Though he passed away at the age of 84 in late 2011, Wally Lundt was on senior swim captain Jack Layden’s mind throughout the entire 2012 swim season.

Lundt coached swimming and water polo at Clayton for decades, leaving a legacy for the school’s aquatics program.

Lundt, or Wally as he was affectionately called by swimmers, water polo players and friends, was present with Layden emotionally throughout the entirety of his swim season senior year. Layden had one of the most successful swim seasons in Clayton’s recent memory, qualifying for the state competition in both the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 100-yard breaststroke.

“When I got my state qualifying time, I was excited and [I thought to myself], ‘Wally, I hope you saw that. This is for you,’” Layden said.

At the state meet, Layden was not able to perform as well as he had hoped, disqualifying due to a false start in the 100-yard breaststroke. Though disappointed, he thought of what Lundt would have said had he been present.

“I could just see Wally being like, ‘Shrug it off! That was great!’ Always cheering me up like he would do if I had bad at a race. It definitely helped me get over disqualifying at state,” Layden said.

The challenge of adjusting to a new system emerged at the beginning of water polo season in 2012 – the first season of either swimming or water polo without Lundt at the helm of the Clayton team. Jeff Spector, who coached with Lundt for one season of both water polo and swimming, took over as head water polo coach.

In the fall, physics teacher Rob Laux became head swimming coach and math teacher Katelyn Long became assistant coach.

Layden feels that both transitions went smoothly.

“Spector … has the same secure feeling of water polo [as Wally],” he said. “He knows what he is talking about, he’s been in it for so long and that definitely reflects to our team.”

In 2012, Spector led the squad to a season of seven wins and 15 losses. The Greyhound team saw both senior Nico Salavaggione and Layden place in the top 30 players in the area goal scorers, with 48 and 47 goals, respectively.

Spector, who feels the transition has gone well, believes that Lundt provided a solid foundation for the squad, teaching the players important lessons that have helped them grow.

“I think Wally tried to teach how to work hard and go about your training and doing things right and staying focused on your goals,” he said.

Spector is also looking forward to his future with the Clayton water polo program.

“Clayton is a great place to work, and I appreciate the opportunity to be there and follow in Wally’s footsteps.”

As for the swim team, Auggie Mense, a junior, was also happy with the transition.

“I think, like any change, it takes a while to get used to, but Coach Laux and Coach Long were both amazing. They both really helped the team, we sent our first swimmer to state in a couple years,” Mense said.

Mense also appreciated how the new coaches didn’t view themselves as Lundt’s replacements.

“I think, if anything, they handled it not so much as a replacing, but trying to build off of many of the things that Wally had taught us while he was there,” he said.

Layden agrees, and feels that Laux reminds him of Lundt in some respects.

“I look up to Coach Laux because of how he transitioned from Wally and how knowledgeable about swimming he is,” Layden said. “He seems just like Wally as in [being] selfless and a good person.”

With a new beginning of Clayton aquatics emerging under Spector, Laux and Long, Layden and Mense still have many feelings that they credit Lundt for evoking in them.

“He is definitely still our spirit of the game [water polo]. Whenever we play we have a tenacity and fierceness and … you just get so excited when you play, and it was definitely Wally passing this down to us,” Layden said.

For Mense, who hopes to qualify for state in swimming next season, he feels Lundt’s presence the most when he is trying to find enough energy to finish a swim, and gives him credit for being an exceptional leader and person.

“Wally is the best coach I’ve ever had, accross any sport, the most inspirational guy I have ever gotten the chance to be with,” Mense said. “And the way … he is still there for me is that whenever there is a set that I am really trying to finish, or it’s the end of a race and my body is about ready to give out, that’s when he is most visible in my mind. That’s when I remember Wally the most, just how he was always pushing you to do your best, that’s really when he is there the most for me.”