Winter Athlete Spotlight: Patrick Dolan
Patrick Dolan embodies what it means to be a CBA swimmer: a leader who loves his team and is always willing to take his game to the next level. Over the course of his tenure at CBA, Dolan has adapted and excelled in an environment he has learned to appreciate and hold on to as he continues to compete and lead the AquaColts in one final winter season in 2021-22.
Dolan is no rookie in the pool. Even coming in as a freshman, he had a rich background in swimming through his competitive club team, New Jersey Race Club. Through his club team, he has learned to swim to continue to work on his own improvement, which Dolan explained has been crucial in his ongoing development as a swimmer.
Joining the CBA swimming team back in his freshman year, Dolan was excited to join a community full of storied and successful history. This “pivotal experience” as a swimmer helped Dolan turn his previous background in the pool into something even greater.
“From my first ever meet with CBA swimming, I realized a whole new cooperative facet to the sport,” he said. “Not only are you swimming for yourself, but you’re swimming for everyone on the team.”
This special camaraderie that Dolan was instantly immersed into would only lead to incredible experiences with his teammates and with the program, which he can apply to all aspects of his life.
“I discovered the power of this camaraderie on CBA swimming the second I joined as a freshman and it has truly propelled me to grow not only as a competitive athlete but as a teammate and a friend,” Dolan adds.
Dolan credits the coaching staff around him and the upperclassmen ahead of him who have created the “infectious” enthusiasm that continues to motivate himself and his teammates. Coach Alex Fitton and Coach Alex D’Anna have helped Dolan power through the ups and downs of competing at a top level.
As CBA swimming alumni themselves, Coach Fitton and D’Anna offer “a sense of understanding and empathy when the going gets tough,” as Dolan explained how important their guidance and perspectives have been on his development as an athlete.
Through this unique and positive atmosphere that has given Dolan an even stronger desire to win, he has learned to push himself individually to continue to get better and better.
He explained that starting his junior year, he was introduced to two practice sessions a day through his club team. These double practices early in the morning before school and then late at night have pushed Dolan to keep working on his skills and abilities to compete. It’s definitely not easy swimming up to three doubles a week, he says, but the sacrifices and hard work “quickly began to pay off” as an upperclassman competing.
“Being able to swim in competitive CBA meets is no easy feat, as our lineups usually consist of the best of the best, but I am super excited to be at the point where I can now help contribute substantially to the team in our big conference and championship meets,” he says.
Last season was a “great foundational season” with a new coaching staff despite the challenges faced with the pandemic, which resulted in shortened season and championship meets being canceled. Emerging at the top team in the state beating their rival the Westfield Blue Devils, the 2020-21 season was a success. However, Dolan and his fellow teammates look to prove this season that they are the top dogs as they look forward to competing in championship meets this year, which brings all kinds of excitement and motivation.
“It is both comforting and motivating to know that you have a squad of 50 guys cheering their hearts out for you when you swim, and the spirit we have as a team really propels me to be able to compete with full effort,” Dolan adds as he feels lucky to be a part such an incredible atmosphere and transitions back to a normal year of competing.
As one of the senior captains, Dolan has learned from previous upperclassmen how to create an inclusive and fun environment that continues to motivate the future of the program. Looking up the seniors who made a freshman like Dolan in 2019 get super amped up to compete, Dolan wants to do just that for the current underclassmen as he and other senior leaders work to recreate the same supportive environment.
“This team has never prided itself on having the best times or the most championships, but rather on having a strong sense of brotherhood,” Dolan said. “I want to continue to foster that sense of companionship that has always been a hallmark of CBA swimming.”
Thinking about this season and one last ride with the program, Dolan explained the importance of re-establishing themselves as the dominant team in New Jersey. Losing the chance to prove themselves the past couple of years, Dolan is motivated and locked in as the team gets closer to the race for the state championship.
Dolan’s goals are two-folded.
First, as a senior captain, Dolan strives to motivate all of his teammates to compete to the best of their ability. Learning from his own experiences, he wants to be here as an outlet for the large community that makes up CBA swimming, offering advice from his own experiences competing the past four years.
“I think as a leader it is important to see the whole spectrum when it comes to individual performances and understanding the ways to build off both good and bad meets,” he said as he wants the underclassmen to see the importance of learning lessons in winning and losing.
As for the team, the goal is simple: to chase success.
Talking about the season so far, Dolan is proud of the accomplishments the team has made such as winning the Monmouth County Championship and Shore Conference Championship, but he is even more proud and impressed with how the team has battled adversity and losses this season. He and his teammates know there is more to come and keeping this mindset has been instrumental in their success this season.
“My goal for the team is to not let any of the season, any setbacks, and any defeats get in the way of our end goal every season to win the Non-Public A State Championship,” Dolan said.
Dolan will look to tact on more impressive feats to his CBA swimming legacy as their season comes to close, but learning lessons every day with his teammates, it is safe to say some parts of CBA swimming will never truly leave Dolan as he starts a new chapter next year.
