A look back on the Badger Ball…
On May 28, 2015, Badger Swim Club hosted our first homecoming event to honor its deeply rooted contributions to the sport of swimming and lofty goals for the future. We brought together swimmers from both past and present, their coaches and Badger friends to amass a network of colleagues who represent a half century of dedication, perseverance, and love for the sport of competitive swimming. The event was attended by over 400 Badger Olympic swimmers, national and world champions, current Badger swimmers training for the Olympic dream in Rio in 2016, coaches, family, and friends.
The evening began with guests walking through 50 years of Badger Swimming photography and memorabilia, which led guests into the cocktail room overlooking the Long Island sound. During the extended cocktail hour, guests participated in a robust silent auction, took pictures in front of the photo backdrop and enjoyed live acoustic music, all while partaking in unending culinary delights. Guests then moved upstairs to the grand ball room for an elegant dinner where a remarkable slideshow of photographs from over the years greeted them on two large screens, set to the music of The Doors– by John’s request. At the tables, guests discovered an impressive Badger Ball journal waiting for them, which told the story of Badger Swimming through historic photographs, written articles about Badger history, Ruth Collins, Bill Stremmel and others, as well as paid advertisments. In addition to the keepsake books, guests took home Badger branded luggage tags.
The main focus of the evening was around our legendary coach, John Collins, who spoke about his personal history and experiences as a swimmer and coach and led into Badger history, Badger present and Badger future. John captivated the room and inspired many.
Guest speaker Badger Olympic gold medalist, Lea Loveless- Maurer shared her experiences of training and swimming at the Olympic level under John, and how it has impacted her life as a current swim coach at Stanford University, a mother, and in all areas of her life. Lea made guests laugh as they listened with ease, while simultaneously imparting the deep rooted message of hard work, commitment and what it really means to be a Badger- for life.
The evening wrapped up with the announcement of the 50/50 winner, a small live auction, mingling, live music and dancing. Upon exiting the venue, guests were offered old fashioned Italian ice and hot pretzels off a charcoal grill for the ride home- an excellent finishing touch.
The venue, the staff, the guests, the audio and visual supports, the decor and the overall atmosphere of the night all contributed to the success of this event. It surpassed everyone’s wildest expectations and served as a great reminder of Badger memories and it’s future goals.
The event conveyed a strong message to all Badgers- past and present….It’s time to get on the Badger Bus and hit the Road to Rio. LET’S GO!
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