Masters Swimming in the Lake Erie LMSC
The Lake Erie LMSC encompasses the northeastern Ohio area. Presently there are three clubs registered with the LMSC, Kenyon Masters, University Circle Swimmers and the O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club. The Lake Erie LMSC generally registers 300 swimmers each year, the majority (80%) of which belong to the O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club.
The University Circle Swimmers have been in existence since 1981. This club is located on the eastside of Cleveland and it works out at the Case Western Reserve University pool in the heart of the University Circle area. The club motto is "we swim, therefore we are!" The group consists of swimmers that range in age from 19 to over 70 and come from diverse backgrounds and vocations. The club does not have a coach but relies on the more experienced swimmers to make up the workouts. The majority of the members swim for the fitness benefits with a few of the members competing in meets at the local and national levels.
The Kenyon Masters club is the newest club to be formed in the Lake Erie LMSC. The Kenyon College swimming program began in 1936 and the College has become a nationally known dynasty for it's men's and women's swimming and diving teams. A former member of the college team that lives near Stanford University noticed that there was a very large and active Master's swimming group affiliated with the university and decided that there was no reason that Kenyon shouldn't have it's own club. Presently the club consists of alums scattered throughout the country and faculty from the college. The club hopes to attract a large number of graduates back to swimming and to join force for the 2002 Long Course National Championships to be held in Cleveland, Ohio in August of 2002 hosted by the O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club.
The O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club was first organized on September 4, 1974 through the Lake Erie AAU by Jack Van Horn, Tim Timken , John Humphries and C.T. (Ted) Branin in the office of Vern Pinkerton, Director of the then new C.T. Branin Natatoriun in Canton, Ohio. Jack Van Horn was elected the first president of the club and Ted Branin was the first official head coach. The acronym O*H*I*O stands for "Old Hearts Inspiring Others".
The first official O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club workout was on September 9, 1974. Many new swimmers were attracted to the organized workouts and the club grew quickly. The first swim meet was held on December 1, 1974. The 1981 USMS Long Course Nationals were held at the C.T. Branin natatorium in Canton, Ohio and it was the first meet in which the heats were started alternately at both ends of the pool.
In the early years there was a very friendly rivalry between O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club and the Michigan Masters club. O*H*I*O Masters won the Southeastern Championships held at Oak Ridge, TN for eight consecutive years.
Almost all of the swim meets that have been and are held in the Lake Erie LMSC are run by the O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club. In fact, Pieter Cath has been a major force in running roughly six meets per year which have always been efficient, fun and well attended.
This club sponsors two special awards each year for those individuals that make an effort to swim all of the various swimming events in a 12-month period. The "Iron Person Award" is given to those individuals that swim every pool event including all strokes and distances. The "Super Iron Person Award" is given to those "Iron Persons" that also do a Long Distance event, either an open water swim or a postal event.
Harry Fox, from the O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club designed and created the first USMS Top-Ten patch. The patch continues to be distributed through the Lake Erie LMSC.
The Lake Erie LMSC has consistently had a large number of it's members earn Top Ten honors as well as All-American and All-Star status, particularly in relation to the size of the LMSC. Currently, Pieter Cath, a member of the O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club, sits on the USMS Board of Directors as the Chairman of the Records and Tabulation Committee. Throughout the years there has been consistent involvement by members of the Lake Erie LMSC at the annual convention and on the various USMS committees.
By Laura Kessler, August 2001
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