Elaine Howley

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  • 2020 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Open Water/Long Distance)

  • 2017 Inducted into the Vermont Open Water Swimming Hall of Fame

  • Third person to complete the Triple Crown of Monster Swims, solo crossings of:

    • 2016 Lake Tahoe – 21.5 miles

    • 2015 Loch Ness – 22.2 miles

    • 2011 Lake Memphremagog – 25 miles 

  • 32nd person to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, solo crossings of:

    • 2009 English Channel – 21 miles

    • 2009 Around Manhattan Island – 28.5 miles

    • 2008 Catalina Channel – 20 miles

  • 2019 Swim the Suck, Tennessee River, Chattanooga, TN – 10 miles

  • 2019 First female to complete the 3x Boston Light Swim – 24 miles

  • 2019 Solo circumnavigation of Absecon Island, NJ – 22 miles

  • 2018 Mackinac Straits, MI – 4.4 miles

  • 2018 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, MD – 4.4 miles

  • 2017 END-WET race up the Red River, Grand Forks, ND – 36 miles

  • 2017 Mercer Island Marathon Swim, WA – 12.5 miles

  • 2017 Ice Kilometer, International Ice Swimming Association World Championships - 5th place

  • 2015 Lake Del Valle, CA – 10 km

  • 2014 First person to swim the length of Lake Pend Oreille, ID – 32.3 miles

  • 2012 Swim Across America Long Beach – 10 km

  • 2012 Fifth American to complete an Ice Mile, Boston Harbor

  • 2011 Ederle Swim, NY – 17.5 miles

  • 2011 Lake Willoughby Swim, VT – 5 miles

  • 2010 2x Boston Light – 16 miles, Fastest female

  • 2010, 2013 Kingdom Swim, VT – 10 miles

  • 2007, 2009, 2011 Flat River Reservoir, RI – 10 km

  • 2006, 2007, 2008 Boston Light Swim – 8 miles

  • USMS Top Ten – 1 individual, 1 relay

  • Club: New England Masters (NEM)

  • USMS Profile

Elaine K. Howley grew up in South Jersey’s summer league swimming ecosystem, and joined a club team in middle school. In high school, she could be relied upon to earn a solid second or third place in the 500 free or 200 IM (and whatever other events no one else wanted to swim), and thus earned her role as captain through persistence rather than speed. After spending her freshman year of college rather miserably rowing crew, she walked onto the swim team at Georgetown University, where again, she was not a point-earner but cracked the whip with the underclassmen during workouts.

During the summers while in college, Elaine worked as a lifeguard on Long Beach Island in New Jersey, which introduced her to open water swimming. In 2006, after having completed graduate school at Emerson College, Elaine began swimming more and her love the ocean drew her to open water. Her first official marathon swim was the 2006 Boston Light Swim, an event she now directs.

Since then, her resume has grown to include several record marathon swims, and she continues to plan and enjoy as many ultramarathon swims around the world as she can. A swimming journalist, Elaine documents the sport for several publications, including USMS’s SWIMMER magazine and the UK-based open water magazine, Outdoor Swimmer. She’s also deeply involved in the administration of marathon swimming, helping others to achieve their open water goals as a crew member, mentor, and observer both locally through the Massachusetts Open Water Swimming Association and farther afield through the Marathon Swimmers Federation.

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Fritz Bedford

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  • 2020 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Pool Performance)

  • 2006 Inducted into the St Lawrence University Hall of Fame

  • USMS Records

    • Pool – 14 lifetime individual, 8 currently held

      • 45-49: 50 Fly SCM 

      • 50-54: 50 Back SCY, 100 Back SCY, 50 Back SCM, 100 Back SCM 

      • 55-59: 50 Back SCY, 100 Back SCM, 50 Fly SCM 

  • USMS All-Star – 1 year pool

  • USMS All-American

    • Pool – 44 individual (308 points), 3 relay

  • USMS Top Ten – 110 individual, 9 relay

  • NELMSC All-Time Top Three – 212 points

  • Club: New England Masters (NEM)

  • USMS Profile

Fritz Bedford was born on September 10, 1963 in Cannan, NH, and currently lives in Etna, NH. He attended Hanover High School and Deerfield Academy. Fritz was named an All-American at Deerfield six times over two years. He attended St. Lawrence University from 1981 until 1985, earning a B.S. in Physics. While there, he earned All-American honors nineteen times over four years. Fritz earned his M.S. from the University of New Hampshire and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked in engineering at Creare (Etna, NH), Avery Research Center (Pasadena, CA), General Motors R&D (Warren, MI), Fluent/ANSYS (Lebanon, NH), Norwich University (Northfield, VT) and CD-adapco/Siemens (Lebanon, NH). Fritz swam Masters for the Rose Bowl Aquatic Club and the UV-Rays in White River Junction, VT. He is currently a software developer for Siemens in Lebanon, NH. He also coaches the Men's and Women's swimming teams at Hanover High School and continues to swim Masters with the UV-Rays. He is married with three daughters.

From the St Lawrence University Hall of Fame website:

A 19-time All-America swimmer, Fritz Bedford excelled in a variety of strokes and is among the all-time greats in Saints’ men’s swimming.

The Outstanding Male Senior Athlete Award winner in 1985, Fritz qualified for the NCAA Championships as an individual in each of his four years and was All-America in five individual events and three relays during his career. He was New York State champion in 50 freestyle and 200 backstroke and part of the state champion 400 medley relay team.

He was All-America in the 100 fly, 100 free, and 50 free and part of All-America teams in the 400 medley and 400 and 800 free relay teams as a freshman; All-America in the 50 free, 100 fly, and 100 free, and the 400 medley relay and 800 free relay as a sophomore; in the 50 free and 200 back and the 400 medley relay as a junior and in the 50 free and 100 and 200 back plus the 400 medley relay and 800 free relay as a senior.

Now a mechanical engineer, he earned his master’s degree at the University of New Hampshire and a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin.

Ted Haartz

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Ted Haartz, a former collegiate swimmer from Tufts University, turned his sights to Masters Swimming in 1970 after reading about the first Masters meet in Amarillo, TX. He competed in the second Masters National Championship in Amarillo in 1971. He became a charter member of the New England Masters Swim Club and quickly progressed to volunteering at the national level.

Ted received the Captain Ransom J. Arthur M.D. Award (USMS’s highest honor) in 1976 as a result of his volunteer service. Notably, he established and maintained Top Ten Times for Masters Swimming in all age groups and relays, commencing with the first Masters Nationals in Amarillo, TX, in 1970. This was in the days when that meant hand writing and typing results! Ted was a key player in the formation of the original 55 Local Masters Swimming Committees (LMSCs) that governed Masters Swimming on the local level.

He quickly rose to positions of leadership in the fledgling national organization while it was still a part of the AAU and trying to establish its identity. He served as national president and for many years as a swimming official. Significantly, Ted took charge of the effort in the late 1970s to separate Masters from the AAU, which allowed Masters to become a more independent organization that could raise its own funds, write its own rules, and determine its own destiny. At the 2013 U.S. Aquatic Sports Convention, Ted was inducted into the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame.

The following is from an October 1977 NEM News profile of Ted:

Reasons for participating in the Masters Program: ‘Swimming has become my recreation, exercise, and a release for the tension I encounter in my daily life. I believe that I eat better, sleep better, and am generally healthier because of a regular routine of physical exercise. I also thoroughly enjoy the companionship and friendship of the hundreds of other Masters swimmers with whom I have come in contact.’

After his retirement and move to Arizona, Ted, of course became involved in his local group and switched to Arizona Masters. However, here in New England we still consider him one of our own and thank him for his contributions to the sport.

Christie Hayes

  • 2020 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Pool Performance)

  • 1997 Inducted into the William Smith College Heron Hall of Honor

  • USMS Records

    • Pool – 5 lifetime individual, 1 currently held; 1 lifetime relay

      • W70-74: 200 Free SCY

    • Long Distance – 2 lifetime individual, 1 currently held

      • W70-74: 1-hour ePostal

  • USMS All-Star – 1 year pool

  • USMS All-American

    • Pool – 20 individual (140 points)

    • Long Distance – 4 individual (28 points), 3 relay

  • USMS Top Ten – 410 individual, 37 relay

  • NELMSC All Time Top Three – 177 points

  • Club: New England Masters (NEM)

  • USMS Profile

Christie Hayes was born in Virginia in 1948 to ADM Jack, U.S. Coast Guard, and Bogie Hayes. She has 3 siblings in Virginia, Washington, and Alaska. She attended many different schools from Grades 1 through 12 as her family traveled the country with the U.S. Coast Guard. She graduated from high school in 1966.

Christie spent one year at Vejle Gymnasium, Denmark, as an American Field Service Exchange Student. She received a B.A. in English from William Smith College in Geneva, NY and an M.Ed. in Special Education from Wright State University in Dayton, OH. She also earned an M.S. (6th year) in Technology in Education from Bank Street College of Education in New York City. 

Christie swam and competed off and on as an age-grouper depending on where her family lived. She was a member of William Smith College swim team, and was named to the William Smith College Heron Hall of Honor in 1997.

Christie has been a member of U.S. Masters Swimming since 1973 and has earned national Top Ten rankings almost every year since then. She served as president of Connecticut Masters in 1977 to 1978. She earned two golds and two silvers at the first Master Swimming World Championship in Tokyo in 1986, and was featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd section for her wins. In February 2018, she set a national record in the 1-hour ePostal swim. In May 2018, she set four National records in 70-74 age group: 1650-, 1000-, 500-, and 200-yard freestyles.

Christie worked as a learning disabilities/special education teacher in Groton Public Schools from 1973 through 2008. During those years, she was the facilitator for the Student Assistance Team; Chairperson of the Groton Public Schools School Based Mentoring Program; a member of the Instructional Technology Study group and in-service instructor. She also served as an exchange teacher in Beloretsk, Russia, for one month in 1992. She was named Eastern Point Elementary School Teach of the Year in 1991.

Christie is also a committed volunteer, working with the Big Brother/Big Sister program, and is involved with St. John’s Episcopal Church, St. John’s Shoreline Soup Kitchen and Pantry, and her alma mater William Smith College. She won the Champion for Children Award from Town of Groton Department of Human Services in 2000.

Kathy Slifer

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  • 2020 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Pool Performance)

  • USMS Records

    • Pool – 3 lifetime individual, 1 lifetime relay

  • USMS All-American

    • Pool – 33 individual (231 points), 1 relay

  • USMS Top Ten – 222 individual, 14 relay

  • NELMSC All-Time Top Three – 98 points

  • Club: New England Masters (NEM)

  • USMS Profile

Kathy Slifer started AAU age group swimming back in the late 1950s, swimming for Coach Al Houston at the South Boston Boys Club. Many years later she joined Masters swimming, renewing her love for the sport and competition. “I am so grateful for this wonderful New England Masters organization, my supportive teammates and coaches, and the volunteers who make it possible for this 74-year-old to be sporting a Speedo!” she says.

Maine Masters (MESC)

Formed in 1988 at Bowdoin College after several regular swimmers (who had been Masters swimmers in other states), approached the Bowdoin Athletic Dept. asking to form a Masters team. Key initiators along with the Bowdoin aquatic coordinator held several organizational meetings where bylaws were created, and officers were elected. Hosted the first meet at Bowdoin in October of 1989.

From the article in the October 20, 1995 The Times Record:

Starting a Maine-based Masters program wasn’t a simple process. It took months of organizing and eventually submitting a proposal to Bowdoin. It became a reality, thanks to a core group of agitators that included Erswell, Forney, Joyce Brown, Sandy Potholm and Peter Packard.

The Maine Masters swim Club is an organized program of swimming for adults. Members participate in a variety of ways ranging from lap swimming to international competition.

In addition to the foundling group in the Brunswick area, Maine Masters members swim in eight to 10 pools across the state. The program’s popularity and growth has taken its founders by surprise. Maine Masters has become a well-organized structure in this state from a handful or brainstorming.

2019 NELMSCHOF Inductees

Maine Masters Trailblazers

Vermont Masters Swimming Club (VMSC)

Vermont Masters Swimming Club (VMSC) formed after several swimmers attended the Phillips Exeter meet in October of 1981. An ad was placed in the newspaper, organizational meetings were held in February and March of 1982, a constitution written, and officers elected in April. The St Michaels Pool was the central location for their coached Masters workouts. VMSC held their first practice on April 18th.

From the information packet for new members:

We are a group of people of all ages and abilities interested in a swimming program to improve our physical fitness. We hope that you will enjoy the camaraderie of the team while on your quest for physical fitness. After all, MASTERS HAVE THE BEST TIMES!

From the article “They Get their Kicks in the Pool” that appeared in August 19, 1982 issue of The Burlington Free Press:

The Vermont chapter of the U.S Masters Swim Association, an eclectic group of adults dedicated to improving their strokes, competing against their contemporaries and having fun in the process. Some 60 people ages 25-63 meet three times a week at the St. Michael’s College pool to hone their skills in Masters workouts.

From the article “Happy Birthday to Us!!:

It’s our birthday! On April 18, 1982, the Vermont Masters Swim Club first got all wet. Since that time, we’ve grown to over 100 members and become a real competitive entity amongst the northeast Masters swim groups, as well as providing a fitness routine for many non-competitors.

February of 1984, VMSC hosted the first (of 3 annual) Vermont Swim and Ski Triathlon – Giant Slalom race Saturday afternoon at either Mad River or Cochran’s (depending on the year), party Saturday night, swim meet Sunday morning at St. Michaels (the first mini meet at their home pool) and cross-country ski race Sunday afternoon at Camels Hump. The scoring system was quite intricate and was updated each year. There has never been anything like it!

2019 NELMSCHOF Inductees

Vermont Masters Trailblazers

New England Masters Swim Club (NEM)

The origins of New England Masters Swim Club (NEMSC) go back to May, 1970, when Dr. Ransom Arthur, then a Navy psychiatrist in San Diego, and John Spannuth, a swimming coach and AAU official., dreamed up the first national Masters swimming championships in Amarillo, Texas. There were 40 contestants at the meet. The next year 112 swimmers took part in the nationals, which were again held in Amarillo. Among them were four men who drove from Waltham, MA , in a VW camper: Ed Reed, Jr., then the coach at Tufts, Warren French, coach of the Waltham Boys Club; and two men who had been working out together every noon at the Boys Club and who were to become national prominent Masters swimmers and leaders in the national Masters program, Ted Haartz and his close friend, Hal Onusseit. Returning non-stop back to New England this handful of swimmers, who had placed third as a team at Amarillo, passed along their enthusiasm for the Masters program almost evangelistically to others.

NEMSC was organized August 1, 1972 with a constitution and a Board of Directors formed: Roger Nekton, Jim Edwards, Ed Reed, Sr., Warren French, Ted Haartz, Ginny Stephanos, Al Johnson and Enid Uhrich. The purpose of the club was to bring together former and future competitive swimmers, over the age of 25 years (now 18), to provide a positive swimming experience both individually and as part of a group.

At the first long-course nationals, which were held in 1972 under Doc Counselman’s direction in Bloomington, Indiana, flyers were distributed announcing a Masters meet to be held at the Waltham Boys Club that fall. Enid Uhrich ran the meet with 70 swimmers participating.

For several years the Medford High School pool was the Club’s “home” pool. Monthly mini meets as well as the annual SCY New England championships were held there. In time, the desirability of moving meet sites around throughout the New England area was recognized and 2-3 mini meets were being offered each month. The popular New England SCY championships moved to Harvard’s Blodgett pool (still hosting today) and the LCM championship meet at Brown. New England Masters hosted successful US Masters Long Course National Championships at Brown in 1978 (Enid Uhrich meet director) and 1985 (Dave Eskin meet director).

2019 NELMSCHOF Inductees

New England Masters Trailblazers

Jean (Hotchkiss) Archibald

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  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor - VMSC Trailblazer)

  • A key member responsible for formation of the club and creating club constitution

Having started swimming with the Masters program in my 50’s, I can say with assurance that it has made all the difference in my health and my joy for the last 4 decades. I am swimming regularly with the BASS workout group at the Edge in Williston, VT. Over the years, Masters has meant a lot to me. It sure is the best for overall health!

Sharon (Forney) Battistini

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  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor - MESC Trailblazer)

  • Aquatic coordinator at Bowdoin

  • Coordinated Masters workouts at Bowdoin

  • Maine Masters Swim Club President

  • Meet Director for Bowdoin Meet

Sharon grew up in Toronto Canada in a family heavily invested in sport. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Physical and Health Education and immediately joined the staff at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and coached girls’ basketball and field hockey. She played on the Eastern Canada Field Hockey team prior to coming to the US in 1971 on a two year visitor status to work as an Outward Bound instructor at Dartmouth College. Forty-eight years later, she is still here!

She coached boys high school soccer in North Carolina for 8 years before returning to New England to live in Harpswell, work at Bowdoin and raise a family. So where does swimming come in? It has always been a love of life and the best way to keep fit!

Joyce Brown

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  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor - MESC Trailblazer)

  • Key initiator

  • Positions served over the years President, Secretary, Registrar & Treasurer

Joyce held the position of Maine Master (Swim) Registrar and Treasurer for over 20 years. She also was a competitor and trained under Bowdoin’s famous swim coach Charlie Butt. She swam in many Maine Master Swim meets and competed in numerous National swim meets and placing 4th in freestyle at the Nationals held in Tucson, Arizona.

Joyce was also active in local swim activities. In 1978 she, with the help of Charlie Butt, started the Harpswell Swim program for the local school and held a two week summer swim program to teach beginners through advance Red Cross Life Saving program.

After her passing an endowment was established in her name to fund students in Harpswell and is administered by the Town of Harpswell. Thousands of Harpswell youths have learned to swim under Joyce’s swim programs.

Jim Edwards

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  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor - NEM Trailblazer)

  • Member 1972-2007 (deceased)

  • Inaugural BOD member

  • NEM Executive Committee President (1975-1977)

  • NEM News Editor (1977-1991)

To understand Jim Edwards aka “JKE” and his importance to New England Masters Swim Club, one just needs to visit the NEM Newsletter archive and read any or all from July 1997- October 1991.

The following was taken from the November 1982 NEM News article, “High in Their 50’s – Profiles of Three Men Who Help Make Wilson and Katz Look Good in NEM’s 55-59 Division”:

(Ed. Note: the editor has been motivated to include a profile of himself in this newsletter by his desire (a) to honor the urgings of scores of our readers who want to learn more about this innately modest man and (b) to de-fuse the threats of a small but vocal character-lynching mob to compose and publish their own profile of him.)

Love of the water came early to Providence lawyer Jim Edwards (59 at the time of this article), who grew up in the summers in Barnstable on Cape Cod. Edwards swam backstroke and a little freestyle for the University of Michigan HS in Ann Arbor. During the early 40’s he tried unsuccessfully to make Michigan’s national championship team. Jim recalls, with pain not yet entirely assuaged, Coach Matt Mann barking at him, “Get out of there, Whitey, and let on of my boys have that lane!”

At West Point Edwards lettered for three years (1943-1945) by concentrating on the 440.

The first race of Edward’s Masters career was the 1500 in the 1972 Long Course Nationals at Bloomington, IN where he defeated former Olympian and move star Buster Crabbe (who was 15 years older than Jim).

While the NEM News readership in general seems to approve of Edwards’ editorial efforts, Edwards has vowed to continue, so long as his awesome responsibilities as editor of “The Tattler” continues, making objective, somber, straight-talking – but with a generous – assessments of his teammates.

George Erswell

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  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor - MESC Trailblazer)

  • Key initiator

  • Director of Meets & Officials through 1999

  • Annual George Erswell Meet at Bowdoin in October named after him

When George Erswell moved back to Maine from Atlanta in the fall of 1988, he was both surprised and dismayed to find there was no Masters swim program in the state. Although he could swim regularly at the Bowdoin pool, and compete in swim meets as a member of the New England Masters Swim Club, there was no program specifically for Maine swimmers. He began pestering Sharon (Forney) Battistini, then a pool monitor and lifeguard supervisor at Bowdoin, about getting a Masters program going in Maine. It was the right time and Erswell was the right person.

From the Maine Masters website:

An avid swimmer attending his first swim meet at the age of 10. He swam for Brunswick High and Bowdoin College. He continued his swimming career joining the Georgia Masters. Upon his return to Maine and finding no Masters program, he along with Sharon Forney founded the Maine Masters Swim Club. George was nationally ranked in his age group holding records in most of his events. At the age of 73 George died on August 24, 2000 at his home in Harpswell. In October 2000, Sandy Potholm changed the name of their annual Halloween Swim Meet to the George Erswell, Jr. Annual Swim Meet in his honor. It was all agreed it should be his. George is missed dearly and his impact on Masters Swimming in Maine will never be forgotten.

Ted Haartz

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  • 2020 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Pool Performance)

  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor – NEM Trailblazer)

  • 2013 Inducted into the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame

  • 2009 Ted Haartz U.S. Masters Swimming Staff Appreciation Award

  • 1996 U.S. Masters Swimming National Championship Meets Award

  • 1982-Present Member of USMS Board of Directors

  • 1978-1981 National Masters Committee (of the AAU) President

  • 1976 Capt. Ransom J. Arthur M.D. Award

  • 1972-1973 National Top Ten and Records Recorder

  • 1971 October NEM News Profile of Ted Haartz

  • 1971 Participated in the 2nd Masters National Meet in Amarillo, TX

  • Inaugural NEM Board of Directors member

  • NEM Nationals Entry & Relay Coordinator

  • NEM Executive Committee

  • Club: New England Masters (NEM) (1971-2005)

  • USMS Profile

Ted Haartz, a former collegiate swimmer from Tufts University, turned his sights to Masters Swimming in 1970 after reading about the first Masters meet in Amarillo, TX. He competed in the second Masters National Championship in Amarillo in 1971. He became a charter member of the New England Masters Swim Club and quickly progressed to volunteering at the national level.

Ted received the Captain Ransom J. Arthur M.D. Award (USMS’s highest honor) in 1976 as a result of his volunteer service. Notably, he established and maintained Top Ten Times for Masters Swimming in all age groups and relays, commencing with the first Masters Nationals in Amarillo, TX, in 1970. This was in the days when that meant hand writing and typing results! Ted was a key player in the formation of the original 55 Local Masters Swimming Committees (LMSCs) that governed Masters Swimming on the local level.

He quickly rose to positions of leadership in the fledgling national organization while it was still a part of the AAU and trying to establish its identity. He served as national president and for many years as a swimming official. Significantly, Ted took charge of the effort in the late 1970s to separate Masters from the AAU, which allowed Masters to become a more independent organization that could raise its own funds, write its own rules, and determine its own destiny. At the 2013 U.S. Aquatic Sports Convention, Ted was inducted into the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame.

The following is from an October 1977 NEM News profile of Ted:

Reasons for participating in the Masters Program: ‘Swimming has become my recreation, exercise, and a release for the tension I encounter in my daily life. I believe that I eat better, sleep better, and am generally healthier because of a regular routine of physical exercise. I also thoroughly enjoy the companionship and friendship of the hundreds of other Masters swimmers with whom I have come in contact.’

After his retirement and move to Arizona, Ted, of course became involved in his local group and switched to Arizona Masters. However, here in New England we still consider him one of our own and thank him for his contributions to the sport.

Carol Limanek

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  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor - VMSC Trailblazer)

  • A key member responsible for formation of the club and creating club constitution

  • Elected first President

Swimming with the Vermont Master’s in the early 80s was a great way to get back in the water after swimming competitively from age 9 to 21. Helping new swimmers learn the different strokes, swimming before work in the early morning, and meeting other adults who enjoyed a vigorous workout were all aspects that drew me to Masters. Great fun!

Sandy Potholm

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  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor - MESC Trailblazer)

  • Key initiator

  • Positions served over the years Vice President and Treasurer

  • Historian

  • Editor of “Lap It Up” – cooking with the Maine Master Swimmers of Brunswick, Maine cookbook (a collection of favorite recipes published in 2008)

Growing up on Long Island Sound and loving the ocean, I never dreamed I'd step foot in a swimming pool. My idol was Esther Williams and that was about as close as I got to a pool. But somewhere along the way after injuring myself from running, I decided to lessen my chances by swimming at the Bowdoin College swimming pool in Brunswick, ME where I still live and swim. I took a WSI course to learn the stokes which opened up an opportunity to teach children how to swim.

“Then I discovered a group of swimmers who were already doing regular workouts. I decided to join them. Loving the camaraderie and how great my body and mind felt after swimming, I was eager to help George Erswell and Sharon Forney Battistini form the Maine Masters Swim Club (MESC) when they asked me. I don't compete any longer, but I do swim 5 days a week.

My biggest enjoyment continues to help new swimmers join MESC to promote physical fitness and give them the opportunity to compete.

Enid Uhrich

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  • 2019 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor - NEM Trailblazer)

  • Member 1971-1984 (deceased)

  • Inaugural NEMSC BOD member

  • NEMSC Secretary/Treasurer (1972-1977)

  • NEMSC Treasurer (1972-1982)

  • NEM News Editor (1972 – 1977)

  • National Top Ten Recorder for Women – 1974-1979

  • National Top Ten Recorder for Men and Women – 1980-1987

  • 1978 Summer Nationals Meet Director

  • National Masters Committee (of the AAU) Secretary (1978-1981)

  • 1980 Capt. Ransom J. Arthur M.D. Award

  • 1st USMS National Registrar – 1982-1990

Enid Uhrich was a dominant force in keeping Masters swimming running smoothly behind the scenes during the first decade of its existence. While she attended numerous competitions, she rarely competed, choosing instead to be part of the management of the competitions. Enid seeded heats and formulated and ran software programs for recording results. She was never averse to rounding up “volunteers” from the deck or audience to fill missing slots of timers and officials. 

Enid’s career in Masters swimming began when she served as the meet director for New England’s first Masters meet in 1972. She developed a cutting-edge database program to manage the club. Eventually Enid was tapped to compile records and Top Ten finishes for all the women in USMS. She also served as USMS Secretary from 1978-1981. Enid received the Captain Ransom J. Arthur M.D. Award along with Ed Reed in 1980.

The following is from the 1982 NEM News profile of Bill and Enid Uhrich:

In Bill Uhrich’s words, his wife Enid is “a lousy swimmer but great at paperwork and record-keeping.” That is certainly true, but it is too succinct to give any idea of the nature and extent of her decade of contributions to Masters swimming, both here in New England and throughout the country. It was Enid who, at the first long-course national Masters Championships in 1972, conceived the idea of combining small Masters groups from the Greater Boston area, New Hampshire and Rhode Island into one organization, the New England Masters Swim Club. For several years, as the club’s treasurer, newsletter editor, membership chairman, and the arranger, organizer, conductor and record-keeper of all its meets, she was almost by herself the administration of NEMSC.

The following appeared in 1985 in SWIM Magazine:

To me, Masters swimming has been the people. They are sociable, and there’s an aliveness. No matter what the age, there’s certain joie de vivre and I like the mixture of different ages all enjoying one another. Masters are intensely competitive without being aggressive. My times are getting better. I’m still at the bottom, but who cares? I’m better than I was, and that’s what counts. Everyone is a happy for you as for anyone else.