Caitlin's Dad's MKA Hall of Fame acceptance speech...
Good evening, everyone. JoAnne, Jeanne, and I would like to thank the Hall of Fame Committee and the entire MKA community for welcoming Caitlin to the Hall of Fame. We’re truly honored. We’d also like to mention Caitlin’s classmates and friends who contributed to a memorial paver for Caitlin for Muenster Field. Thank you all so very much.
When we received the letter announcing Caitlin’s induction from Headmaster Tom Nammack, it set off all kinds of emotions…because it’s not possible for us to focus solely on Cait’s athletic achievements without reflecting on the courage and determination she demonstrated when fighting cancer. Frankly, for all of the success she had in the pool, there’s nothing in my experience that compares to the way she lived out her life. And every day, when my thoughts wander 'there,' somewhere in the back of my mind there’s a voice that those of you who knew her would recognize. A direct, somewhat monotone, slightly nasal voice, that orders me to “Snap out of it!”
And so that’s what I try to do. Because I know Caitlin would not have it any other way. We were really delighted when Caitlin had the opportunity to swim for Dave Flocco during her years competing for MKA. I felt like Dave and Cait shared a special relationship as coach and athlete. In fact, every one of Caitlin’s teachers was magnificent, as were Peter Greer, Char Charlton and, of course, former athletic director Mark Boyea.
Caitlin was about the sweetest tough kid you’d ever want to meet. She was kind, generous, funny, compassionate…all of these wonderful things. But put her in the pool with a race or meet on the line and she’d torpedo you. Having been born and raised in Montclair myself, I took special delight when MKA beat out Montclair High for two County Titles. That was sweet!
I can honestly say that Caitlin never had a bad thing to say about anyone. However, if there was one thing she had no patience for it was when she thought someone was slacking off. On those early winter mornings when she needed a lift to swim practice, there was no ‘snooze’ button to save us. She’d quietly open our bedroom door, lean into our room and in a voice that belied her sweet disposition, she’d threaten “Dad! C’mon!” Believe me, she scared the crap out of me a few times.
That same competitive fire is what I loved when I coached her in travel basketball. She’d get kids into position, box out and rebound like a wild lady, play great defense, and do everything she possibly could to help us win the game. She was a coach’s delight. Except when she missed a game because she had to go to a club swim meet with her Cougar Aquatic buddies and we wound up getting blown out by 58 points. However, two weeks later, we face the same team, this time with Cait in our lineup, and we still lose…but this time by only six.
Cait was a difference maker. During her senior year, one of the dads from the boys swim team came up to me and said his son told him that he could always tell when Caitlin was swimming near him at practice…she created so much turbulence, it felt like a boat was passing by.
That was Caitlin. In her quiet way, she knew how to make waves that, to this day, continue to move people… Dedicated, determined, competitive, courageous, sweet, kind, humble and funny … a blessing we are forever thankful for. That’s our Caitlin. Thank you, MKA.
When we received the letter announcing Caitlin’s induction from Headmaster Tom Nammack, it set off all kinds of emotions…because it’s not possible for us to focus solely on Cait’s athletic achievements without reflecting on the courage and determination she demonstrated when fighting cancer. Frankly, for all of the success she had in the pool, there’s nothing in my experience that compares to the way she lived out her life. And every day, when my thoughts wander 'there,' somewhere in the back of my mind there’s a voice that those of you who knew her would recognize. A direct, somewhat monotone, slightly nasal voice, that orders me to “Snap out of it!”
And so that’s what I try to do. Because I know Caitlin would not have it any other way. We were really delighted when Caitlin had the opportunity to swim for Dave Flocco during her years competing for MKA. I felt like Dave and Cait shared a special relationship as coach and athlete. In fact, every one of Caitlin’s teachers was magnificent, as were Peter Greer, Char Charlton and, of course, former athletic director Mark Boyea.
Caitlin was about the sweetest tough kid you’d ever want to meet. She was kind, generous, funny, compassionate…all of these wonderful things. But put her in the pool with a race or meet on the line and she’d torpedo you. Having been born and raised in Montclair myself, I took special delight when MKA beat out Montclair High for two County Titles. That was sweet!
I can honestly say that Caitlin never had a bad thing to say about anyone. However, if there was one thing she had no patience for it was when she thought someone was slacking off. On those early winter mornings when she needed a lift to swim practice, there was no ‘snooze’ button to save us. She’d quietly open our bedroom door, lean into our room and in a voice that belied her sweet disposition, she’d threaten “Dad! C’mon!” Believe me, she scared the crap out of me a few times.
That same competitive fire is what I loved when I coached her in travel basketball. She’d get kids into position, box out and rebound like a wild lady, play great defense, and do everything she possibly could to help us win the game. She was a coach’s delight. Except when she missed a game because she had to go to a club swim meet with her Cougar Aquatic buddies and we wound up getting blown out by 58 points. However, two weeks later, we face the same team, this time with Cait in our lineup, and we still lose…but this time by only six.
Cait was a difference maker. During her senior year, one of the dads from the boys swim team came up to me and said his son told him that he could always tell when Caitlin was swimming near him at practice…she created so much turbulence, it felt like a boat was passing by.
That was Caitlin. In her quiet way, she knew how to make waves that, to this day, continue to move people… Dedicated, determined, competitive, courageous, sweet, kind, humble and funny … a blessing we are forever thankful for. That’s our Caitlin. Thank you, MKA.