W
hen you don’t know where to start, you
just have to dive in.
And that’s just what Pittsburgh Elite
Aquatics did when it was created last
year through a merger of the Upper St.
Clair and Chartiers Valley swimming club
programs.
While each club had its own history—nearly 100
years between them—the merger opens up new
opportunities to a broader membership.
Head coach Joe Nemeth leads the Chartiers Valley
program and hopes to resurrect the water polo team,
which was active in the 1990s and early 2000s. In
addition, Upper St. Clair is planning to build a new
eight-lane pool, which will provide more flexibility than
the current five-lane facility.
It will be a great complement to the Olympic-sized
pool at Chartiers Valley High School and the new pool
in Scott Township, Nemeth says.
“The pool at Char
Valley is a hidden
gem,” he notes. “We’re
one of the few high
schools in the nation
that has access to an
Olympic-sized pool.”
In addition to
new programs and
facilities, Pittsburgh
Elite Aquatics offers a
wide variety of lessons
and competitive
teams. The coaches
provide diving lessons
and lifeguard training.
There are summer
swim programs and a
masters swim team for
adults. “I don’t think
half the community
knows there’s a masters option,” Nemeth laments.
“We’re trying to get the word out and make people
aware.”
Currently, more than 230 swimmers participate in
a wide variety of clubs from the introductory level to
competitive high school teams. Last year, one swimmer
qualified for the Olympic trials. “We have a well-
rounded program that meets the needs of all our kids,”
Nemeth adds. “We have an option for nearly anybody.”
He hopes the program will continue to grow after
Chartiers Valley and Upper St. Clair merged last year.
The merger allowed the teams to share resources and
created a greater sense of community. “We wanted to get
more kids in the pool and maintain our connection to
the community,” Nemeth explains.
Some teams compete year-round, but most of the big
competitions are in February and March. Many of the
meets are in the western Pennsylvania region, but teams
also travel to Ohio and Florida.
Nemeth began his swimming career in the Scott
Sharks summer program at age 6. He swam for Central
Catholic High School and later at Denison University. “I
just stuck with it and the rest is history,” he says.
He tailors his coaching style to suit the needs of
the swimmers. For children, he makes it fun and
focuses on building
friendships. For
more competitive
swimmers, he teaches
them the importance
of consistency and
accountability.
Seeing swimmers
compete at the
collegiate level has
been one of the most
rewarding parts
of being a coach,
Nemeth adds.
Swimming has
many benefits, and
athletes have to learn
time-management
skills in order to
balance school and
practice sessions.
To be successful, swimmers also have to be consistent,
Nemeth advises.
“At a high level, if you slack off for even a week, you
see the effects very quickly,” he says. “It isn’t easy but if
you stick with it you will see positive results.”
For more information, visit peaqpgh.org. n
Chartiers Valley | Winter 2017 | icmags.com 29