Our Team and Our Mission

After watching my boys swim on a club team for over a decade, I can see how it has developed a good work ethic, friendships, focus, and confidence. I would love to have others have the same experiences. After a few years of watching the boys swimming at the Rocky River High School pool, I can see what the pool can be transformed into to help make this happen for others in the area. It can be a premier aquatic center on the west side of Cleveland. I feel grateful to be on the board to be a part of this endeavor.

“Hard work. Discipline. Competitive spirit. Accountability. Goal Oriented. These are all traits of a competitive swimmer. It is easy to see how these characteristics can translate to life outside the pool. Supporting this initiative will not only benefit these student athletes during their high school swim years but will have a far reaching impact on their overall lives.

My goal is to see the RRHS pool become the best on the west side. It’s a great asset of the school and the community, and we have the potential to make it better. An updated pool will attract more competitions throughout the year to make it a more sustainable asset. It will continue to support our community and others with healthy competition and recreation.

My Wife Sonja and I currently have senior and junior swimming on the Rocky River High School Men’s Swim Team. My involvement with RRAF stems from 10 plus years of watching our sons train and compete and what swimming has done for them both in and out of the pool. The work ethic taught to them in the pool has transferred to their academic accomplishments and helped mold them into young men they are today. Moreover, the friendships and bonds they have developed are irreplaceable. This is what this Foundation is about. Taking young athletes from the Rocky River area and giving them the opportunity to excel in the pool, and helping mold them into upstanding citizens and preparing them for whatever their future endeavors may be.

Swimming is far more than just a sport, it teaches life-lessons that set the foundation for future success. Commitment, perseverance, resilience, teamwork, are all characteristics that extend far beyond the pool. Swimming has been an integral part of my life, but I didn’t really appreciate all the benefits until I watched my children grow as individuals, socially, academically, and athletically through skills developed during club and high school swimming. I want every potential swimmer/diver on the west side to have the same opportunity.

One of the main reasons I wanted to return to Cleveland after graduating from Ohio State was to help advance swimming in the area. I learned a great deal about myself and the sport through my years on Lake Shore Swim Club, Rocky River High School and The Ohio State University, the majority within the four walls of this pool. Swimming is one of the ultimate “hard work” sports, and the same can be said about the swimming community as a whole. We always come together to move forward and support one another. The vision of the Foundation would be invaluable to athletes on the west side of Cleveland, but we need to put the work in and come together as a community to start to make this vision a reality.

When your 4 sons take to the water like fish at a young age, like most mothers, I wanted to support and encourage them. As the boys got older, they became engaged in competitive swimming. Naturally, I began to follow swimming as a sport. Before you knew it, I met other swimmers’ parents and became absorbed in the rhythm of training and the agony of day long meets. I learned the rules, knew who the best swimmers and teams were, recognized swimming times and like many parents, I found myself a volunteer timer and willing to help the team in any way I could.

Swimming has been good for our family and was a great experience for my children. The coaching and training have been professional. I want to keep it going. RR is very strong academically and athletically. Swimming is one of RR core sports. I want it to remain there and make it better if possible.

"I am excited to be a part of this initiative because I truly believe in the program and the benefits our community will gain from renovating the pool. Our swimmers have been breaking records for several seasons. We have such a great group of dedicated swimmers & divers and I admire their commitment. The revenue and recognition we would gain from having a state of the art facility would benefit the city for years to come. My son joined the swim team as a freshman and I have seen what the program has done for him by building self esteem, discipline, commitment and dedication. I wish this for all those who are able to utilize our Aquatics Center! These kids deserve to practice and compete in a world class facility that exemplifies their commitment and dedication to the sport.."