YMCA OF THE TRIANGLE AREA
SWIM TEAM THE 2019-2020 SEASON
A PEEK INSIDE
WHAT IS
POP? /päp/, noun, origin. 2019 Raleigh, NC
THE POWER OF PURPLE This year, YOTA committed to focusing on three character development traits: Persistence, Optimism and Passion. By developing these characteristics and embracing the Power Of Purple, YOTA was able to face even the toughest challenges that this season brought.
Director Message Season Snapshot Annual Campaign NC Swimming Top 5 USA Swimming Top 100 State Records Team Records National Records IMX Top 5 Age Group Champs Age Group Sectionals ISCA 2019 Jr. Nationals YMCA Nationals Olympic Trials YOTA Awards Graduating Seniors Closing Remarks
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Jerry Foley
This season was inarguably one defined by change from day one.You all met me and I met all of you for the very first time just over a year ago. I asked that we find new cheese (the good things we like). We said goodbye to old friends and welcomed new ones into our lives. We have tried new ways of doing things. In the last few months alone, we have had to change so much while the world changed around us in ways that none of us could have imagined. The YOTA that stands before me today is not the same YOTA that it was a year ago. During the past year we witnessed the Power of Purple – POP... who could have predicted why we would even need to live into Persistence – Optimism – Passion even more as the year went on. I have learned that Change is one of the few constants in life. Through all of the goodbyes we have given, through the new faces we have come to know, through all of our successes and disappointments, even thru this pandemic, however, our commitment to our values remains as strong as ever. YOTA stands for excellence in character above all else, and when I look out at all of you, and I see the support that parents give to their children, the commitment that young people make to their sport, and the bond that only come from true friendship, I see a mission fulfilled.The passion, kindness, and love is what makes YOTA special. It's people. Each of You. I can’t help but feeling blessed to lead and be able to count myself among the extraordinary people that make YOTA special.I’d like to give thanks to some of those extraordinary people that have given so much to YOTA this year.To every volunteer: whether you were timing, serving food, or selling heat-sheets, you made this year possible. Thank you! To our officials: your service is hugely important to our mission and we added so many of you to our ranks this year, so thank you!To our aquatics staff: thank you for your time and assistance to give our team water and the support you give our coaches.To our parent council: your input is invaluable and we rely so much on the work that you do for this team. Thank you!To our coaches: your tireless work and unending passion is a driving force for our athletes and for this team. Thank you!And to the swimmers: your youthful, powerful love for this sport and for this team is the lifeblood of YOTA and you are the biggest reason that we love to do what we do. Thank you most of all! We are so fortunate and grateful for the contributions that each and every one of you make to this team, especially to those of you that contributed to the We Build People Annual Campaign this year. If you gave any amount at all, we are thankful for your contribution and you should pat yourself on the back for supporting your YMCA. When the campaign came around this year, some of you really went to bat for the Y and raised eye-popping contributions. Your efforts make an incredible difference in our communities and we sincerely appreciate your willing to support the Annual Campaign. Lastly, I want you to reflect on what gives you AIR? What is essential in your life, like AIR, that you can’t live without? Swimmers need AIR to compete. For me, I get AIR from leading this program and working with each of you.
10,636
seconds of time improvement as a team.
16
graduating seniors with bright futures.
TOHSPANS NOSAES
40
11
2,947
15
976
44
swimmers qualified for YMCA Short Course Nationals.
season-best times swam this past season.
miles swam in the YOTA Swim Challenge.
swimmers have set new YOTA Swim Team records.
swimmers rank in the top 5 of NC Swimming in an event.
swimmers rank in the top 100 of USA Swimming.
YOTA Swim Team raised over
$96,725 to help meet the greatest needs of our community and our YMCA.
Congratulations to these YOTA swimmers that collected more than $500 for the 2019 Annual Campaign.
WE BUILD PEOPLE The 2019 Annual Campaign Elizabeth Bakelaar Katherine Bakelaar Lucas Bakelaar Mia Corrado Madelynn Cox Audrey Crowder Nicholas DaSilva Avery Delcambre Jacob Demarco Zoe Garcia
Bennett Harris Caroline Healey Graylin Hopkins Tori Houde Margaret Lorms Ella Malzahn Hugh Olson Sophia Overholt Margaret Payton Nittany Penrod
Sophia Reich Ruby Richey Isla Robertson Reese Stoner Claire Tuenker Michael Volpe Ryan West Peyton Womble Hala Zafar
NORTH CAROLINA SWIMMING
TOP 5
Congratulations to YOTA's fifteen swimmers that placed in the long course and short course top 5 of their age group within North Carolina. These athletes train incredibly hard to attain the glorious recognition as one of the fastest swimmers in the state. Many of these athletes also place in the top 5 at NCS Age Group Championships and earn an invitation to Select Camp. Unfortunately their opportunity to attend was taken due to COVID-19. In addition, YOTA also had two coaches earn a spot on the Select Camp coaching staff. Congratulations to Coach John Newell (West Senior II) and Coach Mark Franz (Durham Age Group) on this prestigious achievement.
SWIMMERS RANKED IN THE NCS TOP 5 Lucca Battaglini AJ Carroll Megan Carson Jared Carter Ryan Hallgren
Caroline Healey Hailey Hicks Jack Humbert Spencer Jennings Ross Noble
Sophie Perry Reese Stoner John Reese Taylor David Wahlen Zoe Wisenbacker Shaw Satterfield
[Above] Jack Humbert, with Coach Mark, and his NCS Top 5 Golden Ticket to attend Select Camp.
USA TOP 100 SWIMMING
USA Swimming Top 100 is a ranking of all club swimmers in the nation. They are ranked based on their top times in a specific event for their respective age group. The goal of the program is to acknowledge the excellence achieved by our best athletes, their coaches who lead them, and their club who supports them.
Girls Mya Creek-Anderson Grace Brunk Audrey Crowder Suzanne Earnshaw Caroline Healey Hailey Hicks Spencer Jennings Laila Kwong
Boys Lindsay Lauver Brianna Li Eleanor McCall Lauren Medlin Kayla Miller Elodie Mitchell Emma Murtaugh Mathea Myhrvold
Paige O'Keefe Macy Organ Sophia Perry Ella Speerschneider Ruby Richey
Lucas Ansede Maxwell Ayres Lucca Battaglini Perry Becker AJ Carroll Jared Carter Andrew Castillo Tommy Coppedge
Jack Cury Benjamin Eischeid Ryan Hardy Jack Humbert Curry Jennings Ben Lajoie Carter Lange Kyle Mizell
Ross Noble Daniel Pearce Wiley Sikes Reese Stoner Ryan Sutherland John Reese Taylor Eddie Wang
STATE RECORDS
NORTH CAROLINA SWIMMING Battaglini Breaks NCS State Record
This year, YOTA's own Lucca Battaglini made history at the 2020 SCY Age Group Championships in Greensboro, NC. Lucca broke the North Carolina Swimming State Record in the boys 13-14 200 yard Freestyle with a time of 1:41.07. This record was last set in 2017 and went untouched for three years. This is a tremendous accomplishment, Congratulations Lucca!
The energy on deck was electric. It was so great so see his hard work payoff like that.
Tom Hazelett
West Senior I Coach
MAKING
HISTORY,
REALLY
QUICKLY.
Grace Brunk
John Reese Taylor
11-12 Girls LCM 200 Freestyle Relay 1:58.40
13-14 Boys LCM 400 Medley Relay 4:09.69
Lucca Battaglini
Sophie Perry
Benjamin Eischeid
13-14 Boys SCY 100 Freestyle 46.64 13-14 Boys SCY 200 Freestyle 1:41.07 13-14 Boys SCY 500 Freestyle 4:38.83 13-14 Boys LCM 400 Medley Relay 4:09.69
11-12 Girls LCM 200 Freestyle Relay 1:58.40
13-14 Boys LCM 400 Medley Relay 4:09.69
Ella Speerschneider
Reese Stoner
11-12 Girls LCM 200 Freestyle Relay 1:58.40
13-14 Boys LCM 400 Medley Relay 4:09.69
Ruby Richey
Caroline Healey
10&U Girls LCM 100 Backstroke 1:18.30
11-12 Girls LCM 200 Freestyle Relay 1:58.40
Ross Noble
Clarissa Bezuidenhout
13-14 Boys LCM 100 Backstroke 1:00.13
13-14 Girls LCM 100 Backstroke 2:24.32
YMCA OF THE TRIANGLE AREA
TEAM RECORDS
AMERICAN RECORD HOLDER While competing at the World Deaf Swimming Championships in 2019, Collin Davis broke the American Deaf Record in the 800 Freestyle. Collin placed 5th with a time of 8:52.04 which smashed the former American Deaf Record of 9:04.68. Collin Davis was a key contributor to Team USA at the World Championship by making finals in multiple events and being a dependable member on Team USA relays. Congratulations, Collin! Way to represent YOTA and our country on the National Level with great success!
COLLIN DAVIS
We are able to adapt as a program to fit the needs of everyone. And not just fit the needs of everyone, but to take them as far as their goals can take them. There is no limit.
Tom Hazelett
West Senior I Coach
TOP
IMX
ATHLETES
TOP YOTA IMX SCORERS 10 & U GIRLS SCY Zoe Wisenbaker [2890]
10 & U BOYS SCY Chuanxi Zhang [2876]
11-12 GIRLS SCY Sophie Perry [3269]
11-12 BOYS SCY Jack Humbert [3452]
13-14 GIRLS SCY 13-14 BOYS SCY Clarissa Bezuidenhout [3611] Reese Stoner [4087] 15-18 GIRLS SCY Mia Corrado [3694]
15-18 BOYS SCY Ross Noble [4976]
IMX is a USA Swimming motivational program that allows swimmers across the nation to compare themselves to the thousands of other athletes in their age group. By swimming a specific program of events, you can see where you rank against your teammates, your region, and even across the USA. This year, we had many athletes place among the top IMX athletes in North Carolina and the United States. The YOTA swimmers from each age group with the highest IMX scores from this past season are shown here.
NORTH CAROLINA AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS
All North Carolina 14 & Under athletes who have achieved the current NCS Age Group Championship qualifying standards are invited to compete against each other once every season. At Age Group Champs, the athletes are competing against the best swimmers in the state for a chance to take home the gold and the title of best team in the state.
[Above] YOTA Team cheer at the 2020 Short Course Age Group Championships in Greensboro, NC.
2019-2020 QUALIFIERS
Jackson Adams Maxwell Ayres Katherine Bakelaar Tyler Barritt Lucca Battaglini Chrisna Bezuidenhout Clarissa Bezuidenhout Bella Blommer Grace Brunk Amelie Carneiro Andrew Castillo Virginia Christopherson Addison Cockman Makenna Corcoran Ronan Cornpropst Mya Creek-Anderson Addison Crisson Audrey Crowder Avery Delcambre Sara Djuric
Benjamin Eischeid Poppy Fishburn Lizzie Fowler Caroline Gwaltney Colton Gwaltney Ryan Hallgren Owen Hannon Caroline Healey Tessa Hill Casey Hinckley Sydney Hodulik Caroline Holladay Jack Humbert Davis Jackson Spencer Jennings Curry Jennings Shane Keough Abigail Kinlaw Laila Kwong Yasmine Kwong Benjamin Lajoie
Eliza Lamar Campbell Lange Cater Lange Lindsay lauver Finley Lewis Brianna Li Ansley Mason Eleanor McCall Dallas Miller Aubrey Mitchell Elodie Mitchell Paige O'Keefe Sammy Olson Fiona O'Malley Macy Organ Juyoung Park Joshua Pearce William Pearce Sophie Perry Ian Platts-Mills Catherine Powell
Ruby Richey Bentley Scott William Sikes Breanna Smith Ella Speerschneider Reese Stoner Ryan Sutherland Elizabeth Swafford John Reese Taylor Lindsay Templeton Holly Thesing Alena Volpe Eddie Wang John White Calvin Williamson IV Zoe Wisenbaker Lily Wright Colin Zeng Chuanqu Zhang Chuanxi Zhang
ESSZ SHORT COURSE AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS Swimmers who have achieved ESSZ Short Course Sectionals qualifying standards are invited to compete against some of the fastest age group swimmers from Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia. This year, our athletes made the trek down to Atlanta, GA only to find themselves heading back home later that evening. This was the first of many of our championship meets to be canceled due to COVID-19. Though this cancelation was extremely disappointing, our athletes left with their heads held high and a once-in-a-lifetime story to tell.
QUALIFIERS Katherine Bakelaar Bella Blommer Grace Brunk Makenna Corcoran Audrey Crowder Sara Djuric Lizzie Fowler Caroline Gwaltney Caroline Healey Tessa Hill Sydney Hodulik Caroline Holladay Spencer Jennings Abigail Kinlaw Laila Kwong
Yasmine Kwong Campbell Lange Linsday Lauver Eleanor McCall Dallas Miller Elodie Mitchell Aubrey Mitchell Paige O'Keefe Macy Organ Juyoung Park Sophie Perry Ruby Richey Breanna Smith Alena Volpe Maxwell Ayres
Tyler Barritt Lucca Battaglini Andrew Castillo Colton Gwaltney Casey Hinckley Jack Humbert Curry Jennings Shane Keough Benjamin Lajoie Ian Platts-Mills Ryan Sutherland Eddie Wang Jack White Chuanqi Zhang Chuanxi Zhang
2019
ISCA ST. PETERSBURG, FL
SENIOR SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIP INVITATIONAL Last summer, 50 YOTA athletes made the trip down to St. Petersburg, FL to compete in the 2019 Senior Summer Championship Invitational. It is always great to have the opportunity to race somewhere outside of the Triangle Area, and it is even better to make the trip together as a team. Along with some fast racing, these swimmers were able to experience all that a team-travel trip has to offer. Some of the best lessons are learned and memories are made at meets like these. Our athletes were able to travel, support and race each other like a family. This is the type of bond we strive to create among all of our athletes.
It's an experience- It's a lot of fun racing, but it's also great time for the swimmers to learn how to balance their social life and how to swim fast. It's also a great time to race other people outside the YMCA and the Triangle Area because swimmers across the country come to swim at this meet. Rachel Muller
Raleigh Senior II Coach
2019 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR
CHAMPIONSHIPS Winter Junior Nationals, hosted in Atlanta, GA, is one of the most competitive USA Swimming meets for swimmers under the age of 18. This meet is a step beyond YMCA Nationals and it's qualifiers are some of the fastest swimmers in the country. This year, we had seven swimmers qualify. These swimmers swam some good midseason races while representing YOTA on the national stage.
JUNIOR NATIONAL TEAM Perry Becker
Jared Carter
Hailey Hicks
100 Breaststroke 200 Breaststroke 200 Indvidual Medley
1650 Freestyle 500 Freestyle 400 Indvidual Medley
50 Freestyle 100 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke
Ross Noble
Shaw Satterfield
Alex Smyre
Michael Volpe
100 Backstroke 200 Backstroke 200 Individual Medley 400 Individual Medley
50 Freestyle 100 Freestyle 200 Freestyle 100 Butterfly
200 Butterfly
100 Breaststroke
YMCA NATIONALS YMCA Nationals is the highest level of YMCA Swimming a swimmer can achieve. This is the largest and fastest YMCA meet in the country. We had 40 swimmers who qualified this season and were ready to bring home another championship banner. Unfortunately, the meet was canceled due to COVID-19.
NATIONAL TEAM
Mackenzie Adams Nick Aderson Lucas Ansede Lucca Battaglini Perry Becker Chrishna Bezuidenhout Clarissa Bezuidenhout Gideon Bezuidenhout Jackson Cain Megan Carson
Davis Carson Jared Carter Matthew Congiusta Tommy Coppedge Mia Corrado Collin Davis Kennan Day Sara Djuric Julia Earnshaw Suzanne Earnshaw
Benjamin Eischeid Samuel Faber Declan Gleason Keenan Gyure Ryan Hardy Dillan Hickey Hailey Hicks Spencer Jennings Megan Legarth Jenna Maloy
Emma Murtaugh Amelia Myhrvold Ross Noble Shaw Satterfield Alex Smyre Kate Speerschneider Reese Stoner John Reese Taylor Michael Volpe Alexis Walker
This meet is what these swimmers focus on day-in and day-out. It's the championship focus that creates the high-level of drive in the Senior I group. Jamie Bloom
Head National Team Coach
OLYMPIC TRIALS Canadian Olympic Swimming Trials Congratulations to YOTA's Megan Carson for qualifying for the Canadian Olympic Swimming Trials! Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, Trials were postponed until next year. In April of 2021, Megan will finally get the opportunity to compete in Toronto in the 200, 400, 800, and 1500 Freestyle. Megan is one of many athletes we hope to send off to Olympic Trials next year. good luck and we'll will be cheering you on from Raleigh!
Her training, effort, and determination is at the level of a trials qualifier. She deserves every cut she qualified for. [Above] Megan and Coach Richard after she qualified for Canadian Olympic Swimming Trials at the 2020 Jim Wood Memorial Invitation in Piscataway, NJ.
Jamie Bloom
Head National Team Coach
2019-2020Â YOTA AWARD WINNERS TAYLOR FAMILY YMCA
Zoey Rowe, Alice-Kate Hinson, Joseph Swannack, Walker Hall, Nora Ubinger, Roan Slone, Alexis Powers, Kyle Mizell.
INGRAM FAMILY YMCA
Nittany Penrod, Luke Hutchens, Rebecca Kangas, Carter Reed, Julia Heifert, Nick DaSilva, Allie Wiggins, Brennan Buchmann.
A.E. FINLEY YMCA
Vania Jafari, William Harvey, Max Leuchtmann, Haley Houtz, Erin Henderson, Jack Gajowski, Melanie Vargas, Lucas Ferreira.
DOWNTOWN DURHAM YMCA
Cordi Ramont, Ellie Volpe, Nahla Bolden, Luke Bakelaar, Cameron Morris, Yalisa Orozco-Leon, Jack Humbert, Kate Bakelaar.
KERR FAMILY YMCA
Iman Boussaidane, Danny Eck, Emersyn Handy, Blake Zimmerman, Andie Ko, Joshua Armstrong, Zoe Organ, Jack White.
CHAPEL HILL YMCA
Rosi Gutierrez, Breenan Carneiro, Annalisa Volpe, Ben Portnoy, Yikuan Sun, Casey Freeman, Ben Lajoie, Sydney Hodulik.
OBERLIN PROGRAM CENTER Sarah Foglia Brinson Finch
WEST SENIOR II Paige O'Keefe Emily Kilgallen
RALEIGH SENIOR II Dallas Miller Benjamin Eischeid
WEST SENIOR I Mia Corrado Matthew Congiusta
RALEIGH SENIOR I Megan Carson Perry Becker
CONGRATULATIONS SENIORS!
SROINES ATOY
Julia Allen Perry Becker Gideon Bezuidenhout Davis Carson Megan Carson Matthew Conguista Victor Hammer Andrew Jeffries Ava Kanopka Camden McGovern Pranesh Macha Emma Murtaugh Shaw Satterfield Avery Schrage Sophia Swenson Alexis Walker
You're gonna move on and you're gonna end up being setup for success no matter what that ends up being. Tom Hazelett West Senior I Coach
When we say to the younger kids this is who we want you to aspire to become, I think that you all have done an amazing job of doing that. Jamie Bloom Head National Team Coach
They all have such good character as people, not just swimmers. That character will take them far in their life.
Rachel Muller Raleigh Senior II Coach
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT OUR GRADUATING SENIORS
We started this season with a commitment to instill Perseverance, Optimism and Passion in each and every one of our athletes. Little did we know how much these traits would be tested this year. I am so impressed by our entire YOTA family for continuing to live into the Power of Purple, even in the most unprecedented times. Through every obstacle we faced this year, we persevered. Our swimmers and coaches did a terrific job of adapting to our new reality and staying focused on our goals. We could not have done this without continuing to be optimistic, even when we could not see a light at the end of the tunnel. I owe this to all of our parents who trusted in our program and supported us every step of the way. My passion for this sport, our team and our family has only ever continued to grow throughout this season. I challenge us all to continue to stay passionate and let that launch us into our ‘20-’21 season.
STAY THE COURSE
They say a team is only as strong as its foundation, and our foundation is you: the parents, swimmers and YMCA community who keep our team alive. With a family as strong as ours, I am confident that no matter what the ‘20-’21 season has in store for us, we will continue to stay the course.
POWER OF PURPLE