Movement for boys’ swim team takes shape

A boys swim team would be a welcomed addition to the swim community, say advocates of the idea.

Courtesy Andrew Meersand

Lynbrook’s swimming community is jumping into the deep end — fortunately, they’re well equipped to do so — in its movement to establish a boy’s swim team at Lynbrook High School.

St. Raymond’s Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) swim coach Jim Hunter is leading the movement after addressing the Lynbrook Board of Education and having a meeting with Athletics Director Tom Graham this winter. Hunter, who has been a CYO swim coach for seven years, said there’s a vast interest amongst school-aged boys to swim for their high school one day. The CYO program now has 157 boys and girls predominately from Lynbrook and East Rockaway. The swimmers range from 6 to 18 years old.

It’s been nearly 80 years since LHS had a boys’ swimming team, according to Don Roth, a former teacher and coach in the district. The girls swim team at LHS, which was around in the 1930s, was reestablished in 1996 and has had success since. The girls swimming season is in the fall and allows the team to practice in the heated pool at Greis Park.

Graham said that he appreciated where Hunter is coming from and likes whenever a resident pitches more opportunities for students, but there are hurdles in the way. Aside from finding a pool for the team practice in, the district would have to transport students outside the district. “The problem we have with adding a boy’s team is the expense,” he said.

Although it’s tough to pinpoint a cost for the potential team, Graham estimated it to run between $70,000 and $80,000. If a team were created, the district would have to cover start-up costs, pool rental fees, staffing and transportation expenses.

“All my teams are all over the place,” Graham said, noting the district’s limited field space. “But once you leave the district that’s when the expenses start [adding up].” The boys’ swimming season is over the winter, ruling out Greis Park as a potential practice location.

LHS sophomore Andrew Meersand began swimming competitively at age 7 on the Lynbrook Summer Recreation team and now swims on Hunter’s CYO team. Swimming is the only sport he’s involved in and said there are many boys around his age who would like to swim for their high school.