Head women’s swim coach relates swimming to life

ASHLEY WEYLER STAFF WRITER ARW723@CABRINI

Edu

Watch out Michael Phelps! Phelps has nothing on Mike Kernicky, head coach of Cabrini’s women’s swim team. Kernicky has been around the block, the starting block that is.

Born and raised in Folcroft, Pa., Kernicky has been making waves in swimming for the last 40 years. With his best event being the 100 yard butterfly, he received a scholarship for swimming to Rider University. His junior year he transferred to Widener University and completed his college swimming career.

Kernicky is married to Bonnie, with two sons, Michael and John, both following in their father’s footsteps swimming for Villanova University and Malvern Prep High School. He is also the Vice President/Certified Financial Planner/Wealth Management Advisor for Merrill Lynch & Co.

Kernicky is also proud of his musical band called “The Shade,” which he has been a member of for the last 20 years.

Kernicky also coaches Norte Dame Academy’s swim team, who practices in the Dixon Center. Since the program has been ranked to varsity status, Kernicky said, “We are consistently one of the best high school swim teams in Delaware County.”

Besides coaching two separate teams at the moment, he is also training to swim in the U.S. Masters meet, which, according to its website, “is a national organization of more than 43,000 members that provides organized gram, which has gone undefeated in their league for the past nine years. This is where Jennifer Manning met Coach Kernicky. She now is his assistant coach. Manning said that he has always been motivated and enthusiastic as her coach growing up.

Comparing to then and now, over the years not much has changed in her opinion, although ideas and techniques for training are always improving.

“I know how they feel at practice because I was a swimmer...I know what their parents expect from them because I have my own children who are swimmers and students,”

Head swim coach, Michael Kernicky workouts, competitions, clinics and workshops for adults aged 18 and over.”

Kernicky’s teams always have a quote of the day at each practice. “I try to tie that in with a lesson for the work-out,” Kernicky said. He also surrounds himself with his exswimmers as assistant coaches. During the summertime, for the past 11 years, Kernicky coaches the De La Salle Swim Club pro-

Comparing coaching the swim club and coaching high school and college-level teams, Manning said, “There is quite a distinction between running after a bunch of eight and unders and dealing with the ladies at the high school and college levels. Doesn’t matter. Kernicky will work it out!”

Kernicky also said that everyday interesting stories happen at practices and meets of the Cabrini swim team. “This year’s team is very eclectic with girls from many different places and they are really starting to bond as a team. That’s always fun to watch!” Kernicky said.

“I try to explain to the swimmers and prospective swimmers that I know how they feel at practice because I was a swimmer, I know how to train them because I’ve been in the sport for more or less 40 years and I know what their parents expect from them because I have my own children who are swimmers and students,” Kernicky said.

Not only is Kernicky an experienced swimmer, he is also an inspirational coach to every team he coaches. He said, “My life is better because of the lessons I learned in sport [swimming], so I try to pass on how that what the swimmers do in the water each day can and will have an effect on how they live, achieve and accomplish things in their lives.”

New addition to the swim team

MICHELLE MORAN GUEST WRITER MLN724@CABRINI EDU

Freshman Meghan O’Leary has started her Cabrini swimming season with some unbelievable records. Meghan has broken two Cabrini swim records this year alone.

O’Leary broke the 100 meter butterfly school record with an incredible time of 1:11.63. She also was part of the 200 medley relay that broke a Cabrini swimming record. The medley relay consisted of O’Leary, Kristen Longa, Christina Callahan, and Meredith Kroener.

O’Leary started swimming about 11 years ago, though she has been competitively swimming for 8 years. She attended Bishop Shanahan high school in Downingtown where she was a part of their swim team. O’Leary says that she enjoys swimming all year long. During the summer season Meghan is a life guard in Cape May N.J At Cabrini O’Leary wants to graduate with a double major in education.

O’Leary’s quickness and precision brings a lot to the women’s swim team. She likes to swim in the 500 meter freestyle and the 100 meter butterfly.

She feels that here at Cabrini her swimming coaches and team are very supportive and helpful. She likes how there is more personalized help and training by her coaches and teammates here at Cabrini. O’Leary feels that her medley relay has great potential to keep winning events and lowering their times.

Her personal goal for this season is to keep lowering her personal race times. To help this goal along O’Learu practices five times a week with her team and does runs on her own time. Fortunately Meghan has stayed healthy and injury free so far this season. Although the women’s swim team is not large in numbers O’Leary feels that as a team they are very strong together.

To see O’Leary and her teammates in action come to one of the girls swimming meets. Upcoming home meets include Ocean City on Jan. 8 at 1 p.m., Eastern University on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m., and Arcadia University on Jan. 29 at 1 p.m..