For kids in the Princeton community, the summer is a time to relax and unwind. They become synonymous with barbeques, trips to the shore, and for many, swimming and diving with the Community Park Bluefish. With a history which spans over 50 years, the Bluefish have carved out a role as an essential part of summer life for hundreds of kids in the community. With over 250 swimmers and divers, the team has grown in reputation but always maintained focus on having fun and improving in the pool. Racing with friends, playing sharks and minnows, and going off the high dive have now become a rite of passage for summertime in the Princeton area.
In May 1971, Princeton University Swim Coach William Farley first created a competitive swim program at the Community Park pool. Early articles about the team show the initial intent was not to compete with other area teams, but instead to provide an additional way for the community to exercise. The program would eventually become one of the founding members of the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association and grow into what we now know as the Community Park Bluefish swim and dive team. Over the decades, it has evolved into one of Princeton’s most beloved summer traditions. Many swimmers and divers get their first experiences with competition at Community Park, only to continue with the sports into the Fall. The Bluefish record board today is a testament to the legacy of the team. It features names like Andy Potts, who went on to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics. There also many others who have competed at Olympic trials, become Princeton High School contributors and went on to coach the sport.
One of the cornerstones of the Bluefish’s success is its coaching. Each age group has dedicated coaches who work closely with their swimmers and divers. Bluefish coaches range from local teachers and club coaches with decades of experience, to rising high school seniors who have been swimming on the team since they were eight. Piper Dubow is one example. Piper started swimming on Bluefish when she was eight. Bluefish was her first foray into swimming and was where her love for the sport started. When she was a senior at The Pennington School she competed on her school’s varsity swim team, and then went on to swim for Middlebury College. This summer is Piper’s third year coaching the 10 and under group on Bluefish, and her swimmers couldn’t love her more. Her passion for the sport shows, and she exemplifies what it means to be a Bluefish.
One of the team’s oldest traditions dates back to the 1980’s. After home meets, the team gathers at Pizza Star in the Princeton Shopping Center. Families fill up the restaurant and spread out all around the plaza, proving the community Bluefish has built is not just limited to the pool. Another essential Bluefish tradition is Fun Fridays. Every Friday for an hour, the whole team comes together to celebrate their hard work by playing sharks and minnows, water polo, jumping off the diving boards, and having fun. While Bluefish is a competitive swim and dive team, the fun and friendships made are what is core to the experience. By the end of the season, swimmers and divers have not only improved their techniques, but have made life-long friends and memories.
Every summer, the Bluefish compete in a handful of dual meets against other local teams. The Princeton Area Swim and Dive Association is made up of 15 teams spread out across three divisions. For over 10 years, Bluefish have been competing in division 1 against neighbors such as the Lawrenceville Swim Association and Hopewell Valley Tennis. Meets are an opportunity to really see all of the progress that has been made and gives swimmers and divers, especially the newer members, a taste of competition. From warmup to relays, it’s easy to tell that the swimmers and divers cannot wait to dive into the pool and give it their best. Cheering friends and families help make the atmosphere electric. With so much support from the community, the team has also found competitive success. The swim team is currently on a 10-year win streak composed of over 40 consecutive dual meet wins and 8 consecutive championship victories.
In addition to dual meets, Bluefish competes in two larger meets with teams from the entire association. On Saturday, July 2nd, sixty 5–10-year-old swimmers gathered at Ben Franklin Swim Club for the mini meet. Every summer the mini meet brings out the younger swimmers in the association to race against others their age. While typical dual meets break races up by age groups of two years, in the mini meet, swimmers only swim against others their own age. Not only does this give the younger swimmers more opportunities to place and score points for their team, but it allows them to get used to the dynamic of a bigger competition–just in time before Championships.
The Jeffrey Mace Memorial Championship meet takes place at the end of the season at Community Park Pool. All of the swimmers and divers in the association have a chance to gather and show everything they have worked towards over the summer. Organizing this two-day event takes the coordination of the Princeton Recreation department, the local police, the aquatics department and lifeguard staff, and all 15 clubs and teams. The parking alone is a huge logistic puzzle to be solved! As much work as it is, it’s all worth it when swimmers and divers are also to get their own best times, set new records, and come together as a team.
The Bluefish swim and dive team has become an enormous part of summer for the swimmers and divers, the coaches, and the community. It is not uncommon for family vacations to be pushed off until August, so kids don’t miss one moment! Even though the season only lasts about eight weeks, there is no denying the impact Bluefish has had. Every summer, a new cohort of swimmers and divers practice their skills, build lasting friendships, and develop a love for the sport. That’s what Bluefish is all about.
Kelsey Schwimmer is Co-Head Coach of the Bluefish Swim and Dive team. She is also a kindergarten teacher in Montgomery, NJ. Kelsey swam for Princeton High School before attending Denison University, and then went on to complete a Masters of Science in Elementary Education at the University of Pennsylvania.
Michael Uchrin is the Co-Head Coach of the Bluefish Swim and Dive team. He joined the Princeton Recreation Department in 2011 and is also the Aquatics Director for the Community Park Pool. He is also a Social Studies teacher in Hamilton, NJ and has coached for USA Swimming locally since 2010.