Kirkby keeps Pioneers on winning path

 

By DENNY DYROFF

Rob Kirkby faced a daunting challenge when he became the head coach of the girls swimming and diving team at Conestoga High. The Pioneers had an impressive track record that featured strong performances at the district and state meets each year – and a string of Central League titles.
He met the challenge head-on and was able to lead the Pioneers along a path that stayed true to the program’s traditions.
This season, his team completed its fourth consecutive undefeated season and captured its eighth straight Central League title. The Pioneers finished the year with a pair of impressive dual meet streaks – 83 in a row in Central League competition and 57 straight overall.
This year, Kirkby also produced a new and unprecedented entry in his coaching resume – a district title. Conestoga captured the District 1 Class AAA Championships with 247.5 points. The Pioneers finished well ahead of a number of other perennial district powerhouses -- Souderton (205), North Penn (201), Downingtown East (171), Council Rock North (152) and Boyertown (141.5).
As a result, Kirkby has been selected as the 2008 Daily Local News Girls Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year. It is the second year in a row that the Pioneers’ veteran coach has received the award.
“We only had one senior on last year’s team,” said Kirkby, who just completed his 19th season at the Pioneers’ helm. “So winning districts was definitely a goal this year. I started talking about it to the girls early in the season because I knew it was a strong possibility.
“We did extremely well at the district championship meet. We started by winning the medley relay even though we were seeded sixth. After that, everybody knew what could happen and they all swam better and better. It caught on like wildfire. We had 24 swims and 23 were best times.”
For Kirkby, winning the district crown was a dream come true.
“It’s been a personal goal of mine to get our team to that level,” he said. “We were second last year, fourth in 2006 and second in 2005. We’ve been in the hunt and knew that this was the year to do it. It was a team goal – and certainly a goal for me.”
Kirkby swam distance freestyle and butterfly during his high school and collegiate careers. After graduating from Norwich (N.Y.) High, he went on to get a degree in American History at Hobart College in Geneva, N.Y., and a masters degree in counseling at West Chester University.
He currently is a school counselor at Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School.
To contact staff writer Denny Dyroff, send an e-mail to sports@dailylocal.com.