Very often we see the name of a street, park, or facility and have no idea for whom they were named. If you have ever been to, or driven by the Western County Swimming Pool, you may have wondered about the name and why the pool was named for Sarah Auer.
Sarah E. Auer was a dedicated swim coach from Poolesville, Maryland, whose passion for mentoring young swimmers left a lasting impact on the Montgomery County swimming community. At just 17, she became the head coach for over 200 swimmers on the Poolesville Piranhas Swim Team and later she was a coach for the Rockville-Montgomery Swim Club. She was known for her nurturing approach, making each swimmer feel important and inspiring them to strive for their personal best.
Sarah Auer's influence extended beyond the pool. One of her students credited her with launching her swimming career and later winning a full swim scholarship to the University of Arizona.
Her coaching helped build the Poolesville Piranhas Swim Club and contributed to the success of many young athletes.
Tragically, Sarah was killed when her was struck by a truck in December 2002 while she was traveling to a swim practice at the Rockville-Montgomery Swim Club. She was 21 years old. Her family and community remember her as a beloved mentor whose work in swimming left a legacy that continues through the annual Sarah E. Auer Mini-Swim Meet and the Sarah E. Auer Memorial Scholarship, which has awarded over 100 scholarships to graduating seniors from Poolesville High School, the Montgomery Swim League, and the Poolesville Piranhas Swim Team.
In July 2017, the Montgomery County Department of Recreation renamed the Western County Outdoor Pool in Poolesville as the Sarah E. Auer Western County Outdoor Pool in recognition of her dedication and the positive impact she had on countless young swimmers.
County Executive Ike Leggett participated in a ceremony where her brother, Timothy Auer spoke saying, "For Sarah, this pool was a home away from home, a battleground on meet days, a nurturing school for the youngest swimmers…It will always have Sarah's soul here; now it will have her name as well".
Her father, Charles Auer said Sarah's death was a terrible shock. "It tore our hearts when that happened. It tore our hearts."
The next time you pass the Sarah E. Auer pool, reflect on the young woman who dedicated so much of her energy and life to Montgomery County youth and swimming.