After 30 years of being a health and physical education teacher and boys swimming head coach at Conestoga High School, Mark Tirone has surely left a huge impact on his students and athletes, writes Bruce Adams for The Daily Local News.

A West Chester University graduate, Tirone started coaching swimming in 1985 at Sun Valley High School in Aston. When he began teaching at Conestoga nearly 10 years later, the team was strong, but he knew it could be more.

Under his leadership, the team won first place at the Central League Championship in 2000 and it only went up from there.

“Mark has been an inspiration to a generation of Conestoga swimmers. He makes amazing connections with his athletes, has a deep understanding of the technical aspect of swimming and is a leader at the district level for high school swimming,” said Rob Kirkby, girls swimming head coach at Conestoga.

Tirone’s favorite things about coaching were watching swimmers bond, find their confidence, and see them improve not only as swimmers but as young adults. He said that while each year is unique, each person develops in their own way.

The most difficult part during his thirty years was when COVID-19 had everything at a standstill, making it hard to practice and find pool time when most places were shut down. Despite it all, he leaves Conestoga basking in a culture of success.

Tirone plans to enjoy his new free time by visiting family, spending time with his wife, and traveling.

Read more about the impact that Mark Tirone has had as a coach at Conestoga High School at The Daily Local News.

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