Linda Irish Bostic – Interview

It was actually my husband’s idea! He suggested it.  The RV was so successful as a tailgate meeting place for the Princeton football parents and alumni that we thought the same level of camaraderie and enthusiasm could be developed with our swim team.

The team really enjoys having the Wahoo Wagon, as they now call it. Having it recently at Greensboro, NC for the USMS National Championships worked out great. They could relax between events in it. Other teams were even envious that we had such a neat place to hang out at and to celebrate together after each session of the swim meet.

First and foremost, swimming is a great sport.  People swim for so many different reasons. We try to understand what brings each swimmer to the pool. Some swim for fitness, others swim for health and then there are those of us who like to compete. Many on the team are triathletes. We welcome everyone.

And we offer a variety of workout times to fit everyone’s schedules.

But, I believe the key to our club’s success has been our coaches! We have great coaches on deck for every workout! They are positive, fun, have a passion for swimming, and spread a contagious enthusiasm. Wahoo!

Swimmers tell me all the time they come to our practices as much for their mental state as their physical. They leave the pool feeling better, smiling, and happy because of the positive energy from our coaches and swimmers. They keep coming back!

Word spreads and other swimmers notice when people are having fun while working together toward their individual goals.

Today we have 288 registered USMS swimmers with Palm Beach Masters! I feel very blessed and fortunate that the program has been so successful. I never thought at 52 years old (and after 25 years in Corporate America), I’d be making a living and having so much fun as a Masters Swimming Coach.

I still can’t believe it!!! I’m so happy and so, so proud! I NEVER expected we would place 3rd to get our very first Top 10 Local Club banner to hang at the pool!!! 2 years ago at Santa Clara, CA we placed 47th with 8 swimmers and last year at San Antonio, TX we placed 91st with 4 swimmers! This year … 3rd place by JUST 4 points (over the 4^th place club) with 48 swimmers! An amazing achievement!

There are so many highlights it’s hard to list just one.

– We had swimmers who swam grueling events for the first time and completed them.

– 46 swimmers scored points for the team!

– Our 65+ mixed (2 women & 2 men) relay broke a USMS record in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay!

– My UF college roommates joined us, swimming in a meet for the first in over 30 years.

– We had lots and lots of FUN supporting each other!

But the really great thing was seeing everybody come together as a team. Our swimmers all swim at different workout times at our 3 pools across Palm Beach County. And yet at this meet in Greensboro they were all cheering for each other like they had swum in the same lane together for years. I was very, very proud of each one of our National Team members.

I enjoy watching the amateur athletes more than the well-known professional athletes of say basketball and tennis. So, I’ll be watching gymnastics, track & field, along with ALL the swimming finals.