Michael Hundt retiring after 39 years of service

After many years teaching generations of children in the Cayman Islands how to swim, coach Michael Hundt is hanging up his whistle.

On Thursday, 25 Aug., the Ministry of District Administration and Lands announced the retirement of the long-serving civil servant, educator and swimming pioneer, who was instrumental in advancing the sport in the Sister Islands.

A farewell event was held in his honour in Cayman Brac, with attendees including the Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, District Commissioner Mark Tibbetts; Head of Sister Islands Sports Harold Sanford, Sister Islands sports staff, the executive board of the Sister Islands Swim Club, and staff from the ministry and the Department of District Administration.

Starting the programme

When Hundt and his wife Susan arrived in the Cayman Islands as teachers in late 1983, they identified a need for the development of the sport of swimming.

Rather than leaving the job to someone else, Hundt established after-school swimming programmes in Cayman Brac. The Buccaneer’s Inn and Divi Tiara (both since closed) were just a couple of the locations used for the classes.

His years as a coach saw many advancements in the sport of swimming and other sports on the island, including triathlons, football and cycling. He trained athletes who went on to compete internationally and regionally, with some beating state and local champions.

Bogue and beyond

In May 1987, Hundt accompanied US dive instructor Jeff Miller on the first ever Bogue Swim between the Sister Islands. It took two-and-a-half hours for Miller to cover the distance between West End, Cayman Brac and Point of Sand, Little Cayman, across the deepest inter-island channel in the Caribbean at over 4,000 feet deep.

The challenge initiated by Miller later evolved into a popular event that even included the participation of former Governor Duncan Taylor.

In the early 1990s, Hundt was instrumental in launching the Sister Islands Swim Club. He initiated and advanced various swimming events, such as the Brac Primary Age Group Swim Meet, Layman Scott High School’s Inter-House Swim Meet, Lions’ Sprint Meet, and the Sister Islands Swim Club 800M Sea Swim.

Ever the true sportsman and all-around athlete, he represented the Cayman Islands in cycling at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Awards and accolades

In 2018, Hundt was presented with the ‘Pioneer Award’ on Heroes Day for his contributions to sports. Only a year earlier, construction began on a new 25-metre swimming pool for the Cayman Brac Sports Centre.

The now-completed facility is the site for classes, swim meets and competitions, creating the Cayman champion swimmers of tomorrow.

At his retirement party, O’Connor-Connolly thanked Hundt for his years of service, and encouraged him to enjoy the new chapters to come. She also praised him for embracing the people and way of life of the Sister Islands, and for making an unforgettable impact on their youth.

“It is important to recognise the invaluable contributions of those individuals who invest in our human capital and have embraced our community and culture,” she said. “The formidable changes in the lives of our youth and moreover, for our community, cannot be understated. He will truly be missed and his positive impact is revered by many.”

Hundt was subsequently presented with a commemorative plaque, gift basket and letters of appreciation by O’Connor-Connolly and Acting Chief Officer Wilbur Welcome.

Head of sports Sanford, in his comments, recalled the remarkable contributions Hundt had made during the 19 years they had worked together, adding, “I applaud and thank Mr. Hundt for his years of dedicated service, and I must emphasise that many of them were as a volunteer. We will forever be grateful for his commitment to our community.”

In response, Hundt said, “We were fueled by the support of the community and everyone behind us, encouraging us every step of the way. [We] saw the need and ran with it.
“It was a lot of passion and dedication and the result far exceeded whatever little part we happen to contribute. The key to our success has always been the support we received from the community. Without that kind of push and support, through sponsorships and great leaders in the community and in the schools, everything we were able to achieve for the sport of swimming would not be possible. It was a lot of fun and I certainly will miss this community that is so dear to our hearts.”

In good hands

In January 2021, the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands announced the appointment of the first full-time swimming instructor assigned to Sister Islands Sports. Bryce Gunning took up the role, but not before acknowledging the groundwork laid by Hundt before him.

“Special thanks to Michael Hundt and his wife Susan, who have so faithfully coached the swim programme for many years. I look forward to your continued support, as we advance the sport of swimming in Cayman Brac,” Gunning said.

“The addition of a full-time swimming instructor to the Sister Islands Sports underscores the Ministry’s commitment to positively impacting the development of swimming as a sport throughout the Cayman Islands,” O’Connor-Connolly said at the time. “It will also ensure that all swimmers have access to a safe and positive training and competition environment, allowing us to build on the foundation laid by Mr. Michael Hundt over many years.”