NORTH BALTIMORE AQUATIC CLUB HISTORY

Murray Stephens and Tim Pierce began training  swimmers in the summer of 1967 and the North Baltimore Aquatic Club was incorporated in the spring of 1968 as an Amateur Athletic Union member club.

NBAC sent Bob Gavin to Olympic Trials in Los Angeles in 1968 in 200 Butterfly.  This was just the beginning of the great swimming to come.  Murray became the head coach in 1971 and in 1972 qualified the first NBAC girl for U.S. Nationals who placed 14th in 1650 Freestyle in Dallas, Texas.  Carter Warfield, as NBAC’s Head Age Group Coach, developed scores of swimmers as precise in their technique as they were fast.  Also in 1972, two girls swam in the Olympic Trials in Chicago.  In 1976, NBAC continued its fast swimming when Janet  Freudenstein placed 8th in 100 Backstroke at Olympic Trials in Long Beach, California.  She missed making the team by only one second.

At the Olympic Trials in 1980 in Irvine, Theresa Andrews placed fifth in the 100 Backstroke and Polly Winde placed fifth in 200 Breaststroke.  In November, John Cadigan began assisting Murray both at Loyola High School and with the NBAC Senior Group.  The next summer, NBAC had its first National Champion when Theresa Andrews won 100 Backstroke at U.S. Nationals in  Brown Deer, Wisconsin.  Theresa was not finished yet!  NBAC sent three swimmers, Theresa, Julia Gorman, and Jill Johnson to Olympic Trials in 1984.  After making the United States Olympic Team in 1984, Theresa won two gold medals in Backstroke in Los Angeles.  Theresa swam to an individual gold in 100 Backstroke and won her second on the USA 400 Medley Relay Team.  That year, also at the Olympics, former NBAC swimmers Patrick Kennedy (USA) and Ricardo Aldabe (Spain) placed in the top eight in 200 Butterfly and 200 Backstroke respectively.

Tim Pierce and Carter Warfield coached with Murray for the first fifteen years of the club’s existence.  In the spring of 1985, Tom Himes joined the staff as Head Age Group Coach.  Patty Stephens began in the fall of 1987.

1986 brought a new name to the headlines.  Julia Gorman flew to a silver medal in 200 Butterfly at the Goodwill Games in Moscow, U.S.S.R. that summer.  She also won the first of her three U.S. National Titles at the Long Course Summer Championships in Santa Clara.  Also in the winter of 1986-1987, Murray and Patricia Stephens purchased Meadowbrook Swim Club in Mt. Washington and began planning for the NBAC’s third decade and beyond. 

In 1992, Anita Nall set the swimming world on fire with two World and American  Records in 200 Breaststroke at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis.  Placing first in both breaststroke events qualified Anita to represent the United States at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.  Anita brought home a gold, silver and a bronze medal from the Olympics.  She added an American Record in the 100 Breaststroke and swam on the U.S.A. 400 Medley Relay team that set both World and American records.  Former NBAC swimmer Jill Johnson (USA) placed in the B Final in 200 Breaststroke.  

In 1994, another NBAC swimmer made it to international competition by winning her first National Championship in 200 Butterfly.  Whitney Phelps, by virtue of her 200 Butterfly title made the United States National Team which competed in Rome, Italy at the FINA World Championships.  Whitney placed ninth in the event.  1994 also brought NBAC their first  National Team Championship.  In March, in Federal Way, Washington, the NBAC women  captured the team title.  At the U.S. Open Championship in 1994, the women’s team again captured the first place title.

In 1995, the NBAC women captured their second straight spring U.S. National Team Championship.   In August of 1995, Whitney Phelps and Beth Botsford earned positions on the U.S. National Team which competed in the Pan Pacific Games.  In addition, Murray Stephens was selected as an assistant coach for the United States Pan Pacific Team.

The next Olympic year, 1996, saw the Summer Games return to U.S. soil for the Centennial Games in Atlanta, Georgia.  NBAC age group phenom Beth Botsford rose to the  occasion qualifying for both Backstroke events.  Whitney Metzler qualified in 400 IM. Additionally, NBAC Head Coach Murray Stephens was named an assistant USA Olympic Coach for the women’s team.  Beth won the 100 Backstroke gold medal, and like Theresa   Andrews, swam to a second gold medal in the USA 400 Medley Relay.  Whitney Metzler swam a lifetime best effort to make finals and finish eighth in 400 IM.  Former NBAC  swimmer Casey Barrett (CAN) placed in the B Final in 200 Butterfly.  The 1996 chapter of NBAC’s story was not finished yet.  Murray Stephens was named Coach of the Year  by both the American Swimming Coaches Association and United States Swimming. Coach Bob Bowman joined the staff in the summer of 1996.

In 1997, Beth Botsford won both Backstroke National Titles at the U.S. National Championships in Buffalo, New York.  In the summer Long Course Championships, Beth qualified for the World Championship Team for the 1998 FINA World Championships in Perth, Australia.  Murray was named an Assistant Women’s USA National Team Coach.

In the summer of 1998 at Summer National, Anita Nall qualified for the 1999 World University Games in Spain and Beth Botsford earned a place on the 1999 Pan American Games Team, where she won a silver and a bronze medal. Coaches John Burke and Ann Hollister joined the NBAC staff in 1998.   Murray was named Head USA Men’s Coach  for the 2000 World Short Course Championships in Athens, Greece.  Anita Nall competed for the U.S. at the same meet.

In the 1999, NBAC began an Endowment Fund to ensure the club’s continued  success.  1999 and 2000 saw NBAC host the FINA World Cup at the University of Maryland. Coach Michael Brooks joined NBAC in 1999 to lead the York satellite team at Crispus Attucks. 2000 was another Olympic year and once again NBAC swimmers competed at Olympic Trials.  Michael Phelps became the youngest male swimmer in 68 years to make a US Olympic Team.  Michael finished second in 200 Butterfly to make the US squad.  NBAC Senior Coach Bob Bowman accompanied Michael to Sydney, Australia where he finished fifth in 200 Butterfly.  Michael Phelps’ relentless assault on the National Age Group Records led to NBAC passing a milestone of having had its swimmers set over 100 of these records.  Coaches Paul Yetter and Rachel Fishbain joined the staff in 2001. 

In March of 2001, at age fifteen,   Michael Phelps broke the World Record in 200 Butterfly becoming the youngest male world record holder in history.  NBAC Senior coach Bob Bowman was named as assistant US National Team Coach for the World Championships.  Michael lowered his own World Record at the FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan in July, winning a gold medal in 200 Butterfly.  In August, Michael won 200 IM and 100 Butterfly at U.S. National Championships in Fresno, California.  He was the male high point award winner of the meet.  Meghan Sackett, 14, finished third in 1500 Free winning the Female Rookie of the Meet award.  Bob Bowman received both the ASCA and the USA Swimming Coach of the year honors. 

2002 brought some new faces to the coaching staff while marking a new club milestone.  Coaches Tom Yetter and Dan Dougher joined the staff as Paul Yetter took the lead coaching position in Harford County. Bob and Michael traveled to Yokohama, Japan for the Pan Pacific Games where Michael won four gold and two silver medals.  Michael Phelps became NBAC's first multiple world record holder in Individual events when he broke the 400 IM record at Summer Nationals in Ft. Lauderdale.  In a race considered by many to be one of the best races ever, Michael edged out Eric Vendt to take the record. Also at Nationals, Jamie Barone was named Rookie of the Meet. Bob Bowman was named USA Swimming Developmental Coach of the Year.  NBAC was named a 2002 USA Swimming Gold Club, one of only 25 in the country.

2003 began on a high note with NBAC retaining its title as Eastern Classic Champions in Atlanta, Georgia.  In March, NBAC Harford standout twelve-year-old Courtney Kalisz  set three National Age Group Records on Sunday at the Eastern Zone Region II Sectionals.  In May, she continued her assault with  six 11-12 national age group records in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Between those record setting swims, Michael Phelps and Emily Goetsch competed for Team USA in the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool between the United States and Australia.  Emily finished fourth in 100 M Fly and Michael won three individual events and one relay.  He broke his own world record in 400 IM and set a new American Record in 100 Fly.  This just days after Michael had won national titles in 100 Fly, 200 Free and 200 Backstroke, becoming the first man to win titles in three strokes at a National Championship.

The Summer of 2003 saw Phelps on a tear unrivalled in the history of competitive swimming.  In a span of two months,  he broke the world records in the 200 IM four times, lowered his own 200 Fly and 400 IM records and broke the world record in 100 Butterfly.  He left the World Championships in Barcelona with four gold and two silver medals.  Shortly thereafter, Michael became the first man to win five national titles at Senior Nationals in College Park, Maryland where he won an unprecedented five national titles in 100, 200 (American Record)  and 400 Free, 200 Back, and 200 IM, in which he broke his own world record.  Emily Goetsch won her first national title in the 100 M Butterfly.  NBAC was again named a USA Swimming Gold Club. 

2004 was a year filled with expectations as the Olympic Games returned to their birth country  of  Greece.  For four years, NBAC swimmers had practiced with caps which read "Athens 2004."  The year began with Katie Hoff breaking her own 13-14 200 Meter IM NAG record at Auburn.  In February, NBAC placed second at Senior Nationals behind 1st place efforts by Katie Hoff, Michael Phelps and Kevin Clements.  In what would become a common sight in 2004, Michael graced his first national magazine cover (other than Swimming World) when he appeared on the cover of ESPN Magazine. In March, Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff each took a pair of NAG records at the Maryland Swimming Championship.  In April, Michael won the prestigious Sullivan Award.  May saw a first for NBAC.  Underneath a tent covering three fourths of the outdoor pool at Meadowbrook, 500 supporters of NBAC mixed with 13 Olympic hopefuls, past Olympians, parents, and coaches for the NBAC Countdown to Gold, an evening of live and silent auctions, dinner and dancing which raised monies for the NBAC Endowment Fund.  Twelve NBAC swimmers attended the Olympic Trials in Long Beach, California in July. Michael Phelps led the team to an unprecedented 8 individual placings on the Olympic Team.  He placed first in 200 and 400 IM, 200 Free, 200 Fly; second in 200 Back and 100 Fly.  Katie Hoff, of NBAC's Harford site coached by Paul Yetter, earned positions in both 200 and 400 IM. In addition, Bob Bowman was named an Men's Assistant Olympic Coach.  In Athens, Michael thrilled the world with a record tying haul of eight medals, 6 gold, two bronze.  He won gold in 200 and 400 IM, 200 Butterfly, 100 Butterfly and the 4 x 200 Free Relay and the 4 x 100 Medley relay.  In her first international meet, Katie Hoff finished seventh in 200 IM.  NBAC alumni Chris Kaplan joined NBAC as the Lead Coach of the York Site. In 2004, NBAC alum Mike Raley, who had been teaching the NBAC Stroke Clinic for several years, joined the coaching staff.  In October, Katie Hoff won two medals at Short Course World Championships in Indianapolis; silver in 400 IM, bronze in 200 IM.    At the NBAC Christmas Meet in December, the 11-12 Girls set a new NAG record in 400 Free Relay.  Katie Hoff closed her Olympic year breaking two of the oldest NAG records: Tracy Caulkins 200 and 400 IM records from 1979. 

NBAC continued its national and international success in 2005.  Courtney Kalisz represented the USA at Junior Pan Pacs in Hawaii, earning a silver and bronze medal  NBAC sent eight swimmers to World Championship Trials.  Katie Hoff made the USA Team in 4 individual events and one relay.  Katie also broke the American Record in 200 IM.  Choosing to swim three individual events in Montreal, Katie won Gold Medals in 200 and 400 IM, breaking her American & U.S. Open Record in 200 IM.  Katie added to her Gold count swimming on the 800 Free Relay.  Coach Paul Yetter was also named a US Assistant Coach for the Women’s Team, joining coaches Murray Stephens and Bob Bowman as Team USA coaches.  Courtney Kalisz continued her National Age Group Record haul, setting two in one day in 13-14 G 200 yard Backstroke.  Katie Hoff also broke 15-16 G 100 Butterfly NAG record.  NBAC won its second consecutive Maryland State Swimming Championship.   NBAC was again honored as USA Swimming Gold Team.

The 2005-2006 Short Course season saw NBAC win the 6th annual dual meet with Curl-Burke.  A strong NBAC team won the US Open in December. That set the stage for winning, in order, the Maryland Swimming Championships, The Eastern Zone Southern Regional Championships, and winning the Combined Team Spring National Championship in Federal Way, Washington.  Individual Champions included Katie Hoff, Courtney Kalisz, and Felicia Lee.  Felicia became the newest member of the NBAC NAG record holders club adding the 13-14 G 100 Y Butterfly. Katie Hoff added the 15-16 500 Y Free, 400 Y IM, and 200 Y IM.  The Long Course season began with Kirsten Groome winning the US Open Water 5K Championship.  Katie Hoff added four NAG records in 200 M Free (twice), 200 M and 400 M IM.  At the Summer National Championships in Irvine, Katie won the Kiputh Award high point award. Katie Hoff and Dan Madwed were named to Pan Pac Roster in Vancouver, British Columbia ; Ian Rowe (Bronze 1500 Free) and Courtney Kalisz (Gold 200 Fly) named to FINA World Youth  Championship team in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.  Courtney, Dan, Michele King and Kirsten Groome are candidates for 2007 Pan America Games and 2007 World University Games.  Paul Yetter was named assistant US Women's Team coach for Pan Pacs.  Ian Rowe and Felicia Lee are Rookie of the Meet winners.  Kirsten Groome (4th) also competed in the 5K FINA Open Water World Championships in Naples, Italy.  In the space of 16 days, NBAC athletes swam in competitions representing the United States on three different continents in two hemispheres.  In the Spring of 2006, NBAC Master’s swimmers won the Eastern Zone Small Team division and had several top ten finishes at Nationals.  In August of 2006 seven NBAC swimmers competed in the FINA Masters World Championship with several more top ten finishes.  2006 also saw Head Coach Murray Stephens inducted into the ASCA Hall of Fame and the Loyola College Athletic Hall of Fame. In September of 2006, NBAC welcomed Coach Jason Bowes to the staff.

NBAC’s age group program has continued to develop swimmers to their fullest potential since 1968.  Sons and daughters of NBAC swimmers are now training with the team their parents swam for.  NBAC currently holds 46 National Age Group Records and was ranked the #1 Age Group Team in the United States from 1990-1996 and 2002 by the American  Swimming Coaches Association.  In the USA Swimming Club Excellence Program, NBAC placed 2nd in 2005 behind Longhorn Aquatics, a club team out of the University of Texas. Now expanded to three training locations, NBAC still holds a majority of Maryland State Records (699 out of 1053).  In the past decade, NBAC has added a lesson program (Baltimore's Best Swim School 2002) and Stroke Development Clinic which aid in the development of beginners into NBAC Champions.