By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
One of the mainstays of the New England Swimming LSC appears to be no more as indications are that Gator Swim Club has effectively disbanded.
The club, founded by Joe Bernal in 1969, originally went by the name of Bernal’s Gator Swim Club before it was renamed to Gator Swim Club in early 2016.
Shortly after the club was renamed, Bernal was given a lifetime ban by USA Swimming for sexual abuse, and his places in both the ASCA and Fordham Hall of Fames were rescinded.
He died in October 2022, and then this past June, one of his former swimmers, Amanda Le, filed a lawsuit accusing Bernal of sexual abuse and alleging that USA Swimming failed to stop it.
Alex Cronin, who served as an associate head coach at Bernal’s Gator Swim Club beginning in 2005, was also named in the lawsuit, alleging that he had knowledge of Bernal’s behavior and did nothing to stop it or protect the swimmers.
Le’s lawsuit was reported in late June, just as the U.S. Olympic Trials were getting underway, and since then, the club has seemingly become defunct, morphing into several other teams in the area.
A source close to the situation told SwimSwam that in Gator’s wake, there is now the Revolution Aquatic Club, Commonwealth South (formerly Seekonk Aquatics), the Aquadog Swim Club and Sunrise Swim Club operating from Gator’s former sites.
Revolution Aquatic Club was reportedly formed by members of the Gator staff working out of the Bentley University site in Waltham, Mass., following the Amanda Le lawsuit coming to light. Jenny Eaddy is listed as head coach and Chris Morgan, who told SwimSwam he resigned from Gator in the summer, is the Performance Director and National Group Coach.
Commonwealth South operates out of the Ellis Mayers Natatorium at Seekonk High School in Seekonk, Mass. Prior to being renamed Seekonk Aquatics, it was originally part of the southern branch of Gator. Ray Grant, currently listed as the Commonwealth South head coach, served as the General Chair of the New England Swimming LSC for two stints (2004-08, 2012-16). The club only recently changed its name to Commonwealth South after being acquired by the Commonwealth Swim Team.
The Aquadog Swim Club was originally formed as the Western Mass branch of Gator Swim Club in 2022 by coach Tom Avila after he left Bluefish Swim Club. With the ability to do so based on location, the Aquadogs are planning on moving to the Connecticut Swimming LSC in 2025.
Revolution’s coaching bios make no mention of Gator, while Commonwealth South and Aquadog Swim Club acknowledge the prior affiliation.
The Sunrise Swim Club, launched in August by Amy Parent, runs out of the Art Linkletter Natatorium at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass.
The New England Swimming LSC website still has Gator Swim Club listed as a registered club, with Cronin and former owner Anne Frazier listed as contacts. Cronin has not responded to SwimSwam’s emails, while Frazier’s listed email is no longer in service. Cronin is also no longer a member of USA Swimming, according to a source.
Additionally, the LSC Board of Review Chair Bill Caroline is reportedly under investigation by both USA Swimming and the Massachusetts State Bar after allegedly plagiarizing a six-year-old letter from former USA Swimming CEO Tim Hinchey, claiming the letter was Hinchey’s response to recent scandals involving Gator.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: New England Swimming Has New Look With Disbanding of Gator Swim Club
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