Sue Welker and her growing band of steadfast swimmers are making big ripples in the pond—and scoring a perfect 10 among fans and followers 10 years after its founding.

Indeed, the evolution of head coach Welker’s Naperville Waves adult swim team since she initiated it in 1999 has been nothing short of amazing.

Originally conceived as a small program for up to 18 swimmers, Welker had to expand her vision when nearly three times that many people showed up for the first tryouts. In its inaugural year, the Naperville Waves had 60 members. Today, it’s grown to 230 strong—making it the largest competitive adult swim program of its kind ever in Illinois, eclipsing even the long-dominant Wild Catfish swim team from Evanston, which has captured the Illinois Masters State Championship 23 times in its 26-year history. In recent years, however, the Waves have sent a clear message that the Catfish’s dynastic era is over, winning the last two Illinois Masters State Championships—most recently in April, besting 50 other teams—and three total in its 10-year history.

“Our advantage isn’t that we necessarily have the fastest swimmers,” said Welker, 47. “It’s that we have such a large pool of members to compete with, no pun intended. That includes a healthy number of older swimmers who upped our composite scores and helped us earn the trophy. In fact, one of our swimmers, a 70-year old, won first place in her event at the state meet and she had never competed before. That says a lot about the success of our program.”

Open to adults across Chicagoland, the Naperville Waves boasts members as young as 18 and as old as 78, each of whom is placed in one of three different skill level teams: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Swimmers practice a variety of dives, strokes and styles, from the butterfly to the backstroke to freestyle. Some opt to compete in meets, relays and other contests based on their fortes and within their five-year age group (ie, 35-39, 40-44, etc.). Standard stroke events are 50-, 100- or 200-yards, and freestyle events are 500-yards and one mile. Best practice times determine where swimmers are seeded at upcoming competitions. Each swimmer can partake in up to 11 different events in the state meet.

“Most of our swimmers are females and are between 40 and 50 years old,” said Welker, who has earned several awards from the US Masters Swimming Organization, including Illinois Coach of the Year twice and National Coach of the Year Award in 2006—the first time a coach from the land of Lincoln has received the honor. “Compare that to when we started, when the mean age was approximately 35. This shows that we’re attracting older swimmers as the program progresses. And that makes sense, considering our 10 a.m. practices up to five days a week and the increased emphasis Baby Boomers are putting on health and exercise.”

Not to mention the coach’s recruiting efforts. In recent years, Welker and swimmer May Anne Colburn launched a feeder program at a Plainfield retirement community and conducts two workouts a week for seniors there—some of whom join the Naperville Waves at meets and events.

“I love the diversity among our swimmers and the different age groups,” she said. “It’s extremely rewarding working with members of all different ability levels and seeing them make positive life changes as they focus on health and fun competition. The motto we always stress in our program is ‘fitness for life.’”

Aided by eight assistant coaches, Welker conducts two Naperville Waves swim seasons within a 12-month period—from November to May and then June through mid September. Each year, her team competes in up to six state meets and a variety of open water events across the city and suburbs, including a 5K (open water) swim at Ohio Street Beach in downtown Chicago. Some members also qualify for national meets: five Waves swimmers joined the Illinois team to compete at the Nationals in California and helped our state finish third; two of Welker’s athletes even placed among the top three in their events.

Depending on how often they want to compete, a Naperville Waves swimmer can typically expect to pay from $300 to $500 a year for swim-related costs, which include competition registration fees and usage fees to swim at Edwards Health and Fitness Centers in Naperville and Woodridge, where most practices are held.

“We encourage our members to practice at least three days a week. One of those is a technique-focused workout. Another is focused on distance and building endurance, and in the third we concentrate on higher intensity and speed,” Welker said. “Our coaches always try to be accommodating to our swimmer’s goals and busy schedules. We’re not cracking whips and shouting slogans in people’s ears. We want them to have fun, and we’re there for encouragement and support.’”

And that support goes a long way, as evidenced by the Naperville Waves’ latest charitable effort, “Swimming for Gaby,” named after the ailing 16-year-old son of Waves swimmer Beth De La Cruz. Hospitalized over the last four years, Gaby has been diagnosed with Chiari malformation — a structural defect in the cerebellum; pseudotumor cerebri — a disorder in which pressure inside the skull escalates for no obvious reason; and syringomyelia — a condition in which a cavity or cyst forms in the spinal cord. Beth had to quit her job to care full-time for her sick son and has been financially strapped as a result.

To at least help defray her Waves-related expenses and remain swimming on the team (“which she really treasures as a therapeutic outlet considering all the stress in her life,” Welker said), her coach initiated a special fundraiser.

“I decided to swim 1,000 yards every day for 100 days in a row, from April 22 through July 30, to help raise money for the De La Cruz family. So far, the support has been tremendous and above my expectations,” said Welker, who encourages people who want to contribute to learn more by visiting www.NapervilleWaves.org.

Welker herself faced a medical roadblock a few years back that threatened to curtail her pool-bound passion when she underwent extensive back surgery. While she’s no longer able to compete in speed swim competitions like she used to due to her recuperating back, she still makes the water her second home and is busier than ever with coaching duties. When she’s not working with her Waves disciples, she’s focused on coaching high schoolers at Naperville Central, where Welker serves as head coach of the girl’s swim team.

“I never have a boring day,” said Welker, a Naperville resident who is married and has two college-age children. “While my days of personally competing in meets are about over, my focus now is on taking care of others and helping to make our Naperville Waves program the best it can be.”

Welker said the group has evolved into more than a competitive swim club. Members often meet regularly on Thursday nights at Quigley’s pub in Naperville to share laughs and libations, and over the last decade 16 of her swimmers have gotten married after meeting their significant others in the pool.

“Aside from raising my children, growing the Naperville Waves has been my proudest achievement,” she said. “This has been the most successful adult swim program ever in the Chicagoland area, and we’re looking forward to even bigger and better years ahead.”

For more information about the Naperville Waves swim program, visit www.NapervilleWaves.org.