2019 Jim Sharp – Boys Indiana High School Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame Historian Compiled by: Linda (Ludlow) Horn Indiana High School Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame Historian (317) 839-5461 / (317) 753-1391 Cell [email protected] History of IHSAA Boys Swimming Championships From 1928 thru 1930 the boys’ state finals were not sponsored by the IHSAA and were by invitation only. Columbus High School hosted these three meets won by Indianapolis Shortridge, Whiting, East Chicago Washington respectively. The Decade is: In 1931 the first annual IHSAA sponsored Boys Swimming and Diving State Championship was held at Columbus High School (60 ft. pool) with 10 teams participating and South Bend Central claiming the team title. The events contested in the first championship included the 160 yard relay, 40 yard freestyle, 100 yard backstroke, 220 yard freestyle, 100 yard breaststroke, and the 120 yard medley relay (40 yd. each of backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle). Fancy diving was also an event, consisting of a running front, standing back, running front jack knife and a standing back jack knife. The 1932 meet was held at Butler University (75 ft. pool) with 11 teams competing. The 1933 meet was held at the Whiting Community Center (60 ft. pool). In 1934 and 1935 Butler was once again the site. The 1936 and 1937 state meets weren’t even held in Indiana. The IHSAA allowed Hammond High School to host the meet which was then moved to Thornton Fractional High School in Calumet City, Illinois due to a “better pool facility.” (60 ft. pool) In 1938, the state meet, again was hosted by Hammond High School at the brand new Hammond Civic Center (75 ft. pool). The 1939, the state meet was held at South Bend Central (60 ft. pool). The Decade is: The 1940 thru 1943 meets were held at Purdue University (75 ft. pool). From 1944 to 1950 there were NO State Championships because of World War II. The Decade is: From 1951 thru 1962, Purdue University again was the site with a record 22 teams participating. In 1951 the 220 yard freestyle was changed to the 200 yard freestyle. The 150 yard individual medley was added as an event in 1954 and was changed to a 200 yard individual medley event by adding the butterfly leg to the swimming event in 1956. The 100 yard butterfly-breaststroke was changed to the 100 yard breaststroke and a separate 100 yard butterfly event was added in 1957. In the spring of 1958, the boys meet now extended over two day period with the meet taking on a whole new look. In 1959 the 400 yard freestyle event was added to the meet becoming the longest event to date. The Decade is: In 1961, for the first time, standards of performance were established by the IHSAA. First place finishers in the sectional and any swimmer who bettered the set standards would advance to the state meet. In 1963 the IHSAA sponsored three boys’ sectionals at Columbus HS, Culver Military Academy and South Bend Washington for 31 teams. The State Meet was held in the new Royer Pool on the campus of Indiana University, Bloomington. Indiana’s Royer Pool remained the site through 1969 with seven sectionals being contested for 71 schools in that year. In 1966, the 200 yard freestyle relay was changed to the 400 yard freestyle relay (100 yards each of freestyle). The Decade is: In 1970, 84 teams participated in eight sectionals and the State meet moved to the new pool at Ball State University, Muncie. One meter diving went from a 10 dive program to an 11 dive program in 1970. In 1974, the only distance event became longer making it a 500 yard freestyle event. In the spring of 1975, the first annual Girls Swimming and Diving State Championships were held at Warren Central High School. It was no longer a G.A.A. sport (Girls Athletic Association). Seventy-four teams participated in this first Girls State Meet. The Girls State Championships then moved to Ball State University the next year. In 1978 due to the energy crisis the boys meet was moved to Culver Military Academy. Through this time the sport of IHSAA swimming grew immensely, both state swim finals were held at Ball State University through 1982. The finals that year had 168 boys’ teams participating in 16 sectionals. The Decade is: In 1982 State Swim Championships were moved to its current location, The Indiana University Natatorium on the IUPUI campus in Indianapolis. The IUPUI Natatorium is known as the “fastest pool in the world.” Beginning in 1983 the sectional winners, those achieving the time standards, and the swimmers with the next fastest sectional times was used to fill 32 positions to advance to the state meet. This is still the standard today. The Decade is: After a 25 year absence 1966-1990 the 200 yard freestyle relay was brought back for the 1990-1991 season making a total of three relays. Also, at that time an individual could participate in two relays and two individual events. In 1995 the state tournament saw the addition of diving regionals to the tournament series. There became 4 regional sites and at each site the top eight divers advanced to the State Finals that Saturday making thirty two divers at State like the swimming events. The 23rd annual Girls State Championships were held in February 1997 the girls season moved from a fall to a winter sport. Only 2 weeks separated them. The Decade is: In its 25th year of existence, the IU Natatorium on the IUPUI campus hosted the 2007 Girls and Boys State Championships. There were 334 boys representing 91 schools. It was at this year’s championships that several Indiana High School Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame inaugural inductees were introduced and so the history of our sport continues. The creation of the first Indiana High School Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame. In 2009, it was Chesterton’s day from the get-go winning back to back State Championships. It was “pure quality” not depth this year for Chesterton. North Central HS, Munster HS, and Carmel HS made history by finishing the team championship with a three way tie for second place. William Bass and Kyle Whitaker from Chesterton and Nathan Kinney from Hamilton Southeastern were double winners. Casey Johnson became the first Indian Creek HS State Champ in diving. Kyle Whitaker swam a national record 1:45.25 winning his 200 individual medley event. In 2010, Chesterton’s Kyle Whitaker won the Mental Attitude Award, breaking his own National High School record in the 200 individual medley and adding a state record in the 500yd freestyle. Whitaker became the first swimmer in Indiana history for the boys to win eight individual State championships. He also was part of four State championship relay teams, tying the record for overall titles set by Carmel’s Jason Lancaster from 1991 to 1994. In 2011 Carmel wins two in a row totaling 13 and Bloomington South finishes runner-up. Harrison Wagner was named the Mental Attitude Award winner, won the 50 & 100 freestyle events, and added a State record in the 50yd freestyle The 2012 State Meet was a repeat of last year’s final only closer. The margin of victory between Carmel and Bloomington South was 1 ½ points. It came down to the last event making it the 3rd closest finish in the history of Boys swimming. Bloomington South won all three relays even though they did finish runner-up in the meet. The remaining nine individual events were first time medal winners and from nine different schools. There were no meet records set. In 2013 Chesterton wins in high style. Two sets of twins helped Chesterton (Aaron & Ethan Whitaker) win the championship with North Central (Theodore & Joseph Steinkamp) finishing runner-up. Aaron Whitaker set two individual state records in the 100 butterfly & backstroke and with his twin they set another state record in the 400 freestyle relay. Team member, Blake Pieroni won two individual and two relay events setting a new state record in the 100 free and 400 free relay. The North Central twins were on the winning 200 free relay. Joshua Arndt, LaPorte is a two time state diving champ. The remaining event winners, Matt Irwin, Austin Flager, Trevor Carroll are now double winners in the top 20. In 2014, Chesterton dominates and repeats again. Avon High School finishes 2nd for the first time in the schools’ history. Aaron Whitaker and Blake Pieroni of Chesterton won their two individual events and were members of two winning relays. These two combined for five new State Meet records. In 2015, Carmel won just one event but captured the title with its team depth. Zionsville finishes 2nd for the first time in the schools’ history. Ian Finnerty of Bloomington South and Kyle DeCoursey of Zionsville both set one new state record apiece while winning two individual titles. Six teams: Avon, Brownsburg, Columbus North, Fort Wayne Snider, Munster, and Homestead won the remaining events spreading the bounty of wins across the State. Joe Young of Hamilton Southeastern finished 2nd in his two events and was named the Mental Attitude Award winner. An additional note to this year’s format was a new method of scoring diving. In 2016, The 79th State Championship meet came down to a one point difference. The last time this occurred was 27 years ago. Carmel and Zionsville finished one and two just like the year before. Chandler Bray of Avon set a State and National record in the 100 yds breaststroke, received the Mental Attitude Award, and was on the State record setting 200 yds.