The Invincible Records

Courtesy: Kate Plyley

Records are meant to be broken, or so the saying goes. After Michael Phelps repeatedly set the world record in the 200-meter butterfly from 2001 to 2009, his mesmerizing 1:51.51 performance seemed unbeatable. Ten years later, Hungary’s Kristof Milak lowered the mark to 1:50.73. Sooner or later, most records change hands.

Though more modest than a world record, two Northern Virginia Swimming League records have stood since 1965, both by the same swimmer. In the 8-and-under category, Roger McLeod’s times of 15.10 in the 25-meter freestyle and 13.90 in the 25-yard freestyle have remained intact for 56 years.

The NVSL was founded in 1956 with 11 teams: Chesterbrook, Freedom Park, Hollin Hills, Lee Graham, Little Hunting Park, Mount Vernon Park, Pike Branch, Poplar Heights, Springfield, Tuckahoe, and Woodley. All except for Freedom Park and Pike Branch are still active. Now it boasts a total of 102 teams, making it one of the largest community swimming leagues in the U.S.

Linda Klopfenstein, the chair of the NVSL’s records committee, said the league started as a way to build friendly competition among swimmers from a few nearby pools. Klopfenstein became involved with the NVSL in 1972 when her two sons joined. Since her first summer, she has missed only three weekends when the NVSL has hosted meets. She has continued with the league because of its values — encouraging kids to learn to swim, have fun, and support their team — and the enduring friendships.

Over the years, multiple athletes who once participated in the NVSL have represented Team USA at the Olympics. Melissa Belote Ripley won three gold medals at the 1972 Olympics, setting a 200-meter backstroke world record in the process. She and McLeod were friends as kids, and though they were both involved in the NVSL, they did not meet until they swam with the Starlit Aquatic Club under coach Ed Solotar.

Thinking back to their youth, McLeod described Belote Ripley as “obviously a fantastic athlete” and “also just a great and friendly person.” He recalled that some coaches had identified both young swimmers as Olympic prospects. After seeing her tremendous Olympic success, McLeod can’t help but wonder what might have been had he stuck with swimming.

The year was 1964 when 7-year-old Roger McLeod started swimming with the NVSL. He and his family had moved to the neighborhood of Mantua, but the community did not have a pool yet, so he would travel to the Lee Graham pool in Falls Church. A new pool built in Mantua became his home pool, and it was with the Mantua team that he embarked on his record-breaking summer.

McLeod set his records during his second year with the league. He has many fond swimming memories, but no specific recollection of either record-setting race. “I don’t know when, where, or really anything about how they happened,” he said, adding, “That would be cool if I did, but, unfortunately, I don’t.”

Thanks to Klopfenstein’s archives, we know a bit more about McLeod’s 1965 records. In fact, he set five NVSL 8U records that summer, in the 25-yard free (13.90), 25-meter free (15.10), 50-meter free (34.00), 25-meter back (19.00), and 50-meter back (42.60). Roger’s 25-meter backstroke record lasted until 1975. The NVSL discontinued 50-meter races for the 8-and-under swimmers in 1972. Though no one can guarantee that McLeod still holds the 50 records today, Klopfenstein verified that he owned both in 1973.

According to the NVSL’s website, McLeod’s 25-meter freestyle record was set on July 10, 1965. The website didn’t list a date for the 25-yard record, but Klopfenstein deduced that it was set on July 31, 1965 — that was McLeod’s only yards meet that summer.

While he may not remember the race itself, McLeod recalled that most of his meets were in meters, so whenever the team had an opportunity to race yards, his coach would tell him the existing record and say, “This is your chance!”

The NVSL memories McLeod cherishes the most are of time spent with his teammates and particularly with his coach, John Kalen, one of the most influential figures in his young life. Kalen was “someone I looked up to,” McLeod said, and “the greatest guy I ever met.” For McLeod, a huge part of the joy he experienced while swimming with the NVSL was having the opportunity to spend time with Kalen.

Kalen was just starting out at university, and his young swimmers revered him. “You’re an 8- to 13-year-old kid hanging out with a college guy,” McLeod said. “It was pretty special.” McLeod credited Kalen with keeping him motivated and challenging him to chase after league records, including his own. “I was lucky that most of the time I was getting better and breaking my own records,” McLeod said, and “John was the one who kept me going.”

McLeod recalled Kalen taking the swimmers out for post-meet treats like pizza or ice cream. Years later, McLeod asked his parents if they’d ever chipped in to pay for these outings — after all, Kalen was a college student making money by coaching and lifeguarding. But it turned out that Kalen had paid for these excursions himself. Kalen and his girlfriend (and eventual wife), Gail, would also drive McLeod to swim meets when his parents were not available. Simply put, “he was everything to me,” McLeod said.

A few years later, McLeod was told that Kalen had a brain tumor and was in a coma. McLeod went with Kalen’s father to the hospital to see him, and during that visit Kalen came out of his coma. Though Kalen was disoriented, he recognized McLeod and asked how his swimming was going.

Following Kalen’s health crisis, McLeod’s dad needed assistance with his business. A worker had quit, and McLeod was recruited to step in and help out. The new NVSL coach encouraged McLeod to come to the meets, but much had shifted in his life by then. At school, he joined the basketball team, and he eventually moved away from competitive swimming.

McLeod and Kalen kept in touch. When Kalen died, McLeod was a pallbearer at the funeral. Though McLeod can’t recall the races where he set his formidable records, he certainly remembers the time when John and Gail took him to Gifford’s ice cream parlor and dared him to eat an entire “big top” sundae.

McLeod is still something of a local legend. When his wife, Susan, went to vote in an election at a polling station in Mantua, volunteers asked if she was married to the Roger McLeod. A while back, a 7-year-old boy challenged McLeod to a race at a local pool, curious to see whether he could defeat the renowned record-holder.

Now, McLeod swims for fun in the pool at his river house. More than half a century later, McLeod is grateful to still hold two NVSL records — not because he hopes to claim them forever, but because owning them had opened opportunities to reflect on those cherished childhood years spent at the pool. “The record and all that is just a blessing,” he said, “and I feel honored to still somehow have it and to be able to relive that time in my life.”