Swimming for a Cause
By: Lauren Essig
On Saturday, December 30th, 140 swimmers from many clubs and swim teams over the MCSL joined forces to Swim for a Cause at the Quince Orchard Swim and Tennis Club in Gaithersburg, MD. Joe Flaherty’s Dolphins and Hydrosonic Tiburones hosted a swim meet in honor of Pierce English, a swimmer from MCSL’s Manchester Farm Swim Team, who passed away this summer. Pierce was a beloved member of the swim community as an athlete, coach, and lifeguard for 11 years. To read more about Pierce and his contribution to the swim community you can read about him HERE in an article we published this past summer. The swim meet raised over $6000 for the Manasseh House, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young men ages 18 to 24, as they transition out of the foster care system. Manasseh House teaches these men to lead through integrity, become champions of hope, and live with moral values in the community – all ideals that Pierce honored.
This meet wasn’t about posting fast times, breaking records, or cutthroat competition. This meet was about friends from various swim teams and clubs sitting together socializing on the deck, swimming together in the pool, and contributing to a great cause in memory of someone many of these swimmers knew and loved. 
The meet was fast, efficient, and fun for all!
Boys and girls in each age group competed against each other. No ribbons were given, but each swimmer walked away with a t-shirt in Pierce’s honor commemorating the meet. Shannon English, Pierce’s mom said, “Pierce had a protective and loving heart and would be so proud and honored to have his name a part of this.” English went on to mention that Manasseh House brought a young man from their program to the meet, and when he saw a picture of Pierce, he immediately recognized him from having played football with him. English added “All of this will directly affect a child Pierce knew. We had no idea that anyone involved knew Pierce until we met him the day of the meet.”
To learn more about the Manasseh House or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.manassehhouse.org