For the past three decades, one surname has consistently appeared on the boys’ swimming school record board in Cunningham Pool: Mestre.  When Alberto Mestre ’82 graduated from The Hill, he had already competed in the Olympics and held three individual school records, all of which stood until his son Alberto ’17 arrived at The Hill in 2014.  Motivated to best his father’s achievements, the youngest Mestre broke his father’s school and pool records in the 50 Free and his school record in the 100 Free.  Following a record-setting season in 2016-2017 in which he won two gold medals at the Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships, Mestre was named the Pottstown Mercury Boys’ Swimmer of the Year.

While Alberto captured the headlines during the 2017 Eastern Championship, his younger brother, Alfonso ’19, quietly took the first step to establishing his own chapter of the Mestre family swimming legacy at The Hill when he broke the 38-year old school record in the 500 Free.

Throughout the 2016-2017 season, the Mestre brothers pushed each other through early morning workouts.  As Alberto went to Stanford in the fall of 2017, Alfonso was left to push himself, something that was difficult at first. 

His solution?  Envisioning another swimmer ahead of him.

The mind trick worked.  Mestre has excelled throughout the past two seasons and will graduate with his name on four slots of the school record wall: 200 Free, 500 Free, 200 Free Relay, and 400 Free Relay.  The 200 Free Relay won gold at Easterns while the 400 earned bronze.  Individually, Mestre placed fourth in the 200 Free and third in the 500 Free.

For his outstanding season, the Mercury selected Mestre as its 2019 Boys’ Swimmer of the Year.  Read an excellent feature article about Mestre written by Owen McCue.