VESTAL VARSITY SWIMMING & DIVING 2024
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Vestal Swimming and Diving Program would like to take this opportunity to thank the many individuals who make this program possible.
We would like to thank the Vestal Board of Education for continuing to support the program and aquatics facilities we use. Sports like swimming and diving not only promote healthy life choices but also create a network of social support and personal development so vital to our students.
Thank you to Athletic Director Josh Gannon, who continues to be an excellent steward of Vestal Swimming and Diving. Swimming is an expensive sport and without the departmental support and the upgrades we need, our teams’ successes would be in jeopardy.
We appreciate the businesses and people in the area who have supported our program through advertisements and donations. Their contributions have allowed our programs to thrive when many have seen declines in recent years.
Finally, we would like thank the Tidal Waves Booster Club and parents of our athletes. Without strong local and family support, none of this would be possible.
Thanks for supporting the Vestal Swimming and Diving Program!
JOE SHORE
GIRLS & BOYS
VARSITY COACH
SARA ROSTEDT
GIRLS & BOYS
DIVING COACH
Cover photograph courtesy DNJ Sports photography Program design by Rachel Coker
GIRLS & BOYS
MODIFIED COACH
PAT HARNAN
GIRLS VARSITY 2024
SWIMMING & DIVING
HEAD COACH: JOE SHORE
DIVING COACH: SARA ROSTEDT
SENIORS:
SUA CHOI
CHARLOTTE COKER*
ANNE COLEMAN
KEIRA DEVANTIER
MEGAN JONES
JIA PARIKH
JAY RATTERREE*
MARY SONNEN*
REAGAN YOUNG*
JUNIORS:
ELINOR DAVIDOVICH
FRAN VALLONE
SOPHOMORES:
CORA RICHTSMEIER
ADELAIDE SMITH
FRESHMEN:
EVA GRENCHUS
MADELINE HERCEG
YIH HUI LIM
SARAH MAHI
MAYA STANKEVICH
RIYA VENKATESH
EIGHTH-GRADERS:
SOPHIE RYAN
OLIVIA TANTON
SEVENTH-GRADERS:
YIH XINN LIM
*CAPTAINS
HEAD COACH
Coach Joe Shore swam for Albany State in college. He was a team captain and a two-time NCAA qualifier. He continued to swim after college with U.S. Masters Swimming, earning a World Record, a National Championship and three All-America Honors.
This past summer, Coach Shore competed in the New York State Seniors Games, earning three Gold medals and a Niagara District record. That was his first meet in five years!
He has been the boys' team head coach at VHS for the past 28 years and in 2021 took over as the girls' team head coach. Coach Shore has guided the Golden Bears to seven sectional titles and four runner-up spots and has an impressive record of 149 wins to 67 losses in his coaching career!
DIVING COACH
Coach Sara Rostedt is in her seventh year with the VHS Girls and Boys Diving teams.
Coach Rostedt dove and swam for MaineEndwell High School. She was a Sectional Finalist and New York State Meet Qualifier.
Since graduating, she has pursued a desire to share her knowledge and techniques with area teams. She is so happy to be part of VHS Diving Teams!
GIRLS VARSITY
SENIORS
SUA CHOI
Favorite swim memory: Accidentally ripping and breaking at least four caps and borrowing Anjali’s and Jia’s. At times my name was Sua Patel, sometimes Sua Parikh.
Favorite events: 50 free, 100 breaststroke, 500 free (once in a blue moon).
Outside the pool: I like to hang out with friends, play piano and violin, shop, and prepare to be the next Gordon Ramsay.
Thanks to: Jia, my lane and bus buddy who is always there for me no matter what. Yih Hui, for being the little sister I never had. Reagan, for never failing to make me laugh. Coach Shore, for helping me not only become a better swimmer, but also a better person.
Advice for teammates: Exhaustion after practice is nothing compared to the sadness I feel leaving the team. It felt like another home. I want everyone to experience that love. Stress from meets and busy schedules are worth it.
SENIORS
Favorite memory from your time as a swimmer? Doing under overs as a team and listening to our magical frog music.
Favorite events: 500 free and 200 free
What do you like to do out of the pool? I like to lifeguard, watch movies, and be outside.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank? I’d like to thank Coach Shore for always being so supportive and great to us girls. I’d also like to thank Fran for being an honorary senior and being a part of our group (love you Fran)!
Do you have any advice for your teammates? Please, please, please go to practice! It is not only important for you to get better, but also for you to grow closer to the team as a whole.
CHARLOTTE COKER
SENIORS
ANNE COLEMAN
CHARLOTTE BETTY,
Is there a favorite memory from your time as a Vestal swimmer that you’d like to share? Doing water aerobics with Olivia for a diving warmup then Sara banning us from doing it again for having too much fun.
What are your favorite dives? Inward tuck and back dive half twist.
What do you like to do out of the pool? Tech Club events for theater music productions and concerts.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank? Sara for always encouraging me and supporting me to dive even when others didn't believe in me.
Do you have any advice for your teammates? Stand up for what you believe in.
What a pleasure it has been to watch you grow up in the water. We love to watch you do what you love to do!
Mommy, Daddy and Sophie
SENIORS
My favorite swim memory is when I hadn’t done the 100 fly all season, but coach had me try it out at prelims. I got won my heat, meaning I was able to go to sectionals for an event I thought I had no chance in.
Favorite events: 100 fly and 200 IM Out of the pool: I like combat sports, going to concerts, and playing instruments.
I’d like to thank my parents for forcing me to swim when I turned 3 and supporting me ever since. I’d like to thank my teammates for
From swim lessons, Varsity Team, to lifeguard, you do it your way!
We are so proud of you. Love always, Mom, Dad, & Katelyn
SENIORS
MEGAN JONES
My best swim memories involve spending time with my teammates, in the pool and out of it. I enjoy the pasta dinners! But one of my favorite memories is when I placed in finals for the 100 breaststroke and all of my teammates were supportive of my accomplishment!
Favorite events: 100 breaststroke, 100 free, 200 medley relay
What do you like to do out of the pool? I love to read, go for walks, travel, hang out with my friends, lifeguard, teach swim lessons, participate in Mock Trial, play piano, and of course eat sweet treats!
Thanks to my parents for supporting me and coming to every meet. Thanks to my teammates and coach for all of the support and fond memories from the past four years.
Advice for your teammates: Never give up! Going to practice will make your day a thousand times better. Also make sure you get enough rest and fuel so that you can do and feel your best. Wishing Jay and the swim
Barbara and Les Bank
CHLORINE,
SENIORS
JIA PARIKH
My favorite memories of swimming are from the practice relays! It’s exciting to participate in relays with teammates I don’t usually swim with during meets. I love the fun, competitive spirit, and how we cheer for each other.
Favorite events: 50 free and 200 IM. Also the 100 breaststroke, even if I don’t swim it often.
Outside the pool: I love dancing, reading, playing the piano, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
I’d like to thank my parents for showing up to all my meets and driving me to practices and pasta dinners. I’m grateful to my sister for always racing me and being my biggest supporter. Thanks to my coach and teammates for making the swim team my second family.
Advice for your teammates: Time passes so fast, and change can be scary. Cherish your friends and make incredible memories. Focus on the positives and try to live in the present. That way, in the future, you can look back and remember all the fun times you had.
My favorite event in high school swim is the 500 and my favorite event in club swim is the 1000!
My favorite memory is during taper when we sing Disney songs as a team!
Outside of the pool, I love to sing in Vestal Voices and Bear Necessities. I also love to spend time in the Chem Lab!
I'd like to thank my family for always pushing me to be the best version of myself, Coach Sara and Coach Shore for believing in me even when I don't believe in myself, and all of my teammates over the past several years (especially my counters).
My advice for the younger team members is to always look for the positives and never put too much pressure on yourself! Your team and your coaches believe in you!
SENIORS
MARY SONNEN
Favorite memory: I have greatly enjoyed screaming and cheering at meets to the point I lose my voice!!! (Especially in Charlotte’s 500s)
Favorite events: 200 free relay and the 100 free
Activities out of the pool: I’m a lifeguard and studying to be a pilot! I really enjoy reading books, crafting, and driving. I also love hanging with my friends and consuming caffeine!
I want to thank my parents for always supporting me through my swimming career. I would like to thank Charlotte for being the best swim mom one could ask for and my lane buddies for being the best cheerleaders throughout our everyday practices! I want to also thank both Coach Shore and Coach Sara for pushing us to be our best and for always encouraging us!
Advice for teammates: Sleep, eat, hydrate! Caffeine won’t solve all your problems. Keep supporting each other and nothing will ever stop you!
Love, Mom and Dad Jay,
We are so proud of your strength, perseverance and unwavering commitment to swimming.
Have an amazing senior season!
SENIORS
REAGAN YOUNG
My favorite personal memory is winning the 100 free at the Maine-Endwell Invitational and my favorite team memory is making the posters for the car wash last year.
What are your favorite events or dives? My favorite events are the 100-yard freestyle and the medley relay.
What do you like to do out of the pool? I like to play the guitar, go on long runs, and go hiking with my friends.
I’d like to thank Coach Shore for making practice fun and helping me re-discover my love for swimming; my teammates for listening to my incessant talking without rhyme or reason; and my family, who have never missed a meet since I was 4 years old.
Do you have any advice for your teammates? Don’t always come to practice with a negative mindset. Try and think positively about the practice ahead. It makes it feel less daunting, and if it doesn’t think about the ice cream you could eat after practice. That should help!
Megan,
We are so proud of you and have loved watching you swim since you were little.
Good luck to you and the Vestal Swim team!
Swim fast and enjoy your senior season.
We love you,
Mom, Dad, Leah, and Teddy
Vestal Varsity Girls Swimming & Diving Records
GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING RECORDS
Vestal School Record
Marissa Milkovich
Karen Maye
Taylor Lansing
Ashley Wortman 1:55.28 Nov-06
Ritaj El Ghissassi 1:55.96 Oct-19
Heather Kintner 2:11.91 Sep-84
Heather George 25.13 Oct-86
Missy Urbanic
Missy Urbanic
Oct-87
Nov-87
Ritaj El Ghissassi 58.50 Sep-19
Heather George 53.67 Nov-85
Ritaj El Ghissassi 5:12.21 Oct-19
Sandy Tremel
Sarah Paradis
Daniella Borrelli
Lisa Mariner
Marissa Milkovich
Corinne Zotter
Heather Kintner
Jill McShane
Amy Groome
Heather George 3:42.41 Nov-85
Medley Relay E. Simitch-Warke L. A. Norberg L. Todhunter E. Peck 1:48.91 Sep-06 Ithaca
Freestyle
Individual Medley
A. Norberg 2:07.17 Sep-08 Ithaca
Olsian
Butterfly
Freestyle
Freestyle Relay
E. Norberg
Apr-21 Binghamton
Sep-22 Corning
Oct-07 Owego
Sep-08 Ithaca
Browning 5:11.63 Sep-16 Ithaca
Ithaca
Heise S. Williams K. Gardner L. E. Norberg 3:43.77 Sep-08 Ithaca
“You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.”
-Michael Phelps
Keep dreaming, Fran!
Love, Mom, Dad, Joey, and Tommy
DNJ Photography
Team photographer
2024 Vestal swimming & diving
Senior pictures, family portraits, event photography, product photography and sports photography for Binghamton and surrounding communities www.dnjsports.com
Good luck, Golden Bears! Keira, From minnow to shark, we couldn’t be more proud of you! Love, Mommy and Daddy
GIRLS VARSITY 2023
MEET SCORING
