Iron Horse swim team builds for the future

It’s a new era and a new energy for the Philip Simmons High School swimming program as the 2023 season unfolds.

 

Kevin Mongan and Emily Dunn are part of the new era as first-year coaches of the boys’ and girls’ teams respectively. They bring a new energy as the Iron Horses build for the future.

 

The swimming program was first established when the school opened in 2017.

 

“The program just sort of disappeared,” said Philip Simmons athletic director Dan Minkins, who was named AD in 2019.

 

The program, which seemed to have new head coaches every year, was restarted in time for the 2021-22 academic year and the Iron Horses showed promise that fall. The girls’ team sent four swimmers to the state championships and finished in 11th place. The boys’ team had four swimmers qualify for state, and claimed 18th place.

 

This year’s program is experiencing a slight numbers crunch. The girls’ team has six swimmers and the boys’ team has nine swimmers. 

 

The coaches, who both have northern roots, are ready to grow those numbers. Mongan moved to the Lowcountry from Long Island, while Dunn, a New Hampshire native, headed down Interstate 95 from Boston.

 

Mongan’s journey to the Lowcountry sounds familiar. His in-laws moved to the Charleston area in 2021, and Mongan and his wife Stephanie decided to make the same move this summer.

 

The couple has two children and Mongan began a job and home search in June that culminated in August. Mongan met Philip Simmons AD Dan Minkins during his job search. Minkins told him the school was searching for a new boys’ swim coach. The rest is history.

 

Dunn’s move south included attending High Point University where she graduated in 2014.

 

Dunn says there are three seniors on the team this fall, and the talent level ranges from swimmers with the potential to qualify for the state meet to swimmers who are learning the basic techniques.

 

“I’m not here just to coach,” Dunn said. “I’m here to mentor and build a team. Being involved in the community is right up my alley, and I want to make it a fun and challenging experience.”

 

Dunn said one of the critical points of a successful program is making sure the swimmers know that commitment is at the top of the priority list.

 

“Commitment is the big thing,” she said. “As a coach, you have to help them understand that commitment is important and it takes time and effort. Commitment helps develop really strong human beings.”

 

Mongan says his job is helping swimmers develop so they can reach their potential. He also says his job is spreading the word about Iron Horse swimming to the different parts of community including Daniel Island, Cainhoy and Wando.

 

 “We will get the word out,” said Mongan, who swam for SUNY Geneso. “We want to build a team deep with numbers. We need to get more bodies in the water.”

 

Members of the girls’ team include Mary Bennett Anderson, Jessica Bernstein, Gracyn Ross, Isabella van Delden, Avery Warren and Hayden Wilmot.

 

Members of the boys’ team include Conor Bartel, Gavin Brown, Ryan Carswell, Paxton DeWitt, Samuel Lewis, Trent Manning, Bryce May, Ethan Mester and DelCambre St. Germain.