Bill Stirewalt’s philosophy for success is simple: “You don’t have to be fast; you just have to outlive the fastest.”
At 96 years old, Stirewalt made history at the National Senior Games in Des Moines, Iowa, this year. He won four gold medals in the 50-yard freestyle and the 50-, 100- and 200-yard backstroke, breaking two backstroke records in the process.
“I was born swimming,” Stirewalt says with a laugh.
He grew up in Cabarrus County, graduating from J.W. Cannon High School in Kannapolis. He then joined the Navy in 1947, serving as chief electronics technician on submarines for five years. In this role, he operated equipment such as radar and sonar systems. After that, he taught electronics for another five years.
He married Mollie, his wife of 75 years, in 1950.
After leaving the military, Stirewalt sold TVs in Illinois for 15 years. He then returned to Cabarrus County to become an accountant.
Since retiring in 2005, he’s spent much of his time working on his 50-acre pine tree farm, traveling (he’s been to all 50 states) and of course, swimming.
Stirewalt says he swam all his life, but just for fun. At 65, he joined the YMCA and began taking more serious laps in the pool.
“I sat at a desk for 40 years, going nowhere,” he says. “The Y turned it all around.”
Swimming keeps Stirewalt going.
Two to three times a week, he goes to the Rockwell YMCA pool. There, he swims 20 laps—more than a half-mile—without stopping. He also stays in shape by going to the Y’s steam room and walking on his treadmill at home.
As long as he can stay active, he says “I think I’ll live.”
Stirewalt has competed in the Cabarrus Senior Games for 25 years.
Through these local competitions, he's maintained a connection with the community and built lasting relationships.
Stirewalt says when he began competing locally, there were about five swimmers. Now, that number has grown to over 25.
Medaling in local competitions qualified him for the State games in Raleigh, where he has competed against the best senior swimmers in the state for many years.
This year was his first attending the national games. He was joined in Des Moines by six family members who came to cheer him on.
At nationals, Stirewalt competed alongside 12,000 swimmers. He was the oldest swimmer there.
He’s often told that he is an inspiration, even by fellow competitors. At nationals, he was amazed at how many younger guys called him a role model and thanked him for competing.
“That lets them know it’s possible to keep going,” he says.
When he’s in the water, Stirewalt is thinking about that very thing. "Just keep going," he tells himself. He stays focused on his strokes and his lap count.
That concentration is helpful to his performance. "It relaxes me,” he says. “If I'm tired, as soon as I hit the water, it all goes away.”
Despite health challenges over the years, including surgeries and even battling lymphoma, one thing stayed on his mind: “I’ve got to get back to swimming.”
What’s next for Stirewalt? He'll keep swimming and competing in the games. His next opportunity for national recognition is in two years in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Then, he'll set his sights on the nationals in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2029. For that competition, he'll be 100.
The Cabarrus Senior Games and SilverArts take place from April 1 to May 31, with state games for those who qualify scheduled for September and October. Registration for local games opens from Feb. 1 to March 31. For more information, visit NC Senior Games or call 704-920-3484.