It’s no secret that tradition runs deep at Bridgeport High School. And there are countless stories – some not so well known – which reinforce that statement.

 

I’ve recently learned one concerning the BHS Swim Team, organized just a few years after high school swimming became a sanctioned sport during the 1988-1989 school year.

 

Since 1992, the team has been under the direction of Coach Jan Grisso. Among members of the team during its early years were Nick and Jonathan Fredrick, sons of Mary Ann and Dr. George Fredrick. Starting in 1996, Nick swam for the Indians for four years and brother Jonathan, one year his junior, followed suit. Younger brother Matt also took the plunge and joined the team, but according to Mary Ann, it wasn’t really his "cup of tea." After swimming just one season – in 2002 - he decided to pursue other interests, leaving his nice, new BHS Swim Team Jacket behind. Made by Reep Graphics, the jacket featured traditional BHS red and white, as well as black.

 

To keep the jacket – and the team spirit – alive, the Fredricks passed it on and thus a tradition was born.

 

It was their intentions that the traveling jacket be in the possession of a BHS graduate who had a son or daughter on the swim team.

 

That happened to be Rod Garner, BHS class of 1978. He and wife Monica (Hess), class of 1979, are the parents of Claire and Max Garner.

 

“Mary Ann just gave me the jacket as she knew our kids were swimmers and still in high school,” Monica said. “Rod actually wore it.”

 

While he sported the traveling jacket, his kids excelled as BHS swimmers. Claire’s events included 100-butterfly, 500-freestyle and 200-individual medley. She was a member of the 2008 BHS girls’ state championship team. Max broke records in 100-breaststroke and 200-individual medley events. He was swimmer of the year his senior year and part of the 2010 boys’ state championship team.

 

During Max’s senior year at BHS, the Garners passed the traveling jacket on to Jimmy Stutler, BHS Class of 1977, who proudly wore it during his daughter’s Leah’s four years on the Indian swim team.

 

“Leah swam from 2010 to 2014. She swam backstroke and freestyle, including her share of 500-freestyle,” said Jimmy’s wife Sharon Stutler. “Jimmy wore it to swim meets. He was a timer for all the home meets and most of the away meets. Then in 2014 at the swim team banquet he chose to give it to Mike Hess with the stipulation that he continue this tradition when his kids graduated from swimming.”

 

Mike Hess and wife Beth currently have two children on the team – Harrison and Allison. This year, Harrison is one of the Tribe’s leaders, racking up first-place and other favorable finishes in 50-free and 100-backstroke events and contributing to successful relay teams. Just a freshman, Allison is just getting her feet wet, so to speak, with the sport. She has three more years on the team and thus Mike Hess has three more years to wear the jacket before passing it on.

 

The traveling swim team jacket is a testament to tradition, Mike Hess said.

 

“And tradition has always been important to me,” he said. “It’s an honor to wear it. Some great swimmers were cheered on while their parents wore this jacket.”

 

Sharon Stutler calls the traveling swim team jacket “a man thing.” Leah Stutler said it’s a “swim team dad thing.”

 

Mary Ann Fredrick – who now lives in Albany, Ga. - said it’s an amazing thing that the jacket tradition is still going strong and that it is in such good shape.

 

“FREDERICK, M” is still clearly marked in the back of the jacket collar.

 

That, Mary Ann Fredrick said, a true testament to the Sharpie laundry marker.

 

Julie Perine can be reached at 304-848-7200, julie@connect-bridgeport.com or follow @JuliePerine on Twitter. More "It's Happening" HERE.

 

Editor’s Note: Mary Ann Fredrick said when her youngest son Ben graduated from BHS in 2009, she passed on a big red, white and black Indian-print stadium blanket to the head chaperone for the BHS Marching Band. She said she would love to know if that tradition has survived, as well.