NDMU’s last varsity swim team members create NDMU Swim Club this semester
Last February, Notre Dame of Maryland University’s swim team closed out their season at the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championships. On that same day, Notre Dame’s historic swim program ended. But this November, the “swamily” made their comeback as the NDMU Swim Club. Now, they are reaching out to the Notre Dame community to join them in their swimming journey.
After their last season ended, the previous swim team members could not imagine their winter season without swimming. Therefore, they decided to make a club under the SGA which will only run during the winter season. “Though our swim club has a very different approach than the competitive team did, we are still excited that we can maintain and expand a community of swimmers at Notre Dame,” says Lindsey Webb (Business, ’18), vice president of NDMU Swim Club.
Along with Webb, students Margaret Pederson (Education ’17), Erika Deppenschmidt (Chemistry ’17), Mary Claire Waterman (Nursing ’19) and Summer Stevens (Education ’19) are on the advisory board as president, publicity chair, secretary and treasurer, respectively. The club also includes honorary mentions Molly Wolanski (History ’18) and Wendi Winkelman (Bio/Pre-Med ’17).
Meanwhile, Catherine Subrizi, Graduate Assistant for the Athletics Department and assistant volleyball coach at NDMU, along with Theresa Mosley, the Wellness and Aquatics Program Coordinator, are the faculty advisors of the club. “We have to make sure the Swim Club remains in compliance of the SGA club regulations such as holding meetings, campus events and overseeing service opportunities,” Subrizi explains.
As an SGA club, the main purpose of the NDMU Swim Club is to “promote the sport of competitive and recreational swimming,” according to Webb. NDMU Swim Club also encourages beginners to attend their practices. “Students that attend our swim practices do not need to have previous swimming experience,” she explains. “It’s intended to be a fun way for people to improve their swimming skills and take a break from school.”
However, the NDMU Swim Club is not ruling out competitions completely. “We are looking into competitive swim opportunities for those who are interested, but we will need enough swimmers to participate. This is an idea that we are exploring, but it’s not guaranteed for this season,” Webb explains. Margaret Pederson (Education ’17), president of NDMU Swim Club, also comments that NDMU Swim Club “plans to compete competitively with other universities, but is not regulated by the NCAA and is not a varsity sport.” This means that students can compete without tryouts and the strict time commitment that varsity sports require.
Pederson is also excited to “teach new swimmers, help experienced swimmers and watch their improvements.” Besides swim practices and possible competitions, she explains that the club will have fun events including Swim-a-Thons, staff/faculty versus club meets and pool parties. On the other hand, Subrizi is enthusiastic about the “students’ determination to maintain the tradition of swimming at Notre Dame.” “I have been so proud of their accomplishments thus far in organizing their club,” she says. “Their mission is clear—they want to share their love of swimming with the campus.”
If you want to explore the world of swimming, make sure to come out to one of the practices. The club meets on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. at LeClerc Pool. Don’t forget to wear appropriate swimming apparel, which includes a one/two-piece swim suit or athletic clothing. The “swamily” hopes to see you there—beginners and experienced swimmers, alike!
Photo from Lindsey Webb
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