In the summer of 1944, the battle for the island of Saipan in the Northern Marianas during the Pacific Campaign of World War II would go down as being one of the top three most fiercely fought battles between American forces and the Imperial Japanese Army.
The bombing of U.S. Naval base Pearl Harbor by the Japanese in December of 1941 immediately set off a chain of events. Saipan became the American’s primary objective in establishing a crucial island base from which the U.S. could launch its new B-29 bombers within striking distance of main Japanese islands. While the Japanese, not wanting any advances by the Americans, fought hard to keep Saipan within their possession.
After battling it out over the course of three weeks, American forces prevailed but at the cost of many lives lost on both sides. One of those marines who arrived in Saipan on a U.S. battleship and part of the 10th Marine division was Anthony “Tony” Borowski, father of Hall of Fame swimming coach, Steve Borowski.
Recently, Steve Borowski returned to the island of Saipan and into the very waters where his father once came ashore some 71 years ago.
But this time, it was on more pleasant terms.
Upon receiving a special invite by FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur), which is the world governing body for swimming, Borowski was offered the unique opportunity to instruct 14 coaches from across the Mariana Islands toward a Level II swimming coach certification.
“What FINA is trying to do is to motivate and promote swimming in rural areas, worldwide, and places that barely have swimming facilities,” Borowski said. “So FINA wanted a coach who has a lot of experience and, being from Hawaii and also a former U.S. National swim coach, asked if I had the time to go down and coach these coaches in the Mariana Islands.”
Borowski’s involvement in the world of water sports spans over six decades with highlights of his career including an induction into the Hall of Fame on four different occasions: Hawaii Swimming, Illinois Water Polo, Chicago High School Sports, and most recently, the Hawaii Waterman.
He hit All-American rankings during his High School and college years in both swimming and water polo, and later on went on to compete in the 1964 Olympic Trials in water polo.
As a swim coach, Borowski was assistant coach to Mark Spitz and Gary Hall, Sr., as well as several other U.S. Olympic Team swimmers leading up the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
But here in Hawaii, Borowski’s legendary status began by leading the boys and girls Punahou High School swimming teams to 13 consecutive state titles, and in 2001, began Kealakehe High School’s first boys and girl’s swim teams. In 2010, he led the Waverider girl’s team to the school’s first State Championship, and has also coached more than 50 High School All-Americans.
Borowski’s humbleness toward helping triathletes and professional swimmers, amateurs and beginners fine-tune their swimming techniques and ocean knowledge certainly comes with his reputation as athletes worldwide continue to seek out “Coach Steve” for swimming lessons.
Today, Borowski continues to coach the Waverider boys and girls swim teams along with Kona Aquatics, the first age group team in Kona, and Kona Masters, the largest Master’s program in the State with nearly 100 members. Borowski began both programs in 1993.
So it was a no brainer for FINA to request his expertise in a field that he has excelled in for so many decades.
Borowski explained that it was a neat incentive by FINA to have this program available since most of these coaches would have a hard time getting a Level II certification due to lack of finances and resources to travel to U.S. based clinics. Certification will allow these coaches to teach and reach out to children living in rural areas, and hopefully produce athletes that may someday be able to compete at an international level.
“It’s prestigious for these coaches to get certified as a Level II so that they can show that to their association and get travel monies and other incentives,” he said. “FINA will actually pay their way to some of these South Pacific games and help them get that exposure.
Yet before Borowski’s clinic could begin, word spread quickly throughout the island of an impending typhoon.
“There was a swimming meet and I came to observe these coaches while they were at this meet with their particular team,” Borowski said. “We then heard there was a typhoon headed our way the very next day. So the swimming meet was over, then they canceled an open water swim meet the next day, and the swimmers were all suppose to go home and the coaches were going to stay and do the clinic with me. Well, about 100-plus swimmers got stuck on the island along with everyone else. We were without power for a good 24-36 hours and no one could get in or out. So it definitely started off as an interesting trip.”
Fortunately, Borowski’s hotel had a backup generator and over the course of three days, he was able to successfully help all 14 coaches achieve a Level II swimming coach certification.
“Because these coaches come from all over the Mariana Islands, we tried to make the clinic specific for them and I felt that I was successful in doing just that as being a swim coach from Hawaii, there are a lot of similarities,” he said. “I was able to break down stroke techniques of all the different strokes, teach some starts, turns, and pacing, but specific on how to make their swimmers more efficient.”
Borowski said that through FINA, holding clinics worldwide has been an ongoing program and will possibly request his expertise on future clinics as they received great reviews of him from participants.
“It was an honor as it was really rewarding and the coaches were really appreciative for me being there,” he said. “So it was a win-win for everyone.”
Before heading back to Hawaii, Borowski returned to the shallow waters off the coast of Saipan to go on a few ocean swims with his pupils. There he witnessed the remaining scars of what was once a ferocious battlefield with rusting Army tanks sitting half above the water.
“The real cool thing was we used these tanks as buoys and we swam to it, jumped on it and everyone was having fun,” he said. “I came back the next day to talk to a historian at the museum and we talked about my dad. After he found out what division my father was in, he told me that where I was swimming was exactly the same spot where my dad came on shore all those years ago. It was like chicken skin.”
The Mariana Islands are composed of two administrative units, Guam — a U.S. territory — and the Northern Mariana Islands that make up the Commonwealth of the United States. Although the Northern Mariana Islands consist of 15 islands, only Saipan, Tinian and Rota are inhabited.
“My dad spoke very little about his experiences in World War II,” Borowski said. “He was a marine and it wasn’t a pleasant time. But I’m glad that my dad was able to pass onto me some of his stories, and now after 70 years, it was pretty amazing to return and visit these war museums and shrines spread throughout the island. It was truly an amazing experience.”