VMST Part 4: UVA Masters Swim Camps
The swim camps put on at UVA in Charlottesville did have a lot to do with the early development of Virginia Masters. They trained a lot of swimmers and gave Virginia swimmers from different parts of the state a chance to know one another. For me personally, they were the beginning of many warm friendships with swimmers not only from Virginia but North Carolina, Tenn. and DC.
The first camp was in 1977, Memorial Day Weekend. The total cost for 4 days of swim camp including meals and lodging was $75. It was run by Ron Good, who was then the head swim coach at UVA and was running camps for age group swimmers. He said that we were an experiment and he had no idea of what to expect from Masters swimmers. Other coaches included his assistant, and later UVA head coach, Mark Bernadino and Ron Tsuchiya Commonwealth head coach.
We stayed at a wonderful old run down private school named St Anne's, which was within walking distance from the pool. The building must have been a private mansion at some time in the past. There were only 26 swimmers. No one was assigned a room. You just picked one you liked the looks of. Most of the rooms had a bath between two rooms and there were men's and women's rooms sharing the same bath. We ate at St. Anne's and there was a huge ornate parlor that had a grand piano in it. Barbara Glancy (DC Masters) and I with assorted others would play bridge every evening in the parlor while another swimmer played classical music on the piano. One night there was a thunderstorm and the lights were off for several
hours while the rain poured in from numerous leaks. It was wonderful. I have never stayed anywhere that had more character.
Since Ron knew nothing about Masters swimmers, there were no workouts, no early morning swims and he gave everyone Saturday afternoon off to go to the Lacrosse finals. We did get lectures, video and stroke drills. I think he was really shocked when swimmers demanded morning workouts and wanted more pool time. Unfor-tunately I no longer know who was there at that first camp but 15 of them returned for the second camp in 1978. Karin Stronach was at one of the first camps and I think she was the one demanding a morning workout. At first, I think the coaches just gave her the keys to the pool and didn't even come over.
By 1978, there were 67 swimmers and we were assigned to rooms. Bobbe Smith and others from the "Swimmin Wimmin" of Oakridge, TN were there. This year we had (optional) before breakfast workouts and much more pool time. Raymond Snead was at this camp but seemed to mostly stand on the deck and watch the others swim. We continued our nightly bridge games also. There was a good bit of pub crawling by the non-bridge players.
BJ Hanson was at one of the early camps (I think it was 1978) trying to organize a Virginia Masters Group. I don't know if he was successful because I declined to join. I loved to swim but didn't want to compete.
In 1979, we moved into a real UVA dormitory. It was ok but lacked the "atmosphere" of St Anne's and was not so close to the pool. Nancy (not yet a Miller) was at this camp. The workouts became more intense and it was more of a real swim camp. The bridge games continued but there were also some pretty good parties.
In 1980 and 81, the swim camp was held at William and Mary in Williamsburg. The pool wasn't as good but Williamsburg made a good place to wander in the evenings. I and some others brought bicycles to ride around Williamsburg and there were a number of swimmers and coaches who ran in the evening. I think I met Judy Decker at one of the Williamsburg camps. Tazewell Banks was there also. I think it was 1981 when Mike Stott showed up with applications for the Chris Greene Lake swim and I decided to enter competitions after all.
In 1982, the camps moved back to Charlottesville. It was a small group but included Forest Sullivan, Raymond Snead, Terry Sue and a number of Oakridge, TN women. This is the first year for which I have a roster. There was one male swimmer from Tennessee, who didn't want his wife to know he was there. He told her he was going to National Guard Camp.
I got involved in Triathlons about that time and didn't go to anymore swim camps for the next several years but I don't think I missed any. I don't believe camps were held in 83, 84 and 85. I think 83 was canceled because not enough swimmers signed up and none were held in 84 or 85. At least I didn't go to any.
There were camps in Charlottesville in 86,87,88 and 89 but they had gotten more structured and serious and weren't as much fun (or maybe I had just had enough camp). I didn't go in 89. In 1990, the University wouldn't make the dorms available so it became a swim clinic with people finding their own rooms and meals. They did have a small group that year but that was the last one and the end of the UVA Swim Camps.
