Jerry Holtrey scrapbook Compiled by Chris Lillstrung

CLillstrung@News-Herald.com / Twitter: @CLillstrungNH

Quotes The following are comments, in alphabetical order, compiled for the Jerry Holtrey tribute package that were not utilized in the main story that appears in The News-Herald and at News-Herald.com:

Carrie Bencic

“At first, it was sadness because this was someone that has been there my whole life. But then I realized that he is doing what’s best for him and for his family. He has put in so much time. Now he’s got to relax. I know that he’ll still be around, and I can still call him. Even though he won’t be head coach of Hawken, he’ll still be there and he’ll be the same guy I’ve always been able to go to.” “I’m sure through the years he’s changed to better cope with different types of swimmers. The longer you coach, the more types of personalities you’ll see. He hasn’t changed since I’ve known him. He has the same demeanor. He respects you no matter what. He judges you on the same level as everyone else, and you want to prove yourself and are willing to do everything for the sport.”

Maryann Bencic

“I think I have shared with you before my amazement at the relationship Jerry has with his swimmers. Despite being the same age as most of their grandfathers (over the last 10 years) the love, respect and devotion his swimmers have for him is amazing - to me, even more amazing than his immense success as a technical swim coach. My daughter would walk through a brick wall for the man.” “They give him a hard time about his age, and yet his strength, emotion, and passion would be impressive in someone a fraction of his age.”

Ellen Drake “One of my favorite memories of Jerry was from when I was getting ready to look at colleges fall of my senior year. I was never as fast as many of the other girls on the team, but I knew I wanted to continue swimming. I asked Jerry for advice about what to ask coaches on my overnight visits and what to look for in a program. He very seriously sat me down and said, ‘We both know you're not going to be a professional swimmer or go to the Olympics, but we both know you're smart. Look at academics first, and the rest will take care of itself.’ He was right. I still swim for my college, but it meant so much to me that Jerry acknowledged other aspects of my life besides swimming. And he was completely right.”

Laura Marie (Christie) Dunne “I was not a swimmer - I was a lesser class, a diver. This was never the case for Jerry. He realized we had a great bit to add to his team even if we didn't swim further than where we landed back to the side. I don't know if it was all the points he knew divers could gain for a team at districts or at states, but he always supported the divers - even though we didn't even practice at the same location.” “As a seventh grader at Hawken, I was in swim class. This particular session was swimming and diving. Anyone who was able to do a front one somersault was given an automatic ‘A.’ I was all about the grades, and I was a pretty good - really just average - gymnast. I did my flip, gained my easy ‘A’ and earned the eyes of Mr. Holtrey. From that moment on, he was hounding me to join the diving team.”

Sara (Spears) Fleming “I have such fond memories of swimming for Jerry from age 8 with LESD and then at Hawken from seventh grade through high school. He was my second dad and has had such an impact on my life now. The determination, the dedication and the confidence that he so naturally provided me with has carried on with my career and juggling that with my three kids. Most importantly, it's the humor that he taught me to maintain through success and failure.”

Suzanne Gaul “I remember my first goal talk when I was a freshman. Jerry wrote a 50 free time on a piece of paper and showed it to me. I was only vaguely aware of what the time meant, but I knew it was really fast. I must have looked at him dumbfounded. He smiled with that kind of mischievous twinkle in his eye and told me, in a very matter-of-fact way, how I would achieve that time. He told me the number of practices per week I needed to attend, the number of mornings I should lift weights, and which lane I should be practicing in. He spoke calmly but with complete confidence, like there was no doubt in his mind that I would do it. I wasn't even sure I could figure out how to dive with goggles, but I believed him. And he was right.”

Tim Goodfellow “I remember beating US for the first time in December 1970. US had been a powerhouse team in the 60's. In a surprise to me, Jerry put me in the 100-yard freestyle. I was more of a distance guy. I suppose Jerry had more confidence in me than I had in myself. As I went up to the starting blocks, the US swimmers were chanting, “1-2, 1-2,” sensing that this was their chance get back into the meet. I ended up winning with the help of the hard-to-see walls in the lower school pool. The better swimmers on our team cleaned up in the remaining events, and it was over. That team went on to an undefeated season and won the old ISSL (Independent School

Swimming League) championship. We did not swim in the district or state meets back then. I suppose that was the start of the championships at Hawken.” “I also remember that Jerry would have workouts after we finished a home dual meet. On the days of meets, I looked forward to not having a workout. However, it was just the boys team then, we had one diver, and Jerry lined up a starter that would run the meet rapid fire in about 50 minutes. That left time for Jerry to have a short workout, but a workout nonetheless.”

Mark Hontas “The things we used to do in our days were crazy from a workout standpoint. There was a group of us last year that were talking to Jerry at practice, and he commented on how practice over the holidays was optional. That was unheard of back in our day. We were thrilled when we had a snow day, but then were saddened very quickly when we’d have morning practice.” “He wanted each person to be the best they could be. There are many ways that he served that upon us. A big part of Hawken was fair play, and all the different teams talked about it and ensured it in games, practices and with each other. The big thing was, when you leave Hawken, how do you relate to others? That’s the way Jerry was. Take winning and losing, be humble about it and gracious. Always do your best. When you look back, you don’t want to regret those times.” “Looking back to our workouts and training methods, either the ’81 season, ’82 or both, Jerry had documented that we covered over a million yards - 40,000-plus laps or 555-plus miles. Not too bad for a few months of work - we even swam on Sundays. Jerry was a coach that made hard work fun and made everyone feel good about themselves in and out of the pool. Coach Holtrey is a coaches’ coach and a very humble man.” “Parents have asked me why I give up a lot of my free time to coach youth sports, and I reply with the same answer every time. I had a great coach growing up and I want to give back at least a little of what I received.”

Sue (Emert) Malson “I was one of the original girls on the very first Hawken women's swim team during the 1979-80 season. Hawken was still transitioning into a coed school. I entered Hawken as a freshman that year and was just thrilled to be able to swim for Jerry year round as an AAU swimmer and a high school swimmer. Little did we know that this was just the beginning of an incredible journey for Hawken women's swimming. Four of us went to states that year. And each of us swam on a relay, as well as individual events. We placed, with just the four of us.”

“A little tidbit that has always made me smile is this: We were all in the back of a Hawken school van, headed back to the hotel after our pool time practice at OSU, and Jerry pulls off into a Walmart or Kmart or something and tells us all to stay put for a minute. We all looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders and launched off into another conversation full of nervous energy. A few short minutes later Jerry hops in the van, tosses the bag on the floor behind his seat and continues on to the hotel. Well, we silly, nosy girls in the backseat snooped in his bag and found underwear and a toothbrush. In the excitement of leaving and getting us to the meet, Jerry had forgotten a couple key items. To this day, I am not sure who was more nervous: the four of us, or Jerry with a van full of girls at his first women's swimming Ohio state championship meet.”

C.J. (Marshall) Musser “The first thought in my mind was, ‘It’s about time.’ All joking aside, he has given so much of his life obviously to swimmers like myself that I think he deserves to be able to have fun, relax and see the other side outside of the pool – get out and get some fresh air. It’s bittersweet because I have such great memories of him making me who I am. He has impacted so many people, so it’ll be sad to see him go.” “I guess he was harder on those that he knew could handle it. If it was a swimmer who didn’t feel as passionate, he wanted their focus and would try to gain their passion. Those whom he knew had the passion there and cared, he would push them to the limit. For me personally, he was a great combination. He knew my buttons and how hard he could push them. We really felt great pride and accomplishment with what we got out of it. I started to realize maybe there’s a reason he making us do this to the extreme.”

David Powar “I started swimming for LESD in second or third grade, and I was at best an indifferent competitor and certainly not a natural athlete. Nevertheless, I continued my uninspired career, never really directly principally coached by Jerry. By the time I reached ninth grade, the specter of joining the prestigious high school team loomed before me as a great enticement. Jerry took my mother aside and told her he wasn't sure that I, who had 11th-place ribbons pinned to my bulletin board, was ready to mix it up with state champions and record holders. He was willing to give me a chance, though, and when I committed to dedicate myself, he went out of his way to take me under his wing.” “The opportunity to swim, train and compete with a group of great swimmers and to watch their dedication, energy and effort - all under Jerry's stern but caring guidance - was transformative to me.”

“Today, the regular reimagination of potential and an awareness of the ability of real effort to yield exceptional results are important factors in successes I achieve in my career and in personal endeavors. I often reflect on the lessons of my swimming career and Jerry's inspiration to reinforce these ideals. On top of all of that, I have started swimming regularly for exercise - after a 20-plus year hiatus - and in the water doing sets and pushing myself to improve both time and effort I find myself imagining his mustache-dominated, perennially unsatisfied face looking down at me from the deck and pushing me to work harder.”

Murphy Reinschreiber “I think he’s completely closed the circle with Ron Johnson. With the kids, he’s bigger than life with the track record of success he’s put down. Doc Counsilman at Indiana, John Wooden, you name them – they have such a track record that kids have no question that the coach knows what they’re doing.” “I think from the very beginning he really wanted the job, and he wanted it for a reason. He dug in, and in my mind, in a lot of ways against all odds, he achieved success. He really cared about what he did, and it rubbed off on all of us.”

Adam Rich “I joined the swim team in seventh or eighth grade, I think, because I didn't make the basketball team. I stayed with it until graduation. I remember two a day practices, ‘Holtrey Specials,’ dry land, and those skin tight Speedo suits. I shaved my head senior year along with the entire men's team, and have grown it long ever since. I never got to swim in the upper school pool, as it was built long after I'd left. But I'd stop in to say hi to Jerry when I'd come for the occasional visit. He has been coaching longer then I have been alive.”

Matt Salerno “The titles, trophies, and banners are great, but the fact that he delivers on (impacting young lives), every time, without fail, is what makes Jerry beloved and much, much more than a great coach. I am incredibly grateful that (my daughter) McKynzie has had the privilege of swimming for Jerry at Hawken.”

Dana Shaker “There are few people in life capable of bringing a joyful smile to one’s face, and even fewer capable of bringing joyful smiles to many faces. You are undoubtedly one of the latter. Your incredible success speaks for itself, but I believe it is your ability to touch each of your athlete’s lives that has turned your success into a legend. Congratulations on your amazing 45-year coaching career and thank you, Jerry, for all of those joyful smiles.”

Top-four state placers The following is a list of all-time top-four state placers in individual events and relays by Hawken compiled by The News-Herald: BOYS Individual event Adam Katz 1st, 500 free, 1992 2nd, 200 free, 1992 3rd, 500 free, 1990 3rd, 500 free, 1991 Bob Branden 2nd, 200 IM, 1976 3rd, 200 IM, 1977 4th, 100 back, 1977 Brian Demell 1st, 200 IM, 2001 2nd, 100 breast, 2001 Byron Davis 1st, 100 fly, 1988 1st, 50 free, 1986 1st, 50 free, 1987 1st, 50 free, 1988 2nd, 100 fly, 1987 2nd, 100 free, 1986 David Henkel 2nd, 100 free, 1987 3rd, 100 free, 1988 4th, 100 free, 1986 4th, 200 free, 1987 4th, 200 free, 1988

David Krahe 4th, 500 free, 1998 Gerry Shay 1st, 500 free, 1994 4th, 500 free, 1996 Greg Harper 2nd, 100 free, 1990 3rd, 50 free, 1990 4th, 50 free, 1989 Henry Senkfor 3rd, 500 free, 2013 4th, 500 free, 2012 Jimmy Pullin 1st, 500 free, 1997 2nd, 200 free, 1998 2nd, 200 free, 1999 2nd, 500 free, 1998 2nd, 500 free, 1999 4th, 200 free, 1997 John Collis 4th, 500 free, 1980 John Fagan 1st, 200 free, 1988 1st, 200 free, 1989 3rd, 100 free, 1987 3rd, 200 free, 1987

4th, 100 free, 1989 John Jazwa 3rd, 100 breast, 1976 4th, 100 breast, 1977 John Landas 1st, 100 back, 1989 Keith Schmidt 3rd, 500 free, 1987 Mark Seidman 2nd, 200 IM, 1997 3rd, 200 IM, 1995 Micah Simpson 2nd, 100 free, 2012 2nd, 200 free, 2012 2nd, 200 free, 2013 4th, 100 free, 2013 Pat Torpey 4th, 200 free, 2000 Paul Kirk 1st, 500 free, 2001 2nd, 500 free, 2000 3rd, 500 free, 1999

Rob Anslow 1st, 500 free, 1977 4th, 200 free, 1977 4th, 500 free, 1976 Sean Justice 2nd, 500 free, 1994 Sean Peppard 2nd, 500 free, 1989 Ted Esselstyn 2nd, 100 back, 1982 3rd, 100 back, 1981 3rd, 100 fly, 1982 Zeb Esselstyn 1st, 100 fly, 1985 3rd, 100 fly, 1986 Relays 1st, 200 medley, 1988 1st, 200 medley, 1991 1st, 400 free, 1987 2nd, 200 free, 1991 2nd, 200 medley, 1996 2nd, 400 free, 1985 2nd, 400 free, 1989 2nd, 400 free, 2013 3rd, 200 medley, 1990 3rd, 400 free, 1977 4th, 200 medley, 1982 4th, 200 medley, 1998 4th, 200 medley, 2012 4th, 200 medley, 2013

GIRLS Individual event Alana Arnold 1st, 100 fly, 2008 1st, 100 fly, 2009 2nd, 200 IM, 2009 Alyssa Kiel 1st, 500 free, 2002 1st, 200 free, 2003 1st, 500 free, 2003 1st, 200 free, 2004 1st, 500 free, 2004 1st, 200 free, 2005 1st, 500 free, 2005 Amy Schick 3rd, 500 free, 1990 Andrea Hocevar 3rd, 200 free, 2001 Andrea Kress 3rd, 100 fly, 2003 3rd, 100 fly, 2004 4th, 100 back, 2001 Angela Hyun 3rd, 500 free, 1996 Anna Strohl 1st, 100 fly, 2002 2nd, 200 free, 1999 2nd, 200 IM, 2002 3rd, 500 free, 1999 3rd, 200 IM, 2000 3rd, 100 fly, 2001

Brittany Legal 3rd, 500 free, 2005 3rd, 500 free, 2006 4th, 200 free, 2006 Brittany Rospierski 1st, 100 breast, 2008 1st, 100 breast, 2009 2nd, 200 IM, 2008 Brittany Strumbel 1st, 200 free, 2006 1st, 200 free, 2007 1st, 500 free, 2007 1st, 200 free, 2008 1st, 500 free, 2008 2nd, 100 free, 2005 2nd, 50 free, 2005 2nd, 500 free, 2006 Carrie Bencic 1st, 200 free, 2012 1st, 500 free, 2012 1st, 200 free, 2013 1st, 500 free, 2013 2nd, 200 IM, 2010 2nd, 500 free, 2010 2nd, 500 free, 2011 3rd, 200 free, 2011 Courtney Tumbush 3rd, 500 free, 2009 Emily Seidman 1st, 100 back, 2000

Erica Dorfman 3rd, 100 back, 2007 Erica Rose 1st, 500 free, 1997 2nd, 500 free, 1998 2nd, 500 free, 1999 2nd, 200 IM, 2000 4th, 200 IM, 1999 Fiona O’Donnell-McCarthy 1st, 100 back, 2004 1st, 100 fly, 2004 1st, 100 back, 2005 1st, 100 fly, 2005 Heidi Hazen 1st, 100 fly, 1996 2nd, 100 fly, 1994 2nd, 100 fly, 1995 Ilse Ekechuki 4th, 50 free, 1996 Jane Esselstyn 1st, 100 back, 1980 1st, 100 back, 1981 1st, 100 back, 1983 3rd, 100 back, 1982 4th, 200 IM, 1981 Jennifer Aronoff 2nd, 100 free, 2007 2nd, 200 IM, 2007 3rd, 200 IM, 2006 3rd, 100 free, 2008

4th, 200 IM, 2005 4th, 100 breast, 2006 4th, 200 IM, 2008 Jennifer Choich 3rd, 200 free, 1993 Jenny Arnold 3rd, 100 fly, 1997 4th, 100 back, 1997 Jenny Fox 3rd, 100 back, 1995 4th, 100 back, 1996 4th, 200 free, 1996 Jordan Bitterman 4th, 500 free, 2011 Julie Madden 4th, 200 free, 2000 Julieann Watson 1st, 200 IM, 2003 3rd, 200 IM, 2002 4th, 100 back, 2002 4th, 100 breast, 2003 Kaitlyn Cerne 2nd, 100 fly, 2012 3rd, 100 fly, 2013 4th, 100 fly, 2010 Katherine Creighton 1st, 500 free, 1987 1st, 500 free, 1988 2nd, 200 free, 1987

2nd, 200 free, 1988 Katlin Dagg 3rd, 500 free, 2007 3rd, 500 free, 2008 4th, 100 fly, 2007 4th, 100 fly, 2008 4th, 100 fly, 2009 Kristen Mikelonis 1st, 200 free, 1997 2nd, 500 free, 1997 3rd, 500 free, 1998 3rd, 200 free, 1999 4th, 500 free, 1999 Kristie Taylor 4th, 500 free, 1988 4th, 500 free, 1989 Lauren Torpey 1st, 500 free, 2001 2nd, 200 free, 2001 3rd, 200 free, 2000 3rd, 100 back, 2002 3rd, 200 free, 2002 Lindsey Meier 3rd, 100 back, 2001 3rd, 500 free, 2001 4th, 100 back, 2000 Louise Gliga 2nd, 100 fly, 2006 2nd, 100 fly, 2007 4th, 500 free, 2007

Marissa Cominelli 1st, 100 back, 2011 1st, 100 back, 2012 2nd, 100 back, 2010 2nd, 100 back, 2013 4th, 200 IM, 2012 Maureen Rakovec 4th, 500 free, 2013 Melanie Valerio 1st, 200 free, 1986 1st, 100 free, 1987 1st, 200 free, 1987 2nd, 50 free, 1985 2nd, 100 free, 1986 3rd, 50 free, 1984 3rd, 100 free, 1985 Melissa Burovac 1st, 200 free, 1990 2nd, 500 free, 1988 2nd, 500 free, 1990 4th, 200 free, 1987 4th, 100 free, 1989 Michelle Thomas 1st, 100 back, 1996 1st, 100 back, 1997 1st, 200 IM, 1997 4th, 200 IM, 1996 Morgan Cohara 1st, 200 free, 2011 2nd, 200 free, 2009 3rd, 100 back, 2009 3rd, 100 back, 2010

3rd, 100 free, 2011 3rd, 200 free, 2012 4th, 200 free, 2010 Rachel Borden 4th, 100 breast, 2007 Samantha Johnson 2nd, 200 IM, 2004 4th, 200 IM, 2003 Sara Spears 1st, 200 IM, 1986 3rd, 200 IM, 1985 4th, 500 free, 1986 4th, 100 fly, 1987 Sarah Dorenkott 1st, 100 free, 2004 1st, 50 free, 2004 1st, 50 free, 2005 1st, 100 free, 2006 1st, 50 free, 2006 2nd, 100 free, 2003 2nd, 50 free, 2003 3rd, 100 free, 2005 Sarah Dykstra 3rd, 50 free, 1989 Sarah Koucheki 1st, 100 fly, 2010 1st, 100 fly, 2011 1st, 200 IM, 2011 1st, 100 fly, 2012 1st, 200 IM, 2012 2nd, 100 fly, 2013

3rd, 200 IM, 2013 4th, 100 free, 2010 Sarah Ralston 1st, 100 free, 1986 1st, 50 free, 1986 4th, 100 free, 1984 4th, 50 free, 1984 4th, 100 free, 1985 Shelly Klaus 1st, 200 IM, 2000 2nd, 200 IM, 1999 3rd, 100 fly, 2000 Teri Starr 2nd, diving, 1990 Tracey Russell 3rd, 100 breast, 1986 4th, 100 breast, 1985 4th, 100 breast, 1988 Tracy Cook 1st, 100 free, 1990 1st, 200 free, 1991 1st, 200 free, 1993 2nd, 100 free, 1991 2nd, 500 free, 1993 Relays 1st, 200 medley, 1981 1st, 400 free, 1984 1st, 400 free, 1985 1st, 200 medley, 1986 1st, 400 free, 1986

1st, 400 free, 1987 1st, 200 free, 1996 1st, 200 medley, 1997 1st, 200 free, 2000 1st, 400 free, 2000 1st, 200 free, 2001 1st, 200 medley, 2001 1st, 400 free, 2001 1st, 200 free, 2002 1st, 200 medley, 2002 1st, 400 free, 2002 1st, 200 free, 2003 1st, 200 medley, 2003 1st, 400 free, 2003 1st, 200 free, 2004 1st, 200 medley, 2004 1st, 400 free, 2004 1st, 200 medley, 2005 1st, 400 free, 2005 1st, 200 free, 2006 1st, 200 medley, 2006 1st, 400 free, 2006 1st, 200 free, 2007 1st, 200 medley, 2007 1st, 400 free, 2007 1st, 200 free, 2008 1st, 200 medley, 2008 1st, 400 free, 2008 1st, 200 medley, 2009 1st, 400 free, 2009 1st, 400 free, 2010 1st, 200 free, 2011 1st, 200 medley, 2011 1st, 400 free, 2011 1st, 200 medley, 2012 1st, 400 free, 2012 1st, 200 free, 2013

1st, 400 free, 2013 2nd, 400 free, 1998 2nd, 200 free, 1995 2nd, 200 medley, 1996 2nd, 400 free, 1997 2nd, 400 free, 1999 2nd, 200 free, 2005 2nd, 200 free, 2009 2nd, 200 free, 2010 2nd, 200 medley, 2010 2nd, 200 free, 2012 3rd, 200 medley, 1980 3rd, 200 medley, 1985 3rd, 200 medley, 1987 3rd, 400 free, 1989 3rd, 200 free, 1993 3rd, 200 medley, 1995 3rd, 200 medley, 2013 4th, 200 medley, 1988 4th, 200 medley, 1994 4th, 200 medley, 1999

Articles The following are News-Herald articles from Hawken boys and girls state team championship victories: