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Making a Splash: John H. N. Fisher '77 Challenge
Drive for the Pool Achieves Record Success
February 16, 2006
Last summer, John H. N. Fisher '77 extended
a fundraising challenge on behalf of Exeter's
pool renovation project. In order to reach the
overall goal of $2 million, John proposed to
match any gift of $25,000 or more, up to a personal
total of $1 million. His ambition was to name
the new pool in honor of coach Roger Nekton upon
Roger's eventual retirement from the Academy.
Little
did anyone know that the response would come
so quickly. As of December 31, John's challenge
was complete, thanks to generous donors who also
wished to honor Roger Nekton, and to help Exeter
regain a championship pool. Construction, which
was already underway thanks to a few early gifts,
finished just as the fundraising challenge ended.
Coaches and students celebrated by taking the
very first plunge into the untouched waters of
the new pool on January 2, 2006.
"This is a wonderful environment for the kids
to enter each day," says Don Mills, water
polo and swimming and diving coach, who took
over as head coach of both sports when Roger
Nekton went to part time teaching last year. "The
pool is fast, the teams are doing great, and
the kids are happy to be able to train and compete
at home once again."
Since construction
began last spring, Exeter's water athletes had
been shuttling back and forth
to the pool at Southern New Hampshire University
in Manchester. Now the teams are back on campus
and enjoying the benefits of a faster, deeper,
state-of-the-art pool. Exeter will once again
be able to host championship water polo matches
(which require an "all deep" facility);
the diving program has gained two feet of diving
space; and all teams are enjoying the super-calm
Myrtha pool system and new training technology
that includes an underwater camera system.
"Technology is becoming a vital component
not only for our competitive meets but also for
training
our student athletes," says Jean Farnum,
head coach of girls swimming and diving. "The
addition of the new TiVos and monitors, for example,
gives us the ability to provide divers with video
feedback of every dive they do. This same technology
can also be used with our swimming and water
polo programs."
John H. N. Fisher, whose
challenge helped bring the pool to completion,
couldn't be more pleased
with the results. "Roger Nekton had an important,
positive influence on my life and on those of
hundreds of other water sport athletes at Exeter
during his long and distinguished service to
the school," explains John. "The fact
that this challenge was completed so swiftly
is a testament to the enduring affection that
two generations of Exonians have for Roger. It
is gratifying to know that now Roger will be
honored at Exeter for generations to come."
Among
those who responded was Andrew McFarland '86,
who read about John's challenge in The
Exeter Bulletin and Non
Sibi. As an architect, Andrew
understood the
need to renovate the 34-year-old facility. "Professionally, and as a collegiate
swimmer, I have seen some clearly inferior facilities. There is no way we could
or should let Exeter's pool slowly decline into a state of obsolescence. While
'state-of-the-art' does not equal greatness, it does help, and a winning team
deserves a current facility." I also wanted to participate because
of Roger, who was a mentor, a guide, a friend.
He taught us incredible life lessons?that we
could reach a level of
performance we never thought we could achieve."
Among today's students
inspired by Roger Nekton is Thaddeus (Tad) Stebbins '06, co-captain of
the boys water polo team this past fall. Tad
took the
unusual step of joining alumni/ae and parent contributors to help complete
the pool
challenge. "Coach Nekton and the Exeter aquatics program have significantly
shaped my time at the Academy," says Tad. "I felt that it would
be appropriate to honor Coach this way and to help ensure the future success
of
the program. Such a championship-quality facility will attract the top water
polo players, swimmers and divers, further continuing Exeter's winning tradition.
Plus it will allow future teams to capitalize on the distinct home pool advantage!"
Undesignated
Gifts Vital to Pool's Success>>
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