Al Lloyd

I first got involved with Masters swimming back in the early 1970s. A few years after college, I was swimming on my own when a guy I used to compete against invited me to join his newly formed Masters group in Arlington, VA. That was around 1973, and I’ve been connected to Masters teams ever since.

I swam in both high school and college, taught swimming lessons throughout college, and even coached summer league teams. The only real break I’ve had from the pool was during Covid, when everything shut down.

These days, what keeps me coming back is the team. Knowing my teammates are dragging themselves out of bed at 5 a.m. motivates me to do the same. And I can’t say enough about our coaches—Mike, Stacey, and Bip—who keep practices challenging, engaging, and always worth the effort (even if not always “fun”).

One of my favorite parts of this team is Donut Day. Even though I pass Dunkin’ every day, I really look forward to gathering with everyone after practice. The camaraderie outside the pool is just as meaningful as the time spent in the water.

I used to enjoy swimming all the strokes, and I still give IM days a try, though I sometimes resort to freestyle to keep up. That probably has nothing to do with age, right?

Over the years, swimming has given me not just fitness, but friendships. I’ve made many good friends through this sport, and I’m confident that will continue with this great team. Thanks to our coaches and teammates for making this such a rewarding part of my life.