AUBURN - It would have been a sad sight, to attend an Auburn boys swim meet at the Auburn YMCA-WEIU without Rich Hamberger on the sidelines with the team he's coached to excellence for 11 years.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Auburn senior Pat O'Donovan springs off the wall to start the 200 medley relay during Wednesday's meet against Rome Free Academy at the Auburn YMCA-WEIU. Auburn won the event with a time of 1:43.85.
Auburn senior Pat O'Donovan springs off the wall to start the 200 medley relay during Wednesday's meet against Rome Free Academy at the Auburn YMCA-WEIU. Auburn won the event with a time of 1:43.85.
Though he wasn't at the edge of the pool, coaching the Maroons when they met at home for the first time this season on Wednesday, he was there. Watching and still coaching in his own way, Hamberger spent the meet away from the team in the balcony of the pool area as the Maroons easily defeated Rome Free Academy 98-64.
Now coached by the Maroons' girls coach Tom Clary Jr. while Hamberger awaits a liver transplant, Auburn didn't miss a beat against one of its oldest and biggest rivals, winning every event but one.
“It was weird,” Hamberger said of being at the YMCA and watching from afar.
“Hopefully he's going to make it to every home meet this year,” Maroons assistant coach Luke Ferrin said of his former swim coach. “He was still up there trying to coach today.”
Clary Jr., along with Ferrin and his brother Jim, kept the Maroons right on track. A mix and match of newcomers with new events didn't slow Auburn down one bit - winning another dual meet that hasn't resulted in a loss for the storied program in nearly three years.
“Everyone did really well today,” Ferrin said. “We have a lot of new kids that we've been trying to break in. We've got a good team this year and for a lot of them, it was their first ever home meet. No one took any races off, everyone was up for this.”
The team limited three of its best swimmers - Pat O'Donovan, Lucas Zelehowsky and Adam Zelehowsky - to the three relays, all of which the Maroons won with ease. With Justin Sawran, the trio won the 200 medley relay (1:43.85) and with Connor Kilmer they took the 200 freestyle relay (1:32.34) and the 400 freestyle relay by more than a minute
Now coached by the Maroons' girls coach Tom Clary Jr. while Hamberger awaits a liver transplant, Auburn didn't miss a beat against one of its oldest and biggest rivals, winning every event but one.
“It was weird,” Hamberger said of being at the YMCA and watching from afar.
“Hopefully he's going to make it to every home meet this year,” Maroons assistant coach Luke Ferrin said of his former swim coach. “He was still up there trying to coach today.”
Clary Jr., along with Ferrin and his brother Jim, kept the Maroons right on track. A mix and match of newcomers with new events didn't slow Auburn down one bit - winning another dual meet that hasn't resulted in a loss for the storied program in nearly three years.
“Everyone did really well today,” Ferrin said. “We have a lot of new kids that we've been trying to break in. We've got a good team this year and for a lot of them, it was their first ever home meet. No one took any races off, everyone was up for this.”
The team limited three of its best swimmers - Pat O'Donovan, Lucas Zelehowsky and Adam Zelehowsky - to the three relays, all of which the Maroons won with ease. With Justin Sawran, the trio won the 200 medley relay (1:43.85) and with Connor Kilmer they took the 200 freestyle relay (1:32.34) and the 400 freestyle relay by more than a minute
