THE JERSEY GATORS
SWIM TEAM

The Jersey Gators program originally started as the Cranford Aquatic Club (CAC) in 1983. CAC had a total of about 50 swimmers when Coach Lou Petrozziello started there in his first head coaching position. He immediately hired his brother Jimmy as his assistant coach.

In 1984, as the team began to grow to about 100 swimmers, Donna Breheney was added to the staff to assist with the younger swimmers. In only the second year together they produced 4 Junior National qualifiers and 1 New Jersey State Record. This was quite an accomplishment since the previous year they had scored only 12 points at the N.J. Junior Olympics and were 5th in the dual meet league.

In 1985, CAC merged with a club training at Newark Academy and the team became known as the Gator Aquatic Club (GAC). By the end of 1986, the Gators had 4 U.S. Senior National qualifiers. After two years of confusions at the nationals with all the clubs calling themselves Gators, we changed the name, in 1987, to the Jersey Gators, leaving no doubt who we were and where we lived.

The Olympic Trials in 1988 is where the Jersey Gators gained national recognition. We entered 4 swimmers and all 4 performed very well. Joan Wojtowicz improved 31 places in the 400 Freestyle and Todd Schroeder improved 27 places placing them both as runner ups for Rookie of the Meet. John Kennedy finished 19th in the 200 Freestyle breaking the Junior National Record. Ron Karnaugh, in a heart breaking 3rd place finish, missed the Olympic Team by just .03 seconds.

In 1989, Coach Petrozziello was appointed as a U.S. National Team Coach. He met many world class swimmers who were interested in the Jersey Gators and would eventually swim for them. It was known in the Soviet Union. Alex Savtchenco, a Soviet national team member, contacted Coach Petrozziello from the Goethels Bridge, about swimming on our team. He knew that we were someplace in New Jersey! Our club became the first in U.S. swimming history to have a Soviet swimmer as a team member. The team finished 14th at the U.S. Senior National Long Course Championships in Los Angeles that summer.

Shortly afterward the team merged with the Sussex-Warren Aquatic Club (SWAC) coached by the illustrious Ed Dellert, who had just come out of a one year retirement. The Jersey Gators name was retained because of the national recognition and scholarship opportunities.

The merger was a reunion of sorts for the two coaches who had coached together in 1980 and 1981. At Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, Coach Dellert with his assistant, Coach Petrozziello, finished a shocking 4th place at the YMCA Nationals. The two had so much fun and the team swam so well, that the dynamic duo knew that when the opportunity to coach together arose, it would be an exciting time.

Quickly, Coach Dellert developed 4 Junior National swimmers in his first 2 years matching what Lou had done in 1984. This got Lou's attention and they were off to the coaching races. In 1991, the age group program started to improve at a tremendous rate as the coaches focused on their future stars. The team finished 3rd at the N.J. Senior State Championships.

At the 1992 Olympic Trials, the Jersey Gators entered 4 swimmers as in 1988 but this time the team would not be denied. On the first day, Scott Jaffe, one of the swimmers Coach Petrozziello met as a result of his National Team experience, made the team in the 200 Freestyle finishing fourth and qualifying for the 800 Freestyle Relay. (He later won an Olympic Bronze medal on the 800 Freestyle Relay).

On the third day, John Miranda slipped on the block in the 100 Free and came up on Matt Biondi's knees at the start. He finished in 9th place just missing the finals where 6 people were chosen as Olympic Team members. John's tough break did not hurt his other teammates.

Ron Karnaugh won the 200 Individual Medley in Trials record time and finally realized his Olympic dream after 4 hard, frustrating years. The Jersey Gators were now an internationally recognized U.S. Olympian-producing club.

The Jersey Gators started to diversify and took on new and different types of challenges. In the summer of 1996, a new first for a New Jersey Club developed. The Jersey Gators would try their hands at Marathon Swimming. Again, the Gators struck gold with a first place finish by John Gatti, in the annual swim around Manhattan. Gator John Gatti, or 'Johnny Gator' as we called him, swam the 28-1/2 mile course in 7 hours and 14 minutes breaking the old course record by 12 minutes. Johnny Gator was a New York Celebrity and the 'D-Man' ruled as King of Manhattan.

In 1997, Ron Karnaugh, now 30 plus years old, qualified for 1997 World Short Course Championships in Sweden by winning his 4th National Championship. After 25 years of competitive swimming, 'The Big Old Gator' realized 2 of his lifelong goals: The American Record in the 400M Individual Medley and graduating from medical school! Breaking the old record held by Eric Namesnick and beating out Chad Carvin in the process, Ron showed that he was one smart, mean, 'Big Old Gator!'

The Jersey Gators success is not all at the top. The little Gators have produced a remarkable dual meet record (Over 75% wins) showing great pride and determination to be the best they can. We hope to develop a few more Olympians from this group, since we have the experience to get you there!