FAST MASTERS: WHO'S IN THAT LANE? -- EPISODE 4: BOB BERGSTROM

Who’s In That Lane? Episode 4: Bob Bergstrom

This is an autobiographical story written by Bob Bergstrom and shared by Bill McGarvey.

Greetings from Lane #1. There's a good reason why I swim in lane #1...because it is the closest to the ladder and at my age getting out of the pool is the hardest part of my workout!

My name is Bob Bergstrom. I am 82 years old and have been swimming with FAST for 46 years. In my early years with FAST it was not a Masters team. I swam with the kids, struggling to keep up with them. Eventually, our own (current Masters swimmer) Matt Truxaw stepped up and acted as a swimmer/coach to provide workouts for the small group of Masters swimmers. Eventually a Masters program was started and I am grateful to FAST for providing this.

I first took swimming lessons at the YMCA when I was about eight or nine years old. For some reason that I still don't understand we all were naked for the lessons! Not liking the lessons (nor being naked) I spent a good deal of time in the hot showers and didn't do much to develop my swimming skills. Eventually I taught myself to swim and participated in the summer program at the city pool on the swim and water polo teams.

I continued my swimming at Occidental College in Los Angeles where I did Backstroke and also was a diver. Next, I went to Louis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon where I also did distance Freestyle. I was not a very fast swimmer and never broke 1:00 for the 100-yard Freestyle. Yes, that is for YARDS!

Following college, I join the Peace Corps and spent two years in Bucaramanga, Colombia. My partner and I help set up a physical education program at the University in BUC. Returning home, I earned a masters degree, became a school psychologist, and worked for the Fullerton School District in that capacity for 35 years.

Independence Park and the pool opened in 1976. The following year my wife told me that she heard of something called Masters swimming. Intrigued, I went to the pool, met with Coach Craig Brown, and started swimming with FAST! I competed in local meets, at Masters Nationals in all parts of the country, the Masters Pan American games in Orlando, and the FINA World Masters Championships at Stanford. I knew of Janet Evans when she trained with FAST and when she retired. I thought it would be a good idea to name the pool in her honor. I took the idea to the head of the Fullerton Parks and Recreation Department -- she was against it. I then went before the Parks & Recreation Commission who also rejected the idea. Not to be defeated, I put together what the mayor called one of the best presentations he had seen and heard…the City Council unanimously approved the naming of the pool for Janet. I helped fund the project, raising $10,000 which was slow and difficult. The head coach of FAST at that time was not very supportive because it conflicted with his efforts to raise money for the team. It finally all came together, and we had a magnificent dedication ceremony with Janet present.

Being an older swimmer presents its challenges. For example, due to arthritis in my ankles, I don't use fins or do kick sets. I was never very good at swimming Butterfly, but now, because of decreased range of motion, I can't even get my arms out of the water to attempt to swim Butterfly. Since I can't wear my hearing aids in the water, it is difficult to hear the coach giving instructions. Finally, when it comes to setting a PR (personal record) in a meet, I set one almost every time I swim. The only trouble is, the PR is for a slower, not faster time.

When I was in my 60s I read about how they establish the qualifying times for Masters events. It had to do with the 10th place time at the National meet, then adding a factor to that time. Since I had placed in the 1500 Freestyle in a recent Nationals, I checked and saw that I had my first top 10 time for the whole country! Over the years I collected more top 10 times in Backstroke and distance Freestyle. My goal of achieving the number one spot in the 1500 Freestyle came when I aged up to 80. This was dashed when all meets were canceled due to COVID-19. I was really disappointed because I had been planning for that for a long time. At a recent local meet, I swim the 200 Backstroke and had a time that should result in my 50th top 10 time. With that I have decided I already have too many swim meet t-shirts and I'm going to step away from competing for a while.

Despite all this, I still love swimming and am glad that FAST is here to allow me to swim with a bunch of great people! Now, if you'll excuse me, I am tired and will get out of the workout a little early, go home to a bowl of oatmeal, and then take a nap!

Respectfully Submitted by THE Bob Bergstrom

Thanks Bob for some Masters history and doing my job quite well! Best to many more years in Lane #1 and continued oatmeal consumption!

Carry On,

Bill