Fundraiser for Jersey Shore Boro Outdoor Pool

Flashback Friday - Part 3 of Swimming Jargon Used in Central Pennsylvania - 'mermen'

Several years of blogging have occurred at the Jersey Shore Swim blog with over 1000 stories and articles posted.  With that in mind, the Jersey Shore Swim blog will occasionally pull out an occasional favorite or interesting item from the archives to share with readers (plus some interesting old stuff never posted) in a series called Flashback Friday.

• Part 1 of Swimming Jargon Used in Central Pennsylvania - 'thumb jerkers' and 'thumbers' here
• Part 2 of Swimming Jargon Used in Central Pennsylvania - 'tankers' here

As swimming was becoming more of a popular sport, colleges and universities were adding the activity to their list of varsity offerings.  Male athletes that participated in local competitive swimming at the time were called 'mermen'.  Below is a Lock Haven Express clipping from November 18, 1935 using the term 'mermen' for Penn State swimmers.

Lock Haven University (then called the Lock Haven Teachers College) also used the term 'mermen' below in a Lock Haven Express February 5, 1951 edition.

Jersey Shore Athletes Swim With the Pine Creek Hellbender

Shortly after the picture below was taken (Labor Day on Pine Creek in Lycoming County), several Jersey Shore swimmers (and other athletes) were made aware that a hellbender was lurking below.   After several minutes of watching this water creature move about, the group moved on down the creek.

Say what?  Not sure what a hellbender is?  Check out the following links to see what the swimmers observed on the creek bottom;

• Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, here
• Lycoming College, here
• Allegheny Front, here

What an awesome mascot for a Pennsylvania swim team.  Could never understand why local teams picked sharks, stingrays, or loggerheads.  Anyone spot one of those in our local waters?

Get the Fundamentals Down - LHY Swim Clinic

Jersey Shore YMCA Looking For New Swim Coaches

Flashback Friday - Part 2 of Swimming Jargon Used in Central Pennsylvania - 'tankers'

Several years of blogging have occurred at the Jersey Shore Swim blog with over 1000 stories and articles posted.  With that in mind, the Jersey Shore Swim blog will occasionally pull out an occasional favorite or interesting item from the archives to share with readers (plus some interesting old stuff never posted) in a series called Flashback Friday.

• Part 1 of Swimming Jargon Used in Central Pennsylvania - 'thumb jerkers' and 'thumbers' here

Many early swimming pools looked like concrete tanks.  They didn't have the filtration systems nor the chemical treatments we have today.  They often relied on spring fed, and/or running water to keep them clean (fresh water coming into the tank pushed the old water out).  So those athletes that would swim in these type of contraptions were called 'tankers'.  There are still some swim clubs/colleges that call themselves 'tankers'.  The Jersey Shore swimmers also called themselves tankers for many years (now use mascot names).

Lock Haven Express article from 1982