Rock-related shirts fit to a ‘T’

By Joe Scalzo | February 22, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

When Penguin Swimming coach Greg McAtee got tired of bland team T-shirts, he came up with an idea that rocked.

Using the initials “PS,” the word “Penguins” or a band lyric — or a combination of those elements — McAtee has designed T-shirts honoring the logos of AC/DC, Van Halen, Twisted Sister, Metallica, the Rolling Stones and longtime Cleveland rock station WMMS (aka “The Buzzard”).

“I just wanted a T-shirt I would feel comfortable wearing when I wasn’t on the pool deck,” said McAtee, who has coached the USA Swimming club team since 2003.

Four of the shirts have a lyric on the back. The Metallica (“Nothing Else Matters”), Rolling Stones (“Time Is On My Side”) and Van Halen (“Right Now”) shirts honor some of the bands’ best-known songs. The Twisted Sister shirt reads “We’re gonna take it,” a twist of their famous song “We’re not gonna take it.”

McAtee, whose club team includes many of the high school swimmers who will compete at this weekend’s state meet, often gets compliments from rival coaches, who vow to steal his idea. His swimmers also like them, although they don’t always know the bands.

“Sometimes they’ll be like, ‘Who’s that?’” said McAtee. “And I’m like, they just got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Next month, he’ll unveil the team’s seventh shirt, which honors Pink Floyd, which sang “Comfortably Numb.”

Penguin Swimmers, however, will be “Comfortably Number One.”

For more information on Penguin Swimming, visit www.penguinswim.com.