Cardozo swim coach pushes for NE Queens pool
BY ANGELICA ACEVEDO
For 27 years, Richard Amira
has coached Cardozo’s varsity
swim team, which is undefeated
in Queens and recognized for its
excellence statewide.
In addition to coaching
the impressive all-girls
roster, he wants to start
a conversation about the
importance of swimming
education on all levels.
Cardozo has consistently
held the New York City PSAL
records for the 200-yard
medley relay and the 200-yard
freestyle relay, and this year
was no different.
Sophia Chu, Germayne
Chau, Vanessa Chong, April
Zhang and Alanna Chen took
home medals from November’s
Girls Swimming and Diving
Championship meet that was
held in Flushing Meadows
Corona Park’s Aquatic Center.
Amira said he first began
this venture as a club sport, but
as the years went on, it expanded
and became the top-ranked
team that it is today. However,
not much has changed from last
year, as the team still struggles
Coach Richard Amira with
swimmer Vanessa Chong, who
is holding her first place medal
at the Flushing Aquatic Center
in Flushing Meadows Corona
Park. Courtesy of Sophia Chu
and Katie Tam
to find locations to practice in.
Because Benjamin N.
Cardozo High School doesn’t
have a pool readily available,
the squad practice in other
centers across the borough.
Katie Tam, one of the
captains of the team, said her
team had a great season despite
the hectic practice schedule.
“It has been an amazing year
with girls seeing them grow as
swimmers and teammates,”
Tam said. “Even with the
difficulty of not having our
own pool, we still managed to
get together and have a great
time at our meets. It was a
spectacular experience to meet
the new teammates, get to know
them as a friend and swimmer,
and learn from each other.”
“Thanks to our members’
cooperation and dedication
to our team along with Coach
Amira, we have been able to
get this far with great success
through the challenging
obstacles,” she added.
For years, Amira, who is a
water safety ad lifeguarding
instructor as well as a USAcertified
swim coach, has
advocated for a pool to be built
either at Cardozo or close by
in Bayside.
“They could have a northeast
Queens swimming pool where
all of the teams could train
in and then during the day, it
could be used for senior adults
and after school it could be
used for teaching children how
to swim,” he said.
Although his team is still
searching for a permanent
home in the water, Amira
acknowledges that there are
other clubs in Queens that are
leaders in promoting the sport.
He listed a few in particular:
LaGuardia Aquatic Club
and their head coach Dragos
Coca; the Flushing YMCA
and their head coach Richard
Finkelstein; the Cross Island
YMCA; the Sailfish Team
that works out at the Flushing
Aquatic Center; Long Island
Aquatic Club; the Queens
Aquatic Club and their head
coaches Jonah Montgomery
and Kristopher Sweetman.
Amira further explained that
these clubs teach up-and-coming
swimmers the techniques they
need to become pros.
“They get them at a young
age and they train them so
good that they can possibly go
on to the Olympics someday,”
he said.
A resident of Great Neck,
Amira is a firm believer in
the importance of learning
how to swim, whether it’s
competitively or leisurely.
“It’s important to learn how to
swim because so many accidents
occur from people who aren’t
familiar with it,” he said. “It’s
important that parents teach
their child how to swim.”
TIMESLEDGER,TIMESLEDGER.COM JAN. 18-24, 2019 39
/TIMESLEDGER,TIMESLEDGER.COM
