Swimming

"Hawken Swimming and Diving has a long history of producing outstanding swimmers, students, and people characterized by a commitment to achieving at the highest levels in and out of the water."

35

Team State Championships

23

Consecutive Girls Team
State Championships

60

Top-Five Team Finishes
at States

2020-2021 Swimming & Diving Team

2020/21 Girls Swim & Dive
2020/21 Boys Swim & Dive

- Adam Katz
  
  Head Coach

Coach Katz, a member of Hawken’s Class of 1992, swam for the legendary coach Jerry Holtrey during his high school years. Among many other accolades, Adam was a state champion in the 500 free and a state runner-up in the 200 free. After Hawken, he went on to swim for both Indiana University and the Ohio State University. In his youth, from age 10 to age 21, Adam was a swimmer for the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins.

Katz’s coaching career includes stints as a student-assistant coach at Ohio State and head coach tenures at Gilmour Academy, Orange High School, and Ursuline College. In addition to coaching state champions both at Hawken and Gilmour, he has, over the course of his career, coached sectional, junior national, and Olympic trials qualifiers. The head coach of North Coast Swimming for 13 years, Adam has also been an assistant coach for Great Lakes Sailfish Swimming and the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins. For the past two years, Adam has served as assistant coach for Hawken swimming, where he has put a good deal of effort into building positive relationships with and among team members and has earned the respect and admiration of swimmers and their families.

Commitment to Excellence

Hawken Swimming’s long legacy of success is grounded in a commitment to excellence, to the development of scholar-athletes, and to the school’s motto of Fair Play. The team’s impressive list of distinctions spans decades and is a testament to its coaches, who know exactly what it takes to develop champions.

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Hawken coaches focus on a balance of individualized instruction/training and a commitment to character development. To maximize growth in these areas, coaches work to get to know each individual student.

Individualized training includes workouts designed for individual swimmers as well as attention to stroke mechanics. Coaches recognize that while there is a perfect stroke for each swimmer, there isn’t a single perfect stroke for all swimmers. They also recognize that different strokes (events) require varied approaches.

Endurance training and swimming have been the basis of Hawken’s success in the pool - a testament to our swimmers’ hard work and time commitment to their training. This has resulted in tremendous success in the endurance events at the high school level: Hawken boys and girls have won the 500 freestyle at the State Meet 20 times and the 200 freestyle 19 times, and Hawken girls have won the 400 free relay 20 times.
Strategy

Both individual and team goal-setting are critical to Hawken Swimming success. Coaches recognize that while swimming is an individual sport, commitment to the team is paramount. Individual success helps the team, but it is commitment to the team, both in daily routines and in competition rosters, that elevates everyone.

Hawken coaches plan for success at the highest levels, the District and State Meets. They focus on aligning individuals with the right stroke and event and are aware that carefully constructed relays are key to team success.

Dryland workouts have been integrated into the practice routine and are tailored specifically to each athlete’s needs or designed as group activities. These workouts build strength and endurance and also have a tertiary benefit: team-building.
Character

A commitment to character education is pervasive in all areas of student life at Hawken School, and swimming and diving are no exception. Both in and out of the pool, our coaches are committed to providing opportunities for our student-athletes to hone life-skills such as hard work, commitment, resilience, teaming skills, and problem-solving, as well as traits such as empathy, integrity, kindness, and excellence in sportsmanship. Above all, Hawken coaches, parents, and faculty work to foster strong citizens of our school and greater community.

Hawken Swimming Notable Achievements

31 team state championships: 28 girls, 3 boys
20 consecutive girls team state championships: an Ohio HS all-sport, all-division record and an open, ongoing streak
9 state runner-up finishes: 3 girls, 6 boys
56 top-five team finishes at States
53 team district championships, 36 girls, 17 boys – first title was 1976 boys
32 Chagrin Valley Conference championships since it began in 1996
88 individual and 52 relay state championship events won
A total of 140 events won at the state meet
350 top-four finishes in individual and relay events at the state meet
Scores of Olympic Trials qualifiers and All-Americans

Girls Team Highlights

Hawken girls have won the 400 free relay at states 20 times since its first win in 1984.

Hawken girls currently hold the Division II State Record in 5 of the 11 swimming events.

Renowned Athletes
Melanie Valerio ’87, Olympic Gold Medalist

Erica Rose ‘00, Open Water World Champion