 |
SELMA BJORKLUND ROBINSONAthlete, North Penn High School, 1975 Girls Swimming & Diving, Girls Cross Country |
|
There have been many wonderful memories etched in my mind from my experiences with the North Penn Swimming program. I have had the good fortune to be involved in all facets of the program, first as a student athlete, then as an educator and parent. As an incoming freshman I had the honor of being part of the first high school swimming team at North Penn High School. I can remember the first day I met Rick Carroll who was nice enough to take time to show off the new natatorium, which later would be named after him, to my father and me. I marveled over the beautiful marble counters in the girls’ locker room, which I later found out were plastic, and the state of the art timing system. From that point I was committed to the program and all it had to offer. At that time, little did I know the impact the program would have on me well into my middle-age years. Starting in 1971, I participated on the high school swimming team as well as the North Penn Aquatic Club until 1975. Under the tutelage of Coach Pat Henry, I was a Bux-Mont League champion in several events, a PIAA District One top six place finisher in a few events and a PIAA state qualifier. A few of the relays I was a member of received All-American recognition. I was most honored to be named team captain my sophomore, junior and senior years. Although I was a fairly successful swimmer, I believe my claim to fame was chanting team cheers so loudly that they could be heard within a one mile radius of the pool. Swimming for Lock Haven State College allowed me to do some travelling during my college career. I had the good fortune of qualifying for AIAW nationals (before NCAA Division III hosted nationals) all four years in a variety of events. Again, my greatest swimming accomplishment in college was being named team captain my sophomore, junior and senior years. Graduation from college brought me back to Lansdale with a teaching degree in Health and Physical Education and a strong desire to coach swimming at the high school level. After getting my feet wet as a teacher and head swimming coach at Methacton High School, I was offered a teaching position as well as the position of Head Girls’ Swimming Coach at North Penn High School in the fall of 1980. The professional goal that I had set for myself in college had been met. I was so thrilled to be a coach in a program that was highly regarded across the state of Pennsylvania. Under the guidance of Rick Carroll and later the working relationship I had with Bill Berardelli allowed me to learn and grow as a coach. The ten years of coaching North Penn Swimming and Diving led to many exciting team accomplishments. The team amassed an overall dual meet record of 104 – 5 and a league dual meet record of 68-0. Six of the ten seasons finished with undefeated records with all ten seasons resulting in a league championship title. Five of the teams finished as District One Champions and three other teams finished as District One Championship runner-up. The crowning moment of my association with the North Penn Swimming program was when the 1990 Girls’ team won the PIAA State Championship and was recognized as the National Public High School Swimming Champions by Swimming World Magazine. I will forever be indebted to all the girls on that team. They were a group of athletes dedicated to the sport of swimming and were committed to the goals set forth by the team. The athletes on the 1990 team were and still are a great group of women. Many are successful professionals, loving mothers, dedicated volunteers and women that live their life with great character. My hope is that the experiences from that special swim season have, in a small way, made them who they are today. I know for me, it certainly has had an impact on who I am today. The following swim season brought a second child to the Robinson family which no longer allowed me to give the time and energy to a team that I loved. My resignation as coach was one of the hardest decisions of my life. Although I always had responsibilities throughout my adult life, the one that I take most seriously is being a mother to my two children. Bradley is twenty-five years old and working full time. Molly is a college student and is a living testament to the amount of time that has passed from that glorious season. I was almost eight months pregnant as we were making a run for the state title in early March of 1990. If feels like that season was yesterday, until I look at my twenty year old daughter. Retirement from coaching has given me time to do many things over the past twenty years above and beyond parenting my children. Community service and volunteerism have been at the forefront of my life, most recently serving as a councilwoman for the Lansdale Borough. Professionally, I am entering my thirty second year of teaching at North Penn High School while serving as Department Chair of the Health and Physical Education department. This past summer I have completed my twenty-second summer of coaching the Manufacturers’ Golf and Country Club swimming team. While I am happy that so many years of my past have been filled with coaching and mentoring the wonderful North Penn teams, I look forward to the future years of sitting in the stands, supporting and cheering on future generations of North Penn swimmers, many of them children of my former athletes! |
|