Without Schroeder, the time standards at a meet like A+ or 13+Over State would have to get much faster, or the timelines would have to become intolerably long. Both options have negative repercussions for swimmers. Swimmers at a meet like Y-State would progressively swim slower and slower throughout the meet because there would be inadequate warm-up and warm down space.
The WSAC has been the home of the Wisconsin State YMCA Championships since before most of us were involved with swimming. Our State meet, plus countless other meets, could be held other places, but no other place would give our swimmers the same chance to swim fast as the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center. As much as some people would like to think the meet could be held elsewhere, there is no other place in Wisconsin that swimmers would have the chance to truly see the fruits of their labor at the same high level than the WSAC. At the end of the day regardless of all other things I want my swimmers to have a chance to see how good they are and WSAC gives them the best chance for this.
So many swimmers have learned invaluable lessons at the WSAC. It is inextricably wrapped in the fabric of their youth, of their lives. All roads have led through Schroeder, triumph and heartbreak, tears of joy and tears of sadness.
- One year the hardest worker on our team, the first one in the water, the last one out of the water, swam at the state meet missing a National cut in race after race, while she watched her friends make cut after cut. Finally after missing for the last time in a time trial after the meet on Sunday night, with tears in her eyes, her teammate's, and her coaches', she picked herself up and figured out how to deal with disappointment. Today she wins State titles and finals at Nationals, but these things would not happen if she hadn't learned how to deal with disappointment. It happened at Schroeder.
- A couple years ago my son, 10 at the time, wanted to make Zones. He had no business thinking he could, his time was 40 and the cut was 36. On the first day of the meet he surprised us all by going 38. Great swim. The next day I left for National with the senior swimmers, and with my wife in Tennessee our son hitched a ride down to Schroeder. He placed his $10 on the time trial table and tried again. 37 seconds - better, but not the cut. The next day, with parents still gone, he convinced the babysitter to let him go. Again, he bummed a ride down, convinced another parent to stick around with him until the end of finals, and he placed his $10 on the time trial table. 36.74!!! He learned not to quit, he learn to believe in himself. It happened at Schroeder.
- I received an email from an Olympic Trials qualifier saying, "The WSAC has played a huge role in my life, and I too, have learned many life lessons at that pool. I can definitely say that I wouldn't be who I am or where I am today without that pool."
Any of us who have been around even for a little while have these types of memories about Schroeder. I have many, many more. Every time we walk into WSAC we relieve those lessons, reinforcing their value. It would be a shame to lose it. Where will we be 30 years from now if we do not have it?
Walter Schroeder's generosity provided opportunities for generations of YMCA swimmers. Today it is our generation's turn to provide opportunities for the next generation. We should not see it as someone else's obligation. We have benefited, our kids have benefited. We should help ensure the next generation.
Without the wide support of the Wisconsin swimming community we may lose the opportunity for future generations. I have heard arguments, in fact I have made arguments that Wisconsin needs a new large aquatic center, and as true as this may be I do not see anyone stepping up to make it happen. Those who have tried have found out how difficult it is to raise 10's of millions of dollars for a competitive swimming facility. Brutally difficult. Today we have a facility that has served us well, that has met our needs, and that we have benefited from that is in need. We should step forward. Being involved with the fight for the facility that has given so much is the right thing to do.
Our team meeting tonight began with, "Treat everyone at the meet as if they were your teammate." In a very real way we are. If you have never really felt this connection with other teams I hope you do some time soon. Three weeks ago Schroeder set up their facility in the long course configuration and put on a special time trial so that swimmers from Green Bay and Oshkosh could have a chance at Olympic Trial cuts. We truly are all part of an extended family. Sometimes we fight, often we disagree, but what family doesn't do these things. Schroeder is part of our family, and they need our help.
