A: I was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and went to school in Philadelphia.

Q: When did you start swimming?

A: I didn't begin swimming competitively until high school where I swam backstroke for three years. I had learned to swim just a year before that.

I was a walk-on to the UM varsity team. I swam for coach Bill Campbell on the freshman team during my first year. (In those days, freshmen weren't allowed to swim on the varsity team.) During my sophomore year, I swam varsity but in my final two years at UM, I played varsity soccer instead of swimming. My position was inside left - offense.

Q: Did anyone inspire you?

A: I was inspired by my neighbor who was a high school all-American. He encouraged me to try out for the varsity team and not to quit. Coach Bill Campbell was also an inspiring personality for me. He convinced us we could do things we didn't think we could do and that is why he was so successful.

Q: When did you start swimming with Masters?

A: After not swimming for 17 years, I went together with some other former UM swimmers to form a Masters team. Catholic University Coach Calomiris and I organized Terrapin Masters. Cal went to Nationals at Brown University in 1978. We went to our first Nationals as a team in 1981 in Canton, Ohio, with Jeff Roddin's dad Hugh Roddin, a former UM swimmer. I swam well and was hooked. I've done a National or World Championship meet almost every year since then, including 15 Nationals, and two World Championships. I liked the competition and meeting people. I won my first national medal in 1984 in North Carolina. USMS was a lot smaller then. In 1994 I won my first world championship medal in Montreal in the 50 meter back. My son, John, has been to three nationals with me. We swam a medley relay together at Ft. Lauderdale last year.

My goal with Terrapin Masters was to expand it into what it has become today. In the early days we had no established workouts. We went from pool to pool to talk our way in for a workout. When we started the practice group at University of Maryland in 1989, Terrapin Masters became complete.

Q: Tell me about your swims at the Senior Olympics.

A: I did a lot of mental preparation before and on the day of the meet visualizing the 50 backstroke race. I also concentrated on the start and finish of each race. I knew the 50 would be my best race. Our coach, Erin Galloway, gave me suggestions to improve my start. It paid off! This is the best time I've done in almost 10 years. I finished first in the 50 meter backstroke in 36.76, third in the 100 backstroke in 1:30.76, and fifth in the 200 backstroke.

Q: I've heard you are Executive Director of the M Club at UM.

A: I retired in January 3, 1996, from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and became Executive Director of the University of Maryland M Club (Varsity Letter Winners Foundation) on January 6. Our motto is "Athletes helping athletes". It's enjoyable working with the current athletes and former letter winners. It's a fun job - a great second career.

Q: I heard you were one of the "founding fathers" of Potomac Valley LMSC.

A: In the early 1980's USMS became a separate organization from AAU. Gail Dummer, Joann Leilich, and others including myself met to create the Potomac Valley by-laws. There were only nine teams at that time and 360 swimmers. Potomac Valley has grown every year since then.

I became Chairman in the mid 1980's and got involved in the USMS conventions. I have been Chairman two times for five years and another time (mid-1990s) for two years. I did "Top Ten" for a while and was also Officials Chair. I've been on the national Rules Committee for six years and recently became Chair of the Officials Committee.

Q: And you coach, too?

A: I was a USS coach at RMSC for seven years part-time. I've coached summer league for fourteen years and assisted my wife and daughter who also coach. I've been officiating at UM meets for 12 years. I'll be working at my eighth ACC Championship next spring. I've directed the 800/1500 and 1000/1650 meets for 18 years and also the Zone meet last Spring at UM. I like to be involved in all aspects of swimming.