Galter LifeCenter’s Swedish Fish swimming team is coming off a strong showing at the Illinois Masters Swimming Association’s annual state meet held April 4 to 6, finishing in fifth place overall in a performance that helped head coach Billy Cordero nab coach of the year honors.
Improving from a 19th place finish in 2013, Cordero’s team had 39 swimmers compete in this year’s competition, with many of them finishing in the top 10 for their respective age groups. Cordero was nominated by several Swedish Fish team members and won a vote by Illinois Masters committee members.
“I was blown away by the nominations and was quite surprised when they called my name,” Cordero said. “I am very honored to receive this award.”
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Swedish Fish swimmers train at Lincoln Square’s Galter LifeCenter, a comprehensive medical fitness facility located on the campus of Swedish Covenant Hospital, as part of the center’s Masters Swim program. While membership is open to anyone in the community, staff members at Swedish Covenant Hospital and Galter LifeCenter feel a special commitment to the team, owing to a professional culture that celebrates health and wellness.
“We are proud of all the medical staff members who competed and respect their commitment to living up to what they tell their patients everyday about the benefits of healthy, active lifestyles,” said Jonathan Lind, Swedish Covenant Hospital vice president of operations. “Each one of these athletes embodies the unique spirit of our partnership with Galter Life Center.”
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Many of the participants credit solid coaching and aquatics staff for improving the program dramatically in recent years.
“The first Illinois state meet I competed in was in 2010 and there were two Galter swimmers,” said Les Inch, one of the team’s first competitors who just raced in his fourth state meet. “Our team came in last place with one point. This past weekend, we had nearly 40 swimmers and ranked fifth with 718 points. This is a testament to the coaching staff and the support of the Galter Aquatics Department.”
Galter LifeCenter’s masters swim team is the only one in Chicago to host practice every day of the week, including Sunday, according to Director of Aquatics Wesley King. Additionally, the fitness center’s masters package enables swimmers to cross train with weekly dry land practices and monthly with large-group Pilates.
“I believe these benefits of our masters programs separate us from most USMS swim teams,” King said, adding that athletes and coaches share a sense of commitment, passion and support for one another.
Cordero taps into this shared passion to help teammates reach their goals and form bonds that last outside of the pool.
“The main focus of building a team is by creating an emotional connection with each of the swimmers and by fostering relationships through swimming,” he said.
Swedish Fish competitor Meredith Glick swam five days per week, averaging around 12,000 to 13,000 yards, to train for the event. Despite it being her third state meet, she still felt “nervous and excited.”
“At first it was intimidating, but you quickly realize that you are there with a team that loves to cheer,” Glick said.
For some first time competitors, the thrill of competition will leave a lasting memory.
“I competed in various sports through college, and have been out of competition for over a decade,” said Swedish Fish Coach Cortney Wall, who also participated in her first state meet as an athlete. “This was an incredibly empowering experience, and I have fallen in love with the thrill of competition again, and am so glad to be part of the team.”
The team is hoping to add to its success next year and has room to grow its ranks.
“The Swedish Fish are always excited to have people join the team, whether simply to swim and enjoy the camaraderie, or to jump in to the competition,” Wall said.
It is recommended that all swimmers who participate in the program are able to swim, without stopping, 50 yards to 100 yards of freestyle and backstroke, and are willing to learn breaststroke and butterfly. All four competitive strokes are coached during practices throughout different seasons.
Community members interested in joining the Masters Swim program at Galter LifeCenter can visit the website for details on scheduling and pricing or call the Aquatics team at 773-878-9936 x7399..
By Nick Przybyciel, Swedish Covenant Hospital public relations manager
