is the legacy Reese has established since stepping foot on the University of Texas campus in the late 1970s. In the days since, he has etched himself not only as a coaching great, but as a man who has emphasized the importance of developing high-character human beings and giving them what they needed.
“Eddie has always cared about us,” Hansen once said. “It wasn’t just about making us faster swimmers, even though he’s a master at doing that. It was about making us better people. He’s the greatest coach this sport has ever seen. I don’t think anyone can argue that. But he’s also one of the most special people I’ve ever met.”
Happy Birthday Lynne Burke!!
Lynne Burke (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1978)
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1960 gold (100m backstroke; 400m medley relay); WORLD RECORDS: 6; NATIONAL AAU titles: 6 (100m backstroke, 2 relays); AMERICAN RECORDS: 7; Lowered the 100m backstroke World Record four times within three months.
The significant point about Lynn Burke’s backstroke World and Olympic Records, according to her coach, George Haines, “is a big chunk she took out of the current world class backstrokers’ time, dropping two seconds in the 100m backstroke.” She was the first American woman to win the Olympic 100m backstroke in 28 years. Lynn burst across the horizon like a flying fish going from virtual obscurity to the best in the world in less than two years, not only defeating all contemporaries, but finally wiping out the oldest record in the books, Hall of Famer Cor Kint’s 1939 record that had lasted 21 years. A New York model, author, business woman, and working mother of three children, Lynn Burke is glamorous proof that a swimmer can set records in more than the water.
Happy Birthday Penny Dean!!
Penny Dean (USA)
Honor Open Water Swimmer (1996)
FOR THE RECORD: 1978 Established English Channel crossing record (England to France, 7 hrs. 40 min.); 1979 Professional Marathon Swimming Circuit (Women’s World Champion); four Catalina Channel crossings (1976-1977); 12 WORLD RECORDS; Head Coach: U.S. National Long Distance team (1984-1988); Head Women’s Swimming and Water Polo Coach: Pomona College since 1979.
When she was ten years old, she came within 400 meters of swimming the length of the Golden Gate Bridge. But tired and with the water a frigid 52 degrees Fahrenheit and the escort boat an arms reach away, Penny Dean made a decision that would determine the course of her life for the next thirteen years and make Marathon swimming history – she got out. It was an understandable decision for a ten year old, but once on shore she mistook her mother’s look of guilt that she had pushed her daughter too hard and into failure, as a look of disappointment. She had let pain and fatigue distract her from her goal, and she vowed never to let that happen again. From that summer day in 1965, Penny Dean embarked on a challenging course that thirteen years later would lead to one of the greatest marathon swims in history.
She had a head start – she had been swimming since the age of 20 months in both San Francisco and Santa Clara – hot beds for swimming in California. She competed in AAU swimming for seventeen years in both pool Nationals and Long Distance Open Water Nationals, winning the Three Mile National Championship in 1971. As a swimmer for Pomona College, she was a six-time All-American. By 1976, she swam from the mainland of California to Catalina Island in the overall world record of 7 hours, 15 minutes 55 seconds – 1 and 1/2 hours under the former record. The next year she set the world record from the island to the mainland on her way to a 50 mile double crossing of the Catalina Channel in 20 hours and 3 minutes. These swims set the stage for her greatest challenge.
Tennis players have Wimbledon; runners have the Boston Marathon; swimmers have the English Channel. Penny not only wanted to be amongst the successful eighteen percent of swimmers who actually complete the English Channel, she wanted to break all the records. The water was 55 degrees, the tides were challenging and the channel is vast to the lone swimmer. A core of inner toughness kept her swimming, and a remarkable 7 hours, 40 minutes after she left England, her toes scraped against the sand of the French coast with a greeting committee of a few shocked shell hunters. Her time broke the world record by 1 hour and 5 minutes and was so impressive that it took another sixteen years before Chad Hundeby broke her record in September of 1995. Penny proved once again that women can swim faster and longer than men in Marathon Swimming.
She continued her long distance swimming career for another three years, winning at Lake St. John, LaTugue, Lakes Memphremagog and Paspebiac in Quebec, and Atlantic City in New Jersey, setting women’s world records in most of them. She was Women’s World Professional Champion in 1979 accumulating 1,000 points over her next rival.
Penny became a Professor of Education and Head Swimming Coach at Pomona College, but not before serving as the U.S. National Team Coach of Open Water Swimming from 1988 through 1991, Head Coach of U.S. teams to the 1991 Pan Pacific Championships, 1991 World Championships, 1982 and 1990 Windermere Championships, 1990 English Channel Race, 1984 and 1989 Catalina Channel Race and coach of nine solo Catalina Channel crossers. She was president of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America from 1985 to 1987 and served on the NCAA Swimming Committee. She has presented numerous international clinics on marathon and open water swimming, written articles for swimming publications and authored “How to Swim a Marathon,” with printings in 1985, 1988 and 1992, and “History of the Catalina Swims,” revised four times since 1985.
Penny has been a pathfinder in her swimming career. Studying law, she receives her Ph.D. in 1996. She stands as the tallest and proudest five-foot-two inch, 125 pound marathon swimmer the world has known. What the world did not know was that she swam her way to victory with no anterior artery blood supply to her left arm. She used the other part of her body for that – her guts.
Happy Birthday Jane Asher!!
Jane Asher (GBR)
Honor Masters Swimmer (2004)
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: World Points – 1370, Pre-1986 Points – 0, Total Points – 1370; Since 1983, she has competed in 4 age groups (55-59 thru 70-74); 52 FINA MASTERS WORLD RECORDS;
Jane Asherwas born in ‘Nkana, Northern Rhodesia in 1931, but grew up in South Africa, loving the water and having swimming access anytime, anywhere. At the age of 22, she moved to Britain to take a post-graduate diploma in personnel management at Manchester University in 1953. She swam on the university swim team and was selected to compete at the World University Games but was unable to attend the meet. Swimming was becoming her life’s passion and although there were no more competitions for her personally in the mid-1950s, she began coaching the school children of her new home town area in Norwich.
Jane realized the swimming advantage she had had as a child living in South Africa. The children of Britain did not have the same access to water privileges Jane had. During World War II and shortly before her arrival, Britain’s beaches were covered with barbed wire, and with what few pools there were, pool swimming time was at a premium. So, Jane started to work as a teacher and coach of school children in her area, beginning with the very basics of the sport.
In her early coaching days, her family lived in a small country village where Robbie, her husband, was the veterinarian and the local high school had a small pool eight yards by sixteen yards. She started a small club for the children and was also working as the coach of the county team three evenings a week. Children from outlying villages came into Norwich for training sessions at the Long Stratton School and Swimming Club. During the next ten years, she coached at the Norwich Penguins and then in 1980 at her own private, non-profit making training sessions at the Norwich High School. She called it the JETS (Jane’s Extra Training School) and children came from miles around.While parents waited for their children during training sessions, Jane thought they could spend their time better in the water than on poolside. Thus began the nucleus of the first Masters swim club of the Amateur Swimming Association (A.S.A.) of Great Britain.
Jane became the catalyst and organized the setting up of the East Anglian Swallow Tail (E.A.S.T.) Club, named for a butterfly which only breeds in Norwich. Many of the swimmers not only were coached by Jane in this new club, they had been coached by her years before in high school.
In 1992, Jane and a few E.A.S.T. members successfully ran a seminar specifically for Masters and since then, Jane has been asked to do seminars all over the country. She started a training camp in the French Alps, maybe the first for Masters at high altitude. As she says, “My specialty is technique. The fitness comes from climbing up and down the steps to the pool!” Nearly everything she does for Masters swimming is on a voluntary basis. Swimmers pay for the pool hire and arrange their own transport and accommodation. She feels the camaraderie gained is full compensation for any effort on her behalf.
But while Jane is doing all this for others, she is also, unselfishly, doing for herself what her swimmers are reaching to get – world success in swimming. Since 1986, she has set 49 FINA Masters World Records in the freestyle, I.M. backstroke and sprint butterfly events in the 55-59 through 70-74 age groups. She has won gold medals 26 times at FINA Masters World Championships, 36 at Masters European Championships, 6 at Masters Pan Pacifics, and 95 at British Masters National Championships. She has set 76 Masters European Championship records and 117 BritishMasters national records. She has goldmedals at the National Championships of Britain, Scotland, Wales, France, and Holland. When she turned 70 in 2001, she traveled Britain and Europe to try to swim every long and short course event available. The results – she broke all the British records and awhole lot ofWorld and European records too. Even after total hip replacement in 2002, her times continue to drop. There is life after surgery. Jane has received the Cherriman Trophy for service to Masters Swimming. She has provided great strides in promoting Masters Swimming as a swimmer, coach, clinician, organizer and enthusiast in Britain, European and World swimming.
Happy Birthday Sandy Neilson-Bell!!
Sandy Neilson-Bell (USA)
Honor Masters Swimmer (2005)
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: World Points – 982, Pre-1986 Points – 56, Total Points – 984; Since 1981, she has competed in five age groups (25-29 thru 45-49); 43 FINA MASTERS WORLD RECORDS;
Sandy Neilson was raised in the small Southern California town of El Monte. At the age of 10, she began swimming for the El Monte Aquatics Club coached by Don LaMont. Only five years later at age 15 in 1971, she set the American Record in the 100 yard freestyle and won gold medals in the 100 meter freestyle and 400 meter freestyle relay, at the Pan American Games in Cali, Columbia. She also won the silver medal in the 400 meter medley relay.
The next year, truly as a dark horse at age 16 in preparing for the 1972 Olympic Games, Sandy qualified third on the U.S. team in the 100 meter freestyle swimming at the U.S. Olympic Trials. In Munich, she surprised everyone when she went on to win three Olympic gold medals in the 100 meter freestyle and both relays. In order to win the 100 meter freestyle, Sandy had to beat the favorites: the world’s top woman swimmer Shane Gould (Australia) and the top American woman swimmer Shirley Babashoff. But by winning the 100 freestyle, Neilson earned her place on the relay teams and led off the freestyle relay and anchored the medley relay to world records.
Sandy retired shortly after her 1972 Olympic triumph, but decided to try Masters swimming nine years later, after she took a job coaching the Industry Hills Masters and seeing how much fun her swimmers were having. She won “all” in the 25-29 age group setting records in the freestyle and individual medley. Soon after, at a U.S. Masters Nationals, she met her future husband, sports psychologist and highly accomplished Masters swimmer, Dr. Keith Bell.
Keith began coaching Sandy and encouraged her to swim both Masters and U.S. Senior swimming, suggesting that a good goal would be to break the world record. She set her sights on making the 1988 Olympic Team. From ages 28 to 32, she swam on both Masters and USS Senior Elite levels, setting records in Masters while making progress for “the old folks” in U.S. and international swimming, too. At age 32, Sandy, ranked internationally while swimming in the U.S.S. Senior Elite Program, changing the swimming world’s thinking of what is old… move over Phil Niekro, Pete Rose, Walter Spence, Arne Borg!
Sandy was the first ever 30, 35 and 39 year old qualifying to swim at the U.S. National Championships. She was the first woman Masters swimmer to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials at ages 32 and 36. In the 1988 trials, she just missed the team with a time that would have finaled at the Seoul Olympics. Sandy was the first woman over age 30 and again at age 35 to break a minute in the 100 meter freestyle. While accruing over 75 Masters National Championships, 72 Masters National Records and 43 Fina Masters World Records, Sandy was at the same time the first woman to compete on the National elite level in three different decades, usually competing against girls half her age. In Masters ranks, she has scored 75 number one, 26 number two and 16 number three world rankings.
Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1986 for her Olympic and international achievements pre-Masters, Sandy is also a member of the Helms Hall of Fame, El Monte School Hall of Fame, and the UC Santa Barbara Gaucho Hall of Fame.
As a mother of four, and grandmother of two, she runs the company that publishes and markets her husband’s sports psychology and swimming books. She coaches a summer club of 200 kids and along with her husband, Keith, she has been devoted to teaching & coaching adults over the last couple of decades. They have started six different adult teams together and won numerous USMS National Team Championships.
Happy Birthday Igor Poliansky!!
Igor Poliansky (URS)
Honor Swimmer (2002)
FOR THE RECORD: 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m backstroke), bronze (100m backstroke, 4×100 medley relay); FIVE WORLD RECORDS: 3-100m backstroke, 1- 200m backstroke, 1-200m backstroke (S.C.); 1985 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke); 1986 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke), bronze (4x100m medley relay); 1986 GOODWILL GAMES: gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke); 1987 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (200m backstroke).
Igor Poliansky was the premier backstroke swimmer following the Olympic Games of 1984 when USA’s Rick Carey won both the 100m and 200m backstrokes in Los Angeles. Between 1984 and 1989 Poliansky won every 100m and 200m backstroke event in international competition in which he competed, except one – the 100m at the 1987 European Championships in Strasburg, Austria, where he placed second to teammate Sergei Zabolotnov.
Poliansky emerged as the world backstroke leader at the 1985 European Championships in Sofia, beating Dirk Richter (GDR) and Zabolotnov (URS), respectively, to win gold medals in both the 100m and 200m events. Poliansky broke the 200m backstroke world record in 1985 at Erfurt, with a time of 1:58.14, a record that stood for over six years until Spain’s Martin Zubero broke it using the no-touch backstroke turn adopted in competition that year.
In 1986, Igor won both backstroke events at the Goodwill Games and the World Championships at Madrid, edging out his German Democratic Republic opponents. In 1988 at Tallinn, he broke Rick Carey’s 4 1/2-year-old 100m backstroke world record and repeated it again two more times. That same year in Bonn, he set the 200m backstroke short course world record for a total of five world records in his career.
Of the 200m race, Igor said, “It’s a very long distance and you have to concentrate very hard in order to pace yourself correctly. This gold medal is the best prize for me, but the 100 is my favorite race.”
At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Poliansky surprised everyone by winning the 200m backstroke ahead of Frank Baltrusch (GDR) and Paul Kingsman (NZL), his arch rivals from the previous four years. He won the bronze medal in the 100m backstroke behind Daichi Suzuki (JPN) and David Berkoff (USA) by less than .2 seconds.
The Every Child a Swimmer program is thrilled to collaborate with the SB 544 legislation to guarantee that even more children acquire essential swimming skills and become proficient swimmers.
by Casey McGovern
The alignment between SB 544 and the “Every Child A Swimmer” legislation and program emphasizes a shared commitment to protecting Florida’s children and promoting water safety as a fundamental priority.
Together, these efforts represent a comprehensive approach to addressing the complex challenges posed by drownings and ensuring that every child has equal opportunity to learn and thrive in the water.
As SB 544 begins to take effect and the swimming lesson voucher program rolls out, the “Every Child A Swimmer” initiative will continue to play a critical role in supporting its implementation and advocating for its expansion.
Through ongoing collaboration and dedication, we can build a safer, more resilient future for Florida’s children—one where every child is not just a swimmer, but a confident and empowered guardian of their own safety in and around the water.
The “Every Child A Swimmer” initiative serves as a vital ally to SB 544, amplifying its impact and reinforcing its objectives. Through advocacy, education, and community outreach, this initiative seeks to raise awareness about the importance of swimming lessons and empower families to prioritize water safety for their children. One of the key strengths of the “Every Child A Swimmer” initiative lies in its ability to mobilize resources and expertise from various sectors to support SB 544’s implementation. By leveraging partnerships with local organizations, swim schools, and government agencies, this initiative maximizes the reach and effectiveness of the swimming lesson voucher program, ensuring that it reaches those who need it most.
By highlighting the lifesaving benefits of swimming lessons and advocating for their inclusion in statewide initiatives like SB 544, this initiative helps drive meaningful change and saves lives in the process.
As we look ahead to the implementation of this program, it is essential for communities to come together to support and promote water safety education. By raising awareness, providing resources, and encouraging participation in swimming lessons, we can create a safer environment for children to learn, play, and thrive in the water. In conclusion, SB 544 is not just a piece of legislation; it is a lifeline for Florida’s children. By investing in swimming lessons for low-income families, we are investing in the future of our state and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow up safe, healthy, and confident in and around the water.
“WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THE STATE HAS DEDICATED FUNDING TO TEACH FLORIDA CHILDREN TO SWIM; WE WILL PROACTIVELY WORK WITH THE STATE TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL! ~ DBK”
Finding Your Place in the Pool: Did You Choose Swimming, or Did Swimming Choose You?
18 March 2024, 08:58am
As a swimmer, you know there is something special about swimming that sets it apart from other sports. It is not just about moving through the water or winning medals but about the connection you create with the pool and the unique relationship you develop with the water. But have you ever stopped to wonder whether you chose swimming or if swimming chose you?
For many of you, your swimming journey began in a seemingly insignificant way. It may have started with a casual dip in the pool on a hot summer day or a mandatory swimming class in school. But that initial spark grew over time into a deep passion for the sport. Swimming is more than just a physical activity. It is a sanctuary where you can find peace and tranquility.
When you are in the water, the outside world fades away, and all that is left is the rhythmic sound of the pool around you. The water is where swimmers find solace, letting go of their worries and being in the moment. But swimming also demands dedication, discipline, and a relentless commitment to self-improvement. It is not just about showing up to practice and going through the motions, but pushing yourself to be the best you can be. From early morning practices to the never-ending pursuit of shaving off fractions of seconds from your personal best, swimming is a journey marked by challenges and triumphs.
The relationship between a swimmer and the sport is a delicate dance in which each partner influences and shapes the other. The sport teaches resilience, grace, and determination as you navigate the ebb and flow of life. The water becomes a sculptor, molding your body into a vessel of strength and agility while you learn to navigate life’s challenges with poise and confidence.
For many swimmers, the sport feels like a natural extension of themselves or a calling that resonates deep within their being. They swim through the water effortlessly, as if they were born to do so. For these individuals, the sport is not just an activity but a fundamental part of their identity.
So, whether you are a seasoned swimmer or just starting, take a moment to reflect on the journey that brought you to the pool. Perhaps the convergence of fate and passion perfectly binds you to the sport. As you continue to retreat to the water, cherish the moments of stillness and embrace the challenges that come your way. Remember, it is not just about the medals or the times but about the journey, the growth, and the profound connection that goes far beyond the pool’s edge. Whether you are swimming for leisure or pushing yourself to reach new heights, remember that swimming is not just a sport—it is a way of life. And in the quiet depths of the pool, you may find the answers to whether you chose swimming or if swimming chose you.
Happy Birthday Rebecca Soni!!
Rebecca Soni (USA)
Honor Swimmer (2021)
FOR THE RECORD: 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke), silver (100m breaststroke, 4×100m medley relay); 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke, 4×100m medley relay), silver (100m breaststroke); EIGHT WORLD RECORDS: 100m breaststroke (1 LC, 1 SC), 200m breaststroke (3 LC, 1 SC), 4×100 medley relay (1 LC, 1 SC); 2009 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): gold (100m breaststroke), silver (50m breaststroke); 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): gold (100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 4×100m medley), bronze (50m breaststroke); 2010 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): gold (50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke), silver (4×100m medley relay)
Rebecca Soni is known as a breaststroke phenom. What she lacked in size, she made up for in strength and desire. Her much-discussed technique is what separated her from her rivals. It featured an abbreviated leg kick aligned with perfectly timed rapid arm sweeps. It was an effective and efficient approach, and it was gold – Olympic gold.
Soni is a two-time Olympian and six-time Olympic medalist. She broke eight world records in breaststroke events and as part of two women’s medley relay teams, one long course and one short course.
During the summer of 2006, Soni had a procedure called a cardiac ablation that helped regulate her heartbeat. She had an irregularly high heartbeat that affected her training and needed to be treated.
Soni worked through her health issues and qualified for her first Olympic team in 2008 by winning the 200m breaststroke. In the 100m breaststroke, she took fourth place. However, fate stepped in when one American teammate withdrew and another missed a deadline for the Games, allowing Soni to represent the United States in her first Olympic Games in three events – both breaststrokes and the 4×100 medley relay. She did not disappoint.
In her first event, the 100m breaststroke, Soni won the silver medal behind world record holder Leisel Jones of Australia. She followed with a stunning victory in the 200m breast, out-swimming Jones with a time of 2:20.22 that also broke Jones’ world record.
Soni wrapped up her first Games as a member of the USA medley relay team, taking her second silver medal, behind the Australians.
Soni attended the University of Southern California from 2005-2009 and swam for multi-time Olympic coach Dave Salo. Her career was defined by four national titles in the 200-yd breaststroke and in her junior and senior years, she also won titles in the 100-yd breaststroke. Soni ended her career at USC with the NCAA record in the 200-yd breaststroke, gathered 12 All-American honors and finished as one of the most dominant breaststrokers in NCAA history.
At her second Olympic Games in 2012, Soni again won the silver medal in the 100m breaststroke, this time behind Lithuania’s Ruta Mejlutyte by only .08 seconds. In the 200m breaststroke, Soni broke the world record in the semi-finals with a time of 2:20.00. In the finals, she won the gold medal and broke the world record again with a time of 2:19.59. The effort made Soni the first woman to break 2:20 in the event.
With that gold medal, Soni became the first female to successfully win back-to-back Olympic titles in the 200m breaststroke. In the medley relay, Soni helped the United States win gold, as she teamed with Missy Franklin, Dana Vollmer and Allison Schmitt. Together, the foursome broke the world record with a time of 3:52.05.
After her retirement in 2014, Soni went into business with friend and former Olympic teammate, Caroline Burckle. They co-founded a company called RISE Athletes, an online mentoring platform for young athletes. Soni’s company recruits Olympians to help mentor young athletes by using one-on-one interaction.