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Reconnecting: More Alumni News, Insights and Advice

Part two of a two-part profile

By Heather Keeler

Whether their age-group swimming experience was one year ago or 40 years ago, the Ann Arbor Swim Club alumni profiled this month agree that the sport shaped them in ways they would not otherwise have been.

More than just molding muscle, age-group swimming shaped their work ethic, values, friendships, ability to take risks, and dedication to shared goals. In the words of Katie Ladewski, who swam with AASC from 1992-2001, "This sport has so many lessons to teach. ... Hopefully, what we learn from our experiences in the pool will continue to serve us throughout our lives."

Annette Salmeen

AASC Member 1983-1992

Now and then one reads of remarkable athletes who continue contributing to their sport long after their days of competition end. Annette Salmeen is one such individual. She made her mark in the pool lanes of Ann Arbor Swim Club and UCLA, was an Olympian and internationally ranked butterfly and freestyle specialist and now, with advanced degrees in molecular pharmacology and biochemistry, she continues her commitment to excellence by serving on the board of directors of the US Anti-Doping Agency. She previously served as co-chair of the USA Swimming International Relations Committee.

Olympian Annette Salmeen currently serves on the board of the US Anti-Doping Agency.

Annette's achievements in the pool, academia, and executive offices are impressive. An Ann Arbor native, she began swimming with AASC at the age of 9. As a dominant age-group swimmer, Annette's fast races set many state records and ranked as National Top 16 swims.

More than fifteen years ago, her 1989 200-yard butterfly race of 2:02.82 set a Michigan Swimming 13-14 record that still stands today. It remains the oldest state record held by an AASC female swimmer.

A Huron River Rat swimmer during high school season, Annette was two-time co-captain for the River Rats, a multiple MHSAA event state champion, and in 2004 was inducted to the River Rat Hall of Fame for her contributions as a Huron High School student-athlete.

By her teen years, Annette was training with Club Wolverine under Jon Urbanchek and upon high school graduation left Ann Arbor for UCLA, where she was a four-year NCAA finalist, four-time All-American, co-captain, and NCAA champion in the 200-meter butterfly. Annette competed in 1992 Olympic Trials, but it wasn't until 1996 after four years of college swimming that she made the Olympic Team. In Atlanta, her contributions to the 800-meter freestyle relay earned Olympic Gold. She also competed in the 200-meter butterfly. At the 1995 Japan World University Games, Annette came home a Bronze medallist.

From an Olympian to future hopefuls, Annette offers this advice: "The best advice I think I can give to any competitive swimmer is to enjoy the sport and to focus on what one can control. No swimmer can choose whether or not they will make the Olympic team, but all swimmers decide how much effort they put into a practice, how carefully they focus on their technique, whether they streamline off the wall every time they push off, and how well they eat and take care of themselves outside of the pool. I found the most helpful thing for my swimming career was to focus on what I could do to make myself a better swimmer on a daily basis and then to enjoy each day as it came along."

"Swimming has influenced my life in many, many ways, and I still draw on these experiences on an almost daily basis. After a disappointing swim, my Dad always used to ask me, 'What did you learn from that?' I still use this question all the time when I'm thinking about experiments or presentations that may not have gone exactly as I wanted."

Annette Salmeen

Annette graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. As a Rhodes Scholar, she earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Oxford University, Oxford, UK, and from 1997-2001 swam as a member of the Oxford University Swimming Club, where she set six short-course and three long-course records. Annette returned to California to become a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology at Stanford University Medical School.

When reflecting on the sport's impact on her, Annette says, "The most significant way that swimming has influenced me is that it has introduced me to hundreds of people who have enhanced my life. To this day I continue to meet swimmers through masters swimming or other connections, and many of my closest friends are people that I met through the sport. Not only do I have many cherished memories of times spent with friends that I met through swimming, but I also have learned a tremendous amount from the people that I've met and the experiences that I've had."

Mark Loveland

AASC Member 1979-1989

When Mark Loveland, a versatile AASC swimmer who set many club records in the 1980s, recalls a proud moment of his swimming years, he does not mention one of his many state-record-setting swims. What comes to mind is winning the state high school water polo championships as a senior at Huron High School in 1989. 

Mark explains why: "We had lost in the finals the two previous years," he recalls. "Our senior year, two girls at Huron who were friends with many of the players died in a car accident the week before the state tournament. We dedicated our tournament to the girls and ended up winning. It was real important for all of us at Huron to have something to feel good about."

Mark and his wife, Tricia, live in Washington, DC with their three children. Jake is 7, Kate 4, and Alex 1-1/2 years.

Mark's memories confirm what many AASC coaches and parents hope — that our club is training responsible, conscientious young adults, not just fast swimmers. But make no mistake; Mark was also a fast swimmer. As an age-group swimmer with AASC, his fast races earned many National Top 16 times.

His 1985 100-yard freestyle time as an 11-12 swimmer is not only a club and state record, it remains the 19th fastest All-Time Top 100 Time in USA Swimming. And freestyle wasn't his only specialty. His speed and versatility earned club and state records in the butterfly and IM as well. See sidebar, below right.

Now 33, Mark lives and works in Washington, DC, where he is Education Programs Coordinator at the Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences. After leaving Ann Arbor, he graduated from UCLA and then earned a Ph.D. from Georgetown University. He just celebrated his 10th wedding anniversary with his wife, Tricia, his college sweetheart.

In addition to Mark's long list of individual swim achievements, he proudly notes his team accomplishments. Mark's high school swimming contributions led the River Rats to a 1988 MHSAA state championship title as well as a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay. He raced to fourth-place honors in the 100-yard butterfly three years straight. Mark earned All-State and All-American honors in both swimming and water polo, and captained the swim team for one year. 

"My biggest rewards were building self-esteem, self-confidence, leadership skills, an appreciation for committing to a goal and working toward achieving it, and most importantly, being part of a team with people who would become lifelong friends. I still keep in touch with my friends who I grew up swimming with and will always consider them and my coaches among my closest friends."

Mark Loveland

When Mark reflects on memorable moments as an age-group swimmer, he recalls high-level championship meets. He doesn't recall the races, though; he speaks of fun with teammates. "We used to hide outside Coach Johnson's motel room and turn off the TV with our remote through his window and then watch him go crazy trying to figure what the heck was wrong with his TV."

On a serious note, he adds, "I was also an athlete representative for Michigan Swimming and went to the National Aquatics Convention, where I met many Olympic swimmers like Mary T. Meagher, Janet Evans, Tom Jager, David Berkoff, and Jenna Johnson. I also went to committee meetings at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. It was very exciting and rewarding to be a part of the sport out of the pool as well as in the pool."

"I think that AASC has a rich history as a team that also produced many great individuals."

Mark Loveland

Mark chose not to swim in college, and he's candid about the reasons for this decision. "I decided to attend a top school like UCLA where I knew swimming was going to be
a major time and energy commitment. Swimming was something I enjoyed tremendously but I knew that physically I had peaked in high school. I was more interested in experiencing the joys of college without the pressures of trying to compete for a spot on a top team."

He adds, "I think it is real important that you choose a college that will benefit you in the long run and that you will enjoy whether or not you swim there."

Casey Nicholson

AASC Member 1989-1997

Alumnus Casey Nicholson is another River Rat swimmer who made her mark in high school as well as age-group swimming competition with Ann Arbor Swim Club. A versatile freestyle, breaststroke, and IM swimmer, Casey is the elder sister of Maura Nicholson, an AASC member currently training in the Senior Nationals group.

Casey began training with AASC when she was eight, and holds club records in the 9-10 200-yard freestyle and 13-14 200-meter breaststroke. Her breaststroke race from 1996 is still a Michigan Swimming state record. Other proof of times yet to be added to our team database indicate that Casey's speed and versatility in the pool earned her top spots in many freestyle, breaststroke and IM events. In 1996, Casey's 400 IM time of 5:04.62 was a Y National record and earned her a spot at the Speedo/USS Girls Select Camp 2 Gold at the US Olympic Training Center.

When Casey left Ann Arbor in 1997, she went north to the University of Minnesota to pursue a nursing degree and the Golden Gophers Big Ten swim program. While there, she specialized in the 200 and 500 freestyle events.

"It is essential to have a healthy balance between swimming and academics. Time management is key to becoming a successful student-athlete. Collegiate swimmers are training twice a day while also managing difficult course loads. Planning a schedule of when you'll study, when you'll rest and when you'll have a normal social life is helpful. Always take time out for yourself; never wear yourself too thin."

Casey Nicholson

Twenty-four-year-old Casey is now living in Chicago and is a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children's Memorial Hospital.

Her nursing work recently took her to Africa. "I have always wanted to volunteer in Africa and I figured no better time than right after completing college and prior to starting work. I traveled to Tanzania in East Africa and worked as a nurse in a hospital. My favorite part of the experience was working in rural clinics, seeing as many as 60 patients in one day. The whole experience was wonderfully overwhelming. The amount of help that is needed in Africa is endless. Currently, I am involved with a non-governmental organization called International Health Partners-Tanzania and plan on returning to Tanzania in the future."

Casey's ironic sense of humor is evident when she recalls a memorable moment with Ann Arbor Swim Club. "My most memorable moment with AASC was passing out in the pool after finishing the 400 IM in my first Long Course Y-Nationals as a 12 year old. Since it was prelims, the heats were circle seeded and I was in lane 8 in the final heat. Afterward, as I was warming down, (coach) Rich Suhs came up to me and said 'Case, I have good news, you made it to finals!' The tears started instantaneously. Luckily, it was just Rich's sense of humor. I was not close at all to making it into finals. After that, I never really liked the 400 IM and often regretted that it was my best event."

"I think my greatest achievement has been stepping out of my comfort zone in life. Whether it is moving to a big city on my own or traveling to Africa to follow a dream, I feel like I made the biggest strides in life when I stood up and stepped out into the world with the intent of accomplishing my life goals and dreams."

Casey Nicholson

According to Casey, her swimming experiences taught her to "work hard for my goals with determination and self confidence." This lesson applies broadly to all areas of her life.

Katie Ladewski
AASC Member 1992-2001

Even through email correspondence, the enthusiasm and positive nature of Katie Ladewski are clearly evident. A young age-group standout with Ann Arbor Swim Club, she followed her swimming dream to Stanford University. And after one year in the Cardinal PAC-10 swimming program, she left competitive swimming behind.

She candidly explains why. "I decided to leave Stanford swimming after my freshman year because I decided that, for me personally, there were many other opportunities in college that I needed the chance to experience."

"After my 'retirement,' I served as a volunteer for freshman orientation, was an RA in a dorm that housed freshmen and upperclass students, studied abroad, participated in student musical groups, and did community service — most of which I would not have had time to do if I had continued to swim all four years."

Katie lives in Santiago, Chile, where she is completing Fulbright Scholarship work of researching the socio-economic impact of the Chilean education voucher system. She is now a Master's swimmer.

"In all of those experiences, however, the teamwork and leadership skills that I developed from all my years of swimming proved to be invaluable."

"My advice for young swimmers would be to allow swimming to be fun and to make you a better person. Swimming has so much to teach about working together and striving for worthwhile goals, and it is easy for that to get lost in the often competitive atmosphere of practices or meets."  

"We can't all compete at the regional, state, or national level forever, but hopefully what we learn from our experiences in the pool will continue to serve us throughout our lives."

Katie Ladewski

She continues, "What I remember most from my time swimming at AASC is not how many medals I won, or even how many trophies the team won — although working for those goals was definitely a valuable part of the experience — but rather the way that I felt when the team came together to be great.  Of course, it is important to take swimming seriously, but it is even more important to take seriously who you are as a swimmer and as a person. This sport has so many lessons to teach on these subjects, and I encourage you to learn as much as possible about who you are and who you want to be."

As an age-group swimmer, Katie was a butterfly and IM specialist. She swam many National Top 16 times. As a 10-and-under swimmer, she set the state record in the 50-meter butterfly, a time that still ranks 27th in the national All-Time Top 100 Times for USA Swimming. As a Pioneer High School swimmer, Katie's senior year achievements netted championship titles in the 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard IM, and the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays.

"The feeling of knowing that some of my favorite people were in the pool working so hard alongside me, even though there were probably 'better' things to be doing, is what I remember most about AASC and what makes all of my swimming memories so special. People can do really amazing things when they stick together and work hard for shared goals."

Katie Ladewski

In June 2005, Katie graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Economics. She graduated with departmental honors and university distinction, and was a member of the Stanford Chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa honors society.

As a Masters swimmer in Chile, Katie still spends lots of time in the pool. "I have to say that swimming is an incredible sport if you can go to a country thousands of miles away and still have the experiences that I am having, immersing myself in the country through the sport and making wonderful friends as well."

Zayd Ma

AASC Member 1996-2001

When Paralympic Gold medallist and world record holder Jason Wening was questioned about a memorable moment from his Ann Arbor Swim Club years, he recalls the 1650 freestyle race of his AASC teammate, Zayd Ma, at Y Nationals in Fort Lauderdale in 2000. Skies were darkening at the outdoor pool as Zayd began the first of 66 laps. Thunderclouds rolled in. A downpour began.

Teammates will likely always remember Zayd's "thunderous" race that day, with its torrential rain, lightning bolts and coach Shawn Kornoelje screaming from atop the three-meter board.

Zayd recalls racing that afternoon with particular zeal to redeem himself from disappointing 200 fly prelims earlier that morning. He admits that after 200 fly prelims, he "spent the better part of an hour swimming down, crying, and feeling sorry for myself." But by the time the 1650 event came up, Zayd had moved from distraught to angry. During the race, he recalls looking over on a breath, seeing lightning strike, and thinking he'd better finish before lightning cancelled the event and he'd have to do it all over again. He led the race from start to finish and returned to Michigan as Y National Champion in the event.

Michigan four-year men's varsity swimmer Zayd Ma graduates soon from the U of M.

That race is one of Zayd's memorable moments from his years with our club. He is currently a senior at the University of Michigan, where he completed four years of varsity eligibility as a member of the Michigan Men's Swimming and Diving Team.

A specialist in butterfly and distance freestyle, Zayd calls his opportunity to swim for Michigan "a dream come true." He says, "I learned to think as a team player, not as an individual." At Michigan, Zayd is All-American Honorable Mention in the 1500-meter freestyle and finished eighth place in the 2005 World Championship Trials in the 200 butterfly. Zayd was third in the World University Team selection, just missing a second-place selection that would have sent him to competition in Turkey.

In 2004, he qualified for Olympic Trials and made it to semifinals of the 200 butterfly, where he finished 13th. For Zayd, 2004 Olympic Trials was a "once-in-a-lifetime experience." He recalls, "Standing behind the blocks, looking up, and seeing 10,000 people cheer sent shivers down my spine." 

Zayd offers this advice to high school swimmers looking to move to a college program. "Choose the appropriate school, the one where all of your potential will be maximized — not the school your best friend attends, or the school with the hottest members of the opposite sex, but the school that will bring out the best in you with respect to every aspect of your life."

"Have fun! Enjoy your time with your teammates, make friends, and pursue a goal as a cohesive group. The feeling of success at the end of a hard season is what keeps us going. Don't lose sight of your goals. Go Blue!"

Zayd Ma

According to Zayd, age-group swimming with Ann Arbor Swim Club gave him "a direction and purpose" throughout his teen years. He joined AASC as a 13-year-old, and quickly made his mark. During the 2000-2001 season, Zayd's relay contributions earned AASC relay teams many National Top 16 times on the 17-18 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard medley relay, 200-meter freestyle relay, 200-meter medley relay, 800-meter freestyle relay and 400-meter medley relays. His thunderous 1650 freestyle win at Y Nationals was also a National Top 16 time.

Zayd's age-group swims still claim AASC club records in the 15-and-over 1650-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 1500-meter free, and 200-meter fly. He expects to graduate soon from the University of Michigan, and is considering pursuing an advanced degree in music school, law school, or a graduate degree in physics.

Dan Schinnerer

AASC Member 1995, 1999

In his second season on the Michigan Men's Swimming and Diving coaching staff, Dan Schinnerer trained as an age-group swimmer with Ann Arbor Swim Club during 1995 and again in 1999. During 1995, his contributions as a 15-16 swimmer led the AASC men's 400-meter freestyle relay team to a Michigan Swimming age-group state record.

The 26-year-old coach is a former high school swimmer and a four-year varsity swimmer at Yale University, where he specialized in distance freestyle. While at Yale, Dan's improvements in the pool and outstanding leadership abilities during his four varsity years earned him the Yale University William Leeming Jelliffe Award, a prestigious award given only to seniors.

Michigan Assistant Coach Dan Schinnerer advises flexibility, an open mind and patience when transitioning to a college swimming experience.

Dan graduated in 2001 from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in history. Before returning to Michigan for his current coaching position, he taught history and coached swimming at The Peddie School in Highstown, New Jersey, where he met his wife, Lesia.

When Dan talks about his reasons for choosing to train with AASC as an age-group swimmer, he says, "I came to swim for AASC for a couple of reasons. First, the coaching was outstanding. I had admired Rich Suhs as a coach and wanted the opportunity to swim for him. Also, I met Shawn Kornoelje while I was there. Interestingly, Shawn then became the head coach of the RAYS in Grand Rapids and coached me for my last two years of high school in Grand Rapids.  I also came back to swim for Shawn in the summer of '99 with AASC."

He continues, "AASC has a long tradition of great coaches and swimming for Shawn and Rich really enhanced my experience as a swimmer. Now as a coach, I still use many of the things I learned from them."

Friends were also a big draw. "The second reason I came to AASC was the friends I had there. It was a great environment to be in, training and traveling to meets with a lot of great friends." 

"College is a big adjustment in general, even without swimming. The first piece of advice I would give is to be flexible and open to doing things differently. The second is to be patient. It will take time to adapt to a new environment."

Dan Schinnerer

As a one-time competitive swimmer and now Big Ten assistant coach, Dan says, "Swimming has been and continues to be a huge part of my life. However, I have learned through my experiences as a coach and as a swimmer that the best things that come out of the sport have nothing to do with the times you achieve. The friends you make and the experiences you have while you work toward your goals are far more important and far more lasting than any place or time."

Lindsey Smith

AASC Member 1999-2003

In the years that Lindsey Smith trained with AASC, her fast sprint freestyle contributed to many Y National relay wins and National Top 16 relay times for Ann Arbor Swim Club. It was in 2003, however, when Lindsey was a high school senior, that her speed and determination combined for the breakout swim of her career.

AASC alumnus Lindsey Smith is a frequent Big Ten Swimmer of the Week for her sprint freestyle and team contributions at Michigan.

Lindsey recalls this career-boosting event. "My most memorable moment of my years at AASC is probably my senior year trip to Y Nationals. The AASC women's team won the meet and individually I won the 200 free." Her time of 2:03.90 in the 200-meter freestyle was not only a championship title win, but a YMCA Women's National Record.

She emphasizes, though, "It's not necessarily the times or the titles that I remember, it's the memories that I made with my teammates that year that are most meaningful to me." See sidebar, below right.

"It was my first summer swimming with Club Wolverine so I enjoyed getting to know my other teammates. I also remember coming down with mono around two weeks after I got home from the meet, so it was definitely an interesting experience."

She continues, "I would suggest to anyone trying to make it to the Olympic level to keep working hard every day. It's impossible to reach your full potential in swimming unless you work hard all year 'round. On top of all the hard work it's also very important to have fun. I know that I would not still be swimming today if I had not enjoyed myself. My teammates and coaches I had throughout my years at AASC and Dexter High School all contributed to that fun."

"I think swimming has shaped the person I am today in many ways. First, swimming has made me a hard worker in all aspects of my life. I've also learned how to be focused and dedicated to my goals. I think that swimming has forced me to have good time management skills. With hard classes at Michigan plus long practices, it's very hard to get everything done. When you swim so much and for so many years, I think it's impossible for the experience not to shape the person you are today."

Lindsey Smith

Lindsey is the co-captain of the Michigan Women's Swimming and Diving Team. Her experiences as a Big Ten swimmer are some of her proudest moments. "Overall, I think I am most proud of the 2004 team Big Ten Championship title that I was part of. We were not expected to win the meet, so we shocked everyone that year. I also won the 100 and 200 freestyle events, which I am proud of, but again it's not the titles or times that stick out in my mind."

"My goals this season are to swim best times at the end of the year. I don't like to put my focus on places, but it would be nice to win the 100 and 200 free again at Big Tens this year. Another goal of mine is to swim my best times at NCAA's. I would like to make finals in the 100 and 200, and maybe even top five in the 200."  

"Do not be afraid to express your interest in a school to a coach. I know that at U of M the coaches want to recruit people who have a strong interest in coming to Michigan."

Lindsey Smith

Currently a junior at Michigan, Lindsey will soon turn 21 and is planning her next stage of life. "I will hopefully find a job teaching elementary school somewhere. I guess I will keep my mind open to swimming after I am done with college, but right now I'm looking forward to teaching."

She continues, "I am having a lot of fun this season swimming with former AASC members Wendy Shieh and my sister, Hannah.  It will hopefully be even more fun next year when (former AASC teammates) Margaret Kelly and Leigh Cole join the team."

Hannah Smith

AASC Member 2000-2005

Currently a freshman at the University of Michigan and a backstroke specialist for the Michigan Women's Swimming and Diving Team, Hannah Smith was a frequent relay contributor for Ann Arbor Swim Club.

Hannah recalls 2003 Y National Championships as a proud moment of her years with AASC. "I think the achievement I am most proud of was winning all five relays at Y Nationals and winning the women's team championship in 2003."

Former AASC swimmer Hannah Smith joins her sister, Lindsey, on the Michigan Women's team this 05-06 season.

She joined Ann Arbor Swim Club when she was 13, and quickly made an impact in the pool. See sidebar, below right. "Ann Arbor Swim Club has given me so much," Hannah notes. "It is the major reason why I am able to swim at the University of Michigan. But it has given me so much more than swimming."

Hannah is in the unique position of having her Michigan co-captain and sister, Lindsey, help her with the transition to Big Ten academics and competition. Last November, The Michigan Daily profiled their relationship as sisters, long-time training partners, and now Michigan teammates.
    

"I think the most important thing is to just have fun. Don't take every meet and practice so seriously. It is important to be focused and driven, but don't let that ruin your experience. If you have a bad meet or practice, just know that you can do better next time."

Hannah Smith

According to Hannah, the rewards of competitive swimming outweigh its sacrifices. "There really isn't anything much better than working hard for months and years and then being able to achieve a goal. Probably one of the biggest rewards for me is being able to swim at a world-class university. Being able to represent the University of Michigan is simply awesome."

Reflecting on her future goals, she says, "I just want to keep improving and keep having fun, and then we'll see what happens from there."

Maggie Stevens

AASC Member 1964-1972

If you have attended a swim meet at Ann Arbor Huron High School, you have likely seen the plaque on the swimming trophy wall of the Huron Natatorium that honors Maggie Stevens, a Huron River Rat swimmer and member of Ann Arbor Swim Club in the 60s and early 70s.

A sprint freestyler and backstroker in those early years of neighborhood championships and Ann Arbor city meets, she was recruited by other AASC swimmers. "Jane Shieve, Janice Nimke and Debbie Wanzeck from the Ann Arbor Swim Club approached me at the City meet and told me I needed to join AASC. I started swimming at AASC that fall at age 12. Steve Rabinovich was the coach that year, and he pushed me to succeed. My 100-yard back time dropped from 1:29 to 1:09.9, and I won my first Age Group State Championship in 1965."

But the frequent coaching turnover that followed Coach Dawson's departure from the club didn't work well for young Maggie. "When I swam for AASC, we had a different swim coach every year. There was no coaching continuity, and no formal AASC summer program. ... My second year swimming (1966), I qualified for Senior Nationals in the 100-yard backstroke, but did not go. My parents and I were new to swimming, and we didn't understand how important it was to go, even if just for one race. It wasn't until 1969, with coaching that summer from Gus Stager, Denny Hill and Connie Corson in the new Fuller Pool, that I again qualified for Senior Nationals."

"Swimming taught me how to set goals, plan strategies and work to achieve these goals. I learned that sometimes these goals can be obtained quickly, and at other times they may take years. One learns to persevere and stay focused."

Maggie Stevens

Maggie thrived under these coaches, and her backstroke specialty soon switched to butterfly. As a young teen athlete, Maggie was among the early groundbreakers in women's swimming. "In 1970 and the years before that," notes Maggie, "there were no sports programs for girls in high school, other than cheerleading. The first attempt of organizing girls' competitive high school sports occurred in 1970, with a swim season that consisted of two dual meets." The first Huron High School girls' swim team is pictured on the River Rats natatorium wall.

She continues, "I swam with AASC my freshman and sophomore year in school at the University of Michigan. My junior year I trained with the men's team with coach Gus Stager and attended the Michigan women's club team swim meets and the National Championships. My senior year was the first official year for women's varsity sports at Michigan."

In Fall 2005, Maggie Stevens organized a Michigan Women's Swimming and Diving reunion. Maggie, third from left in the rear, is joined by Liz Lease Hill, Jenny Orr Davis, Stacey Tessler, Janice Weber, Marie Bauer Soza, Robin Orr, Mary Grimmelsman and others. "That swimming friendship connection stays with us forever," Maggie notes.

Maggie is an Ann Arbor resident. Her eleven-year-old son, Matt, and seven-year-old daughter, Amy, both train with Wolverine Aquatics, and Maggie fills in now and then as a swim coach. In March 2006, her company, Mikan Corporation, will celebrate its 16th year in business. Mikan remanufactures toner cartridges for desktop laser printers, is an authorized Hewlett-Packard sales and service provider for laser printers, and sells OEM office supplies.

"I have hundreds of memories, experiences and feelings from the years I swam for the club. Some are full of joy and laughter, and some full of sadness and disappointment. But in swimming, as in life, without the disappointments the successes aren't quite as sweet. While in AASC, I shared eight years of training and experiences with many swimmers and coaches. These years cemented bonds of lifelong friendship with both swimmers and coaches -- not only those from AASC, but from other swim clubs as well. "

Maggie Stevens

Dan Stephenson

AASC Member 1964-1975

Dan Stephenson's sense of humor must have helped him through many tough workouts during the nine years he trained and raced with Ann Arbor Swim Club. "I think my eyes are permanently reddened by the early days of swimming without goggles," he jokes.

This Ann Arbor native was seven when he began training with AASC. He's still swimming today, and can sometimes be seen doing laps at Canham. "Swimming is the best fitness regimen for me," says Dan. "Competition every once in a while motivates me to train. Even though my times get slower every year, I am still motivated by the things that motivated me early on — setting and achieving goals. Plus, I like to beat worthy opponents, both in practice and at meets."

In Dan's years with AASC, he had many opportunities to beat worthy opponents, and he did so. Ann Arbor News clippings unearthed by his early teammate Maggie Stevens credit Dan with many age-group state records. Dan doesn't remember all the details. "I held two state high school records  in the 500 and 200 free," he recalls.

Still training, Dan Stephenson is setting Master's swimming world and national records. He resides in Ann Arbor with his wife, Tracey.

"I think I probably held AAU state records in 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18 age groups in some or all of the following events: 50, 100, 200 and 500 freestyles and the mile swim. I may have held records in non-freestyle events like IM, but I'm not sure. I currently hold a few Masters state records, but I can't give you details on that, either. However, I can tell you I currently hold two national and world records in Masters — in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyles for the 45-49 age group."

Dan also recalls that while swimming for AASC, he raced in the National Junior Olympics in 1967 at age 10 and in 1973 at age 16. "The former was held in Washington, DC and the latter in Ann Arbor," notes Dan. "I represented the state of Michigan in both."

"Swimming is the best sport there is. It gets you in shape physically and mentally. Many times in my professional career I have drawn on lessons I learned in the pool, not the least of which is 'hard work really does pay off.' Sometimes it pays off a long time later, and often it pays off in subtle or mysterious ways."

Dan Stephenson

Ann Arbor Swim Club is a family tradition for the Stephensons. His father, Jim Stephenson, was AASC president in the late 1960s. At that time, his two brothers and three sisters all swam for AASC. Dan's own children, Natalie, now 22, and Scott, now 20, both trained with AASC and represented the Ann Arbor Pioneers during high school season.

In 1975, Dan left Ann Arbor to attend UCLA, where he captained the team for one year and held the UCLA varsity records in the 200 free and all three relays. Two-time PAC-10 champion in the 200 freestyle, Dan holds seven PAC-10 championship titles overall, including relays. Dan recalls of his college career and world competition, "The highest I placed in the NCAA championships was fifth in the 200 free in 1977, although I swam on many relays that finished as high as second. I was tenth in the 200 free at the 1976 Olympic Trials. I missed making the Olympic team by .23 seconds. My highest world ranking was fifth in the 200-meter free in 1978 (1:51.93). I was on the US National Team that year."

"I think my eyes are permanently reddened by the early days of swimming without goggles. Seriously, the biggest impact on me was finding out that hard work could be fun. It was fun to set a goal, work hard and achieve it. That was instilled in me by the coaches early on. Swim practices were fun. The coaches were great people who taught me a lot about life, not just swimming."

Dan Stephenson

After graduation from UCLA, Dan married his college sweetheart, Tracey, and attended the University of Michigan Law School. He joined the Detroit-based law firm of Dykema Gossett and has remained with them since. A courtroom lawyer handling complex civil lawsuits including, primarily, aviation disaster cases, Dan lives in Ann Arbor with his wife, Tracey.

What is it about this sport that has kept Dan in the water for so many years? Pride. "I feel proud when I learn that I have provided some motivation or example to someone else," Dan explains. "My Masters swimming provided some small motivation to my kids. I used to occasionally hear that some person got into swimming because of me. I enjoy giving motivational talks to swimmers and teams."

Reflecting on our club's 50th anniversary, Dan says, "Fifty years is a long time, and it reflects the strength provided by dedicated swimmers, parents and coaches. I would like to thank my parents who, like all AASC parents, invested countless hours in driving to and from swim practices, sitting through endless meets and helping run the club. I never fully appreciated their sacrifice until I became a swim parent myself."

David Johnson

AASC Coach 1985-1988

David Johnson was in his early 30s when he was AASC Head Coach from 1985 to 1988. At the time, he was also Head Coach of the Women's and Men's Ann Arbor Huron High School swim teams, as well as the 1986 Michigan Zone Team Head Coach. Before joining the AASC coaching staff, he served under Gus Stager for one year as Assistant Coach for the University of Michigan Men's Swimming Team.

Many talented area swimmers reached their potential under Coach Johnson. David felt especially challenged by the young talent in his pool lanes. "As a coach you had to be ready each and every day not only with a great, well-thought-out workout plan," he recalls, "but you had to be ready to answer the 'why' question. Many times AASC swimmers asked why a certain workout was used, what physiological system we were focusing on, etc. AASC swimmers made me a better coach. I was always ready for workouts and I give them credit for making me challenge myself day in and day out."

David recalls a proud moment as an AASC coach. "One of my proudest moments," he says, "was when the AASC hosted the LC State Championships at Fuller Pool. It was a great team effort by our parent volunteer group and the kids swam very well. Swimming finals under the lights at Fuller was wonderful and something I will never forget."

"There is no substitute for working hard, whether it be in the pool or in the 'real' world."

Coach David Johnson

He adds, though, "One moment that I need to mention wasn't very funny at the time but it is now, knowing that the young 10-year-old would eventually be an NCAA All-American. We were at the Schroeder A Meet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Matt McVittie was an outstanding 10-year-old swimmer, National Top 16 and all of that. Anyway, here he is swimming at this tremendous meet against some of the best around, I'm cheering him on from the poolside while he is swimming backstroke and he is pulling on the lane rope during the race. Now, that was a great drill, but you just don't to that in a race. The official never did see him do that, so he was never DQ'd. I still mention that to him when I talk to him. He is now an Assistant Coach at South Carolina."