How Summer Is Different By Jared Fribush

Swimming has been a part of my life for just about as long as I can remember. I've either been a swimmer or a coach for a couple of decades. I learned to swim when I was seven and haven't looked back. I can't begin to list the rewards I've received for what I've put into the sport.

Right now, my "day job" is as a math teacher at my alma mater, Paint Branch High School, where I also coach the swim team. That's great and it's my career but summer swimming is what I enjoy most. Working with a team like the Northwest Branch Dolphins simply wins me over.

All of my swimming achievements in high school, at college and as a coach — my love of swimming — began with a summer pool like Northwest Branch. I started with the Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL) as a very young member of the Calverton Chargers. I later went on to coach there for three summers.

More than anything else, I enjoy coaching summer swimming.

So why is summer swimming so important to me? It's because summer swimming is unique. It's a place of good cheer and carefree days. It's a wonderful combination of the lazy days of summer and the hard work of being an athlete. Most of all, it's a world of team spirit and friendship.

Summer swimming is unique in that teams are not only coed, but the ages range from 8-and-under to 18. Nowhere else do you get such a wide variety and range of young people all working together for the same goal.

I have a lot of memories of my career as a swimmer. Two of my most special memories are winning MCSL All-Stars when I was 14 and winning MCSL All-Star Relays when I was 18. The most embarrassing — some I'd just as soon forget — involved the time when my suit came off in a relay when I was 13. But some of the most favorite are of the times when I swam in the 8-and-under group in summer, wasted wonderful days with family and friends and watched the older swimmers, hoping that one day I could be as good as them. Then came my time as one of the "older kids" and I was cheering on the younger ones who were just starting out. It was just as important.

Now as a summer coach, I have a whole new world to enjoy. A lot of it is hard work and you get your share of nerves as you train the young athletes — many of whom may be swimming for the first time, at least in a year. Then there are the planning sessions for the meets and the Divisional Championships and keeping track of all the team's activities. But, believe me, it's all worthwhile because I have the opportunity to help guide the type of kids of all ages whom I used to watch in awe and cheer. I have the opportunity to give them the same positive experience that helped me grow as a swimmer and as a person.

I'm very excited to be back for my fourth summer at Northwest Branch. Being a part of the Dolphins offers kids the opportunity not only to learn how to swim but also to be part of a team that is fun and supportive of one another. That's critically important.

My goal for the summer of 2006 is to help every member of the team improve his or her times and to help them learn to swim technically sound. But, most importantly, I want them to have fun — because I did and I continue to do so. And that's what helped make me what I am today.