As the Southbrook boys’ swim season commences, one senior prepares to conclude a career that started late but has been chock full of achievements. That senior is Danny Dalrymple. Despite only starting swimming competitively as a sophomore, he has been a key player for the squad since his arrival. 

In his first year as a swimmer, Dalrymple gained honors such as All-Conference for the 50-yard freestyle race, All-American for the 200-yard medley, and All-County for the 400-yard freestyle relay. That season was a successful one for the team as it came in second place in its conference and eighth place in the state. 

As Dalrymple gained experience, he gained skills as well. Notwithstanding his stellar sophomore year performance, his junior year was even better. He once again earned multiple All-County and All-Conference recognitions and was one of the most important swimmers on the team. In the 50-yard freestyle race, coach Ryan Clark noted his improvement: “Danny came in with a 50 freestyle time of 29 [seconds], and last year was .02 [seconds] off from the cut time to qualify for the state championship with a best time of 21.21 [seconds].  He has improved in every season. Being able to cut his time by eight seconds is a product of Dalrymple’s work ethic.” Clark added, “The best skill Danny exhibits is his work ethic; he has consistently put in the time necessary to become one of the top swimmers in Nassau County. His ability to fine tune his starts, turns, and finishes helped propel the team to a third-place finish and an All-American consideration.” 

This hard work has helped Dalrymple become perhaps the most important swimmer on this year’s team. However, Dalrymple’s success cannot only be attributed to his own doing. He explained that his teammates push him: “Having great teammates throughout all my seasons has pushed me to work hard.” 

For the Southbrook swim and dive team, Dalrymple’s skills out of the pool are as important as his skills in it. Dalrymple said, “As a senior, I lead the team to success by setting a good example and giving my best every day.” His teammates also noticed his skills as a leader. Junior Cameron Redfearn said, “Danny’s a great leader because he’s serious and keeps everyone in check. He also is great at giving advice and helping out his teammates.” As Darlrymple’s career comes to a close, his talent, hard work, and leadership will be remembered as what made him a special Lynbrook athlete.