TNYA Spotlight: Larry Smith

TNYA is proud and happy to spotlight one of our most friendly and gracious veteran members, Larry Smith.

Larry has been an active member of TNYA since 2000: sixteen years! During his time with us, he has participated in IGLA meets in Toronto, Paris, and DC, as well as local meets, open water swims, and our annual One Hour Swims, as both swimmer and volunteer.

As a TNYA swimmer, Larry has succeeded in meeting a lot of his swimming goals. He considers himself a better longer distance swimmer than sprinter and has placed at meets doing the 200 fly — a challenging event, to say the least!

If you know Larry, you might also know that he has experienced some formidable health challenges in the last two years. You also know that due to his determination and inner strength, he is steadily overcoming these challenges and doing better all the time. Larry is truly an inspiration to his fellow swimmers who face challenges of their own. As he says, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Larry loves TNYA and is one our our most loyal members. As a substitute gatekeeper, he is always willing to step in and cover someone if he is available. He is pleased with the way the team has grown over the years, with its dedicated and talented coaching staff, and its increase in social activities that permit us to get to know each other outside the pools. As with many of our swimmers, he has a particular rapport with his lane mates. “I love my swim mates in lane 5,” says Larry. We suspect the feeling is mutual.

Outside TNYA, Larry’s greatest joy in life is the three children he sponsors through Childfund: Heleni in Ethiopia, Bhamra in India, and Efrain in Mexico. “To me, life is worth living if you can make a difference in someone else’s.” In Larry’s case, his hope for world peace is reflected in his commitments to helping children in other parts of the world. Again, Larry is an inspiration.

Thank you, Larry, for being part of our TNYA community. Our team and our world are better places because you are part of them!

April 2016
[by Danny Rosemarin]