Michael Hurd: 2022 Appreciation Award

A gifted communicator, Michael “Mike” Hurd of Maine Masters has contributed to the ongoing business of the NELMSC Board in many ways. As Secretary, his most tangible and lasting contribution has been all of the extensive documentation of meeting minutes he’s created that tell the story of the club and its business. 

He’s also contributed blog posts, meet recaps and photos, and other materials to the LMSC website to help keep members informed and engaged. At the club level, Hurd has served as an Officer of Maine Masters, contributing in various roles. Most notably, he served as editor of the club newsletter reporting on and promoting the activities of Maine Masters and the LMSC.

Ever the encourager, Hurd is a life and business coach by day, and he brings that positive energy and focus on helping others become their best selves to every interaction he has with other swimmers. He encourages others to participate in meets and events and shares what’s worked best for him as he’s grappled with several health challenges over the years. 

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurd was especially instrumental in helping club members keep their connections with each other, despite the challenges the virus posed. He supported members in navigating alternative communication methods and created workgroups and online access so that meetings could continue safely. He did all of this in an effort to keep the sport of swimming thriving for members even when so many pools were closed.  

This was no small task as we all adjusted to COVID-era restrictions and isolation. With endless patience and compassion, Hurd effectively guided users – some with little to no experience and some with ample technology experience – in getting set up to conduct online meetings. The technology isn’t always intuitive, but Hurd’s ability to support others is, and he made sure everyone knew how to participate in the online meetings to have their voices heard, which he then recorded in his meticulous minutes.

A consummate coach, Hurd has an innate ability to provide the space others need to absorb dialogue and feel comfortable in a conversation. He also encourages everyone to develop the confidence to share their opinions and experiences in large and small group settings. He offers an inviting space for others to be heard, seen, and valued.

Hurd also served as a representative of the LMSC as a delegate to USMS Conventions and as a Board Member, Officer, and an active member of the Maine Masters Workout Group encouraging participation and a spirit of camaraderie everywhere he goes. 

Hurd has been a tremendous asset to his club, the NELMSC, and the whole sport of Masters Swimming. His efforts to cultivate a sense of community through transparency and inclusivity have consistently made Masters Swimming in Maine and across New England a brighter thing. 

Amanda Smith Dakowicz: 2022 Frank Wuest Open Water Award

Great Bay Masters Swimming member Amanda Smith Dakowicz embodies the best of what it means to be an open water swimmer. The Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based swimmer and triathlete has made a substantial contribution to open water both as an athlete and as a supporter of others aiming to achieve big things in the sport.

In 2022, Smith Dakowicz completed a 9.22-kilometer clockwise circumnavigation of the Isles of Shoals in the Gulf of Maine in 3 hours, 37 minutes, 44 seconds. A top triathlete, she often swims in a wetsuit and completed this event while wearing a wetsuit, booties, and two caps to ward off Maine’s frigid chill. The swim was ratified by the World Open Water Swimming Association.

Smith Dakowicz has also completed the 25-kilometer Border Buster in Lake Memphremagog in 2021 and the 12-mile Swim with a Mission in Newfound Lake, New Hampshire. 

Always ready to give back, Smith Dakowicz acted as observer for Alyssa Langlais’ 12-kilometer Boon Island to Long Sands Beach, York, swim on July 17, 2021. It was the first documented swim on that course and was ratified by the Marathon Swimmers Federation thanks to Smith Dakowicz’s diligent documentation.

She is also a certified Adult Learn-to-Swim instructor and has helped out coaching at open water swimming clinics, volunteered at races, and served as a kayaker for several area open water events. 

As one admirer notes, “whether it’s a 4 a.m. wake-up call or needing a pep talk 8 miles into a training swim, Amanda has been there to pick me up and keep me motivated. Amanda has done this not just for me, but for so many on the Seacoast, around New England, the country, and even the world. She will go out of her way traveling in a foreign country to find an open water swimming meetup group and form friendships there. And, she inspires swimmers everywhere she goes. She’s a cheerleader at every level, whether it’s a swim practice or a national level event.”

Smith Dakowicz played water polo at Cornell University and coaches the Portsmouth High School swim team.