Northridge Swimming: Keller Looking To Establish New Standard UPDATED
MIDDLEBURY – There is no denying the Northridge swim program is among the gold standard of swimming in northern Indiana. Now Joe Keller wants to test the waters in the shadow of the gold standard in all of Indiana.
Keller decided to resign as head coach from the Northridge swim program earlier this week to take on the coaching position at Fishers High School in suburban Indianapolis. When one points to Northridge swim success, Keller was in the middle of it all, not just with the boys and girls high school teams, but also building a feeder program with the Northridge Area Swimming Association (NASA).
Keller coached Northridge for 26 years, building a dynasty in Middlebury that few high school athletic programs in the area can boast when it comes to results. The Raider boys have won 19 straight Northern Lakes Conference titles and 15 straight sectional titles, only trailing Munster’s mammoth 32 active straight sectional titles. The Lady Raiders have the longevity as well, winners of 15 of the past 16 NLC championships and 13 total sectional championships.
It was a big deal when anyone beat Northridge, whether it was Concord or Wawasee girls in the regular season, or when Concord girls did it at this past year’s sectional. It was always work. And Keller made sure if his team’s weren’t up to snuff, by golly, he was going to make sure the win was earned.
“I’ve had people mention items related to (Northridge’s success) over the last few years but attempt to stay in the now with a little peeking into the future and that occupies my time to where I don’t have time to even think about those things,” Keller said Sunday morning. “We use an acronym in our program…”WIN”…”What’s Important Next”. That is really the focus!
“However, the last few days have brought about a little reflection. This isn’t about me…I know I get a lot of praise but I just steer the boat. There have been hundreds, maybe even closer to thousands of people involved over the last 26 years in our success. I couldn’t have done it alone, guaranteed. I feel a great sense of PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In Daily Effort) in the process and know that our alums and current athletes do too. So, it started as a team and has become a family.
“My legacy is yet to be determined. Meaning the continued success of the program and the athletes that come from it. Their success will be the indicator of whether I did the job the way I set to do it, and whether it is accomplished.”
Keller always treated each event like it was the most important of the night, using a keen eye on stroke technique or hugging the buttons on the stopwatch like they were the nuclear codes during the Cold War. It was always about getting better, and his swimmers embodied that. The Indiana cutouts on the gorgeous Northridge Natatorium are reminders of the empire built, names like Arthur Miller, Spencer Lehman and Brittany Walters. The title Walters won in the 500 freestyle in 2013, upsetting the field from lane eight, left Keller cheering like a kid on his birthday, then weeping with joy for his swimmer.
“There really isn’t any set of words I can say to describe how proud I am of Brittney,” Keller said between tears on the deck at IUPUI in 2013. “She has worked so hard to earn this, she did this. No one but she believed she could come from lane eight and win a title. I am so proud of her…” Keller then paused and hugged Walters like a proud dad, Walters still in shock with the blue ribbon around her neck.
Moments like that surround the lore of Northridge swimming, which Keller now takes to Fishers, where ironically the swimmer Walters edged for the state championship, Emily Moser, is part of that school’s history. Fishers has only been a high school as presently constructed since 2007, but is building a very solid program. The boys team won a sectional title in 2016 and the girls claimed one this past February, its fourth all-time. Lauryn Parrish, the 2017 Mental Attitude Award winner, was a four-time state qualifier and will swim next year at Kansas University.
“Fishers is the only job that I would have left Northridge for and it came down to the fact that I will essentially have one hat to wear at Fishers, coaching,” Keller said. “Here, I have several and all aspects of the program have grown and it is too much for one person to manage. So, my health became the focus. This has been discussed inside the circles here at Northridge and other options have been considered but with my family – parents and sister – living in Fishers and the package they put together then I just couldn’t pass it up.
“Ultimately, Health and Family became the focal point and for the first time, I put me first. Honestly, how many coaches get to finish coaching on their terms? I’m blessed to be able to leave here on top. It was going to happen sometime anyway. I am glad that due to all the neglect I’ve shown my body, and even family at times, that I get this chance. The chance possibly wouldn’t be there in the future so I had to take the opportunity. Also, better to go out vertical than horizontal. True though. So, I love Middlebury, the people, I have come to call it home, and I hate to leave. But I hope my spirit continues through all the accomplishments, the people, the community.
Northridge did not immediately name a successor to the girls and boys teams as of the weekend.