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Nassau Swimmers Reign After Demotion, Ready for Return to PASDA's Top Division
By Bill Alden
The Nassau Swim Club Lemmings found themselves in an unaccustomed position at the start of this summer.
After a long run in Division I of the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA), a subpar season in 2004 resulted in the Nassau team getting demoted to the league's second division.
While the relegation could've dampened the spirits of the Lemmings, the swimmers responded by producing a memorable summer.
The Lemmings went 6-0 in dual meets in Division II competition and ended up being the top Division II team in last week's PASDA championships.
In reflecting on the season, longtime Nassau coach Bruce Nystrom acknowledged that the change of scenery did the team some good.
"It was kind of enjoyable," said Nystrom, who has coached the Nassau program since 1970. "We went to some different places. We swam at the Trenton Country Club for the first time in 15 years. We swam at Brooktree for the first time in years. It was fun."
Nystrom also had fun watching his team compete against their new foes. "We certainly had some good competition in certain age groups," said Nystrom, whose team will be back in Division I next summer. "Division II has some extraordinary swimmers. I didn't have too much trepidation going into it."
Nystrom didn't let his swimmers get too carried away with their success. "I've prided myself on competing against the best," asserted Nystrom.
"It's pretty good to know where you stand and not have inflated views of how good you are. Even the kids out here would say we're in first but it is the second division."
Whatever the division, Nassau did get plenty of first class performances this summer.
One family, the Fields, provided the foundation for the Lemmings' younger boys group as Andrew Field, 8, Adam Field, 10, and Alex Field, 12, all produced big summers for Nassau
"Historically we've had trouble getting enough boys here," explained Nystrom. "The Fields have been such a boon; to have three boys like that has been great."
In the PASDA championship meet, Andrew took first in the Division II 8-and- under boys' 100-yard individual medley and second in both the 25 breaststroke and the 25 butterfly while Adam was first in the both 10- and-under boys' 25 backstroke and the 100 IM as well as second in the 25 breast.
Alex was named the Most Valuable Swimmer among the 12- and-under boys, taking first in 50 back, 50 breast, and 100 IM.
Nassau also had some superb female swimmers in the younger divisions. "We had a great group of 8-and-under girls and 10-and-under girls," said Nystrom.
The 8-and-under corps featured Annie Skoczylas, Carrie Bonfield, Carla Tuan, Hannah Ash, Maddie Deardorff, and Tali Shalaby.
In the girls' 8-and under freestyle at the PASDA meet, Bonfield placed first while Tuan took second. In the 25 back, Skoczylas was first with Ash coming in third. In the 25 breast, Ash was second and with Bonfield at fourth.
Nassau produced a sweep in the 25 butterfly with Skoczylas first, Deardorff second, and Shalaby third. In the 100 IM, Skoczylas was first just ahead of Tuan in second.
In the relays, the quartet of Bonfield, Shalaby, Tuan, and Maggie Gardner combined to take first in the 100 free relay while the group of Skoczylas, Deardorff, Ash, and Jessica Campisi won the 100 medley event.
The 10-and-under girls was led by the trio of Ceara Bowman, Serena Deardorff, Kit Gardner, and Sophia Monaghan.
In the PASDA meet, Bowman took second in the 25 free with Deardorff placing fourth. Bowman was second in the 25 back with Monaghan in fourth.
In the 25 butterfly, Deardorff and Tuan finished one-two with Gardner in fourth. In the 100 IM, Deardorff and Bowman came in second and third, respectively.
In the relays, the group of Monaghan, Deardorff, Gardner and Emily Lovett prevailed in the 100 free event with the quartet of Monaghan, Bowman, Gardner, and Susanna Tuan winning the 100 medley relay.
The Lemmings also got some good work from their older swimmers with Connor Bowman and Andrew Philhower anchoring things for the 17-and-under boys and the trio of Jessie Solloway, Katie Mischner, and Martha Ferguson leading the 17-and-under girls.
With that kind of depth, the Lemmings kept their cool as they mowed through the Division II opposition.
"They kept it in perspective," said Nystrom. "At the end of the season, they knew they were going to have a championship. I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't get swell-headed or anything like that."
Nystrom, for his part, enjoyed the effort required to keep his team of nearly 100 swimmers clicking on all cylinders.
"Just about every moment was busy," asserted Nystrom, who said that the program should get a boost from a pool renovation project that will give the Lemmings six full lanes for practice sessions starting next summer. "If I wasn't down here at the pool, I was preparing for the next meet."
Now Nystrom can prepare for the move back up to PASDA's top division.
