Local Swim Coach Humble About Cranford Career

Jeff Knight isn't one to gloat. He's humble.

Ask him a question about his swimming background – Knight was a swimmer at Cranford High School in the late 1980s through the early 1990s – and he pauses and offers little.

But when the subject turns to Westfield High School's swim program, he voice perks up as he talks about the boys that comprise the Blue Devils squad.

"I love coaching these kids," said Knight, who's in his fourth year coaching the Blue Devils boys swim team. "We have a steep tradition."

That standard of excellence has been evident recently -- the Blue Devils have won the last two Public A boys state championships. They went 16-0 last year and this season, the team is off to a 3-2 start as they try to replace nine seniors off of last year's team.

"It's a great opportunity for the kids to be part of something than swimming for themselves," he said. "You factor in the clock aspect and it's part individual goals but also more importantly, it's all about team goals. It translates to real life, if you work hard and make your goals, you'll be successful."

Much of Knight's beliefs of swimming being a team sport slip over to his thoughts when he talks about his own swimming career as a Cougar. He remains shy though about his own accomplishments, preferring to talk little on it and keep the focus on the Blue Devils. But from what he does offer he talks more about being a contributor to Cranford as a team than his own individual accomplishments while a Cougar.

Knight, a 1992 graduate of Cranford High School, let slip that he "swam all over" for CHS and that it was one of the best times of his life. He also created a mini swimming dynasty in his hometown as well. His younger brother, Kevin, swam for the Cougars from 1994 to 1998.

Knight worked several recent summers as the manager of the Cranford Swim Club, the private swim club on the Westfield border where some Cranford swimmers get their start. The swim club has Cranford's only youth swim program, swimming against a variety of local teams, including the Westfield Memorial Pool Marlins. The CSC swimming program serves as a farm team for many Cougar swimmers, which in Knight's time consistently scored well in dual meets and the post season.

The Cougars swimming program consistently sends swimmers to college teams and is becoming a farm system for the coaches of some of Cranford's archrivals in athletics. In addition to Knight, Scotch Plains-Fanwood Coach Chris Feinthel is a Cranford alum from the class of 1999.

An alum of the University of Richmond and former Marine, Knight is now a history teacher at Roosevelt Intermediate School, where his students note that he is able to relate to them and helps them learn to appreciate history. He has also coached tennis for the Blue Devils.

While shy about boasting about his own high school swimming exploits, Knight wants to make one thing clear. His top priority - outside of a winning squad - is that he wants the enjoyment that he experienced swimming for the school on the hill on Cranford's West End Place to be replicated by his swimmers.

"I really cherished my days in high school," Knight said. "I want the kids on this team to have the same type of experience I did.

"It's a special four years and it goes by quicker than people think." 

Knight, who was a Westfield assistant prior to becoming the team's coach, believes the team is "a work in progress" and "we measure our season in February."

Westfield has defeated Union and Governor Livingston High School this season. Knight thinks the team is finding its way as the season hits the brunt of its schedule.

"They are working hard," Knight said. "It changes year to year, the makeup of the team, and we're striving to be the best we can be."

Swimming is the ultimate team sport in Knight's eyes and Westfield's depth will serve them well this season.

"It's an individual sport but team-oriented, it doesn't make a difference if you're the fastest or not," said Knight. "Team success is not predicated on the stars, but on the depth of the team."