Positive Culture

While the Cougars took nothing for granted, they were the odds-on favorite because they returned a nucleus of talented, motivated athletes from the team that won both the league and state titles in 2022.

 

This time, Coach Mike Peters’s crew amassed 593 points, well ahead of St. Catherine’s (424), Trinity Episcopal (281), Norfolk Academy (277), St. Anne’s-Belfield (215), St. Gertrude (65), and Veritas (63).

 

In claiming their 14th LIS championship, they won nine of 13 events, and sophomore Elle Scott and freshman Emory DeGeunther shared most valuable swimmer honors.

 

Scott set LIS records in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.75) and 200 individual medley (2:02.29), and DeGeunther rewrote the league mark in the 200 freestyle (1:50.91) as did the 200 freestyle relay team of Valentina Linkonis, Gabby Chen, DeGeunther, and Scott (1:37.23).

 

The other victories came in the 100 backstroke (Bella Little, 58.55); 100 freestyle (Linkonis, 53.99); 100 butterfly (DeGeunther, 56.79); 200 medley relay (Little, Emily Kantner, DeGeunther, Maddie Jewett in 1:46.98); and the 400 freestyle relay (Linkonis, Jasper Jones, Amelia Chen, Scott in 3:34.28).

 

Collegiate’s boys team, which lost three stalwarts (Christian Mayr, Dalton Jobe, and Aaron Moore) to graduation, placed third in the Prep League (295 points) behind St. Christopher’s (479) and Norfolk Academy (357) and ahead of Woodberry Forest (259), Trinity Episcopal (256), Fork Union (173), and St. Anne’s-Belfield (170).

 

Junior Charlie Mayr, the 500 freestyle (4:40.42) and 200 individual medley (1:55.05) champ and a member of the third-place 200 freestyle and 200 medley relay teams, was the meet’s most valuable swimmer.

 

The Cougars didn’t earn their success this year (or any other year, for that matter) just by swimming fast and diving with skill and precision. They earned it because long ago, coaches and athletes created a culture in which team success is more important than individual accolades and because future generations perpetuated that one-for-all, all-for-one mindset.

 

Peters, an All-American distance swimmer at New Rochelle (NY) High who went on to swim for Brown University, has headed Collegiate’s program for six years. The previous 11 seasons, he served as his predecessor Mike Stott’s assistant. He’s also coached summer league for two decades. To say that he understands what makes swimmers and swim/dive teams tick is an understatement.

 

“There’re some unique things about swimming that lead to team building,” said Peters, a Collegiate Middle School math teacher and advisor. “The first is that our top swimmers aren’t at practice every day because they swim for their club teams, but they’re still connected to the other kids socially and as a team. They’re getting what they need at their club practices, and it makes it easier for us to work with the level of the other kids, which is still very high.

 

“The second is that 8th graders can not only be on the varsity but can win state titles. At the state meet, we’ll have four 8th grade girls, two of whom (Jones and Linkonis) will almost certainly be on all-state relay teams.

 

“The third is that every kid swims the same amount in every meet. We’re allowed three entries that score, and in certain events, we’re allowed unlimited exhibition entries. My philosophy has always been to treat all our swimmers the same and shout out their successes.”

 

A case in point occurred on Senior Night (Jan. 27) at the Collegiate School Aquatic Center. Against Norfolk Academy and Monacan, junior Charlie Cheek, a team member since 7th grade, swam 24.04 in the 50 free to surpass the state qualifying time (24.11).

 

“He was an exhibition swimmer, but when he made it, we had all the boys and girls on the side screaming for him,” Peters said. “I want to make sure everybody knows we appreciate them and let them know that they’re very much a part of the team. I love winning as much as any coach around here. At the same time, seeing kids progress, even if they don’t score a point…that’s a highlight. Celebrating with Charlie was a highlight because I know how much work he’s put in.”

 

Peters is never at a loss for poignant memories that speak to team culture.

 

There’re the myriad examples of older swimmers mentoring their younger teammates both  in and out of the pool.

 

Last winter when the girls team won the final event, the 400 free relay, and captured their eighth state title in program history, there was Hudson Neese carrying the banner signifying the event amidst the members of both squads cheering wildly.

 

There were Jobe, Moore, and Christian Mayr, moments after the boys team had fallen six points short of a state title in their final high school competition, celebrating alongside the victorious girls.

 

“They understood that what we’re doing is bigger than one trophy or plaque,” Peters said. “I want this experience to be fun for everyone. Over the years I’ve coached here, whenever we talk to kids about favorite memories, only a handful of them have talked about a record or a swim. They talk about dressing up (in all manner of green and gold) for the second night of states. They talk about standing on the side of the pool cheering for the 400 free relay. They love swimming, but they really love the Collegiate swim and dive team.”

 

Collegiate swimming, then, is about chemistry and camaraderie, about intangibles, and about living Stott’s mantra of Fun, Fitness, and Competition.

 

“You have to have unique relationships to have unique performances,” Peters said. “I want every kid to understand that I care about what they’re doing in the pool but also in the classroom and in other sports.

 

“In the grand scheme of things, individual swims don’t change somebody’s life. Whether you go a minute in the 100 back or 59 (seconds) isn’t the be-all or end-all of success. Learning about resilience, overcoming adversity, fighting through nervousness, handling disappointment…that’s what changes lives.”

~Weldon Bradshaw