GYWD Aquatic Hall of Fame

Adrianne Singer, President and CEO of the YWCA of Greenwich, has announced the names of the inductees into the third annual Greenwich Aquatic Hall of Fame, sponsored by the YWCA of Greenwich. The Hall of Fame is housed at the YWCA and they were inducted at a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency, Greenwich on Saturday, November 25, 2007 at 11:30 am. The GAHF was established in 2005 to recognize competitors, volunteers and achievement in a variety of Aquatic fields including swimming, diving, water polo, coaching and administration.

The Class of 2007 Inductees are: Dario Berizzi (posthumous); Arthur "Budgie" Blume (posthumous); John Cassidy, Michael Fitzmaurice, Fran McDermid, Jeff Stiling, Kim Tierney Wang and James Waters.

The inductees were selected after a public open nomination period and review and introduced by committee members including: Nick Cavataro, Swim Coach Greenwich YWCA; Peter Crumbine, Selectman, Town of Greenwich; Bob DeAngelo, Executive Director, Greenwich Boys and Girls Club; Jane Granruth, Board of Directors, YWCA; Rick Lewis, Swim Coach, Sharks Swim Team; Terry Lowe, Head Coach Greenwich High Scholl Water Polo and Boys Swimming and Diving; Mary Lynch, past Connecticut Swimming, General Chair; Mark Newcombe, swim Coach Wilton YMCA; Gary Otzmel, member Town of Greenwich Recreation Board.

In addition former Harvard Swimmer and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal assisted with the induction and presented Certificates of Merit to all inductees.

Dario Berizzi, a 40-year resident of Greenwich passed away in December, 1998. He was married to the late Jean Pratt Berizzi and had seven children, including 2005 Hall of Fame inductee Cami Berizzi Rawleigh. As a Greenwich resident he was a key figure and supporter of swim programs at the Boys and Girls Club, the Sharks Swim Team and the YWCA. He was a long-time president of the Fairfield County Swim League and helped direct it to its position as premier summer swim league, with over 30 teams. As a swimming parent he had seven children who were Greenwich High School swimmers, including Cami who was an All American and National finalist. As a swimmer himself, he was an All American at the Lawrenceville School and Harvard University ‘38, where his 1938 team placed third in the NCAA Championships.

Arthur "Budgie" Blum, a lifetime Greenwich resident, passed away in December, 1993 at the age of 76. He was employed and volunteered for over four decades at the Greenwich Boys Club (now the Boys and Girls Club) and served in a variety of key capacities, including Director of Physical Education, Swimming Director and Program Director. He assisted with hundreds of swim classes and was head coach of a program that provided the aquatics foundation for countless children from the late 1950s through the 1970s and produced many regional, state and high school All Americans. In 1980, he was awarded the "Old Timers Athletic Association Award" for 35 years of service to Greenwich youth. He was married to Josephine Rozmus for 56 years and raised six children.

John Cassidy, a 1986 Greenwich High School graduate, competed as an age group athlete for the Innis Arden Club and at Greenwich High School from 1984 -1986, where he was team captain in 1986. He was the state champion in 1986 with the GHS Team that achieved a unique 1-2-3-4 sweep at the State Open Meet. From GHS Cassidy attended the Peddie School in 1987 and later the University of Virginia where he was a team member from 1987 to 1991, serving as team captain that year. Cassidy was an All Atlantic Athletic Conference (ACC) athletic and academic selection in 1990 and 1991. He is married to the former Rebecca Kelly and has two girls, Lily and Kelly, ages four and two. He works as a creative director for Comedy Central out of New Jersey. He credits Terry Lowe and Ray Chickanis for playing key roles in his athletic and life achievements.

Michael Fitzmaurice moved to Greenwich as a young boy from California and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1963. At St. Mary’s, coached by 2005 Hall of Fame inductee Walter Rothenheber, he was the MVP at the 1963 National Catholic Swim Championships at Villanova and eight-time All American and school record holder. From St. Mary’s, Fitzmaurice enrolled in Malvern Prep School and then in 1964 into Villanova, where he achieved the National record time of 48.5 in the 100. At Villanova he was a 10-time All American from 1966-1968, including a number two ranking in the nation in the 200-Free at 1:43.2. At the 1967 Pan Am Games he was on the 400-Free Relay with Ken Walsh, Mark Spitz and Don Schollander that won gold and missed the World record .3.

Fran McDermid, now living in Colorado and working as a social worker, was an eight-time All American at the Kent School and school record holder, swimming the 100-Free, 200-Free and 100-Fly, graduating in 1988 and enrolling at Penn State University.

In 1990, she achieved best times at the NCAA Championships in the 200-Free and was selected as a member of the first World University games team in Buffalo. At the 1992 Olympic Trials she was 11th in the 200-Free with a top 50 time in the world. Upon her graduation in 1993 from Penn State, she was the school record holder in the 50, 100 and 200-Free at 23.2, 50.1 and 1:47.4 and the holder in Big 10 individual titles with 10 titles. Fran continues to hold team records with the Greenwich YWCA Dolphins and Belle Haven clubs, where she starred as an age group swimmer.

Jeff Stiling was a 1988 graduate at Greenwich High School, where he was a school record holder and a two-time All American in swimming and water polo. He was undefeated in the 100, 200-Free and 500-Fly and was a team MVP in water polo, achieving six State Championships. He attended Stanford University, where he was a member of the intercollegiate swimming and water polo teams and a competed in the 1979 NCAA Championships. He was a member of two NCAA championship water polo squads at Stanford and was Assistant Swimming Coach of the Men’s Team in 1983-84. He continues to swim in Oregon, where he is an IT professional and master’s swimmer. He and his wife Karen have two sons.

Kim Tierney Wang, was born and lived in Greenwich until recently. As an age group and senior athlete, she participated with the Greenwich YWCA Dolphins, the Greenwich High School Girls Swim Team and the GHS Boys Water polo team that brings her the induction. With no formal water polo programs for women in town at that time, Kim was a pioneer of sorts, competing with boys and eventually gaining a varsity letter and competing nationally with the Annapolis Water Polo Club. She then went on to Bucknell University where as key member of the club program. She tallied over 500 points and helped elevate the program from club to varsity status. In 1994, she was selected and played in the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival at Colorado Springs and continues to play today with the New York Athletic Club.

James "Jamey" Waters was a long-time age group and senior swimmer for the Greenwich YWCA Dolphins as well as an All American at Exeter and an All East Swimmer at Harvard University. With the Dolphins, Waters claimed over 100 state age group, senior and YWCA National titles. A 1997 Exeter graduate as team captain, his team was a three-time Eastern Champion and he was undefeated in the 50- and 100-Free and also held school records in those events as well as the 100-Back. A 2001 Harvard graduate, he was an EISL finalist and three-time school record holder. He also was a USA National and Olympic trial qualifier in the 50- Free. Upon graduation, Waters spent two years working in the Bush White House and this past October completed his Officer Candidate Training in Pensacola, FL and leaves for the U.S. Navy SEAL training program in Coronado, CA.

YWCA President and CEO Adrianne Singer, James Waters, Fran McDermid, YWCA Dolphins coach Nick Cavataro, Kim Tierney Wang, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal who presented Citations at the ceremony, Cami Berizzi Rawleigh and Art Blume, who accepted on behalf of their deceased fathers Dario Berizzi and Arthur Blume, respectively; and Michael Fitzmaurice.

Picture: L-R: Mary Lynch, Ed Sinnott, Elliott Schofield, Ray Chickanis, Jr. Murray Johnston, Andy Dutter, Pat Griffis, Jim Lewis, Peter Hicks, Brooke Hanley Davison.

The second annual Greenwich Aquatic Hall of Fame induction ceremony and luncheon was held recently at the Hyatt in Greenwich with 10 inductees being honored.

The GAHF, sponsored by the YWCA of Greenwich, was formed in 2005 to honor and recognize lifetime achievement in the fields of swimming, diving, water polo, coaching, officiating and volunteering by residents or former residents of the Town of Greenwich. Precedes from the GAHF luncheon support scholarships for participants of aquatic programming in Greenwich.

The 2006 inductees included Ray Chickanis, Sr. (posthumous), Brooke Hanley Davison, Andy Dutter, Pat Griffis, Peter Hicks, Murray Johnston, Jim Lewis, Mary Lynch, Elliott Schofield and Ed Sinnott.

Nick Cavataro, Head Coach of the Greenwich YWCA Dolphins Swim Team; Terry Lowe, Head Coach of Greenwich High School Boys Swimming, Diving and Water Polo, Mark Newcombe, past coach of GHS Girls Swimming and Diving and now a coach with the Wilton YMCA Wahoo’s Swim Team shared the emcee duties at the luncheon attended by over 125.

Speaking of the event Cavataro, “this affair is a great celebration of enormously unique and successful aquatic programs in Greenwich and helps insure continued success for future participants who may be needy. Everyone in attendance got a tremendous kick of seeing everyone and hearing all stories.”

Chickanis, who passed away in 2003 was the long time diving coach at Greenwich High School and also was a collegiate diver at Ohio State. Ray Chickanis, Jr accepted the award.

Brooke Hanley Davison, a former swimmer with the Sharks Swim Team, GHS and Cal was an All American and Olympic Trial qualifier. Now a resident of Boulder, CO and mother two has held over a dozen Connecticut State records, including the 11-12 50-yard National Age group record.

Andy Dutter, a former GHS and Sharks swimmer was a Junior National champion in the 200-yard Backstroke and an All American at GHS, who also swam at Stanford.

Pat Griffis, joins her husband Charles as GAHF inductees, and was recognized for her long time involvement with met administration and officiating with the Dolphins, Sharks, Wilton and Connecticut Swimming, Inc.

Peter Hicks was an All American Diver and record holder at GHS, who later dove at the University of Virginia, where he was a team captain. The Nantucket resident also served with the US Marines as a tank commander in Operation Desert Storm.

Murray Johnston, a former teacher at GHS, formed and served for many years as chair of Connecticut High School swimming officials and officiating at hundreds of Sate wide meets.

Jim Lewis was a High School All American in both water polo and swimming at GHS. Lewis also has served as a water polo official at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games as well as several NCAA National Championship tournaments.

Mary Lynch, Brooke Hanley Davison’s mother, has been a long time volunteer in Connecticut and for USA Swimming and was honored by USA Swimming for her achievements in 1998.

Elliott Schofield, 83, was recognized for his achievements in Masters swimming s well as open water swimming including in 1984 at 64, becoming the third oldest to complete the 28-mile swim around Manhattan Island.

Ed Sinnott, a former high school standout with St. Mary’s HS and the Sharks swim team, went on to swim at Southern Methodist University, where he was a two-time All American, where he now coaches today. At SMU, Sinnott has been honored as a SEC Coach-of-the-year on three occasions has coached over a dozen All Americans and representatives at three Olympic Games.

For Immediate Release: January 24, 2005 Contact: Peter DiLeo, 869-6501, ext. 104

Nearly 100 friends, family members and supporters braved the blizzard on January 22 to participate in the initial induction of the Greenwich Aquatic Hall of Fame, sponsored by the YWCA of Greenwich. The nine inductees included: Sue Baker, Marcia Cleveland , Charles Griffis, John Loughran, Anne Suh Hauser, Chantal Rawn Morrison, Cami Berizzi Rawleigh, Walter Rothenheber and Joshua Woodruff.

“Hearing about the accomplishments of this first group of inductees, both in and out of the water is both inspiring and impressive,” said YWCA Executive Director Adrianne Singer. “We are very proud that the YWCA of Greenwich will house The Greenwich Aquatic Hall of Fame.” Next years awards luncheon will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2006.

YWCA Dolphins Swim Team Coach Nick Cavataro, Greenwich Selectman Peter Crumbine and Mark Newcombe, past coach of Girls swimming at Greenwich High School and Burning Tree Country Club, presented the awards. All are members of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee. Other members include: Kathleen Walsh, the Director of Aquatics at the YWCA; Terry Lowe, Coach of Boys Water Polo and Swimming at Greenwich High School; now at Wilton YMCA; Jane Granruth, YWCA Board of Directors member; Rick Lewis, Coach of West Hill High School in Stamford and current coach of Sharks Swim Team; and Mary Hanley Lynch, past President of Connecticut Swimming, Inc.

Sue Baker, a Riverside resident, and mother of three grown children who all swam and dived in town, coached diving and taught Marine Biology and Oceanography Science at Greenwich High School for 18 years until her retirement in June, 2004. Baker coached numerous state champions and finalists at GHS and also served as a member on the U.S. Olympic Committee and as National Secretary for USA Diving from 1976-1984. In her capacity with USA Diving she was a judge at numerous National and International events. Baker also coached diving at the YWCA from 1975-1995.

Marcia Cleveland, 40, lives in the Chicago area with her husband, Mark Green, and two young children. Marcia is an active swimmer on the long distance and United States Masters circuits and is the current women's American Record holder for Manhattan Island, set in 1996. Her age group career was spent with Sharks Swim Team, from 1971 to 1986. She was an All-American at Greenwich High School ('82), and a four-year varsity swimmer at Yale University, class of '86. Much of her training for the English Channel was done at Greenwich Point. After her Channel swim, she began Tod’s Point Swimming, a long distance group that has 16 successful Channel swimmers to date within its ranks. She currently serves on three national United States Master Swimmers committees, including Long Distance.

Charles Griffis, a Greenwich resident, became active in officiating in United States Swimming events locally, regionally and nationally through the 1980s to the present day, as his children Megan and David participated. Griffis, a banker, is past chairman of Connecticut Swimming, Inc.officials and serves in a variety of capacities at many USA Swimming Championships and at collegiate events including many of the intense rivalry meets known as the “H-Y-P Meet” (Harvard-Yale-Princeton tri-meets) events. Griffis received his Bachelors degree from Yale and MBA from Columbia.

John Loughran is Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s water polo program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Loughran, a 1986 graduate of Greenwich High School went on to play competitively at Loyola University in Chicago and then to coaching at Queens (NY) College from 1994-99, where his men’s teams reached the Eastern Water Polo Association Championships and a 15th national ranking. In addition, he started the Women’s program at Queens College. At LMU for seven years, his women’s teams have reached the NCAA Championship final four for three consecutive seasons.

Anne Suh Hauser, a former resident of Greenwich, now resides in Chicago where she is a physician specializing in internal medicine and mother of two young children. She received her Medical degree from Boston University. Hauser was an All American, Team Captain and record holder at GHS in the 50, 100 and 200-Freeestyle. She was the recipient of the Connecticut Swimming’s Betty Philcox Award as the outstanding female swimmer in the state in 1984. She went on to a four-year career at Yale University, graduating as team captain in 1988. She was a nine-tiime finalist at many Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships. During her age group years, she also swam for the Sharks Swim Team, winning numerous local and regional championships. Her 13-14 800-Free Relay team record set in 1981 stands today as one of the oldest state marks in Connecticut.

Chantal Rawn Morrison, a former Riverside Resident, was the first and only female recipient of Greenwich Time Athlete of the Year for two consecutive years. Morrison swam competitively for the Greenwich YWCA Dolphins, Greenwich High School and Stanford University, where she was a nine-time All American and NCAA Finalist and captain of the Cardinals. Rawn also participated at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Many of her regional and state marks stand today, including her state 200-Individual Medley record of 2:02.71. Morrison is expected to complete her medical degree at Western Medical College later this year and pursue a career in pediatric medicine.

Cami Berizzi Rawleigh, a 1981 graduate of GHS, where she was a multiple event record holder in Butterfly and Backstroke events, went onto a stellar four-year career at the University of North Carolina where she was a first team Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women All-America in the 50, 100 and 200 back in 1980-81 and 1981-82; the 50 and 100 fly, 200-medley relay in 1980-81 and 400-medley relay in 1980-81; and the 400-medley relay, 400-free relay and 800-free relay in 1981-82. She also swam at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Trials. She currently is a coach at Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania.

Walter Rothenheber, is the former head coach of the St. Mary’s High School and Sharks Swim Team in Greenwich, where he resides. Rothenheber coached locally for over 30 years. His swimmers and teams earned numerous local, state and national championships and titles. Rothenheber, a graduate of Manhattan College was a physical education instructor at St. Mary’s High School, where he produced numerous All Americans and standouts including Ed Sinnott, Men’s Coach at Southern Methodist University as well as inductees Berizzi, Cleveland and Suh.

Joshua Woodruff, a former all state swimmer at Greenwich High School and standout and record holder at Yale University ’90, most recently set a 30-34 national age group record in the 1000-yard freestyle in 2002 in a USA Sectional Championship in Baltimore. At Greenwich High School his performances in the 200 and 500 freestyle continue to be ranked in the team’s all time top 12 performances. He also was the youngest winner ever, of the Greenwich Mile-swim taking his first of three titles at the age of 14. He left Yale as the school record holder in the 200-Freestyle. A qualifier for the 1990 Olympic Trials, Woodruff also served in the Peace Corps in South America and received his MBA at University of Southern California. He currently resides in Riverside.

Inductees in the Hall of Fame must have been a Greenwich resident for a minimum of one year and contributed, competed or participated in a Greenwich-based swim program. In addition, inductees must have met at least one of the following requirements: (1) Have retired from competition or coaching for a minimum of one year; (2) Are no longer competing in their primary discipline or (3) Are no longer full-time Greenwich residents. Inductees must have local achievements, rankings or qualifications and have achieved similar status in state, national or international events. In the future, Hall of Fame recipients will be honored each November with an induction ceremony and luncheon, with the proceeds going to cover the cost of operation and to benefit the YWCA of Greenwich scholarship program.