Sports
Roy is the Reason By Ste ve L aw re nc e
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recall interviewing Jim Butterfield — the legendary Ithaca College football coach — when he announced his retirement. Butterfield and I walked out into the football stadium, looked at the sign that read “Jim Butterfield Stadium,” and the beloved mentor told me, “When I saw that sign, I thought I had better check my pulse, since they don’t usually name a field for you until you’re dead.” Roy Staley — another local sports legend by any measure — might have a similar feeling when legions of his former Ithaca High School swimmers come to Ithaca on Aug. 27 for the Ithaca Swimming Reunion. According to its Facebook page, the three-day gathering will give participants a chance to “Reconnect with old friends and fellow swimmers from the past 50 years,” and adds, “Events include evening drinks, a fun swim meet, a picnic....and more!” I spoke with Allyssa Barnes and Kimberly Niefer about the upcoming event, and Kim said, “I started planning this well over a year ago — then we endured the cloud of COVID — and we are now expecting around 100 people to attend.” She added, “We’re happy with that number!” The gathering will start with a gettogether at Liquid State on Friday, while Saturday will feature a swim meet at the 10 T
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Ithaca Swim Club and a picnic at Myers Park, plus a fun trivia contest. “It has been so much fun prepping for that,” Kim stated. “We have been joking about our workouts, and even things like the names of Roy’s dogs — many who were named after Ithaca High swimmers!” The weekend will wrap up with a gathering at Stewart Park on Sunday. When asked if any of the alums will attempt to replicate the 39-mile swim from one end of Cayuga Lake to the other (a feat accomplished by Ithaca High swimming alum Claire de Boer), Kim said, “Uh... no. We’re having coffee and donuts.” Allyssa was the first to bring me into the loop on this story, and when asked why she was attending she replied, “We all think that Roy is the reason we’ll be there. He had such a positive impact on all our lives.” Kim’s last year on the Little Red swim roster was the 1974-75 season, and she talked about the swim meet that will take place on Saturday. “We want it to have as ‘official’ a look and feel as possible,” she offered. “We will have a timer, a referee, a meet official, and we will try to recreate some of the old relay teams.” Sounding stoked, Kim said, “It was enough encouragement to get a lot of us back in the pool!”
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“People are Allyssa was traveling from part of Staley Part all four corners II, so to speak. of the country: She said, “Roy Washington had left for a time, state, Califorbut he came back nia, Florida and when I was there Massachusetts.” from 1987-1990. Kim added, The program was “Among those just getting off the attending are ground, and he IHS Hall of said, ‘I think we Fame swimmers can build someDave Singley thing.’” and Terri HopBuild somepenrath, Olymthing they did... pian Alex Myers The IHS girls and ‘old timers’ varsity win/ Dick Chelekis, loss record was Ken Harris and without parallel: Bob Slater.” they won all dual Ithaca High School Swim team alumni Allyssa said, meets from 1989 are planning a reunion this month. Most “When you through 2013 attend a class (except for one were coached by Roy Staley (above) reunion, it’s loss to Johnson during his 50 year career in Ithaca just your class. City in 1998) and I am really won all Southern excited to reconnect with so many of Tier Sectionals from 1989 to 2012 (that’s these swimmers, to experience this inter23 years!). The Little Red also unofficially generational gathering and to hear about won the State Meet in 1993, 1994, 2005, how swimming played such a significant 2006, 2007 and 2008. role in peoples’ lives. Like so many, I have In Kim’s words, “Roy created a powertremendous gratitude for the community house of a program in the state for many that Roy has built, and I can’t wait to shake years and he has impacted the lives of the hands of some of these people and almost 900 kids over 50 years.” She added, “I am looking forward to giving swimmers say, ‘The stories I heard about you and your work ethic got me through a lot of the opportunity to recognize Roy for his workouts.’” dedication to developing kids through swimming for so many years. I also know Roy is excited to hear how swimmers’ lives For more information about the reunion visit the Ithaca Aquatics Club website: have progressed and what they are up to www.ithacaaquaticsclub.com/reunion now.
