AASC thanks these sponsors of 50 Years of Memories: 1956-2006

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Knox Presbyterian Church

Legacy Printing

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50 Years of Memorable Moments

By Heather Keeler

Fifty years. Thousands of young swimmers. Countless moments that have become lasting memories. The memorable moments of Ann Arbor Swim Club coaches, members and alumni linger long past their age-group swimming years.

Coach Ohm's Top 10 List

By Dan Ohm, AASC Co-Head Coach

Here are my "Top 10" memories in my first decade with AASC. These are in no particular order:

1 2000 Paralympics trials at University of Minnesota. Jason Wening set a world record in the 1500 after fixing his goggles twice in the first 200 meters. 13-year-old Richard Mazur wins 4 events and sets 5 national records in his events. Richard at one time or another will have the American record in the 200-, 400-, 800-, and 1500-meter free.

2 The wedding reception Sarah and I held for the team at Independence Lake. We had a turnout of well over a hundred people, which — for as little notice people got about it and it being a beautiful day in the middle of August — gave us a warm feeling that still lasts today.

3 The end-of-the-year banquets. From Slauson cafeteria, to Logan cafeteria, to a packed room at Weber's, every year it gets a little harder for me to send off the seniors. The longer you know someone, the harder it is to let them go. But then the next year starts and you realize that although they may not be there physically, their memory doesn't fade.

4 The only coach recruiting picnic AASC ever had. It was the summer of 1999 at Huron Valley Swim Club, and Mr. Nissley did the cooking. About three coaches showed up, one by the name of Josh Morgan. The rest is history.

5 The head coaches before me while I've been here and what I learned from them. From Rich Suhs (1990-1997) who taught me how to make kids fast and to get them to their full potential. From Stephanie Kerska (1997-1998) who taught me to care about the person as well as the times on the board. And to Shawn Kornoelje who taught me that everyone is important no matter what lane you swim in. Thank you Rich. Thank you Stephanie. Thank you Shawn.

6 Wendy Shieh's 12-year-old-year. Although Wendy has had much more success since then, when Wendy was 12 she achieved 12 USA swimming Top 16 rankings, including third place in the 50 fly and broke a ten-year- old record in the 100 fly. She was the first swimmer I coached to Top 16 times.

7 State championships. From the 1998 LC champs (my first with the team), to the 12-and-under runners-up in 2000, to our run of 13-and-over championships from 2001-2003, and then the 2005 12-and-under and LC champs, they are all special and each one means something a little different. In the end, though, they are all a testament to the amazing people we have around here.

8 Numerous memories from the different practice groups. While there are so many, they all have a recurring theme in that it was swimmers striving to be their best against the clock.

9 Y Nationals. I am happy to no longer be a part of the YMCA, but the time that I spent at Y Nationals will always be remembered. AASC had experienced success at Y Nationals before but we had a couple of years down there that weren't quite as fruitful. In my beginning I went down there a rookie coach dazzled with the speed and the lights at night. Every year there I grew up as a coach. First Zayd Ma showed me what was possible with his back-to-back-to-back championships in the mile (his 2001 time was the first I coached to a senior cut). That got the ball rolling. We won the Women's SC Championship in 2003 (someone even voted me coach of the meet), then again in the summer with the LC championships and an overall runners-up. Lindsey Smith raised the bar with her national YMCA LC record in the 200 at that meet. And then finally culminating with our last Y Nats in which we were overall runners-up, women's champ and won all the women's relays. Sunsets at Y Nationals are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen.

10 Last — but not least — is last year's Junior Nationals, in what was one of the fastest 18-and-under meets in the last 20 years. the Junior team had many outstanding performances on its way to overall runners-up and women's team champs. The most impressive thing was how when swimmers needed to step up through the week, they did. It was truly an amazing show.

I could go on and on. There are so many more memorable moments I could mention. But for now it is time to look to the future, for that is what is most important. It no doubt will provide many more great moments.

See you at the pool.

Members' Memorable Moments

The most memorable moment for Leah Wanzeck, who served as AASC President in the mid-1960s, is a testament to the power of incentive! Leah's oldest daughter, Debbie Wanzeck, swam with AASC from 1963-65 and was team captain in 1964 (the tradition of choosing a captain has since been discontinued). Leah relayed this memory by phone:

“Debbie had a natural talent for the breaststroke, and held the 100-yard club record in that stroke during 1963-64," said Leah. Leah's other daughter, Bridget, was inspired by this. Bridget, who is two years younger than Debbie, also swam the breaststroke. At a championship in 1965, Bridget took aim at her sister's record and went all out. "Everyone kept saying they had never seen Bridget swim that fast in her life," said Leah. "We couldn't believe it."

Bridget succeeded in setting a new 100-yard breaststroke club record. The record has since been broken several times, but this particular incident shows how effective incentive can be.

from Leah Wanzeck, AASC past president

“My memorable moment with AASC is during a junior practice a few years ago during winter time. The Tappan pool is warm on winter days, and that day it was 84 degrees in the pool. Everyone was basically going somewhat slow because the pool was jacuzzi-warm. Dan went outside in the snow with a bucket. When Dan came back, the bucket was full of snow. Dan started dumping snow on us as we flip-turned into the wall. It was a relief, but our hair was freezing up, and I was afraid to flip into the wall. Dan always comes up with funny ideas."

from Jeffrey Krasnow, AASC member

“My favorite memories are the state meets.  It's so much fun hanging out in the hotel with the parents and swimmers ... Going to the malls, eating a lot of pasta and talking about swim, swim, swim ... Sitting all together with AASC parents and cheering on the kids.  One year we even had little flags to wave, thanks to a creative mom.

"Jeffrey and I were on the expressway headed to a state meet in March 2004.  We were stuck in traffic listening to an Ann Arbor radio station. Next thing I hear is the 7th caller will win something. I handed Jeffrey my cell phone and told him to call. The station answered, but he got shy and hung up. So I kept calling and got through and won $10 in Wendy's gift certificates. I told Jeffrey that was a good luck sign and he would do great at the meet. We had fun talking about that."

from Ivy Krasnow, AASC parent

From the Hearts and Minds of Alumni

“There are many. One of them is traveling with the team to the 2000 Y Nationals as an assistant coach. Watching Zayd Ma win the 1650 while coach Shawn Kornoelje stood on top of the 3-meter diving platform as a thunderstorm rolled in certainly tops the list. Of course, there are my personal achievements, and winning the 400-meter freestyle. If not for the coaches, teammates, and their parents that were so supportive of me in my years with AASC, I don't know that I would have achieved what I did."

from Jason Wening, 1997-2000

“There are so many. I'd have to say my most memorable are from the state and national level meets. I love the atmosphere of bigger meets and hanging out with my teammates and coaches."

from Jennifer Merte, 1991-2003

“Breaking the state record in the 100-yard butterfly as a 12-year-old."

from Wendy Shieh, 1996-2004

“There are so many, especially all the great relay swims with guys like Mez, Jay Zawacki, Geoff Urquhart, Jamie Burke, Matt Mcvittie. But I have to say the workouts that our group had at Fuller in the summer of '95 were maybe the most special to me. Everybody took their swimming to a new level day in and day out. I'm convinced that those workouts opened up doors not just in swimming, but in life for a good number of us. I remember toward the end of a heavy week, I pushed off a best time in a 100 free the same night that Mez did 100x100's long course on the 1:10! It was a paradigm-shifting kind of workout. I can't thank Rich Suhs and Shawn Kornoelje enough for all of their dedication that summer and the enormous confidence they had in us.

"The key lime pie and cute girls at nationals in Ft. Lauderdale were pretty memorable, too!"

from Kurt Spenser, 1991-1997

“The 200-meter freestyle relay setting a 17-18 National Age Group Record at YMCA Nationals with Kurt Spenser, Geoff Urquhart and Jay Zawacki  (in 1996, I believe)."

from Adam Messner, 1989-1997

“One of my most memorable moments with AASC was setting the 13-14 boys open national record in the 400 medley relay at the Zone Championships in Indianapolis in 1986, with fellow AASC swim mate, Mark Loveland (butterfly), and two other swimmers from different Michigan teams (breastroke, backstroke). At the time, all 4 of us were Michigan age group state champions and state record holders in our respective 100-yard stroke events."

  from Tom Bailey, 1985-1989

“I had so many it is really hard to just pick one. I think every day in practice was a memorable moment. I was surrounded by good people and that in itself is memorable enough."

from Matthew McVittie, 1985-1992

“There are many memorable moments that had little to do with swimming but a lot to do with camaraderie, travel, team spirit. Swimming was my life from age 15-18. I was not the star, but I was part of the team. A memorable moment? I suppose being seeded in a heat swimming the 100 free next to Chris von Salza in the nationals. She was an Olympic champion and best in that event. I did my best time ever there, though I missed qualifying — I believe I was ninth."

from Janice Weber, 1958-1963

“The 200 fly in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in 1958 or '59, I believe. Also a double date with teammate Marty Sinn and our dates, Frankie Brunel and Frank McKinney, while on a December training trip to Fort Lauderdale. We went for ice cream sundaes. Doc Councilman, swim coach of Indiana University, was our chaperone."

from Suzy Thrasher, 1955-1963

“My fondest memory of swimming for the AASC was the wonderful association I had with the club founders, RoseMary and Buck Dawson."

from Marty Sinn Catalano, 1953-1971 

“I can't think of any one single moment that stands out from my years at AASC. Instead, my mind fills up with countless memories of wonderful times spent with my teammates — from laughing in the showers after practice to playing card games on road trips to coming up with silly nicknames for each other and to sleepover parties with too many Starburst candies."

 from Annette Salmeen, 1983-1992

“Traveling with the team to Jr. Nationals in Ft. Lauderdale / Tuscaloosa / Orlando and Zone Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, and Indianapolis. The swimmers from all over Michigan would all hang out with each other. 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."

from Mark Loveland, 1979-1989

“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, 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."

from Casey Nicholson, 1989-1997

“It is hard for me to pick a most memorable moment from my time at AASC because a lot of things come to mind. I would have to say that what sticks with me most is the camaraderie that developed among the swimmers. This was particularly true during the times when 'sane' people wouldn't have been at the pool, like during the two-a-day practices over winter break and night practices during the summer. 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 really do amazing things when they stick together and work hard for shared goals."

 from Katie Ladewski, 1992-2001

“I had many.  But the one that sticks out is the 1650 free at Y Nationals my junior year of high school.  Because of thunderstorms, they decided to run all of the miles after prelims second fastest to slowest, and the fastest heat last. After I swam the 200 fly that morning (I won't say how bad it was for fear of embarrassment), I spent the better part of an hour swimming down, crying and feeling sorry for myself. Eventually, I collected myself and dragged myself to the blocks. By the time I got there I had moved from distraught to angry. Only my parents, Jason Wening, Mark Radloff, Scott House, and Shawn (don't ask me how I remember) were watching the race. I led the race from start to finish (held off a late charge by future Michigan teammate Tim Wera) and noticed after about 30 seconds no one had a time faster than mine. Needless to say, everone was very excited and I went home a happy swimmer. The most memorable part of the race was when I looked over on a breath, saw lighting strike, and thought, 'I better finish this race faster, they might stop it and have us redo it.'  Also, Shawn cheering from the top of the 3-meter in a torrential downpour was a sight to see."

from Zayd Ma, 1996-2001

“This is hard, but I would say certainly one of the most memorable was the National Junior Olympics in 1973. I swam the 200, 400 and 1500-meter freestyles and two relays. In those days, the NJOs included a variety of sports and a lot of fanfare such as opening ceremonies. You had to swim in a qualifying meet, and only the top person in the state got to go in each event (top 4 in relays). In 1973, the NJOs were held in Ann Arbor. The athletes stayed in U of M dorms. My father was the mayor of Ann Arbor at the time, and he gave a speech at the opening ceremonies welcoming the athletes and opening the games. The swimming races were held at Fuller Pool. The 800 free relay was especially memorable. Two of my Ann Arbor teammates — Tom Roos and Brian Wylie — had qualified for the relay along with me. We beat some good teams from Florida and Texas to win the silver medal (the Californians were unbeatable). We made friends with swimmers from all over the country."

from Dan Stephenson, 1964-1975

“My most memorable moment of my years at AASC is probably my senior-year trip to Y Nationals.  The Women's team won the meet and individually I won the 200 free. 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."

from Lindsey Smith, 1999-2003

“My most memorable moment at AASC was probably my first state meet with AASC (13-and-over state meet) when I think I got something like four Y National cuts. It was funny because at my first practice with Ann Arbor I remember going in and telling Dan my best times, and then he says oh you will go this time and this time by state meet. He was telling me these super fast times, but I actually ended up going those times at state meet."

from Hannah Smith, 2000-2005

“I don't have just one most memorable moment from my years with AASC. 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 the bonds of lifelong friendship with both swimmers and coaches — not only those from AASC, but from other swim clubs as well."

from Maggie Stevens, 1964-1972

Memories of the 2005-06 anniversary year are captured in a supplement to the anniversary book, 50 Years of Memories: 1956-2006.

The supplement contains anniversary-related news articles, candid pix of this season's swimmers, championship team lists and more. Supplements were distributed to anniversary book purchasers and other AASC families at the AASC annual Spring banquet in late March.

Speaking of memory, test yours by playing Copycat, a web game from National Geographic Kids.

Next Issue: In the upcoming, final issue of 50 Split, highlights and reflections of our Golden Anniversary celebration