05/25/2022
Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 Anne Salway Dolan Memorial Scholarship. The following is the speech given by Katie Dolan at the Booster Club Awards Dinner on May 17, 2022:
Good evening athletes, coaches, and parents. My name is Katie Dolan and I am here speaking on behalf of the Anne Salway Dolan Memorial Scholarship. Almost two and a half years ago my family lost a key player on our team, my mom, but in the most devastating time in my life, I found that her impact was felt throughout our community, and my family and I will always be grateful for the love and support we received. My mother was not only a parent and the facility manager of Cranford Pools and Fitness Center, but she was also a coach, a mentor, and a cheerleader on the sideline as well as a lifelong Cranford resident and former athlete. She was even a recipient of the Booster Club Scholarship in 1989.
Growing up, there wasn’t a time I don’t remember my mother not being involved in Cranford athletics. Whether it be running a field hockey clinic for third to sixth graders, stepping up to coach when need be, to simply just being a voice on the sideline cheering on not only my brother and myself, but every other teammate we’ve ever had.
This is now the third year that we have been able to reward 4 athletes for their accomplishments. We look for students that have shown commitment, perseverance, a love for their sport, and above all a fierce and loyal camaraderie. A true teammate. She loved competitors who played with heart. That is what she valued and that is why we continue to honor her by staying true to what she believed in. What makes this group so special is that almost our entire applicant pool has felt her love and encouragement as she cheered for each one of them.
Though she is no longer with us, we still feel her impact on our community through the lives that she has touched. Each of our four winners had slightly different takes on what it means to be a part of a team and how transformative being a good teammate can be. The lessons you learn from being on a team transcend sports and have far greater meaning as you grow into almost every aspect of life.
All four of our winners this year are 4-year varsity members and captains on the swim team.
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Our first winner grew up swimming for the Jersey Gators and later for the High School Swim Team. During these years, she learned that a strong leader paves the way for a successful and cohesive team. As a young competitor, she discovered how she changed from having an individual mindset to becoming a member of a group striving towards a shared goal. When she became a captain herself, she felt strongly that it was her responsibility to teach the younger members of her team these same critical life lessons. Being a good teammate allowed her to be an even stronger leader. In her words, “The lessons you learn from being on a team can stay with you forever.”
Our first recipient will be continuing her swimming career, majoring in psychology at Farleigh Dickinson University. Congratulations to Jessica Mooney. I know my mom will be cheering loudly for you on the sidelines at FDU.
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Our next winner also grew up as a Jersey Gator before joining the high school swim team. He spoke about how scary it was as a freshman joining a team full of older and more experienced members. His nerves faded though when his new teammates welcomed him right in as if he had been there all along. He said one of the greatest lessons he learned from them was, “If everyone gives 100% we can accomplish amazing things” As a senior captain, he made sure to pass on this lesson to every nervous underclassman who stepped onto the deck for the first time.
Our second winner will be continuing his swimming career as a business management major at Salisbury University. Congratulations Michael DeSimone. I know my mother would be so proud of all your accomplishments.
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Our third winner joined the high school swim team his freshman year and immediately started to see the power of having strong supporting teammates. He spoke about cheering his fellow swimmers on from the sideline and when his time came to step on the block he wrote how good it felt to hear them rooting for him. It strengthened and encouraged him to work even harder. These experiences helped him as a lifeguard at the Cranford Pools. He saw what a team can accomplish when he made his first save and all of his fellow guards rushed to support him and he said, “It made me feel great knowing that I was not alone.” He found that a true team is far stronger than a collection of individuals.
Our third recipient will be studying communications at Seton Hall University next fall. Congratulations Justin Lotito. I remember my mother rooting for you and I know she always will be.
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Our final winner has been swimming for Cranford since his freshman year, however, he has also been on many other teams, including his years on the baseball field and his time as a lifeguard at the Cranford Pool. He noted that the most successful teams he has been on all came together as a family. In his words, “A team is a family who will be there for each other and work together to accomplish something great.” He went on to say, “I know my teams have always been there for me”. He emphasizes that teams are everywhere, not just in sports. We can accomplish so much more together. This is the lesson that my mom was always trying to get across.
Our final winner will be continuing his studies as a Marine Biology major at Monmouth University. Congratulation to Dan Connolly. I know if she were here she would give you the biggest hug and tell you she’ll always be on your team.
Finally, my family and I would like to thank the Booster Club for all their help and support in allowing us to continue and honor her legacy. We look forward to coming back next year. Thank you.
Our goal is to give annual scholarships to Cranford, NJ high school seniors who have played for the Cranford High School Swimming or Field Hockey teams for 3-4 years.
