Oct. 4, 2005
By Bo Rottenborn
This week the Monogram Club presents a special dual edition of its “Tuesday Testimonial” series, as brothers and former Irish swimmers Tom (’93) and Steele (’99) Whowell reflect on their time as student-athletes at Notre Dame. Both provide heartfelt musings on the sense of love and family that permeated their experiences as Irish swimmers, while marveling at the exceptional people they became close to along the way. As a sort of bonus, both Tom and Steele have provided self-penned poems about Irish swimming that they individually presented to the much-revered head coach Tim Welsh upon graduation.
Both Whowell brothers were four-year monogram winners and served as team co-captains in their final seasons. The older brother was a backstroke specialist from 1989-93, graduating as the University record holder at both distances. Tom broke the Irish record in the 100-yard backstroke on six occasions during his career – a feat that still stands unrivaled – and held that mark for more than three years after graduating. He broke the 200 back record twice in 1992, and that time stood as the program’s best for more than six years.
Tom Whowell was part of the winningest class in Irish men’s swimming and diving history, as his teams went 45-15 in dual meets during his career.
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On four occasions, Tom Whowell led off 200 medley relays that broke the University record, and the time he helped set in 1991 (1:33.49) lasted for nearly seven years before it was finally broken in 1998 by a team featuring his brother swimming the breaststroke. Tom was the team leader in both backstrokes in his final three seasons, was a member of the top Irish 400 medley relay in his last three years, plus was a part of the team’s fastest 200 free relay as a senior. More than a dozen years after graduating, he still stands as the 10th-quickest Irish swimmer ever in the 200 back (career-best 1:51.88) and the 11th-fastest in the 100 back (52.23).
Tom Whowell also helped Notre Dame to a period of unparalleled dual-meet team success. During his career, the Irish posted a 45-15 (.750) record – including 33-7 (.825) at home – making his the winningest class in Irish men’s swimming and diving history. The Irish also won four titles at the National Catholic Championships, as well as three Midwestern Collegiate Conference (MCC) crowns. He also was part of the 1990-91 squad that went 13-3, matching the most wins in a season in program history.
Since leaving Notre Dame, Tom has been actively involved in the family business, Gordy’s Lakefront Marine – named after the brothers’ grandfather, who started it 50 years ago – in Fontana, Wis., on Lake Geneva. He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the business, from service and sales to being a charter boat captain and ski school instructor. Tom currently serves as director of boat sales, but also has had several opportunities to travel in the offseason.
Steele Whowell was a standout breaststroker for the Irish from 1995-99, earning all-BIG EAST accolades on six occasions (a sum surpassed by just three ND swimmers). He broke the University record in the 100 breaststroke in 1999 and still stands as the fifth-quickest in Notre Dame history (career-best 56.55), as well as eighth in the 200 breast (2:03.78). He finished second in the 1997 BIG EAST Championships in the 100 breast, a result that remains tied for the best-ever by an Irish competitor in the meet.
Steele Whowell was part of the famed 400 freestyle relay that finished first in the final event of the 1999 BIG EAST Championships to hand the Irish their first-ever runner-up result in the team standings of that meet.
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Whowell, the team leader in the 100 breast in each of his last three campaigns, also was a prolific relay swimmer, covering the breaststroke portion of the team’s quickest 200 medley relay in each of his seasons, breaking the school record three times. He swum the third leg on one of the most-storied relays in Irish history, the 400 free quartet that finished first at the 1999 BIG EAST Championships (the first BIG EAST relay title ever for ND) in the final event of the meet to hand Notre Dame a thrilling second-place result in the team standings – its first-ever finish among the top two – by a single point. That group’s time of 3:01.38 stood as the University record until it was the oldest swimming record on the books before falling at the 2005 BIG EAST meet. Whowell also was on the team’s top 400 medley relay in each of his last four years and anchored the 800 free relay in ’99.
In his final season, Steele was honored with the Blanchard Award, presented to a swimmer who by performance, inspiration, and leadership has exemplified the personal qualities of former Notre Dame swimmer Charles W. Blanchard. In addition to captaining the Irish to their best finish to date in the BIG EAST Championships, Whowell also helped his teams take first in the Notre Dame Invitational in both 1998 and ’99. In his final campaign, the Irish broke 16 University records, the third-highest total ever for a Notre Dame team.
Upon graduation, Steele and his wife – former Irish standout swimmer and 2000 graduate Alison Newell – moved to Steamboat Springs, Colo., to help manage a ski shop. The following year, they moved back to Wisconsin to rejoin the family business, and that is where they remain today. They also have done a good deal of traveling in the offseason and return to visit Notre Dame for football games and swim meets. The couple last week celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary.
Tuesday Testimonial – Entry #11 (Part I), Tom Whowell (men’s swimming & diving, `93); October 4, 2005
“I never really thought about going anywhere else but Notre Dame. For me, however, it wasn’t that my parents or grandparents had gone there before me – they didn’t. It wasn’t that since childhood I had dreamed to go to school there – I didn’t. It wasn’t that I had a lifelong pursuit of a big corporate career and ND would help get me there – I didn’t. And it wasn’t a question if I could do laps in a pool fast enough to make the swim team there – I could. What it was for me was something more true to the core – the people. It was the people I met upon my first visit who made it clear to me in a very short time that these were the people that I wanted to be with. People I could connect with. People who were friends instantly and would be friends forever. People who made me feel right at home, like being with family. People who truly loved one another.
Tom Whowell and his wife Shawn – shown here with their son, Thomas – gave birth to their second child, Sailor, last month.
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“I remember clearly the day I received my acceptance letter to ND. I was swimming in the Wisconsin State Junior Olympics in my best event, the 100-yard backstroke. Our team needed the points, and I was a favorite to win. Upon finishing first I was very happy for my team and with my race. However, when I exited the pool I saw an official standing over my lane. I thought “No way. This can’t be. Not me”. She handed me some paper as if I had been disqualified. I did not even look at it. I was so upset. I just stood there in disbelief and argued strongly. I even interrupted the meet briefly. I knew I did nothing wrong and would not let it go. Finally, with a faint smile, the official looked at me and said `just read it.’ And, upon glancing down, I saw an envelope. It was from the University of Notre Dame. I was shocked. I immediately tore it open and read it rapidly in anticipation. As I saw those words `you are accepted’ pure joy filled my entire body. Throwing my hands in the air and shouting out loud in excitement, I looked over and saw my father. He was standing by the pool smiling and laughing, as well. He was also the head official.
“I remember my first day on the swim team, when coach Tim Welsh sat us down for a talk. I thought it would be about our training, our upcoming season, all our hard work ahead and the results he was looking for. Instead, it was all about the philosophy of Notre Dame swimming. About what really mattered most. It was about the excellence in sport, self-discipline, and love for one another. I thought `wow.’ Here is someone who really takes care – not just of his team and their overall performance, not just of the team member and his or her individual performance, but truly IN the whole person as a loving human being. This was core. And Tim led us by example.
“Growing up at my home in beautiful Lake Geneva, Wis., my love of water and sports came early and naturally. I had success in swimming and competed all through school. However, it was not until Notre Dame and Tim Welsh that it all really made sense to me. How truly wonderful `sport’ is. Not only how it challenged me to excel in the pool, but also to excel in life. And how it was fun! I carry that same love of sport with me today as I enjoy many activities such as competitive sailing, skiing, windsurfing, and yes still swimming. But the love of sport has grown with me even more recently now being the father of two children, one two-year-old boy, Thomas, and four-week-old girl, Sailor. My son stands by the front door saying, `Please come home, daddy,’ as he waits patiently for my arrival from work. He knows that we will spend time together playing at the pool, throwing a ball, or just running around. We both enjoy our fun sport time together. And that is most excellent!
“Getting up at five in the morning in a snowy South Bend winter to walk through a dark silent campus to put on a swimsuit and jump in the water for practice certainly taught me self-discipline. But when I knew my friends would be there to meet me, it was motivating. Hours and hours in the pool every day was what it took, and we did it year after year. And it was this hard work and discipline that paid off when we won big meets by very close margins, like our first National Catholic championship in 1990. Today, that same self-discipline helps me to continually strive to be better with both work and family. To focus on what is really important and to keep life in balance. And that getting up at three in the morning with my new baby girl is actually easy and beautiful.
Tom Whowell’s son Thomas showing a penchant for the water, just like the rest of his family.
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“Love for one another is the greatest gift I received from Notre Dame. Thank you, Tim Welsh. People often ask me `Why Notre Dame?’ and this is always my answer. The feeling is hard to describe but most like that with family – warm and fuzzy, pure goodness. The real friends that I met at Notre Dame were instantly a part of my family and me theirs. And this is still true today. Above all, the hard work we put in at school and in the pool every day together, above the successes we had, above the `good times and good times’ we shared, there was and always will be, love. Just retuning from the wedding of one of my best ND friends this past weekend, my belief in this was only reinforced. The tears of joy, the laughter, the beauty, the reverence, the true wonder of it all! It was like a real family reunion. And one of the special gifts to the groom from my wife and I was asking him to be the Godfather of our new baby girl – he was honored. And today, living in Lake Geneva with my beautiful wife, two children, and family I feel that same true love for one another – absolutely. And not a day goes by that I do not give thanks for this.
“God Bless and Go Irish!”
– Tom
Tuesday Testimonial – Entry #11 (Part II), Tom Whowell (men’s swimming & diving, `93); April 1993
The following is a poem written by Tom Whowell and presented to head coach Tim Welsh at the 1993 men’s swimming and diving banquet. It still hangs framed on the wall of coach Welsh’s office:
Notre Dame Swimming
A warm August eve at the Welsh family abode,Hugs, kissed and handshakes among friends new and old.The Dome glistens brightly, with a warmth from above,And the candles aglow send a message of love.
Twenty-odd bodies enter the lake for a lap,And circle arm-in-arm for one "Oh give me hap."Crack! The gun explodes, the biathlon under way,Who's in shape? Who is not? Who is leading today?
Tryouts and decisions on who's making the team,Jubilation, it all seems a wonderful dream.Team mass at The Grotto kicks off a new season,Dinners and intros with a wee bit of teasin'.
Training time at Rolfs in the water 1-2-3,Crush left! Crush right! A swimmers welcome to N.D.A twelve-hundred warm up, why of course, how'd you guess?Swim-kick-pull, roll the hips, streamlined, it's fathomless.
We will increase the yardage and throw in some weights,Follow Saturday morning with football tailgates.Training, training, more training, it's October break,Morning practice at six, is this not some mistake?
Taper time comes when Tim says sharpen the pencil,We change our workload from physical to mental.Now in shape and ready for the meet of the year,Senior poems, a Hail Mary, a "Go Irish!" cheer.
With speed and endurance to the finish we race,To become Catholic champs and to claim our first place.Victory is realized, often by tenths of a point,Then study for finals, goal average three-oink.
Winter brings the training trip, which state is our goal?Well that all depends on the football team's bowl!We are swimming down south, having fun in the sun,Class night out to enjoy all the work that we've done.
Returning to N.D. through the snow, hail and ice,So this is what weather in South Bend's really like!Dual swim meets involve road trips, some short and some long,Irish swimmers come psyched, as we blast our fight song.
Bus trips not forgotten, to them we're all a part.Of this special team made closer at Sacred Heart.Managers plan the trips, they are always on call,Take splits and prepare food back in Rolfs Dining Hall.
Freshmen cook pasta, it's sometimes a disaster,Sophomores rededicate and try to swim faster.Seniors stand tall bursting with true Irish pride.Juniors bid them farewell, leaving nothing to hide.
To Easterns we travel, now all tapered and shaved,For our lifetime best, with hopes of NCAAsThis year's successful for we've all worked together,With excellence, discipline and love for each other.
It's time to pass the bib, hand another the torch,A picture we'll cherish, ready? 1-2-3 Zorch!We're the Notre Dame Swim Team. Yes, We are N.D.!Cheer loud in the pool, one minute short seventy.
For now and forever, we're the N.D. Swim Team,A family enriched in values and self-esteem.We live life to the fullest, each one a winner,Savoring the moments, as a Notre Dame swimmer.
The best years of our lives are right here in these rhymes,Thanks Tim, with our love, for these "good times" and good times.
Tuesday Testimonial – Entry #11 (Part III), Steele Whowell (men’s swimming & diving, `99); October 4, 2005
“Whenever I meet someone for the first time, it almost always comes up in conversation: `So where did you go to college?’ To this day, there is no answer that could give me more pleasure and pride than to say, `I went to the University of Notre Dame.’ Notre Dame, to me, is more than just tradition. From an emotional standpoint, it is my family, my blood, something that will always be with me. From a day-to-day life approach, it is the endless strive for perfection. To me, Notre Dame represents the Ideal. Some expound that ND may have lost some of its lore in recent years, that it is not what it once was. Most of this comes from the perception of success, or lack thereof, of the football team. But when people talk about the greatness of Notre Dame, it is not the record of the football team, or any team for that matter. Greatness is not some goal you reach one day and lose the next. Rather, it is the day in and day out choices we make in an effort to be great, to be perfect, to be the best, to be a Champion. This is what ND is to me.
Steele Whowell broke the University record in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1999 and remains one of the five quickest swimmers in program history in the event.
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“My first lasting memory of ND was the 1988 home football game against Jimmy Johnson and the Hurricanes. My brother had just been accepted at Notre Dame and I wanted to know more about it. Seeing ND win that game gave me a feeling that I had won, because I was the brother of a future member of the Notre Dame family and therefore, I was family, too. This was the profound impact ND had on me that day, and that impression was reinforced as time went on. Throughout my brother’s years at ND, he showed me around campus and took me to classes, swim meets, football games, and a few swim team social gatherings. These experiences continued to underscore the fact that when you become part of the ND family, you are part of something much bigger and greater than yourself. Needless to say, I was hooked, and the feeling has never left.
“As a student athlete, those interlocking letters became a constant symbol of inspiration to me to always try harder, do better. I remember vividly one of my first practices with the ND swim team. This workout was much harder than any workout I had experienced up until that point. I was hurting badly and remember consciously breathing toward the scoreboard which had a big ND on it, and thinking to myself, `Think of where you are. This is Notre Dame; just keep going.’ These simple letters, with all the history they carry, were a constant encouragement to never give up. They inspired me in the classroom, in the pool, in my spiritual life, and even in my social network. The old adage: If you’re going to do something, do it well. As an example: if you’re going to throw a party to celebrate the arrival of spring, throw the biggest on campus and make sure there is plenty of pork.
“By no means was I a perfect student-athlete, but I continued to learn how to do things better. My freshman year swimming, ND had just joined the BIG EAST Conference. A BIG EAST sports reporter had picked us to finish dead last at the conference meet. We finished seventh out of 14 teams. By the time I was a senior and captain of the team, we finished second and broke 16 of 19 University records. That meet is by far my greatest sports memory. A second-place finish might not sound like a big deal, but to see how we accomplished it was really special. To this day I have never been a part of a more-unified and motivated team where every member bled his heart out in order to make every point count. This was a huge step for the program and I feel it laid the foundation for where the team is today: BIG EAST Champions – Great job, men! I also feel that this is just the beginning, and the sky’s the limit.
Steele Whowell and his wife, the former Alison Newell – a six-time BIG EAST champion for the Irish women’s swimming and diving team – on vacation in Italy.
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“Of course all of this – the lore, the inspiration, the success – none of this was possible without the people factor. This is what makes Notre Dame, Notre Dame. From my brother, fellow students, roommates, swim mates, professors, priests, and of course my swim coach. None of my experiences or education would have been as long-lasting if it was not for them. These people taught me to think, question, dream, dance, laugh, cry, pray, evaluate, execute. These people ask for the best, they push you, challenge you, demand from you, but they also pick you up when you fall, brush you off and say `Try again.’ There is mutual respect among all who bleed blue and gold, for we are one family. Friendships created at Notre Dame do not end when you graduate; they are life-long friendships. One person in particular, who swam for the women’s Notre Dame swim team, became the best friend in my life, and Alison and I just recently celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary.
“If there is one thing that Notre Dame taught me, it is to Dream Big. Every day we all make choices, from little to big, trivial to important. These choices determine the course of our lives whether we see it that way at the time or not. For the rest of my life, Notre Dame will be there for me and I for Her. God Bless Notre Dame.”
– Steele G Whowell, Class of `99
Tuesday Testimonial – Entry #11 (Part IV), Steele Whowell (men’s swimming & diving, `99); April 1999
The following is a poem written by Steele Whowell and presented to head coach Tim Welsh at the 1999 men’s swimming and diving banquet. It still hangs framed – alongside his brother’s – on the wall of coach Welsh’s office:
The Best of Times
Well we remember when leaves were falling;In the distance, the pipes were callingHer sons to train each golden morning,6:00 am swims, a discipline forming.This was the season to set our goals,To map out our path and plan our roles.We learned all the rules, make no mistakes;To bond as a team, we swam the lake.We laughed out loud at some harmless pranks,Zorching the freshmen, seniors pull rank.We learned traditions, "The Bib," nicknames,Songs in the shower, Speedo run for fame.We talked of football, sure we would win;Some inside scoops, road trips would begin,Michigan State, OSU, that's enough,Tailgaters at home are the right stuff.With family and friends, teammates, alums,"We are ND!" Marvelous fun.Dual meets, they were tough, muscles screamed out;We learned that's what fall training's about.Fall break at last, a short time to breathe,Then back to the books, more practice we need.Our family of "team", stronger each day,With moments to laugh, to mix and to play.October thirty-first, Halloween night,Masquerading as princes, not black knights.
The darkness of winter settled in,All signs of Fall blown away with the wind.Yet, the warmth at Rolfs resounded to all;ND Invitational was the next call.Our '98 team showed all the rest,Number 1, ND, don't mess with the best.Our tests are over, Christmas break, and then,A training trip somewhere warm, Amen!Auburn, San Anton, memories fine,Cowboy up guys, it's Rodeo time.Rio, celebs, autographs, TV,A cultural disco?, Rockin' til three.Back to South Bend and snowy weather,Hit goal times, swim faster than ever.Duel the Bonnies, C. State, the Big East,Bodies still burning, training unleashed.Father Lucifer guides us along,Dress Code A and a box to play our song.To those who trained well, dreams would come true;We made our last run for the Gold and Blue.Shamrock Classic, Big East, final sorties,First off the blocks, race at full speed."Strap on your goggles and tie your suits tight"Rise to the challenge, emotions ignite.Wake up the echoes with focus and drive,Proud to be Irish. Magic. Alive.
This year's Big East brought high expectation,Tapered and shaved, strong motivation.Three days and nights, we raced to the wall;"Go Irish" yelled fans, "Give it your all."We challenged each race, the contest was tight;Standing third at the start of the last night.We swam the mile, then back, breast and fly;All-time bests, sixteen records, sky high.The drama set, playing out in the pool;Numbers checked, could it be? Was it true?We had a chance, slim as it might be,To earn second place, a trophy! (we'll see!)Down to that relay, as so often it does,The 400 free, "step up" the four studs.If we placed first and Syracuse third,Lady du Lac, Our prayers would be heard.Water was boiling at that last wall;Look to the scoreboard; it would tell all.Yes! Notre Dame first, Syracuse third,Hearts pounding, broad grins, emotions stirred.It happened! We did it! Victory's so sweet!Second place by one point, mission complete.With Irish pride, our banner was raised,Trophy held high to Our Lady in praise.Our final award bestowed by his peers;Tim Welsh was chosen as Coach of the Year.Through a gauntlet, Tim walked to the stand,Handshakes and cheers from all of his fans.A night of achievement, a hug and a kiss,It just doesn't get any better than this.
With Spring now arriving, the swim year is done;Time to relax and reflect on the run.Team banquet, bonding, planning anewFor next year's campaign for the Gold and Blue.Before we leave, some not to return,For graduation's nigh, captains will turn;Words from the seniors, shared by the whole team,To our "Man in Full", wearing the green.Our thanks and our praise, a job well done,To you, Tim, our coach, with love from your sons.A man for all seasons, one we respect,A true mentor, you never neglectTo keep us on course, teach us and showBy example, how to draw form the soul.Set all goals high, work hard for that cause;Yet, never forget sometimes we must pauseFor prayers at the Grotto, Mass in the dorm;Thanking the Lord for His blessings each morn.We thank him, Tim, for giving us you.We'll cherish always as we bid adieu,The memories rich, echoes that sound"Love one another," your creed, so profound.Renaissance men in addition to swimmers,Reaching this goal makes everyone winners.The spirit's aglow where'er we may be,Always and ever, WE ARE ND!
Tuesday Testimonial #1: Rosella Guerrero
Tuesday Testimonial #2: Brian & Rory Walsh
Tuesday Testimonial #3: Carrie Nixon
Tuesday Testimonial #4: Kevin O’Shea
Tuesday Testimonial #5: Kim Pacella
Tuesday Testimonial #6: Pat Steenberge
Tuesday Testimonial #7: Todd Rassas
Tuesday Testimonial #8: Sara Liebscher
Tuesday Testimonial #9: Lizzy Lemire
Tuesday Testimonial #10: Jaimie Lee
Do you have a recommendation of a former Notre Dame student-athlete to participate in the “Tuesday Testimonial” series? If so, please pass on the individual’s name and contact info. (if available) to Monogram Club archivist/publicist Pete LaFleur at lafleur.4@nd.edu.