The Philadelphia Fins Aquatic Club celebrated its silver anniversary this past weekend with a special tribute to a late longtime member.
On Jan. 25, the Philadelphia Fins hosted the annual Postal Swim, with proceeds going to both the Fins and the American Heart Association. The event was dedicated to Dennis Clegg, who died of cardiac arrest last month, and was followed by a celebration at a member’s home with food, drinks and entertainment.
Twenty-five years ago, the Fins were founded on the premise of bringing LGBT and ally swimmers together for a safe space to socialize and practice the sport. Founded in 1988, the Philadelphia Fins are a member of the United States Masters Swimming and the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics.
The club, which currently has more than 100 members and five primary coaches, welcomes swimmers of all genders, sexual orientations and swimming experiences. They host practices on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7-8:30 p.m. at Friends Select School at 16th and Race with weekend practices from 10-11:30 a.m.
The Philadelphia Fins are among a handful of LGBT athletic groups in the Philadelphia area. Fins president Bob Breitel said that, although the world has become a more accepting place for LGBT issues in general, there is still work to be done, where groups like the Fins can come in.
“Society has progressed a lot in terms of some of the issues and judgments and so forth, but I think having a positive place for LGBT athletes to connect and bond as teammates and socially, it is still really important,” Breitel said. “There is still discrimination in the world today so having a safe place for LGBT athletes to swim and not be judged is really important.”
Breitel also noted that the Fins and other LGBT athletic groups provide an alternative to the LGBT nightlife in the city.
“There are people coming to the team looking for a place where they can be themselves. This is a place that they can do that and meet other people in the LGBT community besides going to gay bars,” he said.
Breitel, who has been a member of the Fins for three years, said the team has a good relationship with Friends Select and appreciates the space.
“We are grateful for our pool time at Friends Select. It’s always a concern if we don’t have the pool to work out in, then we need to find another place and there are very limited places to work out, so we are grateful to use their pool.”
The team has also developed strong ties to the local LGBT community, Breitel said. The Fins always have a table at events like Pride and OutFest and host fundraisers for various LGBT organizations in the city, including The Attic Youth Center.
While the group has seen a wealth of organizational growth in the past 25 years, it is the personal connections that members establish that are most rewarding, Breitel said.
“What is great about swimming is it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are, you can be who you are,” he said. “It is the people, the friendships, that are created by those on the team that develop as a result of this sport.”
Breitel said the Fins are looking to have a more visible presence in the city’s sports scene in the city, but added the team will ultimately rely on its longheld attributes to continue to keep it afloat.
“We are only growing. The sport is becoming more popular and we are open to all, even though we are an LGBT team. We have a diverse team and diversity will continue, and I don’t see any reason why the Fins will not continue to thrive in the future.”
For more information, visit www.philadelphiafins.org.