From 1985 to 2003, Dave Ackerman lead the Evanston Wild Catfish Masters Swim Teams to 18 state championships. The team had one practice time and one location – Evanston Township High School. As many as 80 swimmers would attend practices with Dave at the helm. He also organized team social events and travel to meets all over the US. His enthusiasm and encouragement motivated swimmers to excel.

Some of the best national team performances were also inspired by Dave. Two first place finishes at Indy and three second place finishes at Michigan, Minnesota and Cleveland. No one wanted to  miss out on the fun!