Swimming

Swim Program (Boys' & Girls') FAQs

The following questions and answers introduce you to the swimming program at Blair. These questions are often raised by prospective students who are considering the swim team at Blair Academy.

When does the swim season begin/end?
The swim season begins two days after the conclusion of the fall sports season; this is usually about November 15. The season ends about February 18 with the state prep meet.

Is experience necessary?
Although most of the students who come out for the team have had competitive swimming experience at either the club, age-group or high-school level, there are others who have had no formal competitive experience. However, those who lack competitive experience have a strong interest and ability in recreational swimming.

What is the general make-up of the team?
Usually, there are about 28 swimmers equally divided between girls and boys.

How are practices organized?
Boys and girls work out as a single team with the most experienced swimmers in one lane and beginners in another. Each lane has an individualized workout matched to the ability and stroke capabilities of the swimmers in that lane.

How hard are the workouts?
The team works out for about 100 minutes per day, six days a week. The most experienced swimmers swim about 5,000 yards per day and beginners about 3,500 yards.

Are there morning workouts?
No. You will need your sleep after a full "Blair day."

How many dual meets are there during the season?
There are about 10 dual meets during the season. Depending on the number of swimmers, the boys and girls swim as separate teams in dual meets; in these meets, boys' and girls' events alternate.

What type of championship meets are available?
Near the end of the season, we compete in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) tournament. The season concludes for most of the team with the state prep swimming championships held in mid-February. The Eastern Interscholastic Swimming Championship for both girls and boys takes place at the end of February; this meet is held at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania
and includes the top prep school swimmers in the eastern United States.

What is the general ability of the swimmers on the team?
The ability of the swimmers varies dramatically from year to year. To view the school's records, click the "School Records" tab above. To view the team's past results, click the "Past Results" tab above.

How can I find out more about the swimming program at Blair?
Please feel free to contact head coach Mitchell Towne. She would be delighted to speak with prospective students or meet with them during a campus visit.

Meet Coach Towne

Language teacher Mitchell Towne was appointed the head varsity swimming coach in 2022. He joined Blair’s faculty in 2019 after spending three years in Rome with the Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study. As part of this nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading access to the study of Latin and ancient Greek, Mitchell led classical tours around Italy, Greece and Sicily and taught in language programs. He is a 2016 graduate of Williams College with a bachelor’s degree in classics. A varsity swimmer at Williams, Mitchell coaches swimming and track at Blair.

Contact Coach Towne at townem@blair.edu for any questions.

Meet Coach Wilson

Caroline Wilson joined the admission office in 2013 after receiving her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. At Williams, Caroline was a member of the varsity swim team, where in addition to being named the NCAA Division III swimmer of the year in 2013, she was a 13-time Division III National Champion and a seven-time Division III NCAA national record holder. In addition to working in the admission office and teaching Advanced Placement Psychology at Blair, Caroline coaches the varsity swim team in the winter and the girls' JV lacrosse team in the spring. She lives in Locke Hall, where she also does dorm duty.

Meet Coach Brandwood

Bob Brandwood, appointed in 1985, teaches freshman- and senior-level English. He graduated from the University of Wales U.K., with a BA and earned a postgraduate certificate in education from Leicester University, U.K., followed by an MA in English from Middlebury College. Prior to coming to Blair, Bob taught English in a government school in northern England and also worked for two years teaching English in a small village school on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. During his tenure at Blair, Bob has taught at every grade level and had a hand in shaping the course of study currently adopted by the English department. He has also coached swimming and boys' soccer since his arrival at school.

Meet Coach Ehrenworth

Science teacher Megan Ehrenworth joined Blair in 2022. Working at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, since 2011, Megan taught chemistry and served as dorm parent, advisor, varsity swim coach and JV field hockey coach. Prior to that, she was an adjunct professor at Lawrence Technological University, where she lectured and planned labs. A graduate of Haverford college, Megan earned her BA in chemistry in 2004 and her MA in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University in 2007.

View directions to athletic events. To read recaps about past events, go to the "Team News" tab above.

View photos from the 2022-2023 season on Blair's Photoshelter.

Boys' School Records

Boys' Pool Records

Girls' School Records

Girls' Pool Records