The championship swimming team dynasties of the late coaches Don Lemieux and John Tinker were among the recent 2023 inductees into the Gardner High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Both Lemieux and Tinker led Wildcat teams to dominance in different eras.
Under Lemieux from 1994 to 2015, the Gardner girls’ swim teams captured 16 state championships, including 15 straight from 1994 to 2008. Tinker, who coached from 1947 through 1968, guided the Wildcats to 13 state boys’ championships, including nine straight from 1953 through ’61.
Already inducted into the Gardner High Athletic Hall of Fame, the late David Phillips, a co-captain of Tinker’s last state championship team in 1966, later coached the Wildcats boys team to a state championship in 1980. Amazingly, over a span of the last 75 years, Gardner High swimmers combined to win 30 state team championships.
With current coach Lisa Arsenault, a swimmer on Lemieux’s state title teams from 1996 through 1999, the link to past glory remains. Arsenault’s current girls team is 3-2, while the boys are 2-3.
“Each meet so far has resulted in personal-best times for many of our swimmers,” said Arsenault, who is assisted by coach Francis Freel. “They’ve done a fantastic job coming together as one group among our co-op schools. We’re excited to see what 2024 will bring.”
For the first time in several years, the Wildcats are sending all three relay teams from both the boys and girls teams to the Central/West Sectionals.
Lemar Tigs, Sam Lewis, Alex Olson and Jacob Pervier have recently qualified for the boys’ 200 freestyle relay, while the girls’ 400 freestyle team of Mollie McGee, Elise Moury, Isabelle Dumas and Ella Reeves made the cut time.
—Contact Jay Gearan at sports@telegram.com.
