The historic Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania told SwimSwam earlier this week that head coach Pete Williams would be stepping down from his role of head coach after this season, but not away from Mercersburg altogether.
On Sunday, we caught up with Williams to further discuss his different, though not reduced, role with the school where he’s been the head coach since the 1988-1989 school year.
“I had the honor of leading this program for the past 25 years and will be actively involved in the program for a few more,” Williams said. “I will be helping with coaching duties and in addition I will also be focusing on the expected expansion of the program that includes the future construction of a new aquatic facility…I will continue my role in our Physical Education Department and will be working with our Admission and Advancement Offices as well.”
Williams alluded to a brand new, indoor, 50-meter pool that is being planned to replace the school’s current 9-lane, 25-yard, 3.5 foot deep pool.
“It’s going to be their program,” Williams emphatically confirmed. “This isn’t going to be a situation where they come in and I’m looming over them, it’s going to be more like ‘tell me what you want me to do.’
“I’m not retiring yet, but I’m definitely headed towards retirement in the next 2 or 3 years, and it makes more sense to bring someone in now who will be the face of the new program when the new facility opens, and make them the future of this program.”
The facility has been planned for some time as part of a $300-million fundraising campaign for the 120-year old secondary institution, and that campaign got a huge boost when Simon malls heiress Deborah J. Simon, an alumni, pledged $100 million to the cause in 2013.
“I think it’s a pretty exciting time for Mercersburg, not just swimming, but in general.”
Williams will be doing a little bit of fundraising, some work with the completion of the new facility, and will continue his work with the school’s physical education department. That program, which is not a traditional physical education program, includes bringing in all freshman to the school’s weight rooms and teaching them how to properly use the equipment, as the school’s goal is to give each student on a personalized fitness program.
Along with the new facility, Williams said the aquatics program is looking to expand beyond the current program, which is a complete overlap between the high school and USA Swimming programs.
“With a 50 meter, pool, you can do a lot of different things. Diving, water polo, scuba, and so on.”
Tuition at Mercersburg is currently $51,000 a year, and includes room and board. 32% of the student body receives need-based financial aid, and 49% received either need-based or merit-based aid.