Suffield Classmates Making a Splash

Suffield Classmates Making a Splash

Under the tutelage of longtime Suffield Academy swim coach and faculty member Andy Lowe, swimming teammates from the Class of 1981 David Spitzler, David Pite, and Mark McCullagh cultivated a passion for swimming at an early age. Remarkably, they have kept their passion for swimming alive even forty years after graduation in truly varied ways.

Lifelong athlete David Spitzler ’81 swam competitively at Tulane University after graduating from Suffield. Several years ago he got involved in cold water swimming, easing himself into this aspect of the sport by competing in 5K and 10K cold water races. Before long he was looking for a new challenge both in terms of the length and duration of the swim, and in the intensity of training. In early 2020 he began training for a “marathon-distance” swim. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, all pools were closed—which were critical for training—so he rescheduled his swim for the summer of 2021.

On August 6, 2021, David took on the challenge of swimming the “True Width” of Lake Tahoe in 65°F water, at an altitude of over 6,200 feet, without a wetsuit. The rules of such marathon swims are governed by the Northern California Open Water Swimming Association and specify that swimmers may only wear a Speedo or basic swimsuit, a swim cap, and a pair of goggles—anything beyond these items would disqualify them from having their swim ratified. David began the swim about 90 minutes before sunrise to take advantage of the calm waters and successfully completed the 12-mile crossing with a time of 5:56:32. “Just finishing was my primary goal. Finishing in under six hours exceeded my expectations,” David said, crediting Andy Lowe and many Suffield classmates for kindling his love of competitive swimming and seeking out and embracing new challenges. “Swimming has remained a constant positive force in my life.” As for his future plans, David will continue open water marathon swimming and attempting new challenges, though he hasn’t yet chosen what’s next.

Dave Pite ’81, who spent his postgraduate year swimming at Suffield and continued the sport all four years at Tufts University where he was elected captain in his senior year, has remained in the swimming field all these years later. Speaking about his Suffield coach he said, “Andy Lowe instilled in me and most of the swimmers at Suffield a dedication and love for the sport that still exists to this day.” Dave has three children, two of whom were very successful in Connecticut USA and CIAC swimming and in NCAA college swimming. He initially taught and coached his kids in swimming, yet when they moved on to training with a USA swim coach he realized the best way to remain involved and on deck with them was to become an official. Dave is now the Connecticut Swimming Officials Chair [he oversees Connecticut’s approximately 250+ USA swimming officials] and is on Connecticut Swimming’s Board of Directors. He is also a meet referee. In that capacity and as Chair he is ultimately responsible for the refereeing and officiating of both the Age Group and Senior championship “Swimming meets in Connecticut every year, as well as other championship meets.

"Swimming has remained a constant positive force in my life.” [DAVID SPITZLER]

"Andy Lowe instilled in me and most of the swimmers at Suffield a dedication and love for the sport that still exists to this day.” [DAVE PITE]

As Chair Dave oversees the Officials Committee, which helps him with everything he is responsible for in his position including certifying people by tracking their progress in the Officials Tracking System, evaluating officials or appointing someone to evaluate them, setting protocols, coordinating the annual officials meeting to set the agenda for the year, and setting up instructional clinics for current and incoming officials. He attends monthly Board of Directors meetings to assist with the smooth operation of Connecticut swimming. Dave achieved an N3 certification level as a referee from USA Swimming in 2016 and received the Phillips Service Award in 2017 for outstanding volunteerism after officiating more meets and sessions than anyone in the state for the previous decade. Though he has stopped swimming competitively himself, Dave has continued to apply Andy Lowe’s philosophy of being dedicated to your sport by being the best he can be as an official and swimming leader.

Mark McCullagh ’81 grew up minutes from the Suffield Academy campus—close enough to even go home for lunch a few times [which David Spitzler can vouch for!]. He was the third of four siblings to attend Suffield [along with his brothers Chuck ’78 and Neil ’87 and sister Linda ’80]. His wife Mary’s twin brothers—Tim and Pat Kennedy ’91—also attended Suffield. For Mark it was Andy Lowe’s presence in the classroom and on the pool deck that cemented a friendship that continues today. “I can absolutely say that my involvement in swimming was secured to Andy’s inspiration, coaching, friendship, and guidance at Suffield,” Mark said. “Swimming has been a thread throughout my life since the day I first met Andy on the Suffield soccer fields on a hot August day.” Andy convinced Mark to focus his efforts in the pool instead. Mark did and never looked back. He noted, “The sport has been a great source of friendship and community for me and for my family.”

"The sport has been a great source of friendship and community for me and for my family." [MARK MCCULLAGH]

Mark swam at Boston College, where he met his wife Mary [also a swimmer at BC]. Their three children swam through college as well. Mark was a USA Swimming Official in North Carolina for many years and he and Mary continue to swim with a masters team. They also became involved with Swim Across America around 1988 and have seen the nonprofit organization evolve and grow over the last thirty years. It was the perfect venture, a place where their shared passion for swimming and the mission of Swim Across America merged. SAA has raised over $100 million for early stage cancer research, clinical trials, and patient support. There are 21 open water charity swims and nine Swim Across America research labs demonstrating the commitment and partnership of the SAA beneficiaries. Mark and Mary remain committed to SAA and its mission, and the hope it gives to those whose lives have been touched by cancer. Mark is now hoping to get his goal of swimming across the English Channel back on track after his 2020 plan was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He looks forward to using that project to raise more awareness for the cause of Swim Across America. friendship and community for me Andy Lowe, the coach who continues to inspire his current and former students both in and for my family.” the pool and beyond, has been involved in the swimming world since his freshman year of high school at Loomis Chaffee. His own mentor, Bob Hartman, founded the Loomis swimming program and was “a very enthusiastic and supportive guy that got me really interested and engaged, wanting to do my best for him,” explained Andy. Loomis did not have a pool of their own, so in a funny turn of events Andy spent three years traveling to Suffield with his team to practice in their pool. After graduating from Stanford University, where he swam and also learned how to play water polo, Andy came back to Connecticut and worked for one year for Aetna Health Insurance before being approached for a swimming coach and history teacher position at Suffield [where, at the time, he was renting Suffield’s pool for practices for the year-round club swim team that he and a friend created]. Forty-two years later he has taught hundreds of athletes and history students, brought the sport of water polo and an academic business track to Suffield, and has four children who learned the joy of swimming even though they were only able to commit to it in their high school years. Andy raved, “Certainly I was proud of what they did.” Andy remains in touch with all three of his former swimmers from the class of 1981. He described David Spitzler as “highly competitive and very athletic and talented across numerous sports,” so he is not surprised by his determination to pursue such effortful challenges. He recalled that Dave Pite has always had a love of the sport and is proud to know that he’s become an excellent official who is quite well-respected. He is impressed with Mark’s long-term dedication and continued commitment to Swim Across America and its philanthropic endeavors. These longstanding relationships have evolved beyond that of coach and athlete. Andy said, “They all became important people in my life after they graduated.”