In the closing days of January, Brian Melanson joined the elite ranks of Schenectady High School coaches who have achieved 100 victories, a milestone he reached with his boys’ swimming and diving team.
When questioned about this significant achievement, Melanson began listing names such as Mike Celentano, Chris Lotano, Ryan Quinn, Sam Boese, and Calvin Cleworth. Despite being the only coach the Patriots have had in their 23-year history, Melanson modestly downplayed his own role in this accomplishment.
“This is the program’s 100th win,” Melanson stated, referring to the 88-65 victory over Albany. “Every single team member has contributed to this achievement. I’ve just been fortunate enough to witness all of them.”
Reaching 100 dual meet wins was a journey, especially since the pace of victories slowed down after Schenectady joined the Suburban Council with its highly competitive teams in 2015. Prior to this, as a member of the Aqua League, Schenectady had eight winning seasons in 11 years, including a school-record 11 victories in the 2005-06 season.
“At our banquet last year, I told the team we needed four more wins to reach 100,” Melanson recalled. “Considering our recent seasons had yielded three, one, zero, three, and two wins, I wasn’t sure if we could do it. But the boys did an amazing job. The excitement was palpable when we secured that fourth win.”
Not only did Schenectady secure a fourth win, but they also added a fifth, ending the season with a 5-7 record, their best as a Suburban Council member. Another highlight was the Section 2 championship meet Division 1 preliminaries, where the Patriots achieved 31 personal bests in 31 swims.
“The most rewarding part for me is seeing the kids succeed,” Melanson shared. “Whether it’s qualifying for the state championships or learning how to swim, every achievement is significant. It’s truly wonderful to witness their growth and progression.”
Since the program’s inception in 2001, Schenectady swimmers and divers have been setting and achieving personal goals. Along the way, the team has also celebrated significant milestones, such as winning six Aqua League championships and finishing fourth at the 2008 Section 2 meet.
That 100th win was another significant achievement for the Patriots, and for Melanson, who joined the ranks of Mark Sausville (boys’ basketball), Jerry Rosen (baseball), and Mary Ozarowski (girls’ volleyball) in Schenectady’s 100-win club.
“The credit goes to the athletes,” Melanson, a Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake graduate and Zoller Elementary School phys ed teacher, said. “I merely guide the ship. I strive to bring out the best in the kids, but ultimately, they are the ones who have to perform.”
Melanson’s first team, comprised of 12 underclassmen, didn’t win any of its nine meets. However, they improved and got faster, and in the 2002-03 season, they achieved a 5-7 record, with Celentano emerging as the team’s first star.
The Patriots achieved their first winning season in 2004-05 with an 8-5 record. This was followed by more winning seasons, coinciding with the Patriots’ championship run that began with four consecutive Aqua League titles from 2005-06 through 2008-09.
“When we were in the Aqua League, I always scheduled matches with the top one or two Suburban Council teams,” Melanson explained. “I could have padded our schedule, but I wanted my team to see what successful programs looked like. I believe it helped us.”
The 2006-07 championship season was particularly memorable as Lotano, David Woods, and Ezra Masse-Mahar became the program’s first state meet qualifiers. Masse-Mahar secured a second place in the diving competition at the Section 2 meet, which was the program’s highest finish at the time. Peter Runfola won the prestigious Section 2 Kenneth A. Smith Scholar-Athlete award that season, and Woods was chosen as the Section 2 Good Sportsmanship Award winner at the state championships.
The 2011-12 season saw Boese become Schenectady’s first Section 2 champ by winning the 50 free. Cleworth earned eight top-three sectional patches over the next four years and was named Schenectady’s MVP each time. The program’s most decorated athlete led Aqua League title-winning teams in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and left for Division I Maine with Patriot records in six of eight individual events.
“We’ve been incredibly lucky with the caliber of athletes that have come through our program,” said Melanson, who has had assistant coach Kris Crandall by his side since the 2007-08 season. “We’ve been fortunate to have guys who were committed, competitive, and believed in their abilities.”
Prior to taking the helm of the Schenectady program, Melanson coached the Saratoga Springs boys’ swimming and diving team for three seasons, leading the Blue Streaks to their first two winning seasons.
Melanson also had a successful six-year stint as head coach of the Schenectady girls’ lacrosse team. His Patriots set a team record for wins in 2009 when they achieved a 12-3 record and finished second in the Capital District Women’s Lacrosse League.
Great achievement! Keep up the good work.
Great accomplishment for Coach Melanson! #agree