From childhood on, Bonnie Hittleman-Lewis has been actively, enthusiastically and exceptionally involved with sports, most notably as a championship swimmer and team coach. It was her father, who had been a lifeguard at Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut, who first helped Bonnie recognize her gift as a swimmer, which she turned it into a competitive advantage. At the age of ten she was the state recordholder for breaststroke. While still in high school, Bonnie’s skill led to her being asked to put together a West Hartford swim team. This was before girls’ sports had a true place in high school athletic programs. In fact, Bonnie played a significant role in the passing of Title IX, the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in school programs, including sports.
Following college graduation, and after a stellar career in competitive sports, Bonnie coached girls high school diving and swimming team, at one point guiding her team to a second-place statewide finish. She was also one of the first women to coach a boy’s high school swim team. In addition, she ran the Maccabi Games in West Hartford and worked at the Mandell JCC for more than 20 years as fitness and sports director, where she developed and implemented many programs including the summer Sports Jams program. Much of her pride as a mentor and coach is tied to the fact that so many of the youngsters in her charge went on to achieve professional goals of their own. Although retired, Bonnie remains active in competitive tennis and golf.