Archives

2012 TYR Capital Classic, Cary, North Carolina
This past weekend, some of the older Piranhas took a trip down to Cary, NC to compete in the TYR Capital Classic. Led by Caroline Orem, Erik Ryan, and Zach Pear (who all scored points for the team), the Piranhas got a glimpse of what awaits them at YMCA Nationals this coming April. Finalists for the Piranhas included Lia Barsanti, Amanda Bieler, and Megan Slaughter. Most all of the kids turned in best times, and they are in great mid-season shape!! Also taking the trip were Owen Brannigan, Dylan Gilhooly, Natalie Grune, Liz Kearney, Emily Molinelli, Sam Schrenker, Phoebe Slaughter, Will Smelser, Michelle Wall, and Christian Weeks. Next up for the Juniors and Seniors is some intensive Christmas training, followed by YMCA States in January. Go Piranhas!!

New Canaan Dual Meets, 12/7
The Piranhas showed their team spirit and winning ways last Friday for our dual meets with New Canaan. The 11-12s were at NCY, and were led by event winners Caroline Haddad (girls 11-12 50 back) and Kyle Lumsden (boys 11-12 100 free/50 back/50 fly). Top 3 performers included Jen Chen (3^rd 11-12 50 fly), Ali Funkey (2^nd 11-12 50 breast), Nick Giotis (2^nd 11-12 50 back, 3^rd 50 breast), Haddad (3^rd 11-12 100 fly), Jeff McKee (2^nd 11-12 50 fly), Alexandra Van Dijkum (3^rd 11-12 100 back), and Connor Zielinski ( 3^rd 11-12 50 back and 100 fly).

The 10/unders were at the Darien Y for their meet, and were led by event winners John Barsanti (10/u 100 free), Matthew Reynolds (8/u 25 back), Max Scalise (8/u 25 fly and 25 breast), Gracie Spataro (8/u 25 breast) and Halle Spataro (10/u 100 free). Top 3 performances were also turned in by Andrew Banks (3^rd 8/u 25 free), Barsanti (2^nd 9-10 50 fly/50 breast), Bridget O’Toole ( 2^nd 8/u 25 breast), Reynolds (3^rd 8/u 25 fly), Scalise (2^nd 8/u 25 free), the Spataro sisters (Gracie- 3^rd 8/u 25 fly, Halle- 2^nd 9-10 50 breast, 3^rd 50 free), and Ben Van Steen (3^rd 8/u 25 back). Next up for the younger Piranhas, the WAC Invite the first weekend in January. Go Piranhas!

BRS Invite @ Branford’s Walsh Intermediate School, 12/1
 The 9/over Piranhas travelled east to Branford on December 1^st to swim in the Stingray Qualifier. Led by event winner John Barsanti (boys 10/under 100 IM and 50 breast, and 4^th in 50 free), the kids showed that all of the hard work and dedication is paying off, with many kids continuing to improve their times nearly every time they race!

In the 10/under age group, Ned Smith (7^th50 breast), Halle Spataro (3^rd 100 IM, 4^th 50 breast, 7^th 100 back), Kelsey Olvany (5^th 50 free), Drew Major (9^th 50 breast), and Kendall Luecke (9^th 50 free), scored top 10 finishes.

Also turning in top 10 performances were: 11/12 age groupers Kyle Lumsden (2^nd 200 IM/100 back, 3^rd 100 fly), Nolan Lovegrove (5^th 50 free, 8^th 200 free), Jeff McKee (6^th 50 free, 7^th 100 back), Kate Epifani(10^th 50 breast), and Caroline Haddad (7^th 200 IM, 9^th 50 breast).

13/14 year olds that broke into the top 10 were Erik McKenna (3^rd 200 back, 4^th 100 fly, 5^th 100 breast), Oliver Rus (9^th 100 breast), Eric Liu (3^rd 100 breast, 7^th 100 fly, 9^th 50free), and Ariel Gianukakis (6^th 100 fly).

Also scoring for the Piranhas, 15/overs Maddie Burke (2^nd 50 free/100 fly, 6^th 200 free), Maggie Haddad (5^th 200 free, 8^th 100 fly, 10^th 50 free), and Helen Watson (7^th 100 breast, 8^th 200 back).

9-12 Year Old Dual v Wilton @ Wilton YMCA, 12/2
The 12/under Piranhas headed on up to the Wilton bubble on Sunday 12/2 for the annual dual meet with the Wilton Wahoos. The small but spirited group were there to race- and race they did! Showcasing their skills and speed, the Piranhas had some very good performances, led by event winners Ned Smith (boys 9-10 50 free) and Alexandra Van Dijkum (girls 11-12 50 fly). In addition to their wins, Smith (5^th 5o back, 6^th 50 breast), and Van Dijkum (5^th 50 free), had top 6 performances. Also turning in top 6 times were 9-10 girls Bella Bohnsack (4^th 100 IM, 5^th 50 fly), Lindsey Fay (2^nd 50 back, 4^th 50 free, 6^th 50 breast), Sophie Hill (5^th 50 breast), Sophia Perkins (3^rd 100 IM), Bridget Ritchie (6^th 50 fly) and Halle Spataro (3^rd 200 IM/50 fly/ 100 free). The 9-10 boys that scored for Piranhas included Ivey Gehring (5^th 50 breast), Drew Major (4^th 50 free), and William Prendergast (6^th 50 back). 11-12s  hat scored included Charlotte Gehring (6^th 100 IM) and Nolan Lovegrove (2^nd 50 fly, 3^rd 100 IM, 5^th 100 breast). Next up for the Piranhas is the dual meet with New Canaan this Friday.

8/Under Dual v WYW @ Darien, 11/30
The 8/under dual meet between Darien and Wilton proved to be an exciting one, as expected! The Piranhas were there to race,

and they did not disappoint! Led by Tam-Hao Nguyen, who had 3 first place finishes (girls 8/under 25 free/50 fly/ 100 IM), the kidsshowcased all of the skills that they have been working hard on all year. For the girls, Catherine Dwyer (2^nd, 8/under 50 back),

and Gracie Spataro (2^nd 8/under 50 breast, 3^rd 8/under 50 free) helped lead the way. The boys added their own winners, with Max

Scalise winning gold in 2 events (8/under 50 back and 50 free) and a 2^nd in 25 breast. Also scoring for the boys were Andrew

Banks (2^nd in 8/under 50 free, 7/under 25 fly and 7/under 25 back), Matthew Reynolds (2^nd in 8/under 50 back) and Ben Van Steen

(3^rd 8/under 50 free). Great job by all of the kids, and a huge thanks to all of the parents who volunteered to help run the meet!

Wilton Thanksgiving meet @ Wilton YMCA, 11/17-11/18

The Piranhas spent the weekend of November 17-18 in the Wilton bubble for the annual Wilton Thanksgiving Invitational. It was the first prelims/finals meet of the year (for the 11/overs), and the swimmers showed that they were there to race!! Most all of the swimmers swam lifetime best times- which is no surprise as all of the kids have been working hard and smart. Leading the way for the Piranhas were event winners Eliza Bragg (Girls Open 200 back) and Erik Ryan (Boys 13-14 200 fly). Bragg led the Open (15-18) Piranhas with a 2^nd in the 100 free, and a 6^th in 100 breast. Emily Molinelli added a 9^th (100 breast) and 12^th (200 breast), Maggie Haddad was 11^th (500 free) and Michelle Wall scored in the 200 breast (11^th). The 13-14 boys continued their fast swimming with Ryan leading the way. In addition to his win, he also scored in the 200 back (2^nd), and had 4 3^rd place finishes (200 free/500 free/ 100 fly/200 IM). Zac Pear also scored big for the Piranhas, with a 2^nd (500 free), 3^rd (200 fly, 5^th (200 free) and a pair of 7^th (100 fly/200IM). Eric McKenna added to the medal tally with a 7^th (500 free), 9^th (100 free/100 back), 11^th (200 back) and 12^th (200 free). Patrick Neafsey (8^th 200 breast, 9^th 100 breast) and Eric Liu (9^th 200 breast, 11^th 200 fly) also swam well for the Piranhas. Not to be outdone by the boys, Phoebe Slaughter scored in every event she swam, placing 4^th in the 100 free/200 back/100 back, 6^th in 100 breast/200 free, and 9^th in 200 breast in the girls 13-14 age group. Also placing in the top 12 were Kyle Lumsden- boys 11-12 100 back (9^th) and 50 back (11^th), Jen Chen, girls 10/under 100 back (6^th), 200 IM (7^th), 100 fly (8^th) and 50 fly (12^th), Halle Spataro, girls 10/under 200 free (5^th) and 100 breast (12^th), and Grant Goodrick, boys 10/under 200 free (8^th). Next up for the Piranhas are dual meets with both Wilton and New Canaan, as well as the Branford Invite. Great job by all swimmers – looking forward to more successful meets to come!

Piranha Intrasquad Meet
On Wednesday 10/17, the 10/under Piranhas had their first meet of the season- the Annual Piranha Fall Intra-squad Meet. All of the practice that they had been doing for the past month and a half was finally put to the test- and they did not disappoint! For the new Piranhas, it was their first chance to race in their Piranha colors, and for a few, it was the first ever chance to race! The swimmers all had a great time and put everything they have learned so far out there for all to see. It’s always fun to get up and race and cheer for your teammates! Going forward, we are looking at the kids all being ready for every meet they enter, and have fun being Piranhas this year! A huge thank you to all of the parent volunteers who made the meet run a smoothly as it did, and to all of the fans in the stands- we couldn’t do it without you!! Results are posted. 

Eastern Zone Speedo Super Sectional, 8/1-8/5 @ Buffalo, NY
The Piranhas rewrote the record books and achieved life-time best times in 13 of 15 races at Sectionals.  3 senior Piranhas made the trip up to Buffalo for the Speedo Super Sectional meet. Jake Greene, Eliza Bragg, and Caroline Orem competed with the fastest swimmers in the eastern United States and brought their A game! Bragg was the top point scorer for the Piranhas, as she made the finals in the 200 IM (15^th), 400 IM and 100 back (both 19^th), and the 200 back (20^th). She also broke 8 Team records.  Greene followed up with a 15^th in the 400 IM and a 28^th in the 200 IM and broke 6 Team records.  Orem scored in the 100 back (23^rd). With a very successful long course season behind the Piranhas (young and old), the coaching staff is looking forward to another successful season that begins on Monday, September 10^th. Swimmers- enjoy your much deserved rest and be ready to go again in September!!!

Eastern Zone Age Group Championship, 8/8-8/11 @ Richmond, VA
The Piranhas sent 4 swimmers, Erik Ryan, Phoebe Slaughter, Courtney Ferreira and Zac Pear, to the Eastern Zone Age Group Meet and they swam awesome!!  Zones feautures teams from the Eastern part of the United States from Virginia to Maine.  All the Piranhas who attended the meet represented the CT Swimming delegation.  All 4 swimmers did a great job racing and achieved many life-time best times.  Courtney Ferreira (200 Freestyle), Zach Pear (200  Butterfly) and Phoebe Slaughter (100, 200 Backstroke) finaled in the top 8!!  Zach broke the boy’s 13/14 200 butterfly Team record and Courtney broke the girl’s 13/14 800 freestyle Team record.  Great job swimmers!

CT Open Water Championships
Nolan Lovegrove placed 6th at the CT Open Water Championship’s Mini-mile June 30th for the 12/under age group.  This event is an annual Open Water competition held under the sanction of Connecticut Swimming.  This year’s event took place at Lake Quassy Amusement Park in Middlefield, CT.

   
Piranha Senior and Juniors swim with Darien YMCA Special Olympians
On Friday May 11th, the Junior and Senior Piranhas swimmers came out for a fun filled night of relays, games and pizza with the Darien YMCA Special Olympians.  It was a great event that was a lot of fun for all.  This marks the third time the Piranhas and the Special Olympics have gotten together for such an event.  Thanks to Jim Matthews and Kathy Risely for setting up the evening.  Thanks to all the swimmers who came out to swim and support and thanks to coaches Jason Cochran and Liz Blau for supervising

USA Olympic Team Trials June 25-July 2

Congratulations to Peter Geissinger for making the semi-final in the 100 butterfly.  Just so you know after prelims where there were about 160 swimmer competing in the 100 fly, Peter finished 14th making the semi-final round.  He got to swim at night in Ryan Lochte’s heat eventually finishing 15th overall (top 8 go to the final and a chance at making the Olympic Team).  Again, great job Peter!!! 

Main Trials Page

Live Results

ORCAS/WRAT tri-meet @ Italian Center, Stamford, 6/28
Great job at the Italian Center.  It was a great opportunity for the swimmers to swim Short Course Meters and swim outdoors.  There were many great performances.  Event winners included John Barsanti (9/10 50 Free & Breast), Tam-Hao Nguyen (8/U 25 Free, Back & Fly), Griffin Xie (13/O 100 Back) and Conway Zhou (50 Fly).  Results are posted.   

Westport YMCA 9/U Yard meet @ Westport YMCA, 6/21
Although the Piranha entry was small, it was mighty!!!  The Piranhas descended on the Westport Y and when the dust settled they had won 3 events, placed 2nd in another, 4th in two others along with 3 other top 7 finishes.  Not bad for a Team of 7 swimmers.  Tam-Hao Nguyen won the girl’s 8 year 25 fly and Andrew Pasierb won the boy’s 7 year old 25 Breast and 25 Back.  The entire Piranha Team of Anna Hoffman, Kendall Luecke, Kendall Miller, Jamison Moore, Tam-Hao, Andrew and Jack Stobbie swam great and had a lot of fun.  Thanks to the volunteers who helped the meet run smoothly.  Results are posted. 

CDOG Invite for 12/Unders @ Cheshire Community Pool, 6/23-6/24
On June 23-24, the 12/under Piranhas were ready to race at the CDOG Invitational in Cheshire. Spencer Erickson led the way with a 1^st place in the boys 10/under 100 free, a 2^nd in the 50 free, 3^rd in the 100 back and 200 free, 4^th in the 50 back and a 5^th in the

50 fly. Other top 8 performers for the Piranhas included Kyle Lumsden- 4^th in 50 back and 7^th in 50 fly (boys 11/12), Lauren Picard-

3^rd in 200 free and 50 back and 4^th in 100 free (girls 10/under), and Allie Truwit, who swam to a 6^th in the girls 11/12 50 free. It

was a great chance to get in some good long course racing for all of the kids, and it was nice to swim outside!  Up next for the

12/under Piranhas are the CT Regionals 7/20-22, and all things point to more great swims by all!

GRYM 13/Over Invite @ Greenwich YMCA, 6/23-6/24
The Piranhas continued to impress with some great swims this long course season at the Greenwich Marlins Invite June 23-24. Liza Bragg was the top Piranha as she swam to a win in the girls Open 400 IM. She also added 2^nd place finishes in the 100 back, 100 fly, 200 back, and 3^rd place finishes in

the 100 free and 200 IM. Adding to the medal count for the Piranhas were Chris Weihs- 3^rd in boys Open 100 fly and 200 back, Tyler Gould- 3^rd in boys

Open 50 and 100 free, and Jake Greene- 3^rd in boys Open 200 IM. In the 13/14 age group, Phoebe Slaughter added four 3^rd place finishes in the 50/100

free, and 100/200 back, and Erik Ryan was 2^nd in the boys 200 IM. Top 8 performances included: 13/14 boys Ryan, Gilmar Barrios and Erik McKenna,

13/14 girls Slaughter, Courtney Ferriera, Becca Maroney and Maggie Orem, Open girls Bragg, Amanda Beiler, Caroline Kearney, Caroline Orem and

Megan Slaughter, and Open boys Gould, Greene, Weihs, Will Smelser and Steven Grune. Next up for the Piranhas will be the CT Senior Championships,

followed by the CT Regionals. Let’s get ready for some more fast swimming!

Thanks to our officials who made up more than half of the officiating crew for the weekend, Gigi Kearney, Nancy Grune, Pat Begos, Tom Ryan and Erica Merrill for volunteering at the meet.  The meet literally would not have been run without your help.  Also thanks to the three timers we had to produce each day.  I don’t have all your names, but thank you for stepping up. 

Meet Information:
Zeus 9/Under Meet @ Norwalk High School   Friday, June 1^st the littlest Piranhas took to the water at Norwalk HS for the Zeus Mayor’s Cup swim meet. The kids all picked up right where they left off last season, with each one improving their best times in at least one event. Top ten performances were turned in by 8&under boys Ivey Gehring, Andrew Pasierb, and Jack Stobbie, 9 year old boys Jamison Moore and Ned Smith, 8&under girls Gracie Spataro and Tam-Hao Nguyen and 9 year old girl Caitlin Pasierb. Despite having only 10 swimmers at the meet, we certainly cheered the loudest for our teammates!! Next up for the 9/under crowd is the WRAT meet on Thursday, June 21^st. Go Piranhas!!

Wilton Trials/Finals Meet @ Wilton YMCA, 6/2-6/3   With only one rain delay on the last night of competition, the Piranhas stormed into the pool at the Wilton Y (minus the bubble) for their first outdoor LC meet of the season. After a chilly start on the first morning, the swimmers got out their mirrored goggles and swam fast in the sunshine that was in, but mostly out, all weekend. Erik Ryan was the top Piranha, winning the boys 13/14 100 fly and 400 free, followed by top 3 finishers Lauren Picard (girls 10/under), Gilmar Barrios and Zach Pear (boys 13/14), Courtney Ferreira and Phoebe Slaughter (girls 13/14) and Jake Greene (15/over boys). A number of swimmers recorded best times in their events—a very encouraging sign since it’s so early in the season!! Keep up the good work!!!

Darien Piranhas Intrasquad meet @ Darien YMCA  Wednesday June 6^th the Darien Y pool was filled with Piranha energy as the 11/unders swam in the annual Spring Piranha Intrasquad meet. It was a lot of fun to have the kids get some racing in in their home pool, as well as cheer on their teammates. All of the kids had a great time and we saw some fast swimming for this time of year. Thanks to all of the parents who helped run the meet- we couldn’t do it without you!

Omni Meet @ Yale, May 11-12
The waters of the historic Yale 50 meter pool beckoned the Piranhas to come out and play this past weekend- and play they did!! The meet began Friday night with the rare chance for swimmers to compete in the 800 meter freestyle, and continued through Saturday, with the 13/overs dominating in the morning and the 12/unders racing fast in the afternoon. First place finishers Megan Slaughter (girls 13/over 200 breast) and Julia Stobbie (girls 13/over 200 free and 200 IM) led the Piranhas, as many swimmers swam fast early-season times, and many swimmers won their heats with ease. Top ten performers include : Gilmar Barrios, Matt Benz, Alex Clark, Paige Cleary, Courtney Ferreira, Dylan Gilhooly, Jake Greene, Chris Janson, Caroline Kearney, Liz Kearney, Daniel Lu, Becca Maroney, Emily Molinelli, Patrick Neafsey, Zach Pear, Lauren Picard, Oliver Rus, Lauren Rutledge, Erik Ryan, Phoebe Slaughter, Will Smelser, JJ Whalen, Ben Zhao, and Sheena Zhou. Piranha power rules!

NCY Spectacular 5/5
The 12/under Piranhas quickly got back to their winning ways with the first meet of the long course season May 5^th at New Canaan YMCA. Led by 8/under Jack Stobbie (3 first place finishes!), the Piranhas attacked the 25 meter course with the same intensity they left off with at the end of the short course season. Lots of great swims were turned in, and the swimmers showed they want everyone to know that they mean business! Top 10 performances were turned in by Jennifer Chen, Nico Clark, Matthew Colonna, Spencer Erickson, Ariel Gianukakis, Caroline Haddad, Daniel Lu, Kyle Lumsden, Cassie Maroney, Kendall Miller, Lauren Picard, Oliver Rus, Gracie Spataro, Halle Spataro, Ben Zhao, Sheena Zhou, and Connor Zielinski.

The Wilton Invite May 4-6
While the 12/under Piranhas were at New Canaan, the 13/0ver Piranhas kept the waters churning at their first long course (50 meter) meet of the season, the Wilton Invite May 4-6. Sometimes adjusting to racing in a long course pool takes some getting used to, but you wouldn’t have noticed that as the Piranhas raced quite well for this early in the season. Led by event winner Erik Ryan (boys 13/14 100 fly), top ten performers included Gilmar Barrios, Matt Benz, Paige Cleary, Courtney Ferreira, Dylan Gilhooly, Freddy Hinkley, Chris Janson, Caroline Kearney, Liz Kearney, Becca Maroney, Erik McKenna, Emily Molinelli, Patrick Neafsey, Caroline Orem, Maggie Orem, Zach Pear, Erik Ryan, Phoebe Slaughter, Will Smelser, Julia Stobbie and Michelle Wall. Way to go Piranhas!!

12/Under YMCA New Englands @ Harvard, March 24 & March 31-April 1

The mighty 12/under Piranhas finished out the short course season with a trip up to Boston for the 2012 New England YMCA Championships on March 24^th, 31^st, and April 1^st. Most all of the swimmers swam lifetime best times in their events and many placed in the top 16.

On Saturday 3/24, the 11/12 boys and girls got things off to a great start. Kristen Picard, Allie Truwit, Ariel Gianukakis and Carly Rutledge competed for the 11/12 Piranha girls, with Picard placing 8^th in the 100 back and 9^th in the 50 back. Alex Clark, Matthew Freeman, Kyle Lumsden and Cam Shutts teamed up to place 16^th in both the 11/12 boys 200 medley and 200 free relay.

The following weekend, the 10/under team made the trip up to the Harvard pool and kept the energy flowing! Saturday 3/31, Kelsey Vrooman, Cassie Maroney, Lauren Picard and Caroline Haddad started things off with a 6^th place finish in the girls 9/10 200 medley relay. Vrooman also placed 10^th in the 50 free, 11^th in the 100 free, and 13^th in the 50 fly. Picard added an 11^th in the 100 back and a 14^th in the 50 back and Maroney finished up with a 15^th in the 50 fly. The boys also got into the action with Spencer Erickson placing 12^th in the 50 back and 15^th in the 50 free and Daniel Lu finishing 14^th in the 100 IM. Erickson and Lu teamed up with Connor Zielinski and John Barsanti to finish 3^rd in the 200 free relay and the team of Barsanti, Zielinski, Michael Pizzani and Ethan Keyes added an 11^th in the 200 medley relay. On Sunday 4/1, the 8/unders proved that they will be a force for the Piranhas in the future, with the boys finishing in 5^th place overall (112.5 points) and the girls placing 6^th overall (73 points). Alex Peters and Jamison Moore led the boys, with Peters placing 2^nd in the 25 breast, 4^th in the 50 free and 6^th in the 100 IM. Moore added to the medal count with a 4^th in the 25 breast and an 11^th in the 25 free. Peters and Moore teamed up with Jack Stobbie and Ned Smith to place 5^th in the boys 100 free relay and the team of Moore, Stobbie, Smith and Grant Goodrick finished 10^th in the 100 medley relay. The girls’ team of Arden Anderson, Ridgely Gargano, Tam-Hao Nguyen and Kelsey Olvany raced to a 4^th place finish in the 100 medley relay and a 5^th place finish in the 100 free relay. Rounding out the top performances for the weekend was Gargano’s 8^th place finish in the 25 breast, Anderson with a 14^th in the 25 back and Nguyen with a 15^th in the 25 fly.

With such a great short course season behind them, the kids earned a much needed rest (this week) and will be back to training on Monday, April 9^th for the opening of the long course season. Keep up the fantastic work!!!

CT Age Groups @ Wesleyan, 3/15-3/18

The Piranha Age Group Championship team, 30 strong, took to the pool this past weekend at Wesleyan University. Though the competition was fierce, and fast, many Piranhas swam fast enough to make it back to finals at night. Led by Liza Bragg, the Piranhas had great swims in all events, with most everyone posting best times in all events they swam. Bragg, competing in the 15-18 girls events, is now the reigning Age Group Champion in the 400 IM, 200 back and 200 free. Additionally, she finished in 2^nd place in the 200 IM, and 6^thin both the 50 free and 100 free. Liza’s performances in the 200 IM (2:06.05), 400 IM (4:27.98), 200 back (2:02.10), 100 free (52.93) and 200 free (1:53.07) are now new Piranha team records! Other finalists included 13-14 girls Courtney Ferreira and Phoebe Slaughter, 15-18 girls Caroline Kearney, Emily Molinelli and Megan Slaughter, 13-14 boys Zach Pear and Erik Ryan, 15-18 boys Chris Janson and Will Smelser and 11-12 boys Ben Zhao. Although there were no finals for the 10/unders, the Piranhas proved that we are the ones to watch in the future with Nico Clark, Spencer Erickson, Daniel Lu and Lauren Picard all scoring points in their events. The 12/under Piranha contingent was rounded out by great performances by Allie Truwit, John Barsanti, Michael Pizzani, and Connor Zielinski. Watch for these 12/under Piranhas (and a few more!) to top off their season over the next 2 weekends at the New England YMCA Championships at Harvard.

Results are now posted.

CT 8/Under Championships, 3/10 @ Greenwich YMCA
The Mighty Maia group of the Piranhas gave us a glimpse of the future this past Saturday at the 8/under Ct. State Championships at the Greenwich YMCA- and it’s a bright one!! The boys meet kicked off in the morning with Ned Smith and Jack Stobbie swimming best times in nearly all of their events, highlighted by a 10^th place in the 25 back for Ned and an 11^th place for Jack in the 25 fly. The girls continued the success through the afternoon session, with all swimming best times in most all of their events. Great performances were turned in by Gracie Spataro (2^nd in 7yr. 25 breast), Ridgely Gargano (5^th in 8yr. 25 free, 6^th in 8yr. 25 breast), Tam-Hao Nguyen (6^th in 8yr. 25 fly, 10^th in 8yr. 25 breast), Kelsey Olvany (6^th in 8yr. 25 free, 7^th in 8yr. 50 free), and Kendall Leucke (15^th in 8yr. 50 free). Gracie, Ridgely, Kelsey and Tam-Hao teamed up for a 7^th place finish in the 8/under 100 free relay, and the team of Kendall, Ridgely, Tam-Hao and Kelsey placed 4^thin the 8/under 100 medley relay to finish a great day of swimming. Thanks to all of the parents who provided great cheering and encouragement, as well as volunteering where needed- we all make a great team to help the kids reach their goals!!!  Results are now posted.

12/Under YMCA States @ Cheshire, 2/11-2/12
The Piranhas once again showed that they are a force to be reckoned with this season as they swam very well at the 12/under Y State Championships. Most of the swimmers posted best times in at least one event. Top ten finishers for the Piranhas include : Arden Anderson, John Barsanti, Nico Clark, Spencer Erickson, Ridgely Gargano, Tam-Hao Nguyen, Kristen Picard, Lauren Picard, Oliver Rus, Ned Smith, Jack Stobbie, Kelsey Vrooman and Ben Zhao. Congratulations to all swimmers on a job well done!

WAC Invite for 13/overs @ New Haven, 2/11-2/12
The 13/over Piranhas took a break from their hard training to compete at the WAC Invitational on February 11th and 12th. Despite being in their hard-training phase, the swimmers gave it their all and some impressive performances were turned in. Top ten finishers include : Gilmar Barrios, Lia Barsanti, Amanda Bieler, Maddie Burke, Lexi Devlin, Courtney Ferreira, Caroline Kearney, Liz Kearney, Eric Liu, Becca Maroney, Emily Molinelli, Patrick Neafsey, Caroline Orem, Zach Pear, Erik Ryan, Megan Slaughter, Phoebe Slaughter, Julia Stobbie, Michelle Wall, and Jay Whelan. Keep up the hard work!

Zeus 9-10 Year Old Invite @ Norwalk High School, 2/4
The Zeus meet was a big success for the Piranhas.  Most everyone had best times and looked great!  Swimmers scoring points for us were: John Barsanti, Jacqui Benisch, Spencer Erickson, Kate Goldsmith, Grant Goodrick, Ethan Keyes, Nolan Lovegrove, Daniel Lu, Cassie Maroney, Jamison Moore, Lauren Picard, Michael Pizzani, Hayden Puff, George Sarbinowski, Josie Yeager, and Connor Zielinski.  Keep up the great swims!! 

SWIM MEETS
Please be reminded that in order for swimmers to compete at CT Regionals and/or Age Groups a swimmer must have participated in at least one CT USA Swim meets (this changed from the beginning of the season).  YMCA and Intrasquad meets do not count toward this criteria.  Here are the CT USA meets we have and are attending this season (Oct. BRS Meet, 13/O Oct. and Dec. Piranha Distance Meets, Dec., FINS meet, 12/U Jan BRS Meet, Jan NCY Meet, Jan 13/O Piranha Distance meet, FEB 9/10 Zeus Meet, Feb WAC Meet).  Regional meet sign up comes down Monday Feb 13th.  Lastly, please check the Piranha Handbook for criteria for other high level meets. 

SWIM CHALLENGE 2012
DAY 1 – The 2012 Swim Challenge went off with a bang Sunday.  The Piranha Seniors were the first swimmers to jump in and fulfill their challenge.  They swam a 4 hour workout Sunday morning amassing 14,000 yards (540 laps) which is roughly twice a normal workout.  Later in the day the Piranhas went to the Depot for the Swim Challenge Kickoff Party.  There was music, dancing, raffle, food and fun.  Thanks to all the Piranha parents who helped make the party a huge hit.  Couldn’t do it without you.

Day 2 – The second day of the 2012 Swim Challenge proved just as exciting and fulfilling as the first.  The Maia and Nautilus were on tap to take on their challenge and they did not disappoint.  It was an evening full of tired but happy faces and proud coaches and parents.  The music was blasting, Henk was getting the parents and kids pumped up with the help of his bull horn and Jason and Liz were on hand to greet the kids as they exited the pool.  It was a great night to be a Piranha!!!  Thanks to all the kids, parents and helpers on hand to share in the 2012 Swim Challenge.  Everyone did a great job and your coaches and parents are so proud!!

Day 3 – The third day of SC featured the Junior I&II group in action.  The pool was packed as the two groups, much like the Seniors, swam a long and grueling practice.  The Junior I group swam a 2 hour and 45 minute workout which amounted to 10,000 yards (equal to 400 laps)!!!  The Junior II’s swam a shorter but no less impressive 8600 yard workout in the same amount of time.  This was actually 100 yards over the goal that was set for the group!!  Each group exited the water tired but very proud.   Great job swimmers!!!

Day 4– The Poseidon group jumped in the water last Friday for their respective Swim Challenge.  The night was full of music and a ton of swimming.  There was little to no stopping by the swimmers as most of them swam straight for the allotted 2 hours!!   It was pretty intense!  As the clocked struck 7:30p and the swimmers exited the pool, Ali Truwit and Cam Shutts emerged with most laps swum for the evening, 332 laps for Ali and 310 for Cam!!!  Ali swam 8300 yards which is over 100 laps more than her designated challenge!!  Everyone did an awesome job.   Your coaches and parents couldn’t be more proud!!      

Day 5– Make up day of Swim Challenge was no less enthusiastic than the first!!  The 5th day featured swimmers from the Maia, Nautilus and Poseidon groups.  Once again there was music, little to no stopping and a lot of swimming.  Maia swimmer Kelsey Olvany set the high mark for the Maia with 172 laps, followed closely by Kendal Luecke with 156!!  Michael Pizzani and Nico Clark led the Nautilus with 200 and 180 laps respectively while Alex Clark led the Poseidon with 240.  This draws to an end the 2012 Swim Challenge.  Great job everyone!!  

The Piranhas as a Team have amassed 882,900 yards– that’s 501.65 miles!!!!!!

Most laps by group

Maia – Kelsey Olvany 172, Kendall Luecke 156, Arden Anderson 155

Nautilus – Jackson Morgan 200, John Barsanti 200, Michael Pizzani 200

Poseidon – Ali Truwit 332, Cam Shutts 310

Piranha Intrasquad Meet 1/11/12
The Piranha Intrasquad meet was once again a big success. It’s always fun for the kids to get a chance to race in a relaxed atmosphere. The swimmers all swam well, and it was nice to see them cheering for their teammates, and the having the more experienced swimmers help out the newer ones. Thanks again to all of the parents for all of their help in running the meet, and getting your swimmers there! (As a side note- we were short on first place ribbons, so we have ordered them and expect them in soon!)

TYR Capital Classic
This past weekend the Piranhas traveled to the TYR Capital Classic in Greensboro, North Carolina for the 12th consecutive year. This year the Piranhas traveled with 23 swimmers!! Their largest group ever. The meet showcased some of the fastest swimmer in YMCA swimming and some of the fastest swimmers on the east coast. Top 10 Championship finalist for the Piranhas were Caroline Orem (400 IM, 200Back), Liza Bragg (50, 100 Free, 100, 200 Back, 200 IM, 100 Fly) and Steven Grune (50 Free). Other finalist include Jack Bair (200, 500 Free, 200 Back), James Baker (200 Fly 1650 Free), Bragg (400 IM), Tyler Gould (50, 100, 200 Free, 100 Fly), Grune (100 Fly, 200 Fly, 100 free), Chris Janson (400 IM, 200 Back), Caroline Kearney (100 Breast), Orem(200 Free, 200 Breast, 100 Back). Chris Janson made his first YMCA National qualifying time standard in the 400 IM!! Caroline Orem broke 2 Team records for the 15-18 and Open Girls division in the 400 IM only to have Teammate Liza Bragg break the records later that evening. Liza Bragg broke 8 Team records for the Girl’s 15-18 and Open division (100, 200 Back, 200, 400 IM.)   The 100 Backstroke records was one of the oldest records on the books, set in 1995. Congratulations to all the Piranhas on a great meet!!  Thanks to Chaperones Nancy Grune and Britt Bair and Assistant Coach Jessica Johnston.

FINS Meet @ Meriden, December 10-11
The Piranhas returned to action this past weekend at the Fins Invite in Meriden, CT.  Our 13/Over Piranhas competed both Sat/Sun afternoons and had some great races.  It was a chance to swim some new events and to see improvement on events that they competed in earlier in the season. Our 12/Under Piranhas competed Sunday morning.  After braving the early wakeup, they showed up in force and ready to race!  Once again it was a chance to see improvement and try some new events.  Congratulations to all swimmers for a great job.  Thank you to our parents who stepped up as both timers and officials!  Great meet! Results coming soon.

8/Under Dual v Wilton @ Darien YMCA, 12/2
Piranha swimmers were at it again, racing tough and swimming well against the Wilton Y Wahoos.  Top 3 performances were turned in by Ivey Gehring, Grant Goodrick, Schuyler Hyde, Kendall Luecke, Jamison Moore, Tam-Hao Nguyen, Kelsey Olvany, Andrew Pasierb, Ned Smith and Jack Stobbie.  All of the swimmers should be proud of their performances as they have all improved greatly since our first week of practice!  A special thank you goes out to all of the volunteers who helped to make the meet run smoothly, as well as all of the cheerleaders in the stands!

9-12 Year old Dual v Wilton @ Wilton YMCA, 12/4
The Nautilus and Poseidon groups got to see their hard work pay off during our dual meet with Wilton.  Many of the swims were best times and the swimmers had lots of fun cheering for their teammates.  Top 3 performances were turned in by John Barsanti, Andrew Benz, Anthony Bosco, Ian Brown, Alex Clark, Nico Clark, Lindsey Ferreira, Matthew Freeman, Cassie Maroney, Alexander Peters, Kristen Picard, Lauren Picard, Michael Pizzani, Oliver Rus, Allie Truwit, Kelsey Vrooman, Ben Zhao, Conway Zhou, Sheena Zhou and Connor Zielinski.  Keep up the hard work!!

New Canaan Distance Meet @ New Canaan YMCA, 11/18
Great job!  Results are posted.  The Piranhas had 97% best times!!

Wilton Thanksgiving Invite 
Results are posted.  Great swimming at Wilton!! Once again the Piranhas put their best foot forward at the Thanksgiving Invite. Congratulations to Liza Bragg for winning the Senior High Point Award. She won the 200 back and 200 IM, as well as placed 2nd or 3rd in all of her other events. Other Piranhas that scored points: Jack Bair, Gilmar Barrios, Lia Barsanti, Nico Clark, Mackenzie Coughlin, Lexi Devlin, Spencer Erickson, Courtney Ferreira, Steven Grune, Chris Janson, Eric Liu, Daniel Lu, Becca Maroney, Cassie Maroney, Erik McKenna, Emily Molinelli, Patrick Neafsey, Maggie Orem, Zach Pear, Cesar Pena, Kristen Picard, Lauren Picard, Erik Ryan, Samantha Schrenker, Megan Slaughter, Phoebe Slaughter, Julia Stobbie, Allie Truwit, Kelsey Vrooman and Ben Zhao. Keep up the good work!!!

New Canaan Dual meets

Congratulations to all swimmers who competed in the dual meet vs. New Canaan last Friday. A great time was had by all and there were some great swims. Special congratulations to individual event winners: Arden Anderson, Ridgely Gargano, Jamison Moore, Alexander Peters, Lauren Picard, Kelsey Vrooman, Matthew Freeman, Kyle Lumsden, Kristen Picard, and Ben Zhao. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the meets run smoothly.  Our next dual meet is vs. Wilton on Dec. 2^nd and 4^th.

Branford Invitational
This meet proved to be an exciting one for the Piranhas- and not because of the snow! In our first USA swimming meet of the season, the kids, coaches and parents got a glimpse of what lies ahead. With nearly every swimmer turning in best times in at least one event, Piranha Power was evident in almost every race on Saturday and Sunday. Congratulations go out to individual event winners Spencer Erickson (Boys 10/under 50 fly and 50 back), Tyler Gould (Boys 15/over 50 free and 200 free), Emily Molinelli (Girls 15/0ver 100 fly and 100 breast) and Kristen Picard (Girls 11/12 50 back). Special congratulations go out to the following swimmers, who achieved best times in all events they swam: Gilmar Barrios, Nick Giotis, Caroline Haddad, Freddy Hinckley, Jordan Kuhlman, Kyle Lumsden, Peter Marment, Cassie Maroney, Jeffrey McKee, Sean Mullen, Patrick Neafsey, Cary O’Brien, Kristen Picard, Lauren Picard, Michael Pizzani, Matt Ross, Carly Rutledge, Lauren Rutledge, Erik Ryan, Cam Shutts, Emma Sisk, Cara Tracey, Kelsey Vrooman, Parker Ward, Kenny Yamaguchi, Ben Zhao, and Sheena Zhou.  

Piranha Winter Intrasquad Meet
The House swimmers and 9/U Piranhas got together for a fun filled night of swimming, cheering and Team bonding.  For many this was their first Piranha meet or their first opportunity to race this season.  The evening was a lot of fun.  Thanks to Mary Pasierb who organized all the volunteers , Official Gigi Kearney and the coaches for doing a great job making the meet run smooth. 

Piranha Distance Meet @ Darien YMCA – 10/14
The Piranhas kicked off their short course season by hosting a distance meet this past Friday evening here at the Darien YMCA.  It was a great opportunity to swim either the 400 IM or the 500 Freestyle.  For our Seniors, it was a chance to compete in both events.  Congratulations to Gilmar Barrios for competing in his first ever 400 IM.  Congratulations to Erik Ryan, Phoebe Slaughter, Andrew Lomanto, Patrick Neafsey, Erik McKenna, and Matt Ross for swimming their first 500 as Piranhas! Seniors Tyler Gould, Will Smelser, and Devin Oulighan all pulled the double by racing both events in a short time period.  The Piranhas will return to competition with the Stingray Qualifier October 29-30th.  Thank you to all parents for timing and thank you to Dave Oulighan, Tom Ryan, Delphine Brown, Pat Begos, and Craig Lovegrove for officiating the meet.

Long Course Meets:     
Eastern Zone Championships, August 10-13
Erik Ryan the Piranhas lone representative at the Eastern Zone Age Group Championships, had an awesome meet!  He had a strong third leg to help Team CT WIN the 400 Free and Medley relays.  He finaled in three events bettering his life-time best time in all three, 100 Free, 100 Fly, 200 Fly.  He also swam a life-time best time in the 100 Back.  He also  broke two Team records for the boy’s 11/12 100 and 200 Fly!  Great job Erik, an awesome way to end the season!

Speedo Super Sectional Championships, August 4-7
The Piranhas ended the season on a high note at Summer Sectionals.  Overall 8 Team records were broken and the Piranhas had 5 of the 6 swimmers attending final!  Jake Greene came away with 6 Team records.  He broke the boy’s 15-18 & Open  record in the following events, 400 Free, 1500 Free and 400 IM.  Two of the records were held by 2008 Olympic Trial qualifiers!   Liza Bragg broke two records in the girl’s 15-18 and Open 100 Back.  The 400 free relay Team of Chris Weihs, Steven Grune, Jake Greene and Tyler Gould finished 9th!

Another great meet!!
Age Group Championships
Great job to all Piranhas who competed in the 2011 LC Age Group Championships this past weekend! Even the hot temps couldn’t stop this group – you all did a fantastic job! Friday night got off to a great start with a total of 8 swims making it back at finals – an impressive five of the eight being in the Championship final. Erik Ryan smashed the long time standing Piranha team record from 1995 to end up placing 1st overall in the 11-12 100 fly! Also – special congratulations to the 11-12 boys 400 freestyle relay of Erik Ryan, Eric Liu, Parker Ward, and Zach Pear who broke the previous year’s team record in this event. The second night the Piranhas held their own, bringing a total of 8 swims back to finals (with five swims being a part of the Championship final). The relay team of Zach Pear, Erik Ryan, Eric Liu and Parker Ward once again broke two more records on this day including the 11-12 boys 200 freestyle relay from the previous year and the longstanding 11-12 boys 200 medley relay from 2001! Going out on a high note, Sunday evening finals ended up being the busiest night of the weekend for the team with a total of 15 swims making it back to swim! Two more team records were broken on this night including Phoebe Slaughter in the 11-12 girls 200 breaststroke and Erik Ryan in the 11-12 boys 200 fly! Special congratulations to first time Age Group Championship finalists Caroline Kearney (7th in 15-19 200 breaststroke), Will Smelser (6th in 15-19 400 freestyle and 7th in the 15-19 200 freestyle), Jack Bair (4th in the 15-19 400 free) and Kristin Picard (8th in 11-12 50 backstroke). Congratulations also to the following first time Age Group top 16 finalists: Parker Ward, Paige Cleary, and Zach Pear. Other finalists for the Piranhas included Emily Molinelli, Amanda Bieler, and Elizabeth Kearney. A big thank you to officials Nancy Grune, Gigi Kearney, and Tom Ryan for fulfilling all of our volunteer requirements and to Gigi and Tom for fulfilling all of our finals requirements! You showed tremendous strength to battle through the hot temps all weekend and we appreciate your efforts!

Awesome swims at 2011 CT Regionals
The Piranhas traveled to Brookfield and Middletown this weekend for one of the last meets of the season. The CT Regional Championship was the culmination of many weeks of hard work and dedication for many of our swimmers and the Piranhas had an amazing meet!!   Among the slew of new Age Group and Seniors cuts, 75% of the Piranha swims were life-time best times!!! That is a huge percentage. On Saturday, the 13/overs had 2 swims that were not life-time best times.   The swimmers who had all best times for the weekend: Eric Liu, Zac Pear, Lauren Rutledge, George Sarbinowski, Rachel Stobbie, Parker Ward, Ben Zhao, Conway Zhou, Sheena, Zhou, Caroline Kearney, Lia Barsanti, Becca Maroney, Maggie Orem, Amelia Ornato, Matt Ross, Sam Schrenker, Megan Slaughter, Michelle Wall. Regional Champions included: Liz Kearney in the 100 Breast, Hadley Merrill in the 200 Fly, Zac Pear in the 100 Fly, 100 Back, and 50 Back, Rachel Stobbie in the 50 Free and 50 Fly. Congratulations to all the Piranhas for a great weekend of swimming! Keep up the awesome job!

CT Seniors July 14-17 @ Wesleyan
Great job to all swimmers who participated last weekend in the CT Senior Championships! The piranhas had a strong showing with a total of 36 swims returning for the evening’s championship final session. Special congratulations to the following top 8 finalists overall: Liza Bragg (100 back, 200 IM, 200 back) Jake Green (1500 Free), and Steven Grune (50 Free). Will Smelser and Chris Janson also finished up their season with lifetime best times in every event they swam. Special thanks also to our meet leader Laurie Orem.

Jake Greene wins CT Swimming Open Water Championship!
A group of 12 Piranhas, (Greene, Chris Janson Jack Bair, Gilmar Barrios, Cesar Pena, Hadley Merrill, Amanda Bieler, Sam Schrenker, Natalie Grune, Lia Barsanti, Becca Maroney and Amelia Ornato) travel to the Madison Surf Club Madison CT, for the annual Open Water Madison Mile.  This event is conducted as Connecticut Swimming’s Open Water Championship and the only open water race on the CT Swimming calendar.  This was a great and challenging opportunity to get the swimmers out of the “comforts” of the pool and into the open water.   Many of the Piranhas were swimming an open water race for the first time and they did not disappoint.  Jake Greene, a long time Piranha heading to Lehigh University in the fall, was not only the first 15-18 year old male out of the water, but the first overall swimmer to finish the race.  Jack Bair was the third 15-18 male to finish.  Amanda Bieler was third overall for the 13/14 girls followed by Amelia Ornato in 4th and Natalie Grune in 5th.  It was a great day in Madison and the Piranhas did an awesome job!

June 25-26, Sea Dog 12/U Invite @ Cheshire
The 12/U Piranhas made the early drive up to Cheshire both Saturday and Sunday to compete in the Cheshire Sea Dog Invite. It was a great experience not only swimming another long course meet before championship season begins, but also swimming outside in the elements! Swimmers battled colder temperatures and overcast skies on Saturday and warm weather and sunshine on Sunday. Everyone was prepared and swam great! There were many best times and big smiles. Great job to all who participated. Special thanks also to all of our parents who volunteered during the meet.

 
Wedneday June 8, Intrasquad Meet @ Darien

The Piranha Intrasquad meet this past Wednesday was a huge success! This meet is a great opportunity for House and 10/U piranhas to swim several good races, cheer on teammates, and have a fun time.  There were many new best times and great swims. All swimmers who participated did a great job and should be proud!  Special thanks to meet leader Mary Pasierb, official Gigi Kearney, and all Senior Piranha swimmers who helped make sure each swimmer was in the right spot at the right time!  Thanks also to our dedicated parents who volunteered to time or help with ribbon writing.  We couldn’t have done it without your help.

Sunday May 22 – WCYM Meet @ Brookfield
While the day was cold and dreary, the Piranhas were ready to heat things up in the pool!  In their second meet of the season, the Piranhas once again showed that they are willing to race anytime and anywhere.  A strong group of 13/O swimmers braved the cool temperatures in the morning and put together some great swims.  Once again there were many best times.  Our 12/U Piranhas showed up in the afternoon and were not going to let the unfavorable weather keep them from swimming fast!  Just like the morning, best times and great racing were the theme.  Congratulations to all of our swimmers for doing a great job.  Thank you to our parents who volunteered throughout the day.  The Piranhas will return to competition June 3-5 at the WAC Invitational at Wesleyan.  Results posted.
 
Wed, May 11th – Shoulder mechanics and injury prevention presentation
Thanks to Gigi Kearney, for taking the time to put on a great and informative presentation.  I will post the presentation shortly.  Presentation.

Link to May 15th meet article at the Daily Darien:  http://www.thedailydarien.com/sports/piranhas-host-usa-swimming-meet-darien-

2011 Piranha Banquet
Sunday night the Piranhas capped off the 2010-11 SC Season with the annual Piranha Banquet.  Pat Morrissey started the evening with a heart felt and poignant invocation.  The evening was full of fun and inspiration capped off by speeches from 6 graduating Piranhas.  The Seniors spoke about how much the Piranhas and coaching staff meant to them as they progressed through the program and the best part, they all thanked their parents.  A huge thank you to Annie Slaughter and her crew for putting on a great banquet! 

Congratulations to Chris Weihs who was honored with the CT High School Swimming Scholar-Athlete award last week at the All-State banquet.  Only one boy from the state receives this award!

YMCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS                                                                                                                       
8 Piranhas traveled to the YMCA National Championship meet last week in Fort Lauderdale Florida. The competition was fierce with the meet featuring YMCA teams from the across the country and Canada! All the hard work and determination that these swimmers showed all season paid off as they posted many lifetime bests. The following team records were broken during the meet: Lindsay Tyler (Girls 15-18 and Open Division 500 Free, 1000 Free and 200 Back!) ; Jake Green (Boys 15-18 and Open Division 1650 Free – previous record set in 2003 by Matt Donch a 2008 Olympic Trials Semi-finalist!) ; Chris Weihs, Steven Grune, Jake Greene and Tyler Gould (Boys 15-18 400 Free Relay); Chris Weihs, Steven Grune, Jake Greene, Jack Bair (Boys 15-18 800 Free Relay); Tyler Gould, Jake Greene, Steven Grune, Chris Weihs (Boys 15-18 Medley Relay). Great work Piranhas!

Peter Clark, visit – swimmers
On Tuesday morning about 25 Piranhas piled into Henk’s office for an intimate and unique opportunity to sit down with one of USA Swimming’s top swimming advisors and consultants, Peter Clark.  Peter’s discussion centered on, how to formulate long and short term goals and the importance of both.  His discussion also touched how a swimmer could and should plan a season, college swimming and process of recruiting.  He also touched upon elite swimmers and how they become “elite,” how they prepare for races and how they plan.  He challenged the kids and he got them to think.  The best part is 99% of what he said, transcends swimming and sports.  He gave them valuable information they can use in all aspects of life.  It was an awesome discussion for all our swimmers who took advantage of this opportunity.   

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