Jones Named to ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team
Courtesy: Harvard Athletic Communications
Release: 05/21/2009
Bill Jones is an eight-time Ivy League champion.
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Courtesy: DSPics.com
Bill Jones is an eight-time Ivy League champion.
*CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - *Senior Bill Jones
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of the Harvard men's swimming and diving team earned /ESPN The Magazine/
Academic All-District 1 at-large recognition for his effort in the pool
and in the classroom as announced by CoSIDA Thursday. Jones, an
organismic and evolutionary biology concentrator, was tabbed to the
All-District first team.
A native of Fremont, Mich., Jones received All-Ivy League first-team
honors in the 200 medley relay and garnered All-Ivy second-team
accolades in the 100 butterfly, 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley
relay. He broke the previous Ivy League record in the 100 butterfly,
touching the wall in 46.12, and also helped the 200 medley relay surpass
the conference mark with a time of 1:27.61.
Jones, a 16-time All-Ivy selection as well as an Academic All-Ivy League
choice this year, qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100 and
200 butterfly this season, taking 28th in the 100 fly with a time of 47.11.
--
Timothy D. Murphy
Head Coach of Men's Swimming
Harvard University
65 North Harvard St.
Boston, MA 02163
office 617-495-2268
fax 617-507-0772
/ I thought you would all enjoy reading the essay Tom Peterson wrote for
the Hall of Fame Dinner
/
Tom Peterson '92
Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame Essay
I would like to thank the Harvard Varsity Club and the Selection
Committee. It is truly an honor to be recognized along side such
incredible athletes this year and those athletes who have come before us.
Swimmers are a different breed. Many of you who know swimmers or know
of them will probably not debate me on this point. And yes, you could
say that this is because we are often a bit socially awkward, and
actually choose to spend 20 hours a week under water, in isolation ,with
the exception of 3 second breaks where you are carrying on a
conversation in bits and pieces.
We sweat chlorine; it actually comes out of our pours; our hair is so
brittle it breaks when we take our shirts on and off; we put our bodies
through excruciating things twice a day, one of which times is
disturbingly early. We can spot a fellow swimmer from 10 yards out
because the sport actually transforms our bodies to become more
efficient in the water - well, that and we also tend to be a bit awkward
on land. We can sleep standing up, are known to take naps several times
a day and we don't really have an "off-season". We talk about things
like negative splits, buoys and paddles, conseys and finals, going to
"The Show", anchor legs, and 4, 6 and 8 beat kicks. And, while many
non-swimmers know that we shave our bodies on a regular basis, we also
occasionally wear panty hose in the pool. We are not normal.
I have been asked so many times while I was swimming, why I did it?
Why did I spend 11 months a year doing 10 practices a week for 25-30
hours of training time, covering 8-10 miles a day and 50 miles a week in
the water, not to mention the time spent in drives or walks to and from
practice? The answer has always been the same. It is who I am and it
is in my blood. There is pure joy in being able to master a substance
that is so foreign to others. There is elegance and simplicity and
knowing that whether you beat your best time, and whether you win a race
comes down only to you and how hard you've trained, how hard you wanted
it. When you are no longer swimming, you realize how illusive defining
victory can be in other venues and how diffused the outcome can be from
your effort. The work world just doesn't come with a pace clock, or a
scoreboard or electronic touchpads.
Swimming is mostly, and is at its core, an individual sport. What is
so incredible about Harvard Swimming is that it transforms a bunch of
individuals competing (often against each other, at times on relays with
each other) into a brotherhood that transcends generations. I have an
affinity and a kinship with those Harvard Swimmers who came before me,
and those who came after. I feel that I know exactly what they are
experiencing, the nature of their friendships and the quality of their
experience. I know that they, like I, have bonds with their teammates
that will last a lifetime.
Part of the reasons behind the closeness of these bonds is that which
happens when any group goes through a difficult challenge together. It
is akin to the Marine's emerging from Paris Island, the shared
experience of putting your body through incredible challenge and
emerging stronger, more confident and with the knowledge that your
closest friends were there with you.
But this doesn't fully capture the full essence of the brotherhood that
is Harvard Swimming. The rest of it exists because of the constancy and
tradition across the past 77 years. Regardless of the year, the coach
we swam under, or whether we had suits that cover much of our body, or
very little of it; we share a common identity. We hate Princeton
Swimming (though while not necessarily hating all Princeton swimmers),
we can do the Hipza in our sleep, are giddy with the energy from our
taper at Easterns, want desperately to go to "The Show", would like to
avoid but prove ourselves as Ironman, hate and love the trudge across
the bridge in freezing cold at ungodly hours, and take trips to sunny
places in the winter only to spend 6 hours a day in the water.
But mostly, we love to wear Crimson and we love knowing that we can
compete at any level, while representing the greatest University in the
world. Go Harvard!
I would like to thank my college roommates, who were so supportive of me
through four years of "keeping the noise down" and wild mood swings from
lack of sleep; my teammates, in particular Donny, Stephen, John, Brent,
Chris and Sean, who cheered me on, even when we competed against each
other; for my coaches in particular Joe Bernal, Mike Chasson, and Matt
Kredich who had such different styles, but made such a tremendous impact
on me in different ways; the University for giving me a chance to
represent this incredible institution; and, mostly my parents, who
sacrificed so much to let me have this experience. You all mean more to
me than words could possibly express.
-
Timothy D. Murphy
Head Coach of Men's Swimming
Harvard University
65 North Harvard St.
Boston, MA 02163
office 617-495-2268
fax 617-507-0772