Alum is Friars’ new aquatics director, assisting other sports
Fenwick High School’s Donald O’Brien Natatorium wasn’t around when new aquatics director Brigitte Kusevskis competed in the Friars’ girls swimming and water polo programs. Besides that, the place has not changed much in the eyes of the Class of 1996 graduate.
Kusevskis, who on July 1 officially became not only aquatics director, but also assistant athletic director of girls sports, expressed excitement about being back at her alma mater.
“It’s very good. Definitely feels like a homecoming,” she said.
Kusevskis, whose last name was Bayster as a student, was part of Fenwick’s first-ever class of girls to enroll at the school in the fall of 1992. She made her mark on the Friars in the pool, becoming a standout in both swimming and water polo.
In swimming, Kusevskis qualified for the IHSA state meet all four years in the 100 backstroke, 200 medley relay, and 400 freestyle relay, winning a sectional title in the 100 backstroke in 1993 and getting All-State Honorable Mention that same year.
In water polo, under the guidance of head coach Jack Wagner – who returned to Fenwick himself two years ago after retiring in 2020, Kusevskis became a four-time First Team All-Stater. She was also Illinois Player of the Year in 1996, and was a three-time First Team All-American. Such accomplishments led to her being inducted into the Illinois Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2011.
After an outstanding collegiate water polo career at Villanova University, Kusevskis went into coaching. She began at Stevenson in 2001, then went to Palatine the following year, leading the Pirates’ boys water polo team to three consecutive sectional titles.
Kusevskis returned to Fenwick in 2005. As an assistant to Wagner, she helped the Friars win six state championships between 2006 and 2014. She also assisted boys swimming to a third-place state finish in 2006, and girls’ swimming to third place in 2009 and runner-up in 2011.
“There was a lot of success when I was there, both as a swimmer and coach,” Kusevskis said.
In 2015, Kusevskis returned to Stevenson, becoming assistant boys water polo coach. In her 11 seasons, she helped lead the Patriots to two state titles and four state runner-up showings. Kusevskis said plenty of buy-in from the school and community has been important over the years in establishing a culture of excellence at Stevenson.
“Everyone was on board,” she said. “We also had strong club swimming and water polo programs, they were definitely great feeders that became the foundation, not only for my own children (Elsa and Olin), but all the athletes.
Not only has Kusevskis enjoyed a stellar coaching career, she’s also held multiple teaching and leadership positions. Previously at Fenwick, she was a social studies teacher, department chair, assistant dean, and Dean of Students. In 2021, she became Dean of Students at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart.
With all the success, it wouldn’t have been surprising for Kusevskis to stay at Stevenson. But she said the opportunity to have an impact on multiple sports influenced her decision to come home.
“It wasn’t just about coaching, it was about being able to help out not just one program, but all the programs,” she said.
Fenwick has been perennially good in water sports, but recent years have seen a bit of a drop-off. Kusevskis says her goal as aquatics director is to get the Friars back to being consistently strong in the pool. In her view, creating new bonds between the school and the successful club/feeder programs in the area will go a long way in accomplishing this objective.
“We want to re-establish the successful programs of the past and look to the future,” she said. “We want to make sure they’re strong. Just like at Stevenson, having good feeder programs is going to be important.”
As Kusevskis sets out to restore Fenwick’s tradition of excellence in water sports, she has a couple of open coaching positions – the girls and boys varsity swimming head coaching jobs. Kusevskis is working on filling those spots as soon as possible.
“(Michael Burke, girls swimming coach) filled in last year and wanted to step back into an assistant role, which he prefers,” Kusevskis said. “Our head boys coach (Justin Jornd) resigned, so we’re looking to fill those positions. We expect to have an announcement soon on them.”