Category Archives: Swimmimg

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An Aquatic Reunion

The reunion of Allegheny YMCA swimmers.

Thanks to Mary Jo Geyer Burdett, a group of folks who swam at the Allegheny YMCA swim team got together this past weekend for a fun reunion. I am not much one for reunions, but I wanted to attend this one because many of these folks I have not seen in close to 60 years. At least 57 years. One of the reasons for my enthusiasm was that I spent a lot of time as a kid with a lot of these people and their families. The swim team at the Allegheny Y on the Northside of Pittsburgh and the community swim clubs in the North Hills of Pittsburgh were actually joined at the hip. You swam in the summer for the teams in the community swim clubs, and at the YMCA and that league in the winter, and it really was the lifeblood of all of our families. Swim practices and meets were the focal point of social relationships for many families at that time, and the anchor founder of that movement was Don Geyer- Mary Jo, Claudia, Joe, Jeff, and Don Jr’s father.

Coach Don Geyer on the right back in the day.

As we all gathered around in the Allegheny Y gym this weekend, we told countless stories about our fun times at the community swim clubs and at the Y, but most of the stories were focused around what Don Geyer had done for all of us. There were great stories about how he was a famous square dance caller, a coach and teacher at Shaler High School, but most of our stories centered around his work with us as young swimmers. He encouraged us and our families to come to the Allegheny Y after the summer swim season was over at the community pools. People like Don Geyer are legendary in their status. His selfless attitude and willingness to coach and help young people is a trait that few people are willing to commit to. Don did that and more and the stories were countless among people who came from all over the country for the reunion.

The Allegheny Y was a special place to me. I went there originally when I was about 7 or 8 years old with my grandfather who was a member. Then I started to swim there on the team coached by Don Geyer, Pat Phelan and Cliff Quigley. Those days were really my first entry into organized competition and swimming the breaststroke was my contribution to the team. Johnny Kane, Dru Duffy, the Roses, and I were the duckfooted breaststrokers, and it was so much fun to reconnect with John Kane at the reunion. It was also great to reconnect with Jimmy Manning, my childhood pal at Valley Brook. We swam together and it had been 57 years at least since I had last seen him.. He and his wife Sandra came up from South Carolina. The Kane girls were all there. Joan, Karen, and Debbie,and we had great laughs and remembrances about how special Valley Brook, The Y and Don Geyer were to all of us. Bill Ford came all the way from Eugene, Oregon because he wanted to see all of this and be with his pals from long ago. Colleen Trew Geyer was there along with Ray Burdett, who is married to Mary Jo Geyer. Ray and Colleen and I skied together for many years and they are still active in different athletic pursuits. I met some people that I did not know at the reunion but by the time we finished our meal at Max’s Allegheny Tavern, we felt as though we had been friends all along.

The story circle

I must admit that when I went out to my car after the great tour of the Y, and the fellowship of my fellow swimmers after all these years, I was a little overwhelmed. I actually started to tear up a bit, because my memories came flooding back after all these years. I am not sure whether the emotion was because I was remembering a lot from my youth and now I realize that I am in the fourth quarter? Or, perhaps it was the joy of seeing all of those old friends who even after all these years, still seem close to me and a big part of my life? This was one reunion I was not going to miss, and I was so happy Mary Jo, Ray and Claudia put it all together.

The Allegheny YMCA is 100 years old this year and it was great to see the renovations that have made the building a recreational focal point on the North Side. The staff there was so welcoming to our group and were taken back a little bit when they heard all the old stories and how much the Y had meant to us. They also were touched by all the memories of Don Geyer, who they did not know obviously, but could appreciate the dedication of a life- long coach and teacher.

I remember Don teaching me to swim as a 5 year old at Valley Brook, and then, a little later on, at my mother’s instruction, throw me in the deep end so I could pass my swimming test. This was much to the chagrin of my mom’s friends but as she said, ” that water will get deeper and deeper every year.” To this day, I am glad my mother prevailed and glad that Don threw me into the deep end – in reality and metaphorically. His coaching will always be a part of my character- 58 years later. Thanks for reading.

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Duckin

Breaststroke by the incomparable Michael Phelps

It’s funny. My wife says to me occasionally as we walk, ” Hey- you are duckin.” I laugh and say-” well maybe that is because of all the breaststroke I did as a kid?” Duckin is her word for saying that I walk like a duck. Left foot pointed left and right foot pointed right in a kind of fast waddle. I am kidding but as I remember back, all of us kids who were breaststrokers, walked like a duck. Perhaps it was a hallmark of the physiology needed to do the whip kick that is the engine of the stroke. The Rose brothers, me, Johnny Kane, Dru Duffy, all battled it out in the community pool wars and the YMCA teams. We all ducked. Even the Rose girls ducked ( sorry Annie and Mary). Breaststrokers all ducked. That is the way it was and apparently still is. I still duck.

The Allegheny Y Team back in the day- I am third from left at the top.

So as the days dwindle down for our community pool, I do take advantage of what we have left until Labor Day and swim some breaststroke from time to time when the pool is not crowded. Breaststroke was always a natural stroke for me. I could freestyle and backstroke, but the butterfly? No way. But breaststroke came natural and I competed as a kid for our community pool- Valley Brook Swimming Club, The Allegheny YMCA and also Shannopin Country Club. My dad drove me back and forth between venues a lot so that I could catch my heats. I would no sooner finish a heat in a relay or individual event when my dad would rush me into the car to catch the meet at Shannopin which started later. Breaststrokers were a valued commodity and all three teams needed a breaststroker for individual events and medley relays. There was a lot of competition between all of us “strokers” but it was a fun part of the competitive side of growing up.

Our community pool

Today I find that swimming in my community pool is relaxing and as I “stroke” along, I think about how the sport has changed. Watching swimming on TV I see the rules have changed as well. It used to be that you needed to touch both hands on the wall before you could turn. When you did turn, you had to push off the wall and get your arms above your head and make one giant pull under water and kick to surface and start swimming the next lap. Today- you can dolphin kick for as long as you can and then surface and start swimming. You also submerge your head after each stroke. In my day, your head could not go below the surface of the water. I try the new breaststroke and it is definitely more efficient and faster. But the main reason I swim is to stretch out. I tend to get tight from mountain biking and swimming helps me stretch out and relax those tight leg muscles. As I swim along, I think about all those old meets at Trees Pool at Pitt, with the Jello sticking to our feet. The energy powder in those days was Jello and it spilled all over the floor and made our feet sticky and we sported the many colors of cherry, grape and lime. I think about the summer meets at Valley Brook and the other away meets and finally think about how hard it was to jump in the pool at the Allegheny Y or Allegheny High School in the winter. Wool hats and parkas to Speedo suits in the indoor pools.

So as the countdown begins, I will try to take advantage of all the great summer days left before the fall takes the pool out of play. Another guy from the neighborhood swims every day and he is amazing. He plays golf every day and swims every day and I just found out……..he is 80 years old. Doesn’t look it. Swimming is a wonderful form of exercise – even if it makes me duck. Thanks for reading.