Tracy Grilli
2020 Inducted into the New England LMSC Hall of Fame (Contributor)
2018-present NELMSC Board of Directors
2005 U.S. Masters Swimming National Championship Meets Award
1996-2017 USMS National Office
1996-1998 NEM Vice President of Marketing
1994-2001 Check-Off Challenge Coordinator
1987-present NEM National Relay Coordinator
1985, 1986, 1987 NEMMY Award – Most significant contributions to the club’s well-being
1985-1986 Meet Director, Hawaiian Relays
1985 USMS Long Course Nationals at Brown – Awards
1984-1991 NEM VP of Meets
1983-2005 Meet Director (Phillips Exeter, Medford HS, Cedardale, Rosemary Pool, Manchester YMCA)
1983 March NEM News The Grillis – One of NEM’s Swimming Couples
USMS Records
Pool – 5 lifetime relay
Long Distance – 1 lifetime relay
USMS All-Star – 1 year long distance
USMS All-American
Pool – 4 individual, 28 relay
Long Distance – 4 individual, 2 years relay
USMS Top Ten – 294 individual, 180 relay
Club: New England Masters (NEM)
Tracy Grilli was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts in April of 1957, just in time for the grand opening of Bearcroft Swim and Tennis Club where her family were charter members. Her mom brought Tracy and her siblings (Kim and Mike) to the club pretty much every day during the summer. Tracy passed her pool test at age two-and-a-half, and she swam in her first meet at the age of 6. “Many years later, someone created a “Orphans of Bearcroft Swim Club” Facebook page which really bring back the memories,” she says.
Tracy continued to swim during the summers at Bearcroft and with the Seekonk Dolphins (coach Ellis Mayers) during the winter until she was 16. “I was an OK swimmer, nothing to brag about,” she says. “But my high school sports and activities became a priority and that was it for swimming.”
Tracy graduated from Norton High School in 1975 and she attended Slippery Rock State College in Pennsylvania to study physical education. “I tried out for the cheerleading squad,” but didn’t make the team. “I was too big.” She also tried out for the volleyball team, and made it to the last cut. Still searching for something to keep her occupied, she went out for the swim team. “I figured I was 500 miles away from home and needed to do something, so I joined the swim team. Again, I was an OK swimmer.”
After graduation, Tracy got a job as the physical director at the Malden YMCA, “and that is where I found out about Masters swimming! I also met David there, and the two of us joined NEM. Well, actually I was too young to join” – the minimum age to join Masters at the time was 25 – “but I was allowed to compete at meets and was listed in the results as a ‘sub-Master.’ We just absolutely loved everything about NEM – the people, the fun, the meets, the parties, the camaraderie.”
Right from the beginning, NEM leadership took David and Tracy under their wings, Tracy recalls, noting that Jim Edwards, Ted Haartz, Tom Lyndon, Barr Clayson, Stephanie Walsh, and Dave Eskin were just a few of their mentors. “We were appointed meet directors for the annual Phillips Exeter meet. Stephanie moved to Pennsylvania and I took over as vice president of meets, known as ‘Tom’s Vice’,” she says. “Along the way, if there was something that needed to be done, we volunteered.”
Tracy and David married in 1981, and subsequently had two children; Victoria was born in 1982 and Luke in 1985. They moved to Londonderry in 1986. Tracy got a job at the Nashua YWCA where she worked for 10 years. She resigned in early 1996, about the same time that the January/February issue of Swim Magazine arrived. In it was an announcement that Dorothy Donnelley (USMS’s executive secretary would be retiring and the organization was seeking a replacement. “David said, ‘this is the job for you!’ I applied, got the job and until 2009 (when we hired an Executive Director and created a ‘real’ national office) our house was the National Office!”
After 20 years with USMS it was time to move on. Tracy and David are grandparents now (Gianna was born on what would have been Tracy’s father’s 95th birthday – May 8, 2017). “Now, every day when I wake up, I decide what it is that I want to do. Of course, Masters Swimming and volunteering for the LMSC (BOD) and NEM (nationals relay coordinator) are high on my ‘want to do’ list!” she says.
Working Hard for USMS, USMS Website, Meegan Wilson May 30, 2005
Tracy Grilli has been described as ‘simply delightful.; Delightful yes, but she is far more than that. Currently, she is the USMS National Office Administrator, previously called the Executive Secretary of USMS. She took over for retiring Dorothy Donnelly on January 1, 1997 and has been going strong ever since. She said that one of her favorite duties is communicating with the many Masters swimmers from around the country.
Tracy, mother of two, has been active in Masters swimming for the past 24 years and has attended the USMS National Convention since 1996. She has been a member of the New England Masters swim club (Granite State Penguins) since 1981. She is the coordinator for NEM relays at national meets and had also acted for many years as vice-president of meets. She currently volunteers as the Registrar for the New England LMSC. Her husband David Grilli is a past president of NEM and is also active in USMS previously serving as the Fitness Chair.
Tracy has a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Slippery Rock State College. Professionally she worked for 15 years for the YMCA and YWCA working her way up the ladder to Interim Executive Director at the YWCA in Nashua, N.H., before taking the position with USMS.
Tracy started competing at the age of six. Today, she normally swims four days per week averaging 3,000 yards per workout and cross trains with weights and aerobics. Her coach is her husband, David, who also competes and coaches a USA Swimming club. Her motivation to keep swimming is to exercise and try to improve her speed.
At the third Annual International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame induction ceremony held at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale on January 8, 2005, Tracy was one of 12 Masters swimmers who were honored at the first Masters Swimming Pioneer Awards presented by the U.S. Water Fitness Association. These awards were presented in the name of the 12 original pioneer participants in the Masters program. Tracy received the June Krauser Rules or Newsletter Award.