Severn River Swimming Association Is Looking For More Teams And Swimmers

Many older Severna Park residents remember when the summer neighborhood swim meets took place in the Magothy and Severn rivers.

During the 1950s, the Severn River Swimming Association (SRSA) had numerous neighborhoods competing including Sherwood Forest, Round Bay, Olde Severna Park, Pines On The Severn, West Severna Park, Epping Forest, Linstead and Winchester-on-the-Severn.

By the 1970s, neighborhoods on both rivers built outside pools and neighborhood swim contests moved to those facilities instead of the rivers.

However, there are four Severn River communities that have held on to those traditions and still use the river for their meets. Organizers are hoping that more communities will join the league.

“Our association wants our neighborhood children to build confidence swimming in the river, become better swimmers, and have fun,” said Round Bay adult sponsor David Matthews.

The league hosts meets from mid-June to late-July. Swimmers range from 5 to 18 years old and compete in every stroke technique: freestyle, breast, butterfly and backstroke. They practice multiple times during the week and have meets on Saturday mornings.

“My wife and I are the adult sponsors and organizers in Round Bay, and for the Saturday meets, we try to make it a carnival atmosphere with grilling of hot dogs and hamburgers, snow cones, and enjoying the friendly competition between neighborhoods,” Matthews said.

One of the league’s benefits is that families who are new to the community can meet their neighbors in a fun environment and begin new friendships.

“We moved into Round Bay when I was 7 and joining the team was a great way to meet new friends,” said Mari Matthews, who is now the swim team’s head coach.

“We moved from Alexandria and at first I was reluctant to swim in the river, but I will always remember my first meet when one of the neighborhood moms swam with me to make me feel safer,” Mari recalled.

Mari is a rising junior at Severna Park High School, and this will be her second year as a coach with Round Bay; last year, she was an assistant coach. Mari’s younger brother, Charlie, will be an assistant coach this year.

“We really have fun with the drills we use, and it’s all about getting the swimmers to learn better techniques and to get comfortable in the river,” Mari shared.

To ferry swimmers to meets, the SRSA utilizes boats to cross the Severn.

“The kids love those trips across the river, and it really builds friendships and memories,” David Matthews said.

The swim meets highlight neighborhood pride as all of the timers, turn-judges, grilling staff, and set-up and clean-up crews are volunteers.

Matthews hopes that by continuing the decades-old tradition of having swim meets in the Severn, more neighborhoods will join the league and enable younger residents to become more confident swimmers.

If a community would like to join the SRSA, a representative can email David Matthews at matthewsdavidbiz@gmail.com.