Ever since she graduated from North Penn in 1975, Selma Robinson knew that she wanted to become a teacher. As a person who values relationships with others and is never short on advice for her students, her career choice as an educator could not have been more fitting. Robinson had been a swimmer in her high school years, and she found herself drawn to the Health and Phys. Ed. field, which promised a connection to her interest in aquatics – so it was only natural that she would jump on the opportunity to teach and coach swimming at her Alma Mater when it arose in her second year of teaching. Having spent one year as a long-term substitute at Methacton High School, Robinson made the switch to North Penn, where she would remain for the rest of her teaching career. Now, thirty-four years later, she is saying goodbye to her beloved Natatorium, where she has watched countless swimmers and students learn everything from the backstroke to life lessons about teamwork and success.
Over her years at North Penn, Robinson has accumulated a plethora of accolades, many from her ten years spent coaching the Girls’ Swimming and Diving team from 1980 to 1990. With six undefeated seasons, ten Suburban One League championships, five District One championships, and a State championship under her belt, among other achievements, she remembers coaching as one of her most exciting and rewarding experiences at the high school.
“Coaching was awesome…Of course the highlight other than the relationships would be that, in my last year coaching, we were fortunate enough to be State Champions and were recognized as National Champions for all the public high schools, so that was really awesome,” said Robinson. “We had a lot of fabulous swimmers and hard workers. And one of the highlights was when they were inducted into the Hall of Fame at North Penn, and all the women came back…we spent hours laughing and reminiscing. That really meant a lot to me for them to come back as mature young women, and seeing who they’ve become, and knowing and hearing them say that swimming did have a major impact on them.”
But beyond the awards and honors, Robinson can be found on a daily basis at North Penn’s pool, where she is known affectionately as “Mrs. Rob” by the sophomores she teaches to swim in Tenth Grade Aquatics. Students have taken a liking to her lighthearted approach to the course, which helps still-jittery sophomores feel comfortable within the chlorine-clouded confines of the Natatorium. As she moves on from her position at the edge of North Penn’s waters, Robinson predicts that her students will be among her most dearly-missed memories.
“The most important thing about being a teacher is the students…I’m really going to miss the interaction with high school students, because it’s always an interesting day, especially here at the pool. I’m going to miss that daily back-and-forth,” said Robinson. “And I’m definitely going to miss my coworkers, as well as the boys and girls on the swimming team, even though I’m not coaching anymore. They’re always very nice to me and reach out, and I mentor some of them, so I’m going to miss the relationships.”
Despite the tough goodbyes which are sure to follow over three decades at North Penn, Robinson felt sure that now was the right time to move forward from her teaching career for multiple reasons.
“I’m getting more tired from being on my feet, teaching swimming, and worrying about making sure that everybody’s safe. 35 years of teaching is a good time to stop, and I also had an opportunity next year to coach at La Salle University as assistant swimming coach for the Men’s and Women’s swimming teams, so I want to take advantage of that opportunity as well,” said Robinson.
As she takes on what is sure to be an exciting future in coaching, Robinson will certainly be missed by the North Penn community for everything she has contributed, from her friendly face to her boundless good advice, and her name will remain in the record books to attest to the Girls’ Swim Team’s achievements under her guidance. Meanwhile, she will fondly remember her time at her Alma Mater and the many people she influenced there, both in and out of the pool.
“I’m thrilled to have had the experience and the longevity in a job that I have a passion for,” said Robinson. “I feel good that I’ve come in contact with a lot of students and hopefully made a little impact on them, whether it’s teaching them how to swim and be safe or teaching them a life lesson.”