Bellmore-Merrick’s Robert Kaefer named county Swim Coach of the Year

It was a record year for the Bellmore-Merrick girls’ swim team. Finishing as runner-up in the Nassau County Championships and having sent five swimmers to the State Championship would have been enough to call it a successful season, but on top of that, the team notched yet another accolade. Coach Robert Kaefer, who has guided swimmers in and out of the pool for more than 15 years, was named the Nassau County Coach of the Year for girls’ swimming, an award voted on by his fellow coaches.

The honor, which has only been given out for the past three years in girls’ swimming, was the crown on top of one of the most successful seasons the Bellmore-Merrick Sharks have ever had. Next to taking second in the county behind Garden City, the team also broke 10 school records, and the 200-yard freestyle relay squad broke the county record. The team comprises freshmen Paige Kaplan, Kerry Giovanniello and Jessica Arana, and junior Gabbie Toback. All four swimmers will be back next year, making the 2012 season look just as promising as the last.

The team’s success was certainly a factor in Kaefer taking the Coach of the Year award, but there were other considerations as well. The longtime coach said it was an honor to win an award that is voted on by his peers. The swimming community, though a competitive one, is close-knit, he said.

“It’s nice to know that others have acknowledged the effort I’ve put into getting the program where it is,” he said.

Kaefer developed a love for swimming at an early age. Growing up in Wantagh, Kaefer joined the now-defunct Merokee Swim Association in seventh grade. When Kaefer entered high school, he swam competitively for Wantagh, becoming an expert back-stroker and individual-medley competitor. He went on to swim competitively at Stony Brook University, where his love for the sport continued to grow. After graduation, Kaefer never strayed far from the water, returning to jobs as a lifeguard at Jones Beach State Park and taking part in lifeguard competitions throughout the years.