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Lenny Demuro

Inducted May 2005

Lenny graduated from Bar Harbor High School in 1962 and went on to graduate from Bowdoin College in 1966 after learning to swim in order to pass the required swimming test.  Lenny went on the get a job as a school teacher in Bar Harbor. 

 

In 1975, almost by default he was hired as the MDI Y swim coach.  In his 25 years as the head coach at MDI Y, Lenny’s team finished in the state's top three most of those seasons and finished second three times. 

 

MDI won the AAU/US swim league's state championship in 1988, 1989 and 1991.  Lenny’s team has had almost 50 divisional team titles in the Y league and swimmers from his teams dominated the Y league state records list for his entire coaching career including five state records in his first season.  At one point 80 percent of the boy state records were MDI swimmers. 

 

MDI won four New England divisional team titles and produced over 30 New England Individual Champions.  MDI swimmers also set five New England records, some of which still stand today. 

 

Twenty-five MDI swimmers under Lenny’s tutelage qualified for the National YMCA Championships including 1992 when MDI swimmer Bruce Crock was the National Champion in the 50 meter breaststroke.  Bruce also finished 2nd in the 1992 short course nationals in the 100 breaststroke and a 6th place finish in the 200 breaststroke. 

 

Many of Lenny’s swimmers have gone on to successful collegiate swim careers and in 1996 former MDI star Bruce Crock qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 breaststroke.  Lenny accompanied Bruce to the trials and though Bruce missed making the team he did produce the fastest 50 split of the meet during the 100 breaststroke. 

 

Lenny was voted U.S. League Coach of the Year in 1996 by his peers and in 1987 MDI Y was awarded the team sportsmanship award by the league.  Lenny coached the MDI high school boys and girls teams from 1981-86 and 1996-98.  The MDI girls team won the state title in 1982 and 1987.  Lenny was the assistant high school boys team coach for the 2004 state championship team.  Lenny was voted high school coach of the year in 1982 and 1984.

 

Lenny was the Maine US/AAU swim league General Chairman 1985-87, Head Maine Zone Coach 1980-89  and 1992-96 and Zone Meet Director in 1987.  He has been an influential leader in Bar Harbor for countless kids as a coach in a wide variety of youth sports over the years from football to Little League.