Coach Michael Fones wrapped up his 8th year as the Swim and Dive Coach at Robinson SS with a very successful 2021-22 season.  The Robinson Girls Swim and Dive Team won the Occoquan Region Title and finished 3rd in the State Meet.  Robinson's Boy Team finished 2nd in the Occoquan Region.   Coach Fones enjoys working with the members of the swim and dive team, because he can see the student athletes outside of the school atmosphere, working hard on something that they love to do.  He can help the athletes to improve, even though most of them have been competing for up to 10 years prior to high school

We had a chance to sit down and reflect on his position as the Swim and Dive Coach as well as some memorable experiences from Winter Sports Season.

In addition to coaching high school swimming for 8 year, Mr. Fones has also coached club swim teams, summer teams and started his own club team called Thunder Aquatics.  In Thunder Aquatics focused on sprint events such as the 50 Free Style, Breast Stork, Butterfly and Back Stroke, as well as the100 meter sprint in these events.  this experienced prepared the swimmer for High School and Summer competitions.

Mr. Fones began his swim experience as a kid at NVSL Fairfax Villa.  He swam at the Starlet Pool near Woodson High School.  He also swam in the Dominion Country Club League, and swam for on year at William & Mary.  His college career ended early, unfortunately, due to an injury.

Mr. Fones is retiring from teaching at Robinson, but currently plans to continue to lead the Rams Swim and Dive team in the future.  Mr. Jimmo, our Director of Student Activities, is pleased with how Coach Fones has facilitated an understanding of what it means to be part of a team.  Typically swimming is such an individualized sport, competing as part of a part of a high school swim & dive team is a different experience.  To be a successful team, the athletes need to learn to compete for each other and to contribute to the overall team score. The success of the program demonstrates how well Coach Fones has helped our student athletes learn the importance of working together.

We discusses coaching strategies, which he will keep to himself. But one interesting fact about coaching swimming is that, at any point during the season, a swimmer can make the cut for the state meet and automatically qualify.  Coach Fones likes to try to get swimmers to make the cut early in the season, so that the rest of the time they can focus on the team aspect of the sport.

One of the most memorable moments from the season happened during the last dual meet of the season. Going into this meet both the boys and girls teams were undefeated.  Coach Fones admitted that he underestimated the talent of the opposing team. After making some decision that changed things up a bit, the girls' team was behind going into the last relay.  The spectators at the pool were super-charged when the girls relay won their heat and helped the team to capture the win.  The boys team also captured the win that day.  Another memory the Coach Fones shared with me was during the State Swim and Dive Competition, the boys' team was re-energized when one of our freshman swimmers was able to return to compete in the pool after a brief hospitalization.  

Our Varsity Swim and Dive Team Members are: